BEHIND THE SCENES: THE MARCIA LUCAS FACTOR!

 

George Lucas, needing morale support, with then wife Marcia, perched against a Djerba beast background player. An image taken during the final days of Tunisian location filming for Star Wars in early April, 1976.

Behind every great man, there has to be a great woman, as the song goes, and back in 1976 as writer/creator George Lucas developed, and filmed the original, difficult to make Star Wars he had the thankful support and backing of his wife Marcia Lucas during many affecting times, herself a much in-demand and trusted filmmaking talent within the world of editing, and known for her strong creative instincts and individual flair. She was and is a gregarious person who recognised peoples' talents and knew how to bring them out to the benefit of everyone, especially in Hollywood circles, where she was much admired by the likes of director friends including Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma, who'd use her editing talents/opinions for their own groundbreaking projects. Both George and Marcia would prove to be a popular couple during the period they were together, whose chalk and cheese natures seemed to blend perfectly in the early to mid seventies era of innovative and unforgettable movie production. Marcia would also be a key voice in editing and helping George lock in the 'spirit' of his hit comedy, American Graffiti.

Marcia Lucas's Star Wars-related postcard from Tunisia to Lucy Autrey and the Parkway team in 1976.

Though not originally to have been part of the film's editing (instead to have acted as a consultant), during Star Wars 1975-1976 pre-production she favoured the casting of Hamill, Ford, and Fisher, was key to the development of the Force in the movie's original script, which she found fascinating (even writing some of the extra dialogue needed during Kenobi and Vader's duel), helped her husband realise that Kenobi's death was indeed vital to keep the film's drama in the final script (and not leave a great actor like Sir Alec Guinness with nothing important to do), whilst in her own editing high ground, she brought in the idea of 'wipes' transitions for scenes (used effectively for TV commercials at that time). 

Designing both the Lucasfilm Ltd  and ILM logos. Marcia travelled to Tunisia and was regularly at London's Elstree Studios. It was alongside her husband looking at the film's dailies that they knew that the assigned UK editor John Jympson wasn't picking the right take prints to be used in the editing process before his role in the film was terminated in July 1976. Ever gregarious, she regularly had dinner with the film's main cast, especially Sir Alec Guinness, whom she often found scandalous and funny away from the set (George sadly never attended the dinners). She was greatly impressed with Carrie Fisher (loving her spontaneous, clever wit) and Harrison Ford, who looked every inch the 'soldier of fortune' to her. It was Marcia, alongside US casting advisor Fred Roos, who championed Luke Skywalker to be played by Mark Hamill.

When a desperate-for-help Lucas needed Marcia's editing skills and keen eye for character after the replacement of Jymoson (whom Marcia felt used too broader takes of actors performances that did not bring a sense of reality to the piece and felt too humorous), she was key to making the final Death Star space battle as tight and exciting as possible in what became a monumental task (generating the idea and tension of the Death Star preparing to fire at the Rebel Base, alongside fellow editor Paul Hirsch's contribution - an edge-of-your-seat countdown to the finale), of which ILM needed the assembled footage as quickly as possible for ongoing model filming. She also fought Brian De Palma's wanting George to remove the concept of the Force from the film, which she was adamant should stay (De Palma may even have had his friend Paul Hirsch remove some of its references in Post Production, most of which were then re-instated by a determined Marcia). Beyond getting the hilarious moniker of 'The Queen of Death' in killing off characters across the Star Wars saga during editing, Marcia also recognised the value of small unique moments of humour, like the Mouse Robot sequence showcasing Chewbacca, which was almost entirely excised from the film before she put her foot down.

Visiting the Death Star hangar bay set at Elstree circa May/June 1976, Mark Hamill demonstrates his then ongoing toe infection to Marcia and colleague. Image: Robert Watts.

Cast and crew gather at the Elstree Studios bar/restaurant. Image: Robert Watts.

Fondly known by the 1977 Lucasfilm team as 'the heart' of its expanding family, and recognised as 'the smartest pair of hands in the galaxy', Marcia was sadly not able to work on the editing for The Empire Strikes Back (part of a sequel series that she had no idea George Lucas had any plans for beyond what was thought to be the one-off 1977 film) due to other commitments (though she clearly saw and/or gave opinions during the film's post production process, and visited the London Elstree Studios filming at least once in mid 1979, alongside her then husband) and to also start looking after her and George's adopted baby, though she was able to come back to help her again desperate husband for a short period on Return of the Jedi's end of Post Production period, despite having now retired from the editing field, when it's original cut (crafted by director Richard Marquand and his own specially chosen editor Sean Barton) needed a major creative boost in key dramatic areas, especially linked to Mark Hamill's scenes as Luke Skywalker, and his eventual destiny as a Jedi, plus the vital moment when Vader transitions back to Anakin Skywalker and defeats the Emperor. Marcia would further be a part in reshaping the film's already edited Sail Barge battle, so as to bring viewing clarity.

