'JEDI' AT 40: INSIDE DROID HELL!

Classic scene still used for marketing and publicity.

Our heroic droids now face a new life and dangers within Jabba the Hutt's evil domain, of which Threepio is not taking the change too well, sadly wondering what he has done to deserve this nightmare from his former master...

Built on Stage 7 for filming across February 17th - 19th, 1982, the corridor set outside the droid dungeon would be quite small, with a curved section that turns left into the main area. The far wall end of the main corridor would have a specially painted backdrop that made it look like the corridor goes further into the distance than it actually does. 

For this blackly comic sequence, numerous surviving Artoo shells, Threepio casings from The Empire Strikes Back, and a disassembled CZ-3 protocol droid suit, previously worn by Anthony Daniels and seen wandering around Mos Eisley for the original Star Wars, are re-used as prop set dressing as the damaged remains of previously tortured droids. A nice sight gag involving Threepio and the CZ-3 prop costume is created on set. 

Watch out for the clever camera trick at the beginning of the sequence where the droids are herded into  the room from the dank corridor. The three-legged Artoo unit enters the shot with Threepio and the Gamorrean Guards (likely played by Simon Williamson and Hugh Spirit). The camera then stays with Threepio as we follow the golden droid into the room-by this time the three-legged Artoo has disappeared off camera and the Kenny Baker operated shell is already present in the room by the time Threepio has neared the console area manned by EV-9D9 (a similar trick had been prior used for a scene in Star Wars, involving Artoo walking about Mos Eisley Spaceport's streets to Docking Bay 94). Like the corridor set leading into it, there is a painted background behind EV-9D9’s instrument panel to make it look as if the room is bigger than it actually is. 

As with the previous two films, the three legged remote controlled Artoo would bring its own fair share of problems to the shoot, aggravating directing Richard Marquand on a regular basis, recalling to Photoplay - June issue, 1983: “I hope I never have to work with Artoo Detoo again. Little monster. It was an eye opener. I had been told constantly, “Ha ha ha. Wait until you start shooting sequences involving the droids” and I didn’t pay any attention. Artoo is so charming and lovely on the screen, but is such a monstrous little thing. He has brainstorms. You pull out his plug at the wrong time in the morning and he freaks out. He’ll do a rehearsal perfectly and when you’re ready for a take he suddenly explodes or something. There are thirteen of them and each one does things but doesn’t do them all. You have to shoot them all separately and it just drives you crazy because he is one of the stars of the movie. He just gives that little upbeat “Beep!” at the right moment and everybody feels good again.”

Sadly, veteran supporting star Kenny Baker, when operating Artoo inside his two-legged incarnation, does not establish any kind of warm rapport with Marquand during the duration of filming, unlike his prior positive relationships with George Lucas and Irvin Kershner.  

Assigned their new duties...

"We've been without a protocol droid since our master got angry with our last one, and disintegrated him...!"

In early conceptual art, EV-9D9 started off life as an assassin droid.

The cruel EV-9D9.

Unseen outtake image.

Atmospheric image of the droid on set.

Originally, it had been planned for EV-9D9 to walk, but, three days before filming, tests indicate that effects aren’t able to convincingly bring it to life. With the EV-9D9’s dialogue being overdubbed, Richard Marquand, the voice of the character, has some fun with the on set dialogue-in one out-take, he orders the Gamorrean Guards to take Threepio away to be fitted with a “Lucas bolt”!  The character, puppet operated by Kiran Shah (as listed on a call sheet), may also have had some extra lines-similar cut dialogue is in both the film’s novelisation and in the comic adaptation: "You're a feisty little one, but you'll soon learn some respect. I have need for you on the master's Sail Barge. Several of our astro droids have been disappearing recently - stolen for spare parts, most likely. I think you'll fill in nicely." 

A Gonk/Power Droid is cruelly upside down with its feet burnt!

Whilst a medical droid is being torn apart. This was a lightweight, flexible prop compared to the Medical Droid built for use in Empire, and was operated by out of sight puppeteers.

The evil masters of the dungeon, droids BG-J38 and EV-9D9, were built by the London special effects teams at Elstree, mostly operated on set, out of camera view, by unseen-on-film piano wires. Producer Howard Kazanjian would recall: “There was a little person in the dustbin droid (Carol Read) moving the feet as he is rotated and being tortured. The dustbin droid was self-contained. The droid that was on levers torturing him was standing there on his own. His hands were attached to the levers and his head was moved by wires. EV-9D9, our chief droid, was operated by wires and rods and sometimes you could see a rod coming out of the back of an arm or an elbow. He also had a control panel there that he was operating. It was real puppetry.”

The voice of the upside down tortured Power Droid, inserted into the movie during post production, would belong to Ben Burtt-his screams speeded up. 

Dungeon interior set, with false perspective distance background.

"Artoo, don't leave me!"

Artoo, at the mercy of a Gamorrean Guard and EV-9D9.

Behind the scenes continuity polaroid showing EV-9D9 puppet with one of the practical effects technical team?

The droid props at the Elstree practical effects workshop.

EV- 9D9 in the workshop.