OUT NOW: 'THE STAR WARS ARCHIVES - EPISODES I - III 1999-2005' TASCHEN 2022 EDITION

Ready to discover the secrets of the Prequel Trilogy? The latest Star Wars Archives book gets a new hardback release. Image: Taschen.

There had been online rumours that it's expected publication wasn't going to happen, but to the delight of Star Wars Prequel fans everywhere worldwide, Taschen books 2021 lavishly produced The Star Wars Archives: Episodes I- III 1999 -2005, written and compiled by respected media favourite and long-time Taschen favourite British author Paul Duncan, has finally made its way into a brand-new compact and gorgeous smaller-sized edition, where it will no doubt sell very well indeed this Christmas, and especially following a positive time this year when the Prequel era set likes of Disney+ TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor have helped cement and heighten fan respectability to George Lucas's brave-in-the-telling pre- A New Hope era that started over twenty years ago. 

As with his previous acclaimed must-have tome covering the Original Trilogy, Duncan's expansive and enlightening interview with film legend George Lucas continues, and is once more fascinating and compelling to read- the writer/director, always thinking outside the box, revealing the impetus and struggles to get the Prequel saga out of his imagination and onto both celluloid and digital, and how he fought the marketeers and critics (as well as some of his own company members and friend/colleagues) in telling the stories he ultimately wanted to tell, during an incredible and controversial time when a filmmaking revolution had been ushered in with the pioneering dawn of CGI, and how these new technique's increased use and development would enhance and increase Lucas's sensibilities and play tool box for generating epic visual storytelling, adding to the overall legacy of the Star Wars saga and its already encompassing pop culture legacy and mythology. 

Alongside all those remarkable insights and revelations (there's definitely some all-new surprises in here!), feast your eyes on a wealth of superb stills and on set photography (especially from The Phantom Menace, which had the most practical sets and locations for filming across the Prequels), gorgeous concept art (from the likes of veteran art talents Doug Chiang, Ryan Church and Eric Tiemens) beautifully re-scanned and printed to show incredibly rich detail, and rare behind the scenes information/script pages that haven't been made available anywhere else culled from months of exhaustive research work deep in the hallowed and mysterious halls of the Lucasfilm Archive by the dedicated author. Hey, it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it for our benefit!

Complete your Star Wars Archives collection with this wonderful chronicle of three bold, colourful films that are deservedly becoming re-evaluated (slowly but surely) with their legacy, and whose spirited, evolving conceptual history proves both an intriguing read and a veritable visual goldmine of storytelling beauty and innovation. The titles are a worthy and formidable continuance/compliment to those previously acclaimed Making of books crafted for the George Lucas side of the Star Wars filmmaking universe, compiled with equal care and dedication, by the late, much-missed J.W. Rinzler.

Aggressive Negotiations: A Star Wars Podcast: Issue 240: Paul Duncan: The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005 on Apple Podcasts

Find out more about the book, and purchase it here:

The Star Wars Archives. 1999–2005. 40th Ed. - TASCHEN Books

 

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: THE MODEL WAY OF THINGS!

Despite their pioneering CGI work launched during the nineties, the old fashioned way of practical model work special effects photography was still very much in evidence at ILM during the early noughties, often considered the best and most practical option on certain aspects of specialist film projects. This was especially so in bringing the diverse worlds of the Prequels to life, as seen here with the busy and buildings-packed realm of Tatooine's Mos Espa spaceport, for EPISODE II.

Paul Duncan with his all-new The Star Wars Archives Book. Image: Paul Duncan/Facebook.

Having efficiently charted the making of the Classic Trilogy for Taschen Books with his superior, must-have title The Star Wars Archives - 1977-1983, first published in 2018 (and now available in a  reformatted edition), respected author and media historian Paul Duncan returns to cover the behind the scenes genesis, release and legacy of the underappreciated Prequel Trilogy era with further exhaustive detail in the all-new, and thoroughly recommended The Star Wars Archives - 1999- 2005, full of rare photos lavishly printed, and new information, all wrapped once again around a new and thoroughly detailed, often enlightening interview with saga creator George Lucas. It's the ultimate gift for Prequel fans thirsting for more on their beloved heroes and villains from the time of the Old Republic.

