'The Making Of Star Wars' By J.W. Rinzler , London: Ebury
Press, 2007. ISBN 978 0 09 192014 2 362pp. (hardcover) £39.99
Mention the two simple words ‘Star Wars’ to anyone in their early 30s
and you will probably observe a Ready Brek-style glow of
nostalgia descend on them as they are instantly transported back to a
more innocent age- childhood in the 1980s- when the release of a new Star
Wars toy figure was a genuinely exciting event. Quite simply,
George Lucas’ three original Star Wars films indelibly marked a
generation and established a cultural phenomenon that everyone could
relate to and share. I use the word ‘original’ because for these adults
this is what Star Wars was (and is). Like me, I’ll bet they
still can’t get used to people referring to the first film (released in
1977) as ‘Episode IV’. Also like me, I’m willing to bet that they could
not have foreseen that the initial three films (Star Wars
(1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return Of The
Jedi(1983) would lead to three prequels in the 1990s. Fans of the
original three films collected the plastic figures, the spaceships and
wealth of merchandise that seemed to be everywhere back then, but the
keenly anticipated DVD release of these films back in 2004 as a
‘special edition’ boxed set caused some consternation. The leading
reason for this was George Lucas’ return to the films and his
‘tinkering’ with certain effects to bring them up to date, the results
causing a curious sense of misgiving in those who remembered the films’
original theatrical release. The upshot of the 2004 release was an even
greater anticipation of a “proper” DVD release of the films as
those who saw them originally remembered them. Happily, in 2006,
this event came to pass. The wheel has now turned full circle, and
those who (like me) experienced a cinematic revelation they will never
forget many, many years ago have a chance to do so once more.
So, where does The Making Of Star Wars fit into all this? Quite
simply, very effortlessly, for it is ‘the definitive story behind the
original film’- Star Wars, released in 1977. Using interviews
conducted in the 1970s with those who witnessed the unfolding of one of
the greatest films ever made, J.W. Rinzler weaves a fascinating
narrative which adds additional interest to an already absorbing film
and easily supports his own contention that ‘the landscape of cinema in
the 1970s simply had no other film like it- and the world would never
be the same’ (p.292). The importance of certain cultural products can
sometimes be overstated, but not in this case.Star Wars was,
quite simply, the definition of a generation- it became their point of
reference and its mystical, timeless quality will stay with all those
who saw it at a young age forever.
Avoiding the familiar trap of taking the reader on a voyage through the
already well-documented childhood life of Star Wars creator
George Lucas, Rinzler instead picks up Lucas’ cinematic background in
the late 1960s and explains how that sowed the seeds for the creation
of Star Wars in the following decade. One of the many
fascinating things about the book is that it reveals the inspirations
behind the many ingredients that ultimately made Star Wars so
successful. An example of this is the way the robot C3-PO was
influenced by both Metropolis(1927) and The Day The Earth
Stood Still (1951)- this parallel is enforced by using
stills/posters from those films side-by-side with Lucas’ original
drawings for the friendly robot in Star Wars. The book
continues in the same vein to explore and discuss the pre-production
that went into creating the spaceships, costumes and sets- the mixture
of previously unseen original production stills, drawings, sketches and
a lively, informative text generates a palpable feeling of anticipation
and excitement as the start of the actual filming draws near. Another
asset of the book is Rinzler’s well-structured chronological approach,
making him able to chart key directorial decisions made throughout the
filmmaking process. One such example is the transition made in the main
character from a female called ‘Luke Starkiller’ to a male character
named ‘Luke Skywalker’. Such key details are then supplemented by items
such as the auditions gallery which poses some intriguing questions as
to the nature of the finished film if different actors had been finally
chosen for the key roles.
Once the filming is underway, an additional ingredient is able to be
put into the mix- the candid still. Taken during the production, these
on-set unposed photographs reveal the family-style nature of the whole
cast and crew whilst providing the enthusiast with some wonderful
images not from the film itself but from its making. One such example
is Alec Guinness’ 62nd birthday, which is marked in The Making of
Star Wars by a superb candid photograph of George Lucas, Mark
Hamill and Gary Kurtz toasting Guinness’ health whilst a birthday cake
is clearly visible in the foreground. Another picture later in the book
shows George Lucas in casual clothes) explaining the next scene to
Chewbacca (in costume) who simply towers over the director. It is the
inclusion of this type of image- catching the incidental details that
are all part of the cinematic process- which makes Rintzler’s book so
compelling, for he presents an opportunity to both become part of the
production yet also reflect upon it.
Charting such a monumental film from conception to realisation can not
have been an easy task, but J.W. Rinzler makes it appear one. To
accompany a text that is forever informative without being dry the
author uses a wide mixture of contextual stills (from posters,
magazines and so on), stills from the finished Star Wars film,
behind the scenes (candid) stills, drawings/sketches, draft script
extracts and more- all weaving