Earlier this year, Marcia Lucas was a key contributor to a documentary series linked to the making of the Original Trilogy, which aired on Vice TV (July 12th): 

Vice TV-Nacelle ‘Star Wars’ Series Lands 1st TV Interview With Lucas’ Ex-Wife – Deadline

Filming at the top of the Sidi Driss hotel in Tunisia with Mark Hamill looking down into the sinkhole, and watched by the crew (including Marcia Lucas, centre, with Gary Kurtz). Image: the Ben Ageros Collection.

Visiting the location specifically to bolster her husband's low spirits with the problematic start of filming Star Wars, Marcia watches George direct a Landspeeder motion sequence.

 Marcia, at bottom left of image with Gil Taylor, and Meredith Kurtz, as the crew (including George Lucas, Anthony Waye and Ann Skinner), from a small scaffold, film the Landspeeder entrance into Mos Eisley at Djerba, Tunisia, at the end of March, 1976.

Conferring with, and enjoying the company of, Garrick Hagon and Mark Hamill, watched by George, on the last day of location principal photography at the Djerba fishing village, Tunisia- April, 1976.

Both Marcia and George had a natural passion for the craft of film making and editing and were much respected for their successes in the 1970's.

A proud Oscar winning Marcia with her husband at the 1978 Academy Awards, enjoying the success of the original Star Wars.

With fellow Star Wars editors Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch, with the iconic Farrah-Fawcett at the 1978 Oscars.

Going through some footage of The Empire Strikes Back in late 1979, alongside respected director Irvin Kershner.

Marcia hated the original script created for Revenge of the Jedi, which featured two Death Stars (as seen in this Ralph McQuarrie painting. Soon enough, George dropped the idea and brought Lawrence Kasdan back to the fold to help him draft a better story.

As seen in a recent Star Wars related six-part 2023 documentary on the US Vice TV channel: Icons Unearthed.

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/09/star-wars-editor-slams-disney-films-jj-abrams-1234666134/?fbclid=IwAR14fJW4wZuyQHxak_GpAa7a81Ce3NuXArGI2vG0-a6p-wTzjs4XQB3bDS8

GOODBYE, JAY BENEDICT...

Image: Jay Benedict/Wordpress.

Though his one and only brief scene as a background artist playing bored Tatooine kid Deak ultimately didn't appear in the original Star Wars back in 1977, popular film/TV American actor Jay Benedict was nonetheless a welcome, witty and personable presence at conventions around the world revealing behind the scenes information on his scene with Mark Hamill and company shot in April 1976 at Elstree Studios, which, for years, was never properly available on home entertainment to see. His passing, linked to the awful Coronavirus that has truly blighted the world, is very sad news indeed and he will be much missed- always a fine character actor in the projects he appeared. Star Wars Aficionado sends its condolences to his family and friends in this difficult time.

Jay Benedict in the background to the now infamous Toschi Station deleted scene.

https://jbenedict.wordpress.com/

https://www.fanthatracks.com/news/film-music-tv/rest-in-peace-jay-benedict-deak-in-a-new-hope/?fbclid=IwAR0l30B79YQYUzc25jeIZPicm4FoJvi4Ot_uiwZaOc6cynDOgHgflH373ao

'STAR WARS' AT 40: THAT OTHER 'SHOOTING STAR'!

A Panaflex camera with an illustrious filming history prepares to film Garrick Hagon at Elstree during July 1976.

In his cramped cockpit and under bright studio lights, Garrick Hagon gets ready to film his scenes as Biggs Darklighter (aka Red Three), Luke Skywalker's best friend from simpler times on Tatooine, though you wouldn't really have known that proper if you were a generic audience member watching the film for the first time back in 1977, or hadn't seen the late 1976 MARVEL comic or the later published STAR WARS STORYBOOK,which gave the worldwide STAR WARS fan base its first and now legendary tantalizing glimpse of the film's deleted scenes visually, all of whose images were pretty much devoted to the Tatooine-based scenes of Biggs with Luke before the former's departure to secretly join the Rebellion.

Colourized image of classic Garrick Hagon/Biggs B/W shot.

