EPISODE IX: LANDO LEADS THE CHARGE!

Back with a smooth vengeance against the First Order and the resurrected Empire, the ever cool space hustler Lando Calrissian has no plans to retire anytime soon, especially when proving himself yet again as an effective leader capable of saving the day. A great image of our hero from The Rise of Skywalker - it was great to see Billy Dee Williams back again in the role he was born to play - he'd been absent for far too long in the Sequel Trilogy!

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: 'HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY' ISSUES...

Fun with Carrie and Gary in April, 1979.

Often seeming frail and acting erratically with the start of studio filming in London, Carrie Fisher's building drugs addiction off camera would become a serious health concern for the production team during The Empire Strikes Back. With such a delicate subject to broach to the mood-changeable Fisher, George Lucas is unable to get producer Gary Kurtz (at times acting on set as an unofficial kind of 'chaperone' to the actress) nor the film's unofficial shadow producer in Howard Kazanjian to converse with her about the problems. Thankfully, Marcia Lucas ultimately comes to her husband's rescue, cleverly using a screening of Fisher's dailies footage as Leia to subtly highlight her personal problems. The results are successful, with Fisher's health, improved weight and onscreen performance better by the mid-point of the film's shoot.

Make-up artist Kay Freeborn always found Carrie a mercurial figure on set.

Fisher was always fascinated by film camera technique during the shoot.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: INTRODUCING LANDO... KADAR?!

Super-smooth, with a smile like a supernova: introducing Billy Dee Williams as Baron Lando Calrissian, leader of Bespin's Cloud City realm. 

“He’s a very charming, cavalier, roguish character- he’s very much like Han. I think the difference between them is that Han in a pinch will use his guns and Lando will charm his way out of a situation.”

Billy Dee Williams interview - Starlog magazine - 1980

Originally starring life in George Lucas's storyline for Star Wars II as Lando Kadar, the Baron Administrator of Cloud City was originally a tougher, though charismatic, rival to Han Solo in many ways, of which respected actor Yaphet Kotto, who has just finished playing one of the lead parts in Fox’s other sci-fi hit then currently in 1978 production, Alien, is offered the role. Kotto turns Lando down, allegedly because of typecasting worries in the sci-fi genre - that it might be difficult for him to find work afterwards. 

"How ya doin' you old pirate?!" A warm greeting for Lando's old rival, Han Solo, at Cloud City.

With Lando beginning to evolve a few months later into a smoother type of character to the one previously created (soon conceived as an alternate version of what Han would be like had he not hooked up with the Rebellion), Lucas and Kershner look towards a different type of actor for the role. Billy Dee Williams, born and raised in New York City, where he studied at the Actors Workshop under the tutelage of Paul Mann (before receiving a scholarship to the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design, where he won many awards, including the Hallgarten award for painting - an interest which he continues with to this day, alongside his acting), is soon right at the top of Irvin Kershner’s thoughts to play the new Lando (the actor having also been considered at one point to play Han Solo back in George Lucas’s 1975’s screen tests - the young Lucas prior impressed with his performance alongside Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues), seeing so many of Calrissian’s charming, adventurous traits in the actor. Visiting Williams at his US home, Kershner, after several hours discussing numerous topics (including European-Western philosophy) tells Billy Dee about the role and offers it to him, without the need for a screen test. Instantly falling in love with the name Lando Calrissian (a surname which is actually of American origin), and liking his character description, Williams accepts the role and will soon be on his way to London for costume tests and filming (though given an incomplete script at that time) by April 1979.

Interviewed in the Star Wars Office at Elstree Studios by French cameraman/interviewer Michel Parbot, for documentary/publicity footage. 

The first officially released photo of Billy Dee Williams as Lando, from the first teaser trailer for TESB. Image composition: Chris Baker.

Early costume concept for Lando Kadar by Ralph McQuarrie, back when Yaphet Kotto was originally being considered for the role in 1978.

Various early costume designs by John Mollo, as showcased by Star Wars Insider magazine back in 2020.

The striking TESB posed cover for Williams' acclaimed autobiography from a few years ago.

EPISODE IX: THE MYSTERY MAN OF PASAANA!

Hunted by the First Order's forces of the desert world of Pasaana, it looks like our heroes have finally been cornered, until the arrival of a mysterious helmeted warrior comes to their rescue, soon revealing himself as the legendary Lando Calrissian and bringing important info to Rey on a previous mission he'd undertook on this world with Luke Skywalker - searching for the dangerous Sith Assassin, Ochi of Bestoon!

Lando Calrissian, back in action!

A detailed look at Lando's disguise. Image: Hollywood Movie Costumes and Props Blogspot.

Hollywood Movie Costumes and Props: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker movie costumes on display... Original film costumes and props on display

Find out more about the missing adventure of Luke and Lando with the newly released paperback version of the acclaimed Shadow of the Sith, written by Adam Christopher, and out now in bulky Arrow paperback.

Original Aficionado article on hardback:

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: OUT THIS WEEK: 'SHADOW OF THE SITH'

Get the paperback here:

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith: Amazon.co.uk: Christopher, Adam: 9781529150070: Books

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: A LIFE DEBT, AND A NEW DEBT!

