AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: READY FOR ESCAPE!

It's crunch-time for the Rebels as their evacuation plans come into effect against the Imperial orbital blockade. Their energy shield is opened, the first transport and escort dispatched. Now it's time to activate the big gun!

Brigitte Kahn goes through her scene with Irvin Kershner.

Playing the female Rebel controller is German/British actress Brigitte Khan a well known face on late seventies and early eighties British television, wearing, like the rest of the female background officers, a similar Nordic-noired hairstyle to the new one devised for Princess Leia in the new film. Sadly, her on screen line of dialogue was dubbed over by an unknown American actress in post production.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: IMPERIAL ACTIVITY!

Han Solo's communication regarding the destroyed intruder means only one thing to Princess Leia Organa and her senior Rebel officers- that the Imperials have found them and will soon be on their way! The next few days will prove critical to the survival of this resistance cell, their uncomfortable stay on Hoth having proved a short one as evacuation plans are swiftly initiated.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: 'WE HAVE A VISITOR'...

Luke Skywalker is recovering well, and the Wampa threat to Echo Base has been contained for the present. Now a new problem presents itself to our heroes as a mysterious signal, possibly of Imperial nature (according to communications specialist C-3PO), is revealed. The source of the signal must be investigated, and the volunteering Han and Chewie are the perfect duo to check it out.

In the original script, and filmed on location in Norway, was a sequence where a Rebel outpost was destroyed by the Probot, investigating the fiery wreckage- the sequence was abandoned from the final cut, in favour of the droid discovering the distant Rebel power generators, instead. In the film, General Rieekan has two snowspeeders Rogues 10 and 11 sent to Station 38. A clever in-joke reference to Lucas's THX-1138.

This scene sees the return of UK actor Burnell Tucker's Rebel communications officer from the original Star Wars, later given the Expanded Universe name of Del Goren.This time, however, his voice would be dubbed with an American actor in post production.

Filming the scene at Elstree.

John Birkinshaw keeps Threepio cool on set during the scene's filming.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: SOLO'S FAREWELL!

The new Rebel Command Centre on Hoth is a hive of activity.

With a recent incident to his life via a bounty hunter on the world of Ord Mantell, Han Solo knows he has to leave the Rebels and pay off his debt to Jabba the Hutt sooner rather than later. Informing General Rieekan (played by British/Canadian actor Bruce Boa, whose voice was later dubbed in post production) of his imminent departures, the news comes as a shock and disappointment to a soon angry Princess Leia Organa.

Continuity polaroid by Pamela Mann.

Bruce Boa as General Rieekan.

Han strides off after Leia gives him a goodbye cold shoulder, in an angle not seen in the film.

The Rebel Command centre scenes were mostly filmed over early Spring 1979, of which George Lucas was an on set visitor/advisor during the start of principal photography for The Empire Strikes Back.

Rehearsing Han and Leia's early verbal conflict.

Right from the start, Harrison Ford enjoyed working with new director Irvin Kershner.

Going through the scene with Kershner and Kurtz.

Chris Parsons as the other droid of Echo Base, K-3P0, watched behind by a female technician (Brigitte Kahn) and Kershner.

Lucas's old friend Walter Murch visits the early filming.

CLASSIC IMAGE: IN HIDING NO MORE...

Flanked by her top Rebel officers, General Rieekan (Bruce Boa) and Del Goren (Burnell Tucker), Princess Leia hears the bad news from Han Solo that the Imperials have located their new base of operations on the ice planet Hoth, in a classic scene from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Actor Burnell Tucker was one of a large number of UK background actors/extras to have appeared in EMPIRE that we've identified and listed in a special PDF feature: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B80ITjM31EVRbk1qd2JsbDd4YXc/edit?usp=sharing

Note: to see the PDF in it's best quality, its best to download the file on to your desktop.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO: NOW ON "FACEBOOK"

There's a lot of interest in STAR WARS AFICIONADO from the Rebel quarter.

Don't forget to pop by our new FACEBOOK page, which contains more info, trailers and clips on a regular basis, as well as photos-old and new-that aren't on this or the other AFICIONADO web sites...

Here's the link: STAR WARS Aficionado Magazine and Web/blog sites - Wall | Facebook

If you know any other STAR WARS fans who might be interested in the site, please pass on our details.

Thank you for your support!

Cheers to Chris Baker for the above composition.

CLASSIC IMAGE: REBEL ESCAPE- STAGE ONE

As the Imperial Death Fleet begins to blockade their Rebel hideaway on the planet Hoth, Princess Leia Organa and General Rieekan, working quickly within their command centre: Echo Base, initiate a daring escape plan for their forces.

CLASSIC IMAGE: "AN IMPERIAL PROBE DROID!"

In the Rebel Command Centre, Princess Leia and General Rieekan (the late Bruce Boa) receive the bad news from Han Solo, out on the Hoth wilderness with the remains of his unwanted discovery.

A classic scene in an atmsopherically composed B/W image.