AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: INTRODUCING A BOUNTY HUNTER...

Ready to take the bounty, Boba Fett, as special art personified by his visual co-creator, Joe Johnston. 

"George (Lucas) wanted a new trooper. The original idea behind Boba Fett was that he was going to be an army of super troopers. There was going to be 40,000 of these guys. He's sort of a bad guy but he's not on the Empire's side and he's not on the rebels' side. He's like a free agent, and he goes around the galaxy arresting people and bringing them back to justice or bringing them back to Jabba the Hutt or whoever. He's a mercenary. He'll do anything for money, and his outfit, the way he looks, should reflect that."

Joe Johnston, on the conception of the greatest Star Wars saga bounty hunter, Boba Fett, who debuted in live action form within the drama of The Empire Strikes Back.

Empire at 40 | Designing an Icon: Joe Johnston on the Journey to Create Boba Fett | StarWars.com

Fett on a speeder bike, in another original art piece by Joe Johnston.

'JEDI' AT 40: SPEEDY PURSUITS!

The chase is on for Luke and Leia as they commandeer a speeder bike to pursue and stop Imperial Scout Troops from giving away the Rebels secret arrival on Endor, during one of the many highlight action sequences beloved by fans worldwide from Return of the Jedi.

Check out this great from-animatics-to-shooting comparison of the exciting sequence from filmmaker Luke Asa Guidici. 

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: ANIMATIC HEROES!

"Get alongside that one!"

It wasn't just the kids who liked playing with the large-size Kenner figures created for the first two Star Wars Classic Trilogy movies, the ILM team did too, using them for key animatic sequences choreography, like this one, concocted by Dennis Muren and Joe Johnston, for the upcoming filming of the exhilarating Endor speeder bike chase showcased in Return of the Jedi. With even a cameo from Boba Fett as a Stormtrooper thrown in!

ILM Legend Thomas G. Smith on the Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi | StarWars.com

Staging the animatic filming at ILM in Autumn 1982.

Dennis Muren and Joe Johnston get paid to have this much creative fun!

Also using the small scale Kenner figures.

EPISODE VII: SO, THAT'S HOW THEY DID IT!

Her latest recovered swag in tow, Daisy Ridley's Rey mounts her unique speeder bike on her way to Niima Outpost, in a scene for THE FORCE AWAKENS, filmed in Abu Dhabi. It's great to see how the movement of the speeder was worked out and digitally replaced, as seen in this great ILM showreel for the movie:

Behind the Magic: The Visual Effects of Star Wars: The Force Awakens - YouTube

Enjoy the all-new THE FORCE AWAKENS Collector's Edition, out this month.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Collector's Edition Blu-ray 3D Region Free: Amazon.co.uk: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, J.J. Abrams: DVD & Blu-ray

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: BLUE SCREEN CONFLICT

In some of the last scenes shot in 1982 for RETURN OF THE JEDI, against blue screen at ILM, Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker prepares to tackle stuntman Frank Henson's Biker Scout, literally twisting his neck before pushing him off his vehicle, in a moment from the classic speeder bike chase not used in the movie's final cut.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: THE PUPPET MASTERS!

The rod-puppet go-motion system developed by Phil Tippett for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is used for even grander things during the exciting speeder bike chase conceived for the all-action RETURN OF THE JEDI.

REMEMBERING THE 1983 HARRODS 'RETURN OF THE JEDI' EXHIBITION

Before they disappear into decayed oblivion, I thought I'd scan and post my Polaroids from my family's visit to the excellent RETURN OF THE JEDI costumes, props and artwork exhibition based for one month only at London's then prestigious HARRODS department store, during May 1983- packed with great items, a selection of that eagerly awaited first wave of PALITOY action figures with the new ROTJ logo on (Mum bought me a Royal Guard!), and a superb teaser trailer on a television loop that I just watched and watched gobsmacked alongside other kids (I'll always remember gasping when Han and Chewie were on the skiff as it overturns from laser fire, Leia getting wounded (I thought she was going to die!) and Wedge's X-wing and Falcon manoeuvring across the Death Star II landscape)- three years of waiting since TESB and I was finally seeing some new STAR WARS footage! Great times, of which I hope today's kids are just as excited now about THE FORCE AWAKENS as I was back then about JEDI.

Sorry about the overall quality, but I think you guys and gals will enjoy looking at them nonetheless. At the time, the newer characters/creatures got the most attention in front of the camera.

Love the McQuarrie diorama background, plus Endor Leia and Jedi Luke to the corner.

The UK's first proper look at the Royal Guards.

A Mon Calamari and those recognisable droids.

A special alcove recreation of Jabba's Palace, with Han in carbonite.

A Gamorrean Guard makes an ominous appearance.

Another fan has a more expansive set here: Return Of The Jedi Exhibition, Harrods, London, May 1983

ROTJ AT 30: ADRENALINE BOOST...

In dogged pursuit of an escaping Imperial Scout Trooper, Luke Skywalker accelerates through the Endor forest in his acquired speeder bike- a classic highlight action sequence from RETURN OF THE JEDI.

THE CLONE WARS: BIKE RECON

Anticipating trouble at every corner, our Jedi heroes and Clone Trooper support ride speeder bikes through the mysteriously empty city of Kiros in THE CLONE WARS Season Four episode Kidnapped.

UK fans don't forget, Season Five of THE CLONE WARS is now airing on CARTOON NETWORK, weekdays.