CLASSIC ART: SYMBIOTIC JEDI!

The unique bond between Master and Apprentice Jedi in the Force has never been better exemplified nor more conflicted on screen than the one between the charismatic veteran Qui-Gon Jinn and his dutiful student in the raw, Obi-Wan Kenobi, during the exciting and tragic events of EPISODE I.

The duo are well rendered here by the ever-popular, and much-missed artist and talent, John Alvin.  

Liam Neeson says Star Wars magic is being diluted by its spin-offs | EW.com

Liam Neeson is back as Qui-Gon Jinn in new Star Wars show Tales of the Jedi | GamesRadar

CLASSIC IMAGE: THAT HOODED STARE!

Icon coolly continuing to reign supreme as that bad-ass hero Jedi with an edge, Mace Windu, during the critical events leading to and within The Clone Wars, Samuel L. Jackson was truly one of the best things to happen to the STAR WARS Prequels, where his brave but intimidating screen presence and supreme lightsaber-wielding abilities soon wowed audiences and fans of all ages worldwide.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: INTRODUCING KI-ADI-MUNDI

A wise alien from Cerea, Ki-Adi-Mundi brings a sense of trust and ease with his duties to the Jedi Order, as well as being an exceptional fighting force when required. Another developing character in the Prequel universe, played with distinction by Silas Carson, who'd also play several other roles large and small in EPISODE I.

"For Jedi Master Ki-Adi Mundi I wore prosthetics that were actually stuck to my face. There was the head, the front piece for my face, two cheeks, and then the hair. The material used was a kind of foam latex that was very easy to put on, very easy to wear, and very, very light. It did take a bit longer to apply because everything had to be glued down and repainted tho hide the cracks-about two to three hours. However, I actually found it to be quite pleasant."

Silas Carson - Star Wars Insider magazine - 2005

"Because of the way he looks, less like an alien and more like a human being with a weird double skull, I played Ki-Adi as someone who was very gentle. He's kind of like the uncle you always wanted: he's very human, very warm."

Silas Carson - Star Wars Insider magazine - 2005

With the head application process used throughout the Prequel trilogy filming.

Publicity image of Silas Carson used for promotional purposes.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: INTRODUCING MACE WINDU

With a subtly intense stare and a genuine aura sense of refined power about him, Jedi Master Mace Windu is a Jedi of distinction and truly at one with the nature and energies of the Force, and confident in his role within the Jedi Council and the Republic leaders they serve- second only in leadership responsibility to Master Yoda himself. Who better to play one of the coolest Jedi ever seen in the saga than one of the coolest men ever to reside on planet Earth: Samuel L. Jackson!

Jackson's enthusiasm for the saga has been a constant since the original film's New York opening in 1977. For EPISODE I he would be on the Leavesden set filming his Jedi Temple scenes over four days and working from six script pages of dialogue revealed only prior to shooting. By 1999, George Lucas was clear to tell Jackson that Mace was a developing character, of which there would ultimately be lots of things ahead for him with the remaining prequels.

"I was doing a lot of interviews for some other film and reporters tend to ask you questions like, 'Is there any director that you haven't worked with that you've got to work with?' I remembered that George Lucas was about to do The Phantom Menace, so I said, I'd really like to work with George Lucas on this new Star Wars film. And I said it often enough and I said it on a London talk show (the Chris Evans hosted T.F.I. Friday). Somebody heard it and told him and I got invited to the Lucasfilm Ranch. When I met George, I told him, 'Look, I'm really serious. I'll do anything. I'm not trying to be the star of your movie. I'll be a stormtrooper. You can cover my face. Whatever, I don't care. As long as I know I'm in the movie, I'm happy.' George said, 'We'll see what we can do.'"

Samuel L. Jackson - Starburst magazine - 1999

Rehearsing a scene with the puppet Yoda.

"When I got to London the first time, I had no clue who I was going to play until they gave me some pages and saw I was going to be Mace Windu. Who? And then I realized he was talking to Yoda. So when I got to the studio the next day, I saw this Jedi costume and I was so ecstatic I ran out of breath. At last I had an idea of who I was, how to carry myself, and I had a way of being. And I had a reason for being."

Samuel L. Jackson - Dressing a Galaxy - Deluxe edition - 2005

"The first day I showed up I put on my robes and I was standing there looking in the mirror going, "Yeah, I'm a Jedi." Then the guy comes in with a Haliburton briefcase, opens it up and there all these lightsabers in there. He goes, "Okay, pick one". I tried a few out and I was like, "Okaaay, this looks like me." It was kind of a chrome handle with this long, soft rubber thing down the side, and on the inside, where you turn it on, it had this very unique-looking switch. It was very me, very Mace."

Samuel L. Jackson - Empire magazine - June 2002

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: TO BE A JEDI...

The nobility and strength of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, as played by Liam Neeson. Image: Matthew Rolston.

'It will be a hard life. One without reward, without remorse, without regret. A path will be placed before you. The choice is yours alone. Do what you think you cannot do. 

It will be a hard life, but you will find out who you are.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQQE2gn-nEM

Qui-Gon Jinn - Episode One Tone Poem commercial: 'One Destiny' - 1999

THE CLONE WARS: TESTING TIMES!