In the lead-up to and at the Battle of Yavin, Biggs further suffered quite a few great little lost moments before his sad demise at the hands of Darth Vader. The April 1976 Revised Fourth Draft script used for filming refers to Biggs showing sadness at the loss of his wingman Porkins (Red Six), and, before Red Leader's trench run, he'd shoot down an attacking TIE fighter going after Luke (an earlier TIE attack on Red Five previously foiled by Wedge), followed by his doing a celebratory victory roll with his fighter. After the deleted first unsuccessful trench run made by Luke and his wingmen, we also would have seen him evading one of Vader's TIE support -reuniting with Wedge and Luke, telling them "Don't ever give up on old Biggs", whilst showing some speedy piloting alongside them. Though some of the script corresponding effects shots were likely never completed linked to his deleted scenes, you can bet that most of the actor's cockpit dialogue lines were filmed and survived, having been already pre-filmed before the official editing Post Production phase.

Prior to the space battle on Yavin, it's sad that his reunion scene with Luke, later restored partially to the 1997 Special Edition, in which he refers to himself and his friend as "a couple of shooting stars" was never filmed- a great regret according to Hagon, the line instead changed to the less impressive "They'll never stop us" by the time of lensing at Shepperton Studios, taking place several months before the cockpit scenes were filmed at Elstree.

Actor's official site: http://www.garrickhagon.com/ 

https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/behind-scenes-red-flight-at-elstree.html

https://www.scifinow.co.uk/interviews/star-wars-interview-garrick-hagon/

Filmumentraies interview: https://vimeo.com/126754777

'STAR WARS' AT 40: A CAUSE TO BELIEVE IN...

It's like old times, if only temporarily, for Luke, as his best friend Biggs Darklighter (Garrick Hagon) seemingly makes a quick surprise visit to Anchorhead in order to see him and the old Tosche station gang. In secret, however, Biggs has another ulterior motive for his travels, letting Luke secretly know that he is about to jump ship from the Imperial Space Academy to join the growing Rebellion whose cause he passionately believes in, during an ultimately deleted scene from 1977, thankfully being made commercially available vin 2011, via Blu-ray. It was first screened to an unsuspected and soon delighted San Diego Comic Con fan audience on 28/7/97.

Being Biggs: A Conversation with Garrick Hagon | StarWars.com

Behind the scenes B-roll footage:
https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/ronald-taylor-bsc-ronnie-1924-2018/

Mark Hamill on the classic scene:
https://www.fanthatracks.com/interviews/mark-hamill-on-lukes-a-new-hope-journey-luke-wants-to-be-in-the-empire-if-it-will-get-him-off-the-farm/?fbclid=IwAR3iulx31ErzAtqwcjOIRH_xljL3DM9g1FNfHmLDZ9u5KVs2vyx77JL8W6E

BEHIND THE SCENES: THE PRINCESS AND THE PRODUCER!

Despite all the problems of scheduling, bad weather at Norway, malfunctioning droids and a studio fire, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK's legendary producer Gary Kurtz knows that he can always rely on the wit and wacky wisdom of the young Carrie Fisher to generate good humour and affectionate support, as seen in this image taken in April/May 1979, at London's Elstree Studios.

Reunited with Garrick Hagon and Mark Hamill at CELEBRATION 2016.

It was great to see and have a quick word or two with Gary Kurtz at the recent CELEBRATION 2016 and hope that he'll be heavily involved in official behind the scenes and celebrations linked to the original film's Fortieth Anniversary during 2017.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO sends out Birthday Greetings to Gary Kurtz on this day. 

BEHIND THE SCENES: ANCHORHEAD AND TOSCHE STATION

Location production recce images of the eventual Tosche Station site, taken by John Barry and his team in 1975.

Here's some great images of/linked to the Djerba fishing village site in Tunisia used for the original STAR WARS, involving scenes of Luke and his young friends at Tosche Station, filmed during early April 1976, and at the end of main location photography.

Drawing of the site. Not sure if this is from the time, or a later created reference image.

Reference image of the redressed location. This angle would be used for a separate establishing shot for Mos Eisley.

Similar colour image.

Angle of the Djerba mosque from the other side, not showing the shoreline.

The classic deleted scene where Luke and Biggs say goodbye.

Also filmed for the Anchorhead scene was the earlier moment where an angry old woman screams at Luke in his Landspeeder (presumably the craft was to have been superimposed going past her by ILM).

More on the filming in Tunisia and London here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: TOSCHE STATION

Angry local woman. Love the background Jawas slouched about!

