ACTION HEROES! THE REBEL COMMANDOS OF 'RETURN OF THE JEDI'

Two of the Rebels' finest commandos work alongside the small but indomitable Ewoks of the Endor forests to attack an approaching AT-ST, during the epic battle finale to Return of the Jedi - a great deleted scene image (likely improvised/planned during filming) from the photo collection of ILM veteran Stuart Ziff that was recently put on auction. I think it was a great shame that the shot footage of the Commandos was cut down to the bare minimum in the final film. I would have preferred a bit more screen time rewarded to them rather than the Ewoks during the battle, as they bravely brought cover fire to Han and Leia at the back door to the Imperial bunker. It would have been nice to have had a supporting character role for the Commandos squad leader too, liaising with Han and Leia, or for the specialist group to have had their own scene/s in the forest before rendezvousing with Han and Leia for the bunker conflict.

Enjoy this selection of images featuring the Commandos, primarily from the Redwoods location filming circa May, 1983....

Tracey Eddon, Dickey Beer and an unknown actor with the droids on the newly arrived Endor.

Capturing a Speeder Bike Trooper guarding the Imperial Bunker back door.

One of the seasoned warriors wears the captured Imperial disguise so as to buy time for Han, Leia and the others to infiltrate the bunker.

Close-in shot of several commandos used for marketing and merchandising from 1983 onwards.

It's a trap! Han, Leia, Chewbacca and the commandos (including Larry Holt and Dickey Beer) are caught by the Imperial legion.

Our heroes (including Tracey Eddon) briefly captured by the Imperials.

A great posed capture shot (also featuring Tracy Eddon) used for early magazine pictorial promotion.

A terrific posed shot for the battle at the bunker.

Primarily appearing in the UK filming deleted scene.

Cliff Alliston at the location.

Other extras captured in continuity reference polaroid images during location filming.

Costume continuity image.

EPISODE IX: THE ALTERNATE ADVENTURE!

On the streets of the First Order controlled capital city of Coruscant, Finn leads a revolution against the evil oppressors and their legions of Stormtroopers, with the help of loyal friend Rose Tico, defector Stormtroopers and an assortment of droids, towards the spectacular end of what might have been Episode IX: the abandoned Colin Trevorrow vision that was Duel of the Fates, as seen in this intriguing concept work.

Leading the charge!

More on the abandoned film here:

Duel of the Fates Animated Short Film - Star Wars Fans Turned Colin Trevorrow's Leaked Script Into a Film

ILM BEHIND THE SCENES: WIBBLY-WOBBLY WALKER!

Paul Huston and the model team prepare to bring down a soon wobbly AT-ST 'Chicken' Walker on a special miniature set situated outside of ILM in late 1982, for the memorable concluding Ewok battle of Return of the Jedi.

Retro feature on the Original Trilogy:

https://videoandfilmmaker.com/wp/index.php/features/a-look-back-at-star-wars-old-school-vfx/

Modelmaker Easy Owyeung on the challenges of working on the Trilogy:

https://vimeo.com/222299458

ROGUE ONE: ASSAULT ON THE HOLY LAND!

The once free planet of Jedha- a celebration of the Jedi Order and the nature of the Force- now enslaved by the Empire, the tendrils of one of its skies dominant Star Destroyer's reaching down deep into the holiest of its once cities and populace, in this great concept art of doom-laden oppression for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, by Andre Wallin.

CLASSIC ART: MACHINE VERSUS EWOK!

A brave Ewok flees pursuit from two lethal blaster cannon wielding AT-ST 'Chicken' Walkers in this great concept art by Joe Johnston for Return of the Jedi circa 1981, where the brave furry heroes of the Endor forest moon were finally visually locked into as being Teddy Bear-like creatures. But Teddy Bears who could formidably crack Imperial Stormtrooper skulls open when they needed to!

Their popularity may have changed with the seasons across 35 years but Star Wars legendary composer John Williams and The London Symphony Orchestra gave the little critters a suitably grand, lovably rumbustious and inspiring main theme in Parade of the Ewoks, one of the main tracks of the original 1983 soundtrack album for Return of the Jedi that's now getting a well deserved remastering and re-release via Walt Disney Records, along with the rest of the Classic and Prequel Trilogies. Each CD comes at a nice price, and with a collectible mini-poster.

Get it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-Return-John-Williams/dp/B075VNJCQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528651771&sr=8-1&keywords=return+of+the+jedi+cd

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY!

He brought down one of the Empire's juggernaut Walkers, but Luke fails to see the Scout Walker in the background, heading towards the Rebel Base, in a brief but terrific visual moment from The Empire Strikes Back.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: THE 'CHICKEN' GETS BATTLE READY!

Outdoors at the ILM facility at San Francisco during 1982, Paul Huston makes an adjustment to the AT-ST Walker for its next scene in the Battle of Endor, for Return of the Jedi.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CLIMATE OF CHAOS!

As the Ewoks break cover and attack their Imperial captors, Han and his Rebel squad make the most of the chaos in this terrific image from RETURN OF THE JEDI.

ROTJ AT 30: THE TRAP IS SPRUNG...

Han Solo and his commando squad find themselves prisoners at the hands of an Imperial Garrison in a tense scene from the Battle of Endor in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

CLASSIC ART: SCOUT WALKER ATTACK!

A sequence that would have been terrific had it ever have been conceived and realised for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK- as AT-ST Chicken Walkers break through the Rebel defensive line on Hoth in this fantastic, action-packed art pin-up by iconic illustrator Michael Golden for MARVEL, from the early eighties. The Chicken Walker, designed by Joe Johnston, ultimately appeared in just two scenes of the finished film's snow battle-a quick addition to the ambitious sequences of The Battle of Hoth as it neared completion in ILM post production. A planned third completed scene for the mechanical beast in the film ultimately wasn't used, due a problem with the backdrop (it's a pity that the 2010 Rinzler Making of book couldn't at least have showed a frame from that deleted sequence, or had it on the Blu-ray release as an Easter Egg-another wasted opportunity), though the vehicle would make a more prominent and spectacular appearance in the finale battle of RETURN OF THE JEDI.