Sunday, 9 February 2014

THE CLONE WARS: ARACHNOPHOBIA!


The scheming and observant Separatist tactician Commander Trench, a member of the spidery alien race known as the Harch, may have been beaten by youthful Anakin Skywalker's abilities above Christophosis first time out, but he survives for a rematch in an upcoming ORDER 66 related story arc, coming soon to The Lost Missions of THE CLONE WARS.

EPISODE II: TO STOP THE DROIDS...


As the battle in the Geonosis arena intensifies and the Jedi become overwhelmed, Ki-Adi Mundi, Plo Koon and several other members of the order penetrate the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship in an attempt to neutralise the advancing war machines, in this deleted scene from EPISODE II that should have made it into the film.

Friday, 7 February 2014

DELETED SCENE: HAN AND THE LIFTERS!

Image: via STAR WARS ARCHIVES website.

On the breathtaking Rebel Base hangar set built on the then recently opened STAR WARS STAGE at Elstree, circa Summer 1979, Irvin Kershner directs Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher by the Millennium Falcon, for a brief visual comedy moment/gag linked to the ship's in-repair lifters, which subsequently comedically stall, watched by a less than impressed and smirking Princess Leia-a further dig at lover-to- be Han Solo. This scene, which onscreen showed the one and only time that production Designer Norman Reynold's specially built prop could move, was an early casualty of scene rearranging in the editing room, and was later replaced by several other evacuation-related moments, including a bridging Second Unit moment directed by George Lucas, showing the back-to-health Luke talking/saying goodbye to a Medical Droid.

Echo Base on red alert with the arrival of the Imperial fleet in the system.

The deleted scene in question.

The scene appears on page 48 of the Warner Brothers 1997 printed edition of Donald F. Glut's movie adaptation, and, in the book's structure, was originally to have taken place after Leia had addressed the Rebel pilots on the evacuation.

Footage of the scene was released online by Lucasfilm in December 2020.






Two behind the scenes images of Carrie Fisher during the scene's filming.



Wednesday, 5 February 2014

COMING SOON: 'STAR WARS STORYBOARDS: THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY'


Here's a lovely spread, from the 2014 UK ABRAMS BOOKS electronic catalogue, showcasing the supreme new STAR WARS STORYBOARDS book concentrating on the stunning work done for the timeless Original Trilogy, featuring storyboards from the collective icon talents of Ivor Beddoes, Joe Johnston and others (plus, of very special exclusivity, previously unseen Ralph McQuarrie storyboards for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK). Note the different cover for the book here, too, what with its highlight spectacular ROTJ space battle image above Death Star II - a particular storyboard, featuring the immense Executor in battle with Rebel fighters, that was sadly never realised in the finished film....

Order the book here: Star Wars Storyboards: The Original Trilogy: Amazon.co.uk: J.W. Rinzler: Books

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: INTO THE STARS!


A Naboo pilot and his trusty Astro Droid take to the skies, ready to attack the immense and weapons packed Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, in this specially rendered ILM image for EPISODE I from 1999.

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

OUT NOW IN UK HARDBACK: 'MAUL: LOCKDOWN'


Fear for the inmates of one of the galaxy's most dangerous prisons, as Darth Maul infiltrates it on a mission to find a rogue arms dealer, beginning his unique one-man-band style of Sith terror and physical violence within the dark-hearted pages of Joe Schreiber's new horror/action thriller MAUL: LOCKDOWN, out now in UK Hardback from CENTURY.

Watch for our review shortly...

Get hold of it here: Amazon.co.uk: maul lockdown: Books


Monday, 3 February 2014

CLASSIC IMAGE: INSIDE THE DANGER ZONE...


"I've never been out in this direction this far from the farm before. There are some awfully strange things living out here. Not all of them have been classified. It's better to treat anything as dangerous until determined otherwise. Of course, if it's something utterly new..."

Luke Skywalker - deleted script dialogue - 1975/76

Entering the harsh realm of the Jundland Wastes, Luke Skywalker and See-Threepio finally catch up with the rogue, mission-set Artoo Detoo before encountering the Sandpeople, in this scene rehearsal filmed on location at the later named STAR WARS Canyon in Tunisia, March 1976. Note that, to keep warm on a unseasonably chilly day, Hamill is wearing the poncho he later acquires at Mos Eisley spaceport.

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

THE TERROR RETURNS. 'ALIEN' BITES BACK AT 35!

"In space no one can hear you scream..." ALIEN makes its mark. Image: 20TH CENTURY FOX.
Celebrating thirty-five years bringing terror to the farthest reaches of space, that other huge sci-fi franchise, the anti-STAR WARS that started with Ridley Scott's seminal ALIEN, begins a whole new life cycle of death and chaos in the world of books, officially approved by 20TH CENTURY FOX: a trilogy kicking off in splendid atmosphere with Out of the Shadows from sci-fi/horror veteran Tim Lebbon, set in the continuity between ALIEN and ALIENS, with the ingenious return of the iconic heroine Ellen Ripley.


Check out the KOOL TV website review here: KOOL TV REVIEW: 'ALIEN: OUT OF THE SHADOWS' NOVEL

Get hold of the book here: Titan Books - Alien - Out of the Shadows (Book 1) - Tim Lebbon

Sunday, 2 February 2014

CLASSIC IMAGE: DAY OF DEATH


Against the disturbed sky backdrop of Coruscant, the now revealed Darth Sidious, making vicious stabbing motions with his lightsaber, probes the skills of his Jedi Master opponent, Mace Windu, looking for likely weakness, in this now classic confrontation between Sith and Jedi, from EPISODE III.

Saturday, 1 February 2014

CLASSIC IMAGE: PRIMED PRUNE FACE!


A surely battle hardened member of the "Prune Face" aliens- note the eyepatch and cloak sides weapons/supplies bandoliers similar to Chewbacca's- listens intently to the Rebels plans to destroy the second Death Star, in this rare B/W material sent as reference to KENNER TOYS in 1982, during the UK filming of RETURN OF THE JEDI.

A look at the studio filming at Elstree of scenes linked to these barely seen alien rebels: