AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: AMBUSHED!

Having sent a secret coded signal to his loyal servant, Lando Calrissian watches as the Imperial escort are swiftly surprise captured by Lobot and his Cloud City security squad. The tide is turning, but can all our heroes escape Bespin?

In the Empire comic book adaptation (mostly based on the fifth draft screenplay), Lando gives the ambush a code to his arriving men: 'Code Force Seven', though this never made the film...

Amongst the Bespin guards would be a blink and you'll miss it cameo from set-visiting American actor Treat Williams, who'd also play a Rebel soldier alongside friend Carrie Fisher during a sequence on the Hoth hangar bay set.

"Hold them in the security tower, and keep it quiet..."

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: DOOM-LADEN PROCESSION!

 

Hiding away, Luke watches a mysterious, clearly dangerous stranger and his escort, and soon decides to follow them... 

Is it possible that Luke recognises Boba Fett from their earlier animated encounter showcased in The Star Wars Holiday Special?

The scene has clever use of music by John Williams creating a sombre funeral march to accompany Fett and his carbonite escort on their way to Slave 1. Also, note in the long shot how Fett (walking with the sound of cowboy spurs added on in post production by Ben Burtt) turns his head after hearing the minutest sound of Luke unclipping his blaster - a clever visual touch.

Filming Luke's reactions...

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: TAKING HIS BOUNTY!

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

Amazingly, this brief image of the carbonite Han Solo made its way to an early teaser trailer but was scarcely picked up by fans at the time.

The two escorting Bespin guards would be played by regular stand-in from the original Star Wars, Alan Harris, and Quentin Pierre, fresh from his background role as a regular security guard for Space:1999. Pierre was recommended to the film by second unit director David Tomblin, who had worked with him as a writer/director on that popular British TV sci-fi series (Harris had also appeared as a Moonbase Alpha technician from time to time).

Behind the scenes on set continuity polaroid. 

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

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: EXPLORING BESPIN!

On their way to a special meal that they'll never forget, our heroes are given a guided tour of sorts of Cloud City by their friend and benefactor Lando Calrissian. 

With only a few sets able to be created on one of the smaller stages of Elstree Studios, the filmmakers redress Cloud City's corridors as much as possible to look different to viewers. A variety of human/alien residents are barely seen in the finished sequence (the shot footage having been cut for time), including a small group of children, with adult supervision, roaming the main corridor in an early scene (likely hired from a London stage school for background use), but some are presented here...

Ugnaughts confer whilst a Bespin Guard (Alan Harris) watches the scene.

Ugnaughts with their human work colleague.

A reference image for future Kenner toy figure usage.

Carrie Fisher has fun with the smaller actors on set.

Seen in the distant background, alien masks reused from the original Star Wars Cantina/Mos Eisley UK filmed scenes: Snaggletooth and a Mosep.

Cathy Munroe (as Snaggletooth) and actor colleague on set.

The never seen on screen alien humanoid Cloud City security guard (actor unknown).

Make-up test images, or part of filmed but deleted footage?

CLASSIC IMAGE: BESPIN ESCORT PARTY

With a ready Bespin security squad close by, Lando Calrissian's unique aide, Lobot (John Hollis), keeps an eye on things between his boss and the newly arrived Han Solo and friends, during THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 35: UNFRIENDLY GUARDIANS!

On his way to Slave One with Bespin guards (Quentin Pierre and Alan Harris) plus Stormtrooper escorts, a weapons ready, spurs clinking Boba Fett is a keen custodian to his carbonised block prey/bounty of Han Solo, in this ominous scene from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Happy Birthday today to the one and only keeper of the Fett helmet: Jeremy Bulloch!