BEHIND THE SCENES: INSIDE THE POD RACE HANGAR!

Despite the rise of CGI with the new Star Wars Prequel filmmaking universe, may critics and fans still need to be reminded that Episode One regardless had many partial and practical sets/props built for its storytelling at Leavesden Studios during 1997, like this impressive Pod Hangar bay.  

BEHIND THE SCENES: PREPPING THE PODS!

The 1997 Tunisian location may have been hit by violent storms and winds the night before filming, but the nature-damaged pod racing vehicles specially built in the UK for EPISODE I's epic Boonta Eve Pod Race sequence would be repaired quickly, with their diversity and distinctive visual appearances showcased anew before the cameras... 

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: ANAKIN'S VICTORY!

A well deserved champion, putting Sebulba in real Bantha poo-doo in the process, local boy Anakin Skywalker is the toast of the arena as he and his friends gather to celebrate his success against a truly out of the game rival. Note the Tunisian location image would have a background wall added to the shot in the film's ILM post production.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: POD COMBATANTS!

It's the closing moments of the Boonta Eve Classic. Despite earlier sabotage caused by Sebulba, Anakin is now neck and neck with his Dug rival as the finishing line rapidly approaches for their pods, in this tense sequence from EPISODE I spectacularly rendered by ILM's ultra-talented artists, backed up with John Williams' heightened score.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: TENSE OBSERVERS!

Watching Anakin's final lap at the Boonta Eve event is worrying enough, but to see the challenge of Sebulba adds to the tension for Shmi Skywalker and her new friends at the arena, watching from a viewscreen and at one of the highest points of the Arena area.

Filming the scenes on ground level in Tunisia. Note the other race viewers barely seen in the finished movie.

Meanwhile, Kitster and Wald show a range of emotions from scared to confident throughout the race.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE NEED FOR SPEED!

Proving himself as the only human on Tatooine adept at Pod race piloting, Anakin Skywalker deservedly takes the lead in the Boonta Eve competition, but that no-good-cheating 'slimo' rival of his in Sebulba is never too far behind, in this great art for an EPISODE I storybook of a few years back.

'I came up with idea of pod racing, which is in the vein of chariot racing. Instead of horses I used jet engines. It's the kind of thing I would liked to have done when I was racing cars. I think that's what it all comes down to in the end- to have two engines and be able to control them at 500 miles an hour.'

George Lucas - BBC interview (1998)

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: DEATH FROM ABOVE!

The Sandpeople return!

The scourge of the desert, the humans of Tatooine hate and fear the nomadic Sandpeople, and those creatures hate the humans and aliens dwelling there with equal venom, happy to shoot at and disable the pod racing vessels as they continue their speedy pursuits. Behind the scenes, local Tunisians donned all-new Sandpeople costumes and masks dirtied down to showcase their harsh living environment, directed by one of the film's non-primary units.

With the pod racing vessel crashes piling up, it isn't long before those other little rodents of the desert, the Jawas, come out to scavenge what they can get before clean-up droids arrive. The Jawas are in great danger from the Sandpeople, however, who are soon taking pot shots at them from above the canyon, but the potential profit makes their bold efforts worth the risk in this sadly deleted scene.

The Sandpeople coordinate their attacks and victories across the mountainside.

Local Tunisians try and stay out of the heat between takes.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: WHO'S THAT (EVIL) GIRL?

Spectators of the pod race are diverse in species and from all walks of life, the event even attracting the attentions of the striking but lethal female bounty hunter Aurra Sing, making her enigmatic cameo debut appearance with EPISODE I, and soon proving a firm fan favourite, as seen with the above cover to Star Wars Insider issue 45 back in the day. Model Michelle Bourriage would endure the unique make-up process and fill in the shapely costume well.

Celebration 2007 look back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zkWQuCEeg0

On the ILM blue screen stage during insert filming.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: SEBULBA'S CHALLENGE!

Sebubla is the undisputed king of the Boonta Eve pod racing championships on Tatooine, and nothing will stop him from winning this latest event, whatever it takes, and especially not even that pesky human competition in child and rival Anakin Skywalker. Another great composite image from ILM.

"We thought of him (Sebulba) as the greatest racer who ever lived. By understanding his identity and his backstory, we were better able to design his physical behaviour and his overall attitude."

Rob Coleman - The Making of EPISODE I book - 1999

Promo poster for the Star Wars Racer game from Lucasarts.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: SHADY SPECTATORS!

He's bet heavily on top pilot and regular Mos Espa Boonta Eve racer (aka cheat) Sebulba to score yet another victory at the epic event. Now glory and profits are seemingly on the horizon for the overjoyed Watto, enjoying proceedings in a special area with a variety of other shady business creatures from across the galaxy.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: IN THE MIDST OF MAYHEM!

