EPISODE V: THE DISINTEGRATOR!

The slightest sound heard on his receptors can mean potential conflict for Boba Fett, unwilling to let his prize in carbon frozen Han Solo be taken away from him as he makes his way to Slave 1 and departure to Tatooine, in this super close-in image of the character from The Empire Strikes Back.

Jeremy Bulloch interview:

https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-identities-jeremy-bulloch-interview

Though The Mandalorian continues to be a fun series (and hopefully a fun movie experience, too!), it was a great shame that the originally planned Boba Fett standalone film never happened. Though the project has since been allegedly 'debunked' by Kathleen Kennedy, remember when this news first came out? And the Celebration convention preview alongside Rogue One?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-boba-fett-movie-is-happening-james-mangold-direct-1113273

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: FROM BESPIN WITH LOVE...

A wondrous city in the clouds provides a time for unique safety and refuge from the Imperials for Princess Leia Organa, who is given a unique outdoor tour by Baron Lando Kadar in this great conceptual painting by Ralph McQuarrie. Even from this painting we get the impression that Lando is certainly 'the old smoothie' referenced by Han Solo.

McQuarrie enjoyed working on the conceptual side of The Empire Strikes Back as much as he did on the original Star Wars, especially in developing the look and style of the Cloud City realm.

Michael Pangrazio's 1979 concept for an unused matte painting.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: DELIVERANCE AT CLOUD CITY!

Having used all his skills to outwit the once pursuant Imperial fleet, Han Solo takes the damaged Millennium Falcon to the far-off realms of Bespin, where he hopes his old friend Lando Calrissian, now the administrator of a Tibanna Gas Mine colony, will take them in and provide a period of safety. Thankfully, old grudges between Lando towards Han have been seemingly forgotten as he enthusiastically escorts the fugitive group into the city.

The cast take a break between scene. Image: Mark Sennet.

Waiting for trouble between Han and Lando.

Anthony Daniels makes a point on the stage.

Filming at Elstree with the camera masking out unwanted background elements that will be later replaced with matte work.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SLAVE 1 DEPARTS!

 

Arriving too late at Cloud City's East Platform, Leia and Lando can only look on as Boba Fett makes his escape on Slave 1, with his 'special cargo' aboard in the carbonized Han Solo. A great storyboard for The Empire Strikes Back whose scene location would be altered visually by the time of Summer 1979 filming at Elstree Studios...

The shot has similarities to this exciting production painting done by Ralph McQuarrie for the scene, which shows Chewbacca and Leia breaking glass to shoot at the departing vessel.

Ralph McQuarrie's final painting from September 25th, 1978.

CLASSIC ART: DANGER AMONGST THE CLOUDS!

 

He has his prize in the carbon frozen visage of his former enemy and bounty Captain Han Solo, his money awaits for the capture task from a hungry Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine - the slimy crime boss eager to receive his soon favourite decoration for the wall of his throne room, and he has clearance from the Imperials to depart the now captured Cloud City on Bespin. Fortune clearly favours the bold skillsets of the dangerous Boba Fett, in this great art that graced the cover of an early eighties issue of the UK's Star Wars Monthly comic strip magazine.  

FALLEN EVIL!

Amongst the colorful sunset beauty of Bespin and its iconic Cloud City, a First Order Cruiser falls to its doom in this memorable scene from the near-end to The Rise of Skywalker, as first captured in conceptual art by James Clyne.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: BESPIN ESCAPE - THE SECOND ATTEMPT!

With Luke safely rescued, Lando and Chewbacca make a fast escape for the Millennium Falcon from the underside of Cloud City, briefly avoiding three TIE fighters before they then resume doggedly pursuing the freighter out from the planet's atmosphere...

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LUKE'S RESCUE!

 

The deleted scene as rendered in spectacular art form by Hugh Fleming.

From The Empire Strikes Back Fifth Draft Script - 20/2/79:

SCENE 422: INT COCKPIT - MILLENNIUM FALCON - CLOUD CITY - DUSK

CLOSER POV out cockpit window of Luke getting bigger as the Falcon closes on him, until his falling body skims the cockpit window and we hear it land with a thud on the outside hull of the ship.

S423 EXT TIE FIGHTERS

The three TIE Fighters race to camera firing away.

423: INT - MILLENNIUM FALCON HATCH - CLOUD CITY - DUSK

The hatch pops open with a hiss of pressure. Lando reaches out to help the battered warrior inside the ship. Suddenly, there is a huge explosion near the ship, causing it to lurch wildly. Luke is almost thrown overboard, but Lando grabs his hand in time.