It is unknown if the woman was played by a Tunisian extra or someone linked to the UK crew (I think it may be the latter). The short scene released on the 2011 Blu-ray was soundless. According to the film's UK Script Supervisor Ann Skinner's handwritten notes, the woman's line was adjusted from "I told you kids to slow down" to "I've told you kids not to go so fast."

With thanks to Ann Skinner and the BFI.

BEHIND THE SCENES: "THAT'S NO BATTLE, HOT SHOT!"

Outside Tosche Station, Luke Skywalker's prior wide-eyed innocence and thirst for adventure ruins his attempts to convince his young friends that a real-life space battle is indeed taking place high above Tatooine, in this now legendary deleted scene from the original STAR WARS, shot in the last days of location filming at the fishing village island of Djerba, Tunisia.

Star Wars A New Hope Lost Scenes - YouTube

Here's a selection of UK Script Supervisor Ann Skinner's continuity Polaroids from the end of the Tunisian filming in April 1976, including costume reference images of Biggs (Garrick Hagon), Camie (played by Koo Stark) and Fixer (Anthony Forrest).

Intriguing shot from the shore-line towards the filming.

Garrick Hagon as Biggs.

Koo Stark as Camie.

Anthony Forrest as Fixer.

Ann Skinner's advance script/character notes for Biggs from early 1976:

BIGGS DARKLIGHTER: Slightly older than Luke. Sc(ene).9: dressed in flashy city attire.

With thanks to Ann Skinner and the BFI.

Blast it Biggs! Where are you?! - By @jamieswb on Vimeo

BEHIND THE SCENES: RED FLIGHT AT ELSTREE

In his cramped cockpit at Elstree Studios, ten to twelve feet of the studio floor, during the height of the soaring 1976 British summer, actor Drewe Henley (still being annoyingly mispelt as "Drewe Hemley" in the original STAR WARS end cast listing as of the 2011 restored Blu-ray!) films his scenes as Red (originally Blue) Leader of the key X-wing squadron attacking the Death Star.

Below are a selection of cockpit images of the fighter pilots taken by Script Supervisor Ann Skinner during that shoot, which were displayed at last year's BFI exhibition and are now back in their Special Collections. Sadly not included in the exhibition but also shot were colour cockpit Polaroids of Jack Klaff as "John D", Robert O'Mahoney as Red Ten, and a pilot specifically marked as Red Twelve, who I cannot confirm was actor John Chapman (who played the character for the background Rebel briefing room scenes) as the image was ultimately too blurred below the helmet. However, when matched with what's seen in the finished film, the unique helmet markings of Red Twelve definitely confirm that this pilot's fiery death was substituted over Red Ten's (O'Mahoney) during the US editing of the trench run sequence in post production.

Red Leader (Drewe Henley). 

Red Two- Wedge (Denis Lawson).

Red Three - Biggs (Garrick Hagon).

Red Six- Porkins (William Hootkins).

Red Twelve's demise (played by Christopher Matthews but for this pyrotechnics scene by stuntman Reg Harding). This footage was instead used for Red Ten's onscreen death during the film's editing.

A shot of Wedge's helmet on the set.

With the droids accompanying the pilots, Skinner's hand-written continuity notes indicate Red Ten had a B/W domed droid, John D's was script-noted as having a "scar" and was a white top droid with R5 head, and Porkins (also referred to in the continuity script as "Piggy") had a white Artoo with taller type head- 2 red stripes around the top. There was also a cream/green-painted Artoo head listed. Skinner's continuity script additionally has Red Twelve's "standing by" confirmation line.

With thanks to Ann Skinner and the BFI Special Collections.

STAR WARS: The Complete Saga auf Blu-ray: Actor Interviews: Ewan McGregor HD - YouTube

REBEL GENESIS: FRIENDS IN DESTINY...

As a lead-in to STAR WARS REBELS, AFICIONADO presents a series of images featuring characters, events and history linked to the ultimate creation of the Rebel Alliance against the Empire.

