CLASSIC IMAGE: 'IT'S TOO LATE!'

As Han Solo generates continued cover fire, knowing that the Death Star hangar bay will soon be full of Imperial troops if they don't escape soon, Princess Leia tries to snap Luke Skywalker out of his violence with the loss of Ben Kenobi, in this great rare-ish rehearsal image from the original Star Wars.

EPISODE VIII: MAINTAINING THE LIGHT!

Having only just escape the threat of the First Order fleet thanks to the brave but doomed Admiral Holdo, General Leia Organa recognises the potential leadership skills of her friend and Resistance comrade Poe Dameron, in this great posed image from The Last Jedi.

BEHIND THE SCENES: CONCEPTION OF A PRINCESS!

The evolution of the original Star Wars main characters, from subtle to extreme in some ways, is always fascinating to witness, especially with regards to that of Princess Leia Organa, as seen in this great Topps Card art, which also shows her as a female version of Luke Starkiller (art by Ralph McQuarrie) during the film's early ongoing screenplay process!

REMEMBERING CARRIE...

As the Tenth Anniversary of her sad parting from us approaches next year, Star Wars Aficionado continues to remember our immortal Carrie Fisher and her never-to-be-forgotten, enduring portrayal of Princess Leia Organa, as seen here in this lovely colourised posed image from The Empire Strikes Back.

'THE FORCE AWAKENS' AT 45: THE FISHER FACTOR!

A lovely shot of Carrie Fisher as Leia, being tended to by make-up artists for an ultimately deleted scene.

She was one of the key figures in bringing down the Galactic Empire that brought so much death, misery, death and tyranny in its wake, but thirty years of relative peace and stability with the New Republic, of which she was one of its prime leaders, was sadly not to last. With the emergent First Order making its ploy to take over from the Empire, General Leia Organa has no choice but to lead an all-new Resistance against such a powerful and potentially overwhelming threat that has been ignored too long by her soon dead political colleagues. And this battle is even more personal now, what with the disappearance of her brother, and fellow Jedi, Luke Skywalker, alongside the loss of her only son, Kylo Ren, to the Dark Side and to the First Order's leader, Snoke. And then comes the soon and tragic murder by Ren of her ex-husband, his father, Han Solo...

"Together again!" Ford and Fisher reunited in a publicity image.

Carrie Fisher's return to the Star Wars Saga with The Force Awakens was most welcome, of which she delivered a fine performance in her memorable scenes alongside Harrison Ford...

Leading the Resistance.

Monitoring oncoming dangers with Admiral Statura (Ken Leung) at the Resistance Base.

Finding new hope with the newly arrived Rey.

Leia sends Rey off to find her brother, whilst preparing the Resistance for new conflicts.

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: THE KISS, AND THE SECOND ONE TOO...

She has seemingly resisted his charms with biting come backs and an aggressive air, but now, seeking refuge inside a massive asteroid whilst repairing the damaged Millennium Falcon, Princess Leia Organs can't help but start falling in love with that charming scoundrel Han Solo... 

The Scoundrel and the Princess...

The scene in rehearsal. Note Anthony Daniels only in the required top half of his costume for one take/angle.

"It's like in the 1930's films with Fred and Ginger fighting up to the last reel. It's Bogart and Bacall, Tracey and Hepburn. It's two independent people, quarrelling and fighting, and then they neck. That's what it is. It's romance in celluloid. Seriously though, I believe both characters are far more dimensional in The Empire Strikes Back..."

Carrie Fisher on Han Solo and Princess Leia - interviewed by Alan Arnold, Unit Publicist - 1979

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: GOING SOLO IN NORWAY!

He hadn't yet landed the role of the devil may care Indiana Jones, but Harrison Ford was certainly doing some globe-trotting of his own with The Empire Strikes Back, swiftly dispatched from Elstree to Norway to shoot scenes in real snowy climes, amidst avalanches and dangerous white-outs. Certainly adventures in filming that Ford would never, ever forget.

Filming Han's discovery of the injured Luke, literally shot outside the snowbound hotel at Finse during March, 1979. 

Han checks on Luke's delirious condition.

Han prepares to fire at the Imperial Probe Droid.

Posing for press publicity with Carrie Fisher.

