'STAR WARS' AT 45: ATTACKING THE DEATH STAR!

Red Squadron's X-wing fighter diversionary attack on the Death Star surface is underway and our bold Rebel pilots, especially newcomer Red Five (Luke Skywalker), soon prove uncompromising in their adept talents for bringing fiery destruction to their chosen targets- deflection towers, heavy armament placements and other critical areas, whilst also proving difficult for the enemy to destroy, evading turbolasers thanks to their crafts' improved speed.

Avoiding the surface heavy cannons.

Zooming over the surface.

Biggs and Porkins' attack on the surface.

Luke Skywalker goes into full-on attack mode!

Prime attack spots made by Red Five.

A surface target area is destroyed by a crashed X-wing fighter in a filmed but unused sequence. The surface model was created by effects talent Mike Minor (best known for his mid seventies work on Star Trek), who worked briefly on the film, whom, for reasons not fully known, was ultimately uncredited. The pyrotechnics representing the X-wing were handled by veteran Joe Viskocil.

Unused early composite shot of X-wing speeding across the surface.

A selection of behind the scenes filming images taken at ILM during late 1976/early 1977 at Van Nuys, California....

Superb aerial composition shot of the Death Star surface.

At work on one of the many modular panels.

Various combinations to create a surface likely not seen in the finished movie. 

A panel combination forming the Death Star surface.

ILM coordinator Jim Nelson has fun by the surface panels.

Steve Gawley makes some adjustments to the panels surface configuration.

Another great surface interior image at ILM by Chris Casady.

Simulating the X-wing cockpit viewpoint of a surface attack.

Close-up model filming at ILM.

Preparing the model pyrotechnics on a wall panel surface selection.

Filming the detonation, supervised by Richard Edlund.

Company group shot outside the ILM car park.

Richard Edlund makes some preparations for filming.

A side angle detonation covered by vehicle and camera.

Alternate angle from the ILM car park.

Edlund (on crane) and with colleague detonate an explosion on the outside surface set configuration.

More outside detonations.

GOODBYE, JIM NELSON...

Jim Nelson with the ILM crew in 1976/77. Image: Dave Berry.

AFICIONADO was sad to hear of the news yesterday of the passing of an early ILM legend, and respected Hollywood TV and film-making chief, Jim Nelson- one of the key behind the scenes personnel responsible for setting up the now premiere effects facility (originally in its Van Nuys garage/warehouse facility), in the process leaving his own successful company to help, recommending and hiring some of its key staff (notably later Academy Award winner John Dykstra), and oversee its original day to day running, especially from the heavy workload Summer of 1976 onwards. Nelson, sadly, left ILM as the original 1977 STAR WARS was nearing completion, unhappy with Lucas that he was not getting an Associate Producer credit for his long hours of work and overall contributions, though he was fully convinced that the film was going to be a major hit, and certainly not afraid to support Lucas in those fraught, often troubled days dealing with a disbelieving 20TH CENTURY FOX, who thought it would be a financially ruinous turkey.

RIP, Jim Nelson, and thank you for that belief...

Jim Nelson Dead: 'Star Wars' Contributor Was 81 - Hollywood Reporter

Dave Berry's wonderful ILM behind the scenes footage featuring Nelson and those pioneering effects greats: 5757 on Vimeo