Get the book here:

https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/film/all/01171/facts.the_star_wars_archives_19992005.htm

OUT NOW IN A NEW FORMAT: 'THE STAR WARS ARCHIVES - EPISODES IV - VI 1977 - 1983'

Instantly press-acclaimed as one of the finest books ever in covering the making of the Original Trilogy, Paul Duncan's comprehensive The Star Wars Archives- Episodes IV to VI 1977 -1983, published by the ever classy and prestigious Taschen label, was a deservedly rapid sell-out internationally when released in its original suitcase size luxury edition two years ago. With the iconic Original Trilogy stories and characters more popular than ever, the opportunity of re-releasing the tome as a nicely-priced, smaller-sized, wider audience-reaching edition, out now (November 2020), has proved a fine one. Always a dedicated fan of the saga, Duncan's tome may not be as truly exhaustive as the also excellent, earlier conceived J.W. Rinzer individual 'Making of' books on Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but there's plenty of new archival material/oral history uncovered by the author, further heightened by an overall framing device around the saga's conception and execution that comes via an exhaustive all-new interview conducted with George Lucas himself. This is richly rewarding and insightful, as the saga's creator answers intriguing questions with candid freshness and through a unique perspective based on his life experiences with the individual films both then and now. Alongside all this comes a superb selection of colour and black and white photo content, not just exclusive rare imagery (digitally rescanned to the highest printing quality possible) but also different outtakes of classic shots, especially linked to the original 1977 launcher. It's clear that the Lucasfilm Image Archives has been equally thoroughly researched as the written materials collated.

Paul Duncan goes through the original book release and his approach to its conception and writing:

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

If you haven't already purchased this new-size edition, then I highly recommend that you do so - it's a fine examination and exploration of both George Lucas- the man and his ideals, fused with the inspiring myths and ground-breaking reality behind the incredible and difficult making of 'The Adventures of Luke Skywalker'.

Original release coverage from Star Wars Aficionado:

https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.com/search/label/THE%20STAR%20WARS%20ARCHIVES%20BOOK

Get the book here:

https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/film/all/43957/facts.the_star_wars_archives_19771983_40th_anniversary_edition.htm

THE LOST 'EPISODE II' PADME SCENE REVEALED?

I think I've finally found out what this missing deleted scene was from EPISODE II, which has beguiled many a fan over the last ten years (and specific behind the scenes EPISODE II crew whom I've contacted, too). If you recall the deleted scenes from the EPISODE II DVD OF 2002, there were several at the Varykino retreat/lake house on Naboo, interiors of the guest house with Anakin and Padme looking at holographic photos of her life and career in the senate and on her home world-this may have been one of those scenes shot for that but ultimately not used. It was definitely a scene filmed at Lake Como - something that Prequel Stunt Coordinator Nick Gillard confirmed to me recently- he recognised the background, but didn't actually see this being shot.

If anyone else has any more info, please get in touch. I additionally contacted Trisha Biggar a while back (no response via her agent), and Leland Chee at LUCASFILM, via his HOLOCRON name TWITTER account, last year but didn't receive any response there, either.

UPDATED 12/2022

Veteran Star Wars behind the scenes researcher and writer of the Taschen Books Star Wars Archives, Paul Duncan, has surely solved the mystery of the scene via two possibilities. Firstly, either a costume fitting on day 1, June 26th 2000 for the Senate costume on day 2, or (most likely) an unused costume design test shot in Padme's parents dining room/alcove after principal photography for the day, with Natalie Portman and the crew working late (8.30pm) on July 19th, 2000. According to the production documents, Portman had a costume fitting that day (up to 10.30pm), amongst other costume fittings on subsequent days. 

Thanks for the research, Paul!