"I hadn't anticipated being there (in Norway) at all. My snow scenes were supposed to be shot at the sound stage at the studio. I had just arrived in England as they left for Norway, and in no time at all, I found myself whisked away to join them in Norway, with no preparation, wearing a costume built for conditions on the stage. Another one of those bizarre life experiences."

Harrison Ford - Bantha Tracks interview - 1980

BEHIND THE SCENES: FINDING THE 'PRINCESS'!

With casting taking place in the UK and US to find the original Star Wars' main three young stars across many exhaustive months, it must have been a relief when George Lucas, testing alongside Brian De Palma (who was also searching for fresh talent for his adaptation of Stephen King's horror Carrie), finally locked in who were to play the roles of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa by the end of 1975/early 1976. Especially the latter character, when rising star Carrie Fisher provided such a memorable screen test performance and promising interactions with Harrison Ford. These images here show Fisher wearing various wigs across both Carrie and Star Wars photo reference testing, of which she would be assisted by sound designer Ben Burtt, who was helping Lucas and the production States-side in other kinds of roles behind the scenes simultaneously. 

Presumably wearing the blonde wig for Carrie testing.

CLASSIC IMAGE: GETTING VERBAL WITH VADER!

Captured by Imperial forces aboard her Blockade Runner, the bold Princess Leia Organa is brought forth to the evil Lord Darth Vader (watched by commander Daine Jir), who confronts her about the stolen missing Death Star data tapes and her role in the Rebellion as one of it's major leaders. It's interesting to see the above B/W image from this classic Star Wars scene, where Leia is clearly showing anger at Vader - a moment we don't see in the film. Perhaps an unused take or specially posed image for on-set stillsman John Jay? 

Italian lobby card photo from the scene.

GOODBYE, BARRIE HOLLAND...

Barrie Holland, in one of two Imperial roles for Return of the Jedi's filming at Elstree Studios.

Sad news for the end of the year, and the closing celebrations of Return of the Jedi's landmark 30th Anniversary, as the announcement was made today of British background artist legend and cult favourite Barrie Holland's passing, at the age of 85. Holland played the now legendary Jedi Imperial figure Lt. Renz, who captured Han and Leia inside the Imperial Shield Generator bunker on Endor and delivered to them the classic, nay infamous, line that was, "You rebel scum!" Though his voiced line was later dubbed in post production, it was nonetheless a moment that the artiste was thrilled to do and which enjoyed an hilarious on-set response from Harrison Ford in one classic 1982 scene outtake that surfaced onto Blu-ray in 2011. 

Lt. Renz confronts the now captured General Solo and Leia Organa.

Especially a lover of classic films and selected TV, Holland enjoyed his background artist career to the full, and was to appear within a wide variety of classic films made in the UK, including the likes of The Shining, Batman (1989), Chariots of Fire, several James Bond adventures, Superman III and Raiders of the Lost Ark, amongst many other greats. He always enjoyed telling lots of anecdotes to fans about his time in the industry (plus the many luminaries he met along the way) and would certainly be quite the signing attraction of the Official Pix autograph table at the Los Angeles Celebration IV event when making his first surprise convention appearance there in 2007, followed by further success a few months later at London's Celebration Europe, followed by a smaller 2008 German event, Jedi Con, that proved to be enormous fun for fans and guests. Further conventions worldwide would follow for years to come, of which Holland's autograph was always a must-have for fans.

Holland's often-seen portfolio image.

R.I.P., Barrie. If there is indeed a heaven (or Force netherworld), we hope you're having a helluva good time up there chatting with all the classic stars of Hollywood and beyond...

Lieutenant Renz Actor Barrie Holland Dies, Aged 85 - Jedi News

'JEDI' AT 40: SUMMERTIME SPECIAL!

Remembering, but importantly celebrating, the very-much missed Carrie Fisher on the day of her sad passing back in 2016, these rarer images from the Rolling Stone magazine shoot taken at Stinson Beach. California in Summer, 1983 by Aaron Rapoport, show the talented actress/writer/singer and all-round gorgeous star in her lively, imaginative and exuberant, sexy prime alongside some old friends from the Original Trilogy, and Return of the Jedi... 

Rare photos of Carrie Fisher's 'Star Wars' beach photo shoot

More images here:

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: CLASSIC IMAGE: SUMMER FUN!