Another exciting and dangerous The Clone Wars comic adventure awaits our troubled and persevering Jedi heroes, as The Starcrusher Trap is unleashed by the Separatists, and the respected and formidable Mace Windu gets an action showcase with that purple lightsaber of his!

Cover art for Dark Horse Comics by The Fillbach Brothers.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MACE WINDU - 'BMF'!

With a specially inscribed 'BMF' ('Bad Motherf++ker') on his unique one-of-a-kind lightsaber hilt, and a blade emitted to the colour purple (his favourite colour, and designed so that the actor could single himself out in an action sequence), Samuel L. Jackson IS Mace Windu- his turn in the Star Wars action spotlight finally 'good to G-O' for EPISODE II.

https://www.businessinsider.com/samuel-l-jackson-mace-windu-return-star-wars-2017-4?r=US&IR=T

Pride and joy. Image: Samuel L. Jackson/ Twitter.

EPISODE VIII: RECOGNISING THE WISDOM OF FAILURE!

A special cameo for The Last Jedi: Master Yoda, once more voiced by Frank Oz.

Luke had previously put off destroying by fire the Ahch-To island's sacred Jedi tree and its inside books dating generations back, but now Master Yoda has reappeared from the nether world of the Force to do the job for him, whilst also reminding his former student to stay focused on life and the universe at hand, as well as the future of Rey as a Jedi. An emotional reunion on and off screen for Mark Hamill and Frank Oz, and a nicely written and played scene created for The Last Jedi.

Reunited after so many years- Yoda and Luke on Ahch-To...

And young Skywalker still has so much to learn, and unlearn!

Following on from the way the Original Trilogy's Yoda was created by Stuart Freeborn (still the little Jedi Master's only realizer), it made sense for the latest film's production team to stick with using a practical, all-new constructed Yoda puppet (operated by Oz and his team) for Hamill to interact with, instead of the excellent, but potentially visual continuity jarring use of the CGI Yoda seen during the Prequel Trilogy.

The Yoda puppet at Pinewood Studios.

Coordinating voice and movement.

Behind the scenes: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTUqpII_Mk4

Frank Oz interview - The Star Wars Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiZxmNZA14Q

Frank Oz Interviews: 
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/03/20/star-wars-frank-oz-explains-how-yoda-wound-up-in-the-last-jedi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgC1AiPtjlE

CLASSIC IMAGE: YOU LOOKIN' AT ME, SITH?

He'd mostly been confined to a chair on the Jedi Council for his quickly cast part as Jedi Master Mace Windu during 1997 EPISODE I's filming at Leavesden, but now super-cool Samuel L. Jackson's emerging role for EPISODE II finally saw the popular new hero in action, wielding a purple lightsaber and proving lethally efficient in a fighting style close to the borders of the Dark Side of the Force. Plus, he looked mysterious in his Jedi robes, too, as seen here in this great publicity still from 2000.

Star Wars: Samuel L. Jackson thinks Mace Windu is still alive | EW.com

CLASSIC IMAGE: A SPIRITED JEDI!

Always mindful of the living Force and the situations it creates, maverick Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's strength and confidence proved pivotal to the safety and security of young Queen Amidala in her escape from the besieged Naboo, during the events of EPISODE I.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO sends its Birthday Greetings out to Liam Neeson on this day! 

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE 'MAVERICK' FIGHTS BACK

Firmly gripped on what he'd on-set call the "Rolls-Royce" of lightsabers, Liam Neeson would bring the kind of gravitas and warmth to his starring role of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, in the opening film of the Prequel Trilogy, as Sir Alec Guinness did for the original STAR WARS.

▶ Star Wars The Phantom Menace: Liam Neeson Interview - YouTube

STAR WARS AFICIONADO sends out Birthday Greetings to Liam Neeson on this date.

CLASSIC IMAGE: LAST STAND FOR THE PURPLE BLADE!

His Jedi comrades now quickly and efficiently slain by the Dark Lord of the Sith: Darth Sidious, Mace Windu fights on despite the tremendous powers and lightsaber abilities shown by his lethal adversary. To quote Samuel L. Jackson: "He ain't going out like some punk...!"

CLASSIC IMAGE: WISDOM IN WARFARE!

In his seat on the Jedi Council on Coruscant, Master Yoda prepares for the worst, as The Clone Wars now erupt across the galaxy, amidst the finale to ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

CLASSIC IMAGE: HIS GREATEST ENEMY!

Yoda is in for the battle of his Jedi life when he returns to Coruscant, to put an end to the emergent Sith Lord Darth Sidious, in this tense moment in the senate pod area, from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: WITH A FORCE-FUL GESTURE...

On the streets of Theed, noble Qui-Gon Jinn uses his powers in the Force to liberate the captured Queen Amidala, in an effective moment from EPISODE I.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE CHANGING FACE OF YODA!

A satisfying constant to the STAR WARS universe across five episodes (with a spin-off solo movie to come at some point in our near future?), Jedi Master Yoda's mystery and popularity remains undiminished over the years for fans of all ages, within his various onscreen incarnations- either in his original realisation as a puppet in 1979, created by the late Stuart Freeborn (followed by Nick Dudman in 1997), or via the new realities of the CGI for the later Prequels.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

Check out this great FACEBOOK page featuring alternate footage of Yoda's final conversation with Luke, from RETURN OF THE JEDI, here: Return of the Jedi long lost Edit Droid Laserdisc Discovered