424: INT COCKPIT - MILLENNIUM FALCON - CLOUD CITY - POV

OVER THE SHOULDER POV - Clouds and flak burst as the Falcon banks away from the city. Leia and Chewie struggle with the controls.

425: EXTA UNDERSIDE OF CLOUD CITY - DUSK

The Falcon races over camera and away, followed by the three TIE fighters firing on the Falcon as they speed in pursuit.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: RESCUING LUKE!

The Falcon moves slowly and carefully into position as Lando readies himself via the to hatch to rescue Luke Skywalker.

Originally, it was planned that the bruised and beaten Luke would fall from the damaged underbelly antenna after pieces of it snapped, and the Falcon would speed to his rescue, catching his descent on its exterior hull. This was likely changed for time and effects filming practicalities.

Ken Ralston makes an adjustment to the Luke figure on the upside down cloud city landscape, which made things easier for camera filming.

Storyboards for the scene.

Rescuing Luke, the Falcon makes a swift departure as TIE fighters arrive and pursue.

As originally scripted and adapted in the original 1980 Marvel Comics Special: Luke falls when the vane breaks and the Falcon catches his fall. Art by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: DEATH DESCENT!

Plummeting from the vent tunnel into the atmosphere of Bespin, has Luke Skywalker come to the end of his life and journey to Jedi-dom? It's more than likely that Star Wars stuntman regular Colin Skeaping performed this dangerous drop from above one of the Elstree sound stages, especially after Mark Hamill, tense from filming strains of the last few months, and worried for the upcoming arrival of his first child, had sprained his lightsaber hand thumb a few days prior, during a stunt accident.

Soon enough, whilst this scene's filming was being completed that Mark's wife, Marilou, would give birth to Nathan at the London Hospital.

The underside standalone section on one of the Elstree soundstages.

From the mini crane, Peter Diamond watches a Luke-wigged Colin Skeaping test the Cloud City underside section.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: DARK LORD'S REVELATION...

The lead-in to one of the most memorable and classic moments in Star Wars and movie history captured in this striking production painting, used in a wealth of merchandise and an early teaser trailer for Empire in 1979, by Ralph McQuarrie. As seen here, in early story development, Luke had not lost his hand in the duel.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: DARK LORD'S FURY!

A shoulder wounded Vader fiercely reacts to Luke Skywalker's challenge, of which the boy escapes a lightsaber move that severs a nearby piece of heavy gantry. Vader's continued swordsman skill, however, will soon deliver a crippling blow to his opponent...

Getting the gantry area ready for filming- note the assembled floor boxes for stunt fall support.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LUKE FIGHTS ON!

Having deflected a blow from Vader, the cornered Luke manages to pick himself back and up the stairs to the end of the gantry fin, as the duel continues- a brief duelling scene that never made the final cut of the movie.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: RETURN TO DANGER!

Image extended via wide matte painting.

Having recovered from his latest ordeal during his conflict against Darth Vader, Luke finds the energy to return back to the area of battle, of which the worst is yet to come...

ILM storyboard.

Bob Anderson and Mark Hamill soon fighting on the exterior ledge.

Closer-in version of image.

Matte Painting around the entrance area set filmed at Elstree.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LUKE'S NEXT MOVE!

Barely recovered from his latest encounter with Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, reunited with his lightsaber, make his way back into the control area in a sequence filmed at Elstree Studios that will be enhanced with matte painting work by ILM.

Establishing matte painting for the sequence.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: THE FALCON ESCAPES!

Back in the piloting seat, Chewie maneuvers the Falcon off of the landing platform and into the clouds, and just in time as more Imperial Stormtroopers flood the area, blasting away at the departing craft...

Matte painting for departure scene,

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: STORMTROOPER STRIKE BACK!

Leia and Lando's blaster shots are making their mark on the attacking Imperial Stormtroopers but the overwhelming re-enforcements soon see our heroes gradually escape back into the Falcon just as it's about to escape Cloud City. An exciting trio of action images from the film showing  our favourite baddies who shoot a lot better in Empire than they did during the original Star Wars!

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: BATTLEGROUND PLATFORM!

The epic battle of our heroes to escape Bespin's Cloud City is stunningly captured in this production painting art from Ralph McQuarrie, circa 1978/79.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: ROYAL SHOOTER!

Buying time for our heroes to board the Falcon, Leia 's crack markswoman-ship continues unabated, and perhaps with some zeal for revenge for what's been done to Han Solo, in this scene from The Empire Strikes Back.