ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: IMPERIAL PURSUER!

A terrific shot (taken by the late Grant McCune) of the mighty Imperial Star Destroyer (later named Devastator) model that will onscreen chase Princess Leia's soon-damaged Blockade Runner above the wastes of Tatooine, during the classic opening to the original Star Wars of 1977. It's amazing that this original three-foot long model was built smaller than the expensive to build six-foot long Blockade Runner at ILM, yet ultimately appeared so large and lengthy on screen- the power of the camera and the talented visual effects artists!

ILM technician Doug Smith prepares the model for filming.

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY, 'BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'!

Fresh from their success on creating the incredible effects work for the original Star Wars, it now seems hard to believe but the majority of the young and innovative ILM team led by John Dykstra were out of work by the early Summer of 1977, before the film's impactful release. Thankfully, a whole spate of sci-fi projects would follow in the wake of the George Lucas phenomenon, needing the top quality effects work that the film had unleashed. First out of the gate would be Star Worlds, later named Galactica, then finally Battlestar Galactica- the small screen space epic by Glen A. Larson crafted for ABC TV. As the likes of (an unhappy) Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie handled the visual design, so too did Dykstra (here with Doug Smith (wearing a classic in-house produced Star Wars T-shirt) and the model of the Galactica) importantly become one of the series early producers on the first five episodes (including the opening three hour (three-part) pilot which would also become an international theatrical release success).

Battlestar Galactica celebrates its 40th Anniversary today. Though the original series was ultimately despised by Lucas and Twentieth Century Fox for being too similar to their franchise, it's interesting to note that everyone would go on to adore the gritty and downright depressing modern remake of the noughties, developed by Ronald D. Moore, especially writer/director Rian Johnson, who'd cite it as a key influence on some of the tone of his eventual EPISODE VIII!

Anniversary feature:
https://kooltvblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-quest-for-survival-battlestar.html

https://galacticasagaofastarworld.blogspot.com/

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA! 

'STAR WARS' AT 40: THE DEADLY PURSUIT!

"The opening shot was one of the most important shots of the movie for visual effects, because if the audience bought that shot you had them."

Notable words from the former ILM genius, and continuing effects genius, Richard Edlund about the opening scene to the original Star Wars - the Blockade Runner pursuit by an Imperial Star Destroyer above the desert world of Tatooine - which stunned the world, took us to that Galaxy created by George Lucas with pure film-making skill, and defined cinema and cinema-going forever more...

At ILM, Grant McCune and Doug Smith ready the upside down Star Destroyer for filming.

'STAR WARS' AT 40: DARK PURSUER!

Previously, the Rebel X and Y-wing fighters speeding down the trench ahead of him had been easy kills, but Darth Vader is finding this last singular X-wing fighter a tricky one to get into the sights of his targeting computer, sensing an intriguing and potentially worryingly amount of Force ability in the pilot's moves. Great art of Vader in his prototype TIE fighter by Ryan Barger.

Dave Prowse in the TIE fighter cockpit at Elstree in Summer 1976.

Vader's TIE fighter cockpit scenes were shot alongside other TIE pilot footage around July 7th, 1976 at Elstree Studios (either Studios 2 or 4). At this point in the film, Dave Prowse was almost at the end of his time filming, looking forward to getting out of his costume after four very hot months. He'd recall to the FILM REVIEW magazine in 1997: "We thought we were just doing yet another science fiction movie. Nothing was ever ready, and the production personnel were always arguing and fighting. It was a funny situation. The only giveaway that we were doing something big were the sets, which were absolutely fantastic."

With the rush to get the cockpit footage in the can, watch the finished film and you can clearly see there are some scenes where the Vader helmet has not been attached properly, whilst some footage is flipped and reused in post production, presumably because very little had been prior shot.

A short time after the Elstree shoot, due to film negative footage of Vader and one of the wingmen going missing between the UK and US, ILM assistant cameraman Doug Smith would don the Vader costume for a replacement cockpit scene shot in the US, whilst model making veteran Paul Huston would don the TIE pilot gear.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: TO LIGHT A STAR DESTROYER...

At the US Van Nuys based warehouse/garage sometime in late 1976/ early 1977, ILM technician Doug Smith puts a light meter to the upside down filmed small Imperial Star Destroyer model built for use in the opening sequence of the original, classic STAR WARS. Incredibly, despite its size, and through clever camera photography and optical compositing, the space vessel would look huge, menacing and bristling with firepower in its onscreen theatrical debut- the "Wow" shot successfully realized to launch the timeless adventure!