The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film [Hardcover]

My fascination with the Star Wars series has always been with the craft and skill with which it was made, so I have devoured the various "making of", ""Art of" and "Chronicles" books that have been published over the last 30 years or so. None of these prepare you for this mighty volume. It really is an awesome achievement and offers so much for it's relatively tiny price (at least compared to those Chronicles" books). There are tons of previously unseen photos, fascinating insights from people who were barely mentioned in other books and wonderful storyboard illustrations from a variety of artists who helped out Lucas at various stages of the story's development. What really sets it apart is the heavy use of interview material carried out at the time, you really do feel that this film has only just been released, so fresh and unsullied by its subsequent success are the thoughts and insights of those interviewed.

I really cannot think of anything that should make you think twice about purchasing this excellent book. One thought that does stick with me however - if Star Wars was never expected to be such a success how come its making was so heavily documented at the time?

Coming out of the cinema in 1978, after my first life changing experience at seeing STAR WARS (not at the time known as A NEW HOPE-this was STAR WARS, just STAR WARS!!), I was a seven year old who was far too young to realize how the film had been crafted by hundreds of actors and technicians. Such was the films believability to me, the "used universe" that it would later be called, that, at that point in my small life, STAR WARS had seemed to have been created almost organically for my own personal enjoyment- I wasn't even aware of the magnitude of dedication and hard work needed to make the film, or, in the years to come, of the nightmare struggles that would have to be overcome to make it a reality for audiences to enjoy for the next thirty years (and beyond). Eagerly snapping up as many STAR WARS items that she could for me on our modest family budget, my mum would, in 1980, go on to buy me the first MAKING OF STAR WARS book, titled STAR WARS: THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE by Larry Weinberg (of which copies are still available to buy on AMAZON), a US import then available at the British FORBIDDEN PLANET store (not that new imposter chain store, we're talking about the original Denmark Street address-now that was a science fiction paradise!!). Pretty much a basic, large type size children's read on the films special effects, monsters and technology created for the film, it was a nice book for the ten year old that I was then. But as the years went on, and I continued to look at that book as an adult, I began to wish that there had been a proper behind the scenes book on the original film. It was going through an old issue of STARLOG (the classic issue 7 with the now famous TIE/X-Wing on the cover) that I discovered that a MAKING OF STAR WARS book had been on the roster for release in 1977/78, to have been written by a certain Charles Lippincott. But what had happened to it? The disappointing lack of that release would be equally compounded by the fact that there would eventually be two STAR WARS making of books released in 1980 and 1983-the superb ONCE UPON A GALAXY: THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK by Alan Arnold (the film's Unit Publicist) and THE MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI (edited by John Phillip Peecher), a good but obviously highly edited version of the film's behind the scenes activities.

Now, 25 Years later, my dream has finally become a reality with the release of THE MAKING OF STAR WARS by LUCASFILM Executive Editor J.W. Rinzler-and to my joy and relief, I can truly say that, not only is it a great book on the making of the film, it also happens to be one of the best making of a film books that I have ever read. Period!!

And this is quite a book. Huge to read, this will take up a vast amount of time to absorb and will no doubt improve your muscles and biceps when holding it for a lengthy period. But, boy is it worth the time and trouble...

This is truly a treasure trove of amazing riches.

Of the "lost" Charles Lippincott 1976 interviews, which would help make this book a reality, the best are from the behind the scenes people, including John Stears, John Barry (talking about the sets), and actors Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford (surprising, as he probably wouldn't be seen dead talking about the film now!!). Of the actor's interviews, surprisingly, the least interesting quotes are from Carrie Fisher-many of which would appear in some shape or form in the numerous 1977 magazines of the film's release-if not the exact quotes then something very similar. Outside of the main interviews, there are also some superb selected interview trans-scripts, especially the one where Lucas talks to Effects Supremo John Dykstra and STAR WARS novel adaptor Alan Dean Foster about the two sequels that he hopes to get made. Additionally, let's also not forget one involving Lucas, Gary Kurtz and Director of Photography, Gilbert Taylor, working together on how things like the lightsaber were going to be achieved for the first time.

Additionally from the LUCASFILM archive jewels, intriguing other new material has been discovered, especially on the film's critical editing (which involved Lucas, abandoning his original choice of Editor, John Jympson, to work with his wife, Marcia, alongside Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew on creating a unique new visual, fast paced film watching experience), and the equally important sound creation, with then newcomer, Ben Burtt, handling the creation of the effects but, surprisingly, the actual job of putting the finished results on screen being done by an established film veteran named Stan Shaw.

It's also nice to find out more about the unsung heroes who worked on the film, especially on the pre-production side, and to see some of those individuals, including the original Special Effects designer, Colin Cantwell, get some proper recognition-not only do we finally see what he looks like, but we get to see some photos of him linked to his work on the film. Very cool little prototype drawings by George Lucas for the prototype spaceships also show just how strong his creative mid was for the film.