They'd grown up together within a barren wilderness of heat and struggle; they'd dreamed dreams of adventure and heroism beyond the furthest galaxies, and called themselves the shooting stars that could never be stopped. But times and people ultimately change, even on a planet furthest from the brightest centre. Biggs Darklighter's departure from Tatooine to attend the Academy would become not only a major upheaval to the life of his farmboy best friend Luke Skywalker, yet it'd also prove an open window to a potential new future. Now briefly reunited with him at Fixer's place in Anchorhead town, the adopted son of Owen and Beru Lars hears surprising news from the dashingly-attired Biggs- that he will not allow himself to be drafted into the Imperial Navy having become a first-rate pilot, instead deciding to join a more worthy cause he believes in: the Rebel Alliance- a wind to shake the stars, rapidly growing in defiant strength and bold action against the Empire as it tightens its iron hand in planetary subjugation. So young and innocent, the romanticism of Bigg's decision-making quickly stirs Luke's enthusiastic mind and soul, even if it is tinged with the sadness that he may never see his adventurous partner again. But such isolation from events around him will not last for long. Luke may seem confined to Tatooine due to the needs of his foster parents, yet future's tide will sweep him into the maelstrom of the galactic struggles most desperate hours- the rescue of a captured Princess, his journey into and self-discovery of the Force, and partaking in an epic space battle, once more reunited alongside Biggs, that will see his courage and personal strength tested like never before...

The story of Luke Skywalker, A New Hope, has begun...

BEHIND THE SCENES: WHERE WERE YOU IN '76?

Outside a mosque in the small fishing village of Djerba, Tunisia, and almost at the end of the location shoot for the original STAR WARS, actors Mark Hamill and Garrick Hagon take a break from filming their eventually deleted reunion scenes as Luke Skywalker and Biggs Darklighter, as George Lucas gets ready for the next camera shot...

UK fans of George Lucas, don't forget to catch the enjoyable half-hour documentary profile on him- part of the HOLLYWOOD'S BEST DIRECTORS season-on the SKY ARTS 1 HD channel, tomorrow at 7pm.

AFICIONADO CLASSIC BEHIND THE SCENES INFO PART SIX

NEW STAR WARS-CUT SCENES INFORMATION GATHERED FROM CELEBRATION IV - 2007

By SCOTT WELLER

Ever on the hunt for more information on the missing scenes of the STAR WARS SAGA, STAR WARS AFICIONADO managed to discover some fascinating new gems at CELEBRATION IV that we thought people would REALLY want to know about…

Commander Praji (George Roubicek) gives Darth Vader important information in STAR WARS.

GEORGE ROUBICEK - COMMANDER PRAJI - STAR WARS 

Playing Commander Praji in A NEW HOPE (the Imperial character who tells Vader of the escape pod jettisoning down to Tatooine), the veteran British film and television actor, in only his second convention appearance, revealed that he had worked on the film for three days in total (of which one day was spent waiting in his dressing room and not being used at all!!). He also recalled that the filming of his scenes was very fast and that the crew were under great pressure to get it all done, with the white corridor wall set behind him, whilst talking to Vader and actor Al Lampart, being so delicate that you couldn’t get too near it or lean against it in case it fell down!! Additionally, due to time factors, no stills photographs of his character were taken on set (the reason why his autograph picture is from a high quality screen grab). The big news, however, was his revelation that he had additional sequences to the one seen on screen, including a death scene on the Blockade Runner which was filmed!!! Our good friend Skot at STARWARSHOLIDAYSPECIAL.COM confirmed to me at the convention that he had previously seen storyboards on the Blockade Runner in which a hidden Rebel soldier/s pops out of hiding and guns down an Imperial Stormtrooper/s. Could this scene have been filmed and involved Commander Praji? It seems the most likely explanation. A shot was recently unearthed in STAR WARS INSIDER which showed Vader watching three captured Rebels (one injured and being supported by his colleagues) being escorted away by Stormtroopers-could this have been part of that scene-could a small hidden group of Rebel soldiers carried on the fight before the Blockade Runner was totaled by the Imperials?

Asking Roubicek if he played one of the officers who watched the escape pod blasting away from the Blockade Runner, the actor replied that he wasn’t in this scene with the now revealed John Forgeham, so that means there is one unidentified actor, whose face isn’t seen, in that sequence.

Anthony Forrest filming his additional scene as a Stormtrooper in Tunisia for STAR WARS.

ANTHONY FORREST/GARRICK HAGON - THE FIXER/BIGGS - STAR WARS

One of the main highlights of the convention was meeting Anthony Forrest, who played both Fixer (during filming at Tunisia and Elstree) and an Imperial Stormtrooper (at Djerba for the scene where they stop Luke and his party in the Landspeeder).

Now a film producer, Forrest’s recollections of the STAR WARS filming were impressive and highly detailed and he was an excellent convention guest. On the cut scenes side, Forrest revealed that, for the scene where Fixer, Camie and Biggs follow Luke outside Toshi station and check out the sky, where Biggs debunks Luke’s theories of an overhead space battle, that the sequence continued on inside the Toshi power station afterwards and that it didn’t just end with Camie casually throwing the binoculars back to an offended Luke.

