AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: FILMING THE 'BATTLE IN THE SNOW'...

"And.... action!"

With the primary film unit now returned to the UK's Elstree Studios by April, 1979, Peter MacDonald, Bill Westley, Stunt Coordinator Bob Anderson and other talents, would continue location work for The Empire Strikes Back with their unique second unit, effectively handling the barely English speaking Red Cross Norwegian volunteers playing Rebel soldiers, detonating the many necessary pyrotechnics, and choreographing lots of action taking place in the specially built snow trenches, a site fortified with many distinctive-looking props, weapons, and even a rebel tank, at one of the most challenging locations for filming within the Original Trilogy: the Hardangerjokulen glacier.

Fire and Ice!

Sadly, despite their best efforts, bad weather and ever-changing, inconsistent natural lighting conditions would hamper the filming, which was never completed. Thankfully, there was enough footage shot for George Lucas to use multiple angles and even reversed footage, to be mixed with the upcoming ILM stop-motion animation footage being captured that Winter, for a spectacular and unforgettable sequence that looked superb on the big screen...  

Digging the Rebel trenches at the glacier site prior to filming.

Assembling the props for filming.

Great wide shot of the location filming: note the Rebel Tank on site.

A fun Birthday art piece for Continuity/Script Supervisor Pamela Mann on location. 

A sunny day for filming.

But not so good on other days, as the Red Cross extras gather.

The Rebel weapons assembled on location. Image: Pamela Mann.

The action filming begins. Image: Pamela Mann.

Filming Bob Anderson as the Rebel Commander soon contacting Echo Base about the approaching AT-AT's.

Ready for trench warfare!

Destroyed props during filming.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: GOING SOLO IN NORWAY!

He hadn't yet landed the role of the devil may care Indiana Jones, but Harrison Ford was certainly doing some globe-trotting of his own with The Empire Strikes Back, swiftly dispatched from Elstree to Norway to shoot scenes in real snowy climes, amidst avalanches and dangerous white-outs. Certainly adventures in filming that Ford would never, ever forget.

Filming Han's discovery of the injured Luke, literally shot outside the snowbound hotel at Finse during March, 1979. 

Han checks on Luke's delirious condition.

Han prepares to fire at the Imperial Probe Droid.

Posing for press publicity with Carrie Fisher.

"I hadn't anticipated being there (in Norway) at all. My snow scenes were supposed to be shot at the sound stage at the studio. I had just arrived in England as they left for Norway, and in no time at all, I found myself whisked away to join them in Norway, with no preparation, wearing a costume built for conditions on the stage. Another one of those bizarre life experiences."

Harrison Ford - Bantha Tracks interview - 1980

'AN EMPIRE' AT 45: FROM FINSE WITH LOVE!

UK art technician Alan Tomkins with the Tauntaun prop outside the Finse 1222 hotel in Norway. Image: Pamela Mann.

Filming of the desert realms of Tatooine, in Tunisia, for the original Star Wars back during March/April 1976, had brought its own unique problems that had to be overcome by the film crew, but those were nothing in comparison to the location work at Norway for the opening act of The Empire Strikes Back set on the ice planet of Hoth. Heavy ice, snowstorms, avalanches and 'white-outs' were constant, in the worst weather that the chosen location, Finse, had seen for decades. In such conditions it was a marvel that the main first unit, headed by Irvin Kershner, a frost-bitten Gary Kurtz, stalwart David Tomblin, and others, were able to accomplish so much. And thankfully, some material could even be shot literally outside the hotel! 

But the worsening weather would go on to heavily affect the second unit's eventual filming of the ground snow battle scenes against the AT-AT's going into April, 1979...

Gary Kurtz and Irvin Kershner brave the elements.

Mark Hamill gets sun sun and rest atop one of the special Empire snow vehicles.

Peter Mayhew and crew enjoy a warming meal on at one the location camp bases.

Filming Chewbacca's one and only scene on location.

Continuity Polaroid of Mayhew with Pamela Mann.

"That was fairly horrendous. It was cold and the wind was blowing. It was just a bit unpleasant, but the filming of that scene was only half a day."

Peter Mayhew - Star Wars Insider - Issue 28

Quickly abandoning filming as a dreaded 'white-out' arrives at the site.

Inside one of the two location camp huts, Irvin Kershner rehearses a scene with Mark Hamill atop the primary Tauntaun prop, watched and recorded by Michel Parbot and his documentary team.

Posing atop the full scale prop for publicity images.

Filming reaction shots with the head prop, also built by Stuart Freeborn and his team in London.

Some of the crew assemble at a base camp with the prop Tauntaun. Image: Pamela Mann.

Crewman Des Webb wears the heavy stilts whilst playing the Wampa snow monster.

The snow vehicles continue on throughout the location filming.

Lifted by helicopter (likely piloted by film-making veteran Marc Wolfe), Colin Skeaping doubles as Luke for his descent from the damaged Walker.

UK Script Supervisor and Continuity talent Pamela Mann enjoys the location.

Pamela even enjoys her own igloo as part of the location camraderie.

Harrison Ford, Kershner and crew prepare for the next Tauntaun sequence.

Moving the damaged Snowspeeder prop into location positioning.

Filming Luke's swift escape from the wrecked Snowspeeder.

Filming the Probot prop at varying sites on location.

The half Probot prop and tracks outside the Finse 1222 hotel.

HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY TO 'THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK'!

Japanese release poster - 1980.

"Luke Skywalker and Han Solo rescued the Princess, destroyed the Death Star, but their story didn't end there..."

Early teaser trailer dialogue for The Empire Strikes Back - 1979.

And thank the Force it didn't end there, as Empire, the most expensive independent movie of its time, made its long awaited UK debut on May 20th, 1980, effectively and memorably delivering a dark and powerful new chapter in the now continuing Star Wars saga to thrilled audiences worldwide, and an adventure that cemented and built on the already special qualities of storytelling that George Lucas prior gave us three years earlier.

Enjoy this selection of great iconic character shots from the film...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'TESB'!

Posing for publicity at Elstree.

Our trio on location in Norway.

Hamill and Prowse take an attacking stance!