50 Things You Didn’t Know About Star Wars
Here are 50 fascinating facts about Star Wars:
1. Early Title: The original title of the first Star Wars film was “Adventures of Luke Starkiller, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars.”
2. George Lucas: Creator George Lucas based much of Star Wars on the works of Joseph Campbell, particularly “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.”
3. Iconic Sounds: The sound of the lightsaber was created by sound designer Ben Burtt, combining the hum of an old projector with the feedback from a television.
4. Inspiration: The design of Darth Vader’s helmet was inspired by the helmets worn by Japanese samurai.
5. R2-D2’s Voice: The beeps and whistles of R2-D2 were created using an ARP 2600 analog synthesizer mixed with sounds made by Ben Burtt himself.
6. Yoda’s Original Name: In early drafts, Yoda was called “Buffy.”
7. Alec Guinness: Sir Alec Guinness, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi, thought the script was “fairy-tale rubbish,” but he still negotiated a deal that gave him 2% of the film’s profits.
8. Han Solo Casting: Harrison Ford wasn’t originally considered for the role of Han Solo; he was hired to help other actors with their lines during auditions.
9. Leia’s Hair: Princess Leia’s iconic hairstyle was inspired by the “soldaderas,” the female fighters of the Mexican Revolution.
10. Ewoks Language: The language spoken by the Ewoks was created by combining elements of Tibetan and Nepalese.
11. Budget Constraints: The original Star Wars (Episode IV) was made on a relatively modest budget of $11 million.
12. Luke’s Saber: Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber in “Return of the Jedi” was originally blue, but it was changed to green to stand out against the blue sky during the Tatooine scenes.
13. R2-D2 and C-3PO Cameos: The droids have appeared in every mainline Star Wars film to date.
14. Carbonite Scene: The line “I love you” / “I know” exchange between Leia and Han Solo in “The Empire Strikes Back” was improvised by Harrison Ford.
15. Death Star Plans: The Death Star plans first appear on screen in “Star Wars: A New Hope” in the hands of Princess Leia.
16. Wampa Attack: The Wampa attack on Luke in “The Empire Strikes Back” was added to explain the real-life facial injuries Mark Hamill suffered in a car accident.
17. Real Locations: Many scenes on the desert planet Tatooine were filmed in Tunisia.
18. John Williams: Composer John Williams has scored every mainline Star Wars film.
19. Boba Fett’s Debut: Boba Fett first appeared in the animated segment of the infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special” before “The Empire Strikes Back.”
20. Yoda’s Puppet: In “The Empire Strikes Back,” Yoda was portrayed by a puppet created and operated by Frank Oz.
21. The Force: In early drafts, “the Force” was called “the Force of Others.”
22. Opening Crawl: The iconic opening crawl was created by physically moving a camera along a long piece of artwork with the text written on it.
23. Darth Vader’s Voice: James Earl Jones provided the voice for Darth Vader, but the physical portrayal was by bodybuilder David Prowse.
24. Jedi Language: The word “Jedi” is said to be derived from the Japanese word “jidaigeki,” referring to period dramas set in the samurai era.
25. Carrie Fisher’s Height: Carrie Fisher had to stand on a box in some scenes to appear taller next to her co-stars.
26. Stormtrooper Design: The design of the Stormtrooper armor was influenced by Ralph McQuarrie’s concept art.
27. First Cameo: The first Star Wars film includes a cameo by George Lucas’s car in the junkyard on Tatooine.
28. The Mandalorian Language: The Mandalorian language, Mando’a, was developed by linguist David J. Peterson.
29. Chewbacca’s Voice: Chewbacca’s voice is a mix of sounds from bears, walruses, lions, and badgers.
30. Rogue One Connection: The character Saw Gerrera, who appears in “Rogue One,” was originally created for the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
31. A New Hope Re-release: The original “Star Wars” film was not subtitled “Episode IV: A New Hope” until its 1981 re-release.
33. Lando Calrissian’s Capes: Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian, kept several of Lando’s capes as mementos.
34. Wookiee Origin: The word “Wookiee” was derived from a line ad-libbed by a voice actor in George Lucas’s earlier film “THX 1138.”
35. Imperial March: “The Imperial March” was not introduced until “The Empire Strikes Back,” despite being one of the most iconic themes in the franchise.
36. A-Wing Pilot: The A-wing pilot who crashes into the bridge of the Executor in “Return of the Jedi” was played by a member of the production team, Richard Marquand.
37. Digital Effects: “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” was one of the first films to use extensive digital effects and characters like Jar Jar Binks.
38. Expanded Universe: Before Disney’s acquisition, there was a vast Expanded Universe of novels, comics, and games, much of which was rebranded as “Legends.”
39. Lucas’s Salary: George Lucas agreed to take a lower salary in exchange for retaining merchandising rights—a decision that made him incredibly wealthy.
40. Sarlacc Pit: The Sarlacc pit sequence in “Return of the Jedi” was filmed in the Yuma Desert in Arizona.
41. Leia’s Stunt Double: Stunt performer Tracy Eddon doubled for Carrie Fisher in some of Leia’s action scenes.
42. Rey’s Staff: Rey’s staff in the sequel trilogy was designed to evoke elements of both Luke Skywalker’s and Darth Maul’s weapons.
43. Finn’s Stormtrooper ID: Finn’s stormtrooper ID, FN-2187, is a reference to the cell number (2187) where Princess Leia was held in “A New Hope.”
44. Lightsaber Colors: The original lightsaber colors were limited to blue and red, with green and purple introduced later to reflect different character traits.
45. Cameo in Episode IX: Composer John Williams makes a cameo as a bartender in “The Rise of Skywalker.”
46. Carrie Fisher’s Dog: Carrie Fisher’s French Bulldog, Gary, makes a cameo in “The Last Jedi.”
47. Death Star Design: The design of the Death Star was influenced by the 1955 Japanese film “The Mysterians.”
48. Filming Delay: Filming of “The Empire Strikes Back” was delayed due to a fire at Elstree Studios in London.
49. Podracing: The podracing scenes in “The Phantom Menace” were inspired by Ben-Hur’s chariot race.
50. Yoda’s Species: The species of Yoda remains a mystery; even George Lucas has not revealed its name.
These facts highlight the rich history and cultural impact of the Star Wars franchise, showcasing its enduring legacy and the creativity behind its creation.
No comments:
Post a Comment