Anakin Skywalker is gaining ground and overtaking his many other skilled rivals, but that crafty Sebulba continues his reign as a cheating no-good slimo, using underhand tactics anew to destroy his fellow racers and plunge them into distracted mayhem!

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE PERILS OF THE BOONTA EVE CIRCUIT

Surely one of the most intriguing environments of raw beauty, complex land masses and savage danger seen in the Star Wars Prequels is Tatooine's Mos Espa outlands course depicted in the Boonta Eve Classic pod race, presented here in an excellent aerial artwork layout piece that originally appeared in one of the excellent early visual guides to EPISODE I.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: AND THEY'RE AWAY!

Kicked off in a unique way by Jabba the Hutt, the Pod Racers are launched and into the picturesque yet deadly first circuit, though with the exception of a pod-stalled Anakin Skywalker. Thankfully, such trouble isn't to last long and the boy is soon adroitly catching up on lost time.

A striking all-CGI image, and the start to an epic, memorable sequence of EPISODE I.

https://www.starwars.com/video/episode-i-featurette-podracing

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE HUTT RETINUE!

When it comes to star power in launching the Boonta Eve Classic, there's surely no one greater or more powerful on Tatooine than the Hutt clan, and especially their main planetary resident, the repulsive Jabba, seen here with his 'Major Domo' in Bib Fortuna, clearly enjoying the crowd adulation whilst the female Gardulla the Hutt lurks in the background. As with his cameo appearance in the 1997 Special Edition of A New Hope, Jabba would be CGI rendered for his few scenes in EPISODE I, though looking much better here thanks to technological improvements in ILM creature-making several years on.

A longer view of Jabba's retinue, which includes several well known ILM staffers in the background.

CGI render of Jabba with snack!

Resident Lucasfilm employee Matthew Wood, a sound designer who started off as a games tester for the company, played Fortuna for this sequence, shot at ILM. Originally, Fortuna was played by Alan Ruscoe in UK scenes linked to the later set in the film Republic senate, but those never made the final cut and Fortuna instead returned to Jabba on Tatooine.

Danny Wagner and colleague go to work on Wood's transformation at ILM. Note the earlier British made facial appliance of Alan Ruscoe's face mould as Fortuna in the right corner.

Wood hams it up in this fun behind the scenes image.

Matthew Wood Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Wb9lHDSgw

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: CRAZY COMMENTARY!

Adding some fun family friendly commentary to the Boonta Eve pod race is the two-headed alien Beed, as played by American actor/comedians residing in England, Greg Proops and Scott Capurro. Though their scenes were filmed in special alien make-ups the decision was ultimately made to use only their voices alongside an all-new and unique CGI creation by the time of EPISODE I's post production.

Greg Proops.

Scott Capurro.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: READY TO RACE!

The only human capable of running the dangerous territory that needs to be navigated, whilst facing off against the hungry-for-victory competitive opponents from numerous planets, Anakin Skywalker powers up his specially built pod racer for the Boonta Eve event of Mos Espa. He's received advice to trust his instincts from Qui-Gon, and has been wished well in the race by his mother. The time has come for Anakin's true skills to be revealed.

Being polaroid photographed for scene continuity reference on location.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: FILMING THE POD RACE ASSEMBLAGE

A freak on location storm may have temporarily damaged the colourful and diverse pod racers shipped over from the UK, but the specially built props were quickly back up and running for filming in the desert of Tunisia, in material shot by George Lucas, whilst his old friend Roger Christian (formerly an Oscar winning set director on A New Hope, later a film director in his own right) came out to head the film's second unit material.

Roger Christian handles the camera.

A duo of aliens add to the background technicians.

Danny Wagner on location rehearsal as the pod racer Mawhonic.

Mawhonic as ready for filming.

The various pods as assembled prior to filming.

Lucas watches as Anakin's all-important Pod is put into position

The flag attenders parade in front of the Pods. Note that the puppet Threepio was added to the group in post production.

Wald (Warwick Davis) and the numerous background pod race aliens gather for a posed image.

Wald, Kitster and Artoo prepare to watch Anakin in competition.

https://www.starwars.com/news/start-your-engines-star-wars-podracing-drivers-part-1

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE GRAND ARENA BECKONS...

It's the biggest entertainment/profit making event of Mos Espa- the high-stakes-in-every-way Boonta Eve Pod race where crowds gather from all corners of the universe to watch and marvel at the skilled pod racers racing the natural environment. In cinematic terms, it's also another terrific showcase for ILM's expertise in model making and model filming, combined with the developing art of CGI.