In the finished film, we’re treated to just one Wampa ice creature who attacks Luke and takes him home for dinner. Originally there were supposed to be many more Wampas causing trouble for our friends at Echo Base. Much of this sub-plot was dropped.
Tag: cut
The Battle of Yavin
Yavin IV is a small moon orbiting the gas giant Yavin. It’s also where the Rebel Alliance decided to set up camp. Most of the battle preparation scenes took place in the hangar, and briefing room, not counting the few exterior shots. The famous awards ceremony in the throne room closed out the film. The battle itself obviously took place in space, and there were a few changes from script to film. Let’s take a look at some of these differences.
The Death Star
That’s no moon. It’s a space station full of deleted shots. Let’s examine some of the Death Star leftovers. Read More
The Cantina
When I think back to when I saw Star Wars for the first time in a theater in 1977, I often recall that the Cantina scenes contained some of the most memorable imagery. There were all these wonderfully crazy aliens, our introduction to Han Solo and Chewbacca, the over-zealous Greedo, the catchy music with the swinging band, a bar fight resulting in the loss of an arm, and so much more. All the TV shows and news programs aired clips from it constantly. However, even the most memorable scenes fall prey to the film’s mighty editors.
Life on Tatooine
Tatooine was home to Luke Skywalker. His friends lived there. He grew up and was educated there. He worked there. The only family he knew about lived there. While he seemed content, he looked to the stars, longing for adventure. Little did he know that a wise, old man would come into his life soon and things would drastically change.
Biggs Darklighter
Luke’s childhood friend, Biggs Darklighter, was a big influence on him. He was the friend that got away, joined the Academy, and did something with his life. Luke longed to be like his friend. He wanted off the farm and to have his own adventures. The relationship between Biggs and Luke was diminished in the final film, unfortunately. There were casual mentions of Biggs and another friend named Tank. There was a short reunion with Biggs during the battle at the end of the film. That was about the extent of it, though. Biggs’ missing scenes fill in a lot of the blanks in Luke’s backstory.
The Droids You’re Looking For
C-3PO and R2-D2 are two of the most beloved characters in popular culture. They are also central to the Star Wars universe. That first line spoken by C-3PO (“Did you hear that?”) started us on a never-ending journey full of action and adventure. This semi-comedic pair never seem to be out of trouble, and someone’s always searching for one or both of them at any given time.
Special Deliveries
Let’s talk about delivering the twins. Padmé delivered Luke and Leia on Polis Massa, and then Obi-Wan delivered baby Luke to the Lars family on Tatooine while Leia went to Alderaan with the Organas.
The Rescue and the Transformation
It’s true that Anakin Skywalker technically became Darth Vader before he was so badly disfigured on Mustafar, but most people associate Vader with the black suit. That final transformation took place after Palpatine’s search and rescue mission was a success. Vader was rebuilt, and the rest was cinematic history.
Jedi Master Yoda
A lead Council member, instructor, and a fierce yet reluctant fighter, Master Yoda went toe to toe with the most formidable of opponents. Unfortunately, Episode III saw him retreating into exile to bide his time until an opportunity arose to set things right. Let’s take a look at some of Yoda’s deleted shots and scenes.
Utapau
The history of the planet Utapau goes all the way back to George Lucas’ original drafts of the first Star Wars film. Fans like myself were very pleased to see the planet finally make it into a film after all those years. It went through many phases of development, but ended up as a green and swampy planet where some important events take place.
To Mustafar and Back
Much like Tatooine, Mustafar was a seemingly insignificant planet, yet it would become the location of galaxy-defining events. Drenched in deep reds and molten imagery, it provided the rich, hell-like backdrop needed for Anakin’s final fall into darkness.
Tainted Love
George Lucas has stated many times that he feels the Prequels are more than just the story of Anakin Skywalker and his fall, but also a true love story, albeit a tainted one. Let’s explore this tainted love story a little more closely through some deleted material.