Of the previous introduction sequence, in which Luke is re-united with Biggs, Garrick Hagon would also reveal that the sequence wasn’t just filmed in wide shot-that there were also filmed insert shots of Biggs, Deak and Windy playing the intergalactic pool game as well.

Of the Stormtrooper scene shot in Djerba, Forrest revealed exclusively at CELEBRATION that he played the lead Stormtrooper who is given the Jedi mind trick by Ben Kenobi. Basically, his playing the part was a last minute thing as Guinness decided that he wanted to act opposite another actor in the Stormtrooper costume rather than a Tunisian extra. In a quick piece of thinking, Lucas asked a sun bathing Anthony Forrest at the hotel if he would don the Stormtrooper costume as a favour to him and Sir Alec Guinness. Forrest was only too happy to oblige for the scene. The only problem being that the Stormtrooper costumes shoulder and shoulder pad sections were extremely heavy, weighing down on his sun burnt shoulders inside the costume. Forrest also recalls how raw and uncomfortable the Stormtrooper costumes were then, with very rough inside edges (Robert Watts, also at CELEBRATION IV, would later go on to state that the Stormtrooper costumes built by people like the 501 LEGION were much better than anything built for the actual STAR WARS films!!)

Luke confers with Wedge (Colin Higgins) about attacking the Death Star in STAR WARS. Image: KURTZ/JOINER ARCHIVE.

COLIN HIGGINS-THE ORIGINAL WEDGE ANTILLES- STAR WARS 

As AFICIONADO first revealed way back in 2004, long before Pablo Hidalgo unearthed the information on STARWARS.COM, British actor Colin Higgins played Wedge first and was later replaced by Denis Lawson. This has now been fully confirmed with Higgins first US convention appearance at CELEBRATION IV. He also revealed that, through his own fault, he was fired from the STAR WARS set back in 1976. Being a tv actor, the young actor was inexperienced and unused to both the process of feature film-making and the language of American film scripts (and especially a script with the nature of STAR WARS, with all its technical jargon and fantasy universe descriptions), finding himself very insecure (at one point throwing up through nerves at all the problems of filming). Not correctly saying a part of his dialogue scenes with Mark Hamill (of which the actor, who had more lines than was seen in the finished movie, was unused to American parts of the dialogue), requiring several re-takes, Higgins, who was not able to speed up his line delivery for the filming (a problem that also apparently affected Alex McCrindle when playing his scenes as General Dodonna), would un-knowingly cause the film-makers a valuable loss of time and money on re-shooting, leading them to make the decision of not recalling him back to the July filming of his characters scenes in the X-Wing fighter cockpit, and replacing him with Denis Lawson instead.

Despite his enjoying the sets and costumes and the overall epic sense of the production, as well as liking the company of Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, Higgins would also cause further accidental upset when, being one of the speaking part actors, was incorrectly thought to be a background artist when he entered the actors food line during lunch break. With the angry extras, who had their own separate food line, thinking he was a background artist as well (who shouldn’t be in the same food line as the speaking part actors), the situation would also cause further friction between them, Higgins, and certain members of the production team.

Seeing the completed film at a London cast and crew preview screening in 1977, Higgins would be thrilled at how good the film was, but decidedly upset at the problems he had encountered during the 1976 filming-a situation which prevented him from making appearances at STAR WARS events until very recently.

Mace Windu (Sam Jackson) in his office. A deleted scene moment from EPISODE II.

THE JOHN KNOLL PRESENTATION

With his immense work on the STAR WARS Prequels, the STAR WARS AFICIONADO team were looking forward to seeing what intriguing photos and clips the effects producer would reveal in his presentation. And he certainly didn’t disappoint in that respect-the main presentation being of the photos he had taken during the Prequel filming, of which several shots were cut scenes. Notable highlights Mace’s office from ATTACK OF THE CLONES, an intriguing action shot of Anakin and Obi-Wan fighting over head battle droids magnetized to the ceiling on the bridge of the Invisible Hand for REVENGE OF THE SITH (later seen on the deleted scenes Blu-ray in 2011), and a shot of Padme wearing her famous deleted white head covering on Tatooine before departing for Geonosis, and wearing the same head gear for her arrival within the Genosian Plaza with Anakin (in the originally filmed sequence before the Droid conveyor belt action scene replaced it).