Amongst the other great bits of previously unrevealed info are gems like the names of the considered Directors of Photography before Geoffrey Unsworth (later replaced by Gilbert Taylor) and snippets from people like the late British Practical Effects man, John Stears.

As well as the intriguing costume sketches and character designs, on the art and photography side, we finally see the intriguing order in which Ralph McQuarrie worked on his production paintings for the film, and discover, in the hardback version only, amazing pre-production action storyboards from both Alex Tavoularis and Ivor Beddoes (including some great storyboard shots from the latter of the Vader/Obi-wan duel, with the intriguing horns on the Dark Lord's helmet (also note, Vader's lightsaber is very much like Darth Maul's from THE PHANTOM MENACE), and an injured Ben Kenobi surviving his encounter.

It's also amazing to see how much of the Prequel Trilogies concepts and ideas existed from STAR WARS original concepts and drafts, especially THE PHANTOM MENACE and REVENGE OF THE SITH. Now, more than ever, we have to accept these three modern STAR WARS movies as part of the saga envisioned by George Lucas.

Great photos are equally abundant in the book, like the filming in Guatemala, and the early Artoo prototype with Lucas at ELSTREE amongst those to be salivated over. Disappointingly, though, a lot of expected Gary Kurtz's superb on-set imagery doesn't appear in the book. The lack of any of his photographic contributions is sad, especially if you see some of his images on the STAR WARS ARCHIVES website. It's a shame that Lucas can't team up with Kurtz on another book involving his images for the film. There are stills thousands of images out there, between both Kurtz, outside private collections and LUCASFILM that could be used. I also must quibble over the use of STAR WARS TRILOGY SPECIAL EDITION images in the book, like the red lightsaber glow on Vader's weapon in the DEATH STAR hangar, thought attempts are made to use shots from the original film, like the X-wings in formation flying towards the space station. Rinzler would tell the author that SPECIAL EDITION images were used when material from the original film wasn't available or in good enough quality for reproduction.

As you continue to read the book, it's amazing to discover the myths that are de-bunked, re-clarified or newly revealed. Previous already known information becomes more compelling with additional material never before revealed and certain things of the films genesis become clearer. From reading the book, with the exception of visionaries like Alan Ladd Jr. and Gareth Wigan, the 1975-1977 management of TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX comes over as a complete bunch of morons-showing little of the creative talent that they promote themselves as having. I had read that FOX had stalled the production and caused chaos and delays to the film's pre and main production, but, upon reading the book, I hadn't known that the film was actually SHUT DOWN at one brief point in pre-production during October 1975, when FOX hadn't given their commitment to the film (due to money problems from the disastrous critical and financial failure of their Burt Reynolds/Liza Minnelli movie LUCKY LADY). Their general apathy towards STAR WARS (you could say they considered it to be like the crazy old Uncle that no-one talks to at a Thanksgiving party!!) would continue into its limited release, and their later penalty fee charging of Lucas for going over budget, by taking some of the money off his directing fee when the film had opened to huge success, and making the FOX board records sums of money, is something that the film company should be ashamed of from now until forever!! In the end, you can really see that it is Lucas's sheer bloody mindedness, and, in the beginning few years of post-production, his own money from the eventual, and deserved, success of AMERICAN GRAFFITI, that got that film made at all!!

Intriguingly, however, some of the now mythical nightmare tales of the movie's studio filming, revealed in numerous books and interviews over the years, are also seemingly played down-the book talks about the final chaotic days of STAR WARS principal photography in late July 1976 as if the shutdown of the now over filming schedule project was not the problem that it has since been perceived to be-as far as I was aware STAR WARS was shut down by FOX against the vehement wishes of a hurt and betrayed Lucas-that the director was disillusioned with what had happened and what hadn't been shot or successfully completed in the schedule. Read more ›

While this book was published in 2007, it's actually about the making and the history of the first Star Wars movie released in 1977. Considering how much time has passed, it's amazing the amount of material that has been collected for this book.

There are twelve chapters documenting the journey from the scripting stage, casting, set building, location shooting, all the way up to the movie release.

This book is written before anyone knew it was going to be a major hit. What that means is, they are writing it on the spot at that point in time -- in 1977. There's nothing closer to understanding what's going on during production and on their minds while the shooting the movie.

Included in the books are hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos, scanned scripts, sketches of sets and ships, several film stills and immensely valuable and insightful interviews. It's essentially a very well documented production diary.

There are lots of details included. Read about how George Lucas was a compulsive writer who doesn't and cannot stop working. Find out how they overcome crisis like when one of their robots caught fire. Share their euphoria when they first received reactions from movie goers. And I can go on and on.

This is the definitive volume. It's well worth the money for any Star Wars fan or movie maker.

There are two covers for this book, a hardcover and the paperback. It's highly recommended to get the hardcover, more expensive, version. This book is big and thick at 314 pages. The spine of the softcover will most definitely wear off in the future.

There are more pictures of the book on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.