 

Chewie makes a distinctive goodbye to his friends on the Medical Frigate, as he and Lando make preparations for the Falcon's departure to Tatooine and the search for Boba Fett and the captive Han Solo.

Fans often think that Lando is actually wearing Han Solo's clothes from the original Star Wars in this finale scene (even Family Guy made the hilarious observation in their Something, Something, Something Dark Side tribute), but John Mollo's costume was designed for the character in a similar homage.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: TRAPPED BY THE EXECUTOR!

 

"It's Vader..."

Hearing the manipulating voice of by Darth Vader in his mind, the still in shock Luke leaves the confines of the cramped medical bay of the Falcon and moves to the cockpit, just in the scary time that the craft is being ominously herded straight into the path of his enemy's Super Star Destroyer!

Billy Dee Williams has fun in a behind the scenes moment.

The trio of actors in rehearsal before filming at Elstree, 1979.

The sequence seen in the film was actually a partial reshoot, the originally shot Falcon cockpit scene saw Luke wearing a brown medical blanket around him. Presumably this was changed behind the scenes as they wanted to remind viewers of Luke's severed hand injury which would have been obscured in footage by the blanket.

From the John Daly Collection.

One brief cockpit shot of this deleted scene with Luke wearing the blanket did however make it into the final film- for the blue screen POV shot as the Falcon goes into hyperspace.

Image: StarWarsScreenCaps website.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: "THEY TOLD ME THEY FIXED IT!"

"It's not my fault!" Image: StarWarsScreenGrabs.com

It shouldn't have been a surprise to Chewbacca and Leia, but once again the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive is malfunctioning at another critical point, much to the shock and dismay of Lando Calrissian, as the angry Wookiee rushes to sort out the problem once and for all. Carrie Fisher has a great visual comedy moment here...

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: HERDED INTO A SPACE TRAP!

Escaping Cloud City and back in space, the Falcon, its deflector shields dying (in a deleted moment), is being relentlessly chased and attacked by a trio of TIE fighters, herded towards the ominous and powerful form of Darth Vader's flagship vessel.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: SAFETY GRAB!

 

Now atop the Falcon hull, Lando Calrissian desperately holds on to the injured Luke Skywalker and pulls him to safety as heavy atmosphere winds and soon TIE Fighter blast fire assault the craft in an uncompleted sequence that ultimately never made the film's final cut due to time and pacing issues. 

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: LANDO THE RESCUER!

 

Image via StarWarsScreenCaps.

Rising to the Falcon's top hatch, Lando goes into hero mode as he prepares to rescue Luke Skywalker from the perilous antenna under Cloud City.

On a platform operated by a crane at Elstree, Billy Dee Williams prepares to film his elevator ascent to the Falcon exterior. Madelyn Most once more holds the clapperboard for the camera crew above.

At ILM, work continues on the close-up section of the Falcon exterior where Lando's (puppet) head will emerge to rescue Luke.

A look at the detailed puppet Lando built by ILM for the exterior shot

The model/puppet insert shot briefly used in the movie.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: WE HAVE TO GO BACK!

Luke's predicament at Cloud City is unknown as the Falcon speeds away and attempts to pursue Boba Fett's Slave 1. Then a call for help in the Force suddenly awakens Leia to the terrible fate currently befalling her friend, and she soon knows his location, coercing Chewbacca and a disgruntled Lando into heading the ship back to the underside of Bespin...

In the Fifth Draft Script of 20/2/79 there was extra opening dialogue during this scene- whether it was filmed is unknown.

SCENE 413. INT COCKPIT -MILLENNIUM FALCON - CLOUDS - POV

OVER THE SHOULDER POV of clouds through cockpit window in Millennium Falcon. Leia seems to be lost in a fog, her expression troubled. Chewie is busy operating the ship. Lando stands next to the Wookiee watching a readout on the control panel.

LANDO  (to Chewie): It looks like three fighters. We can outdistance them easily. I knew that set-up was too good to last... I'm going to miss it.

LEIA: Luke?

LANDO: What?

LEIA: We've gotta go back. Chewie, head to the bottom of the city.

LANDO: Wait a minute. We're not going back there!

CHEWIE: Barks an argument.

LEIA: No argument. Just do it. That's a command.

LANDO: What about those fighters?

CHEWIE: Turns on Lando, the newcomer, with an ominous growl.

LANDO: Okay, okay...

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: RACE TO THE FALCON!

Our heroes race to the Falcon on it's landing platform as more enemy re-enforcements arrive, in this superb action scene with rousing accompanying music from John Williams...

The Falcon takes a hit from newly arrived Imperial Stormtroopers.

Storyboard for the wide angle scene where our heroes will rush to the Falcon.

Matte painting for end departure battle.

Leia prepares to give covering fire to the approaching Artoo.

Fun art by Joe Johnston capturing the filming of the escape scene at Elstree.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS!

 

Lando is desperate to save the civilian workers of Cloud City from the Empire, and swiftly advises them all to leave the facility via intercom, whilst Artoo tries to open one of the platform doors to the Falcon.

Lando races to the platform shield door before it closes in an alternate/deleted scene...

... then keys in a security code now changed.

Alternate angle of Lando about to send a message to the occupants of Cloud City.