COMING SOON: 'THE CLONE WARS' SEASON FIVE

More trouble and carnage from Darth Maul and Savage Opress.

The brief, but promising, first trailer: StarWars.com | The Clone Wars Season 5 Teaser

Red lightsabers galore!

Getting ever nearer to the technology of EPISODE III.

Katee Sackhoff returns as Bo-Katan, along with the rest of  Death Watch.

As does Jon Favreau as their leader, Pre Vizsla.

Roll on, September in the US, most likely 2013 in the UK....

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU!

A New Hope, by Chris Trevas.

Happy STAR WARS DAY to all readers of STAR WARS AFICIONADO worldwide!

That first trailer that launched a phenomenon: Star Wars - Episode IV - Trailer (original 1977) - YouTube

Celebrating May 4th and the upcoming release of their newly revised STAR WARS: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE, chock a block with new material, including an exhaustive and colourful section on THE CLONE WARS animated series, why not join the DORLING KINDERSLEY UK fun with their new quiz/competition, and a Blu-ray STAR WARS set and DVD player up for grabs: Star Wars: May The 4th Be With You | Culture & Entertainment | Cult | Quizzes | DK Quiz

The revised ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE will be reviewed soon.

CLASSIC ART: SCOUT WALKER ATTACK!

A sequence that would have been terrific had it ever have been conceived and realised for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK- as AT-ST Chicken Walkers break through the Rebel defensive line on Hoth in this fantastic, action-packed art pin-up by iconic illustrator Michael Golden for MARVEL, from the early eighties. The Chicken Walker, designed by Joe Johnston, ultimately appeared in just two scenes of the finished film's snow battle-a quick addition to the ambitious sequences of The Battle of Hoth as it neared completion in ILM post production. A planned third completed scene for the mechanical beast in the film ultimately wasn't used, due a problem with the backdrop (it's a pity that the 2010 Rinzler Making of book couldn't at least have showed a frame from that deleted sequence, or had it on the Blu-ray release as an Easter Egg-another wasted opportunity), though the vehicle would make a more prominent and spectacular appearance in the finale battle of RETURN OF THE JEDI.

UK TV WATCH: 'I LOVE 1977' REMEMBERS 'STAR WARS'

The front of house of the Leicester Square Theatre Cinema in December 1977, as every performance of the new STAR WARS is quickly sold out!

UK STAR WARS fans can relive the joy and excitement of the Christmas 1977 release of STAR WARS all over again this Saturday at 9.30pm within the BBC's continuing programming strand looking back at the influences of the 1970's , with a welcome repeat screening of the I LOVE 1977 entertainment show, hosted that week by Carrie Fisher from her L.A. home, with a great section on the cultural phenomenon (nay, explosion!) that was the original STAR WARS. With some nice clips from the original version of the movie, the sold out first UK screenings (that were only in London's West End cinemas), a look at the merchandising and some occasionally fun memories shared by some well known, and not so well known, UK celebrities popular in the early 2000's, it's well worth a look....

Carrie Fisher-a picture of loveliness in a 1977/78 poster image soon adorning many young STAR WARS fans bedrooms.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SEPARATIST ULTIMATUM

Within an underground conference chamber on Geonosis, Separatist Leader Count Dooku, protected by bodyguard Jango Fett and one of the hive warriors, confers with the captured Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker in a deleted scene from EPISODE II that eventually made its way onto the late 2002 DVD release.

STAR WARS AT 35: THE WORLD OF ROGER CHRISTIAN

The inert Artoo Detoo shell awaits use inside the wonderful interior of the Millennium Falcon hold for the original STAR WARS. British talent Roger Christian did a magnificent job with his iconic trend setting set decoration for the original film. Check out his recent audio interview for the SHADOWLOCKED website where he talks about his work and career in film, fantasy and sci-fi, as well as his upcoming book CINEMA ALCHEMIST, edited by J.W. Rinzler: Roger Christian talks zombies, Prometheus & Battlefield Earth - Shadowlocked

CLASSIC ART: DEADLY ENTERPRISE

Promises of a future partnership to come are hinted at by writer Archie Goodwin and artist Al Williamson in one of the Classic STAR WARS newspaper strips for the Los Angeles Time Syndicate, from the early eighties story Showdown, which also features guest appearances from several other ESB bounty hunters, too, and is set on Ord Mantell.

CLASSIC IMAGE: GETTING A FOOT IN!

Darth Maul puts the boot in against Obi-Wan Kenobi in one of the many exciting and exhilirating moments from the superb climactic lightsaber duel of EPISODE I.

CLASSIC ART: HUNGARIAN VISIONS!

This is a poster I don't recall seeing before: a lovely Hungarian art composition for EPISODE IV which, with the exception of an absent Luke Skywalker, is a very evocative piece of work.


With thanks to the RETRO STAR WARS / STAR WARS ARCHIVES FACEBOOK pages for the image.

RED TAILS: COMING SOON TO THE UK...

Cuba Gooding Jr. as Major Emanuelle Stance.

Here's a few new images via MOMENTUM PICTURES from the upcoming UK release of RED TAILS, starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. Looking forward to seeing its eventual release in Blighty...

Just one of the films many impressive ILM effects shots.

The Tuskegee airmen make the most of some down time between battles.

And here's a recent feature on the film from HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE: 'Red Tails' Tells of Triumph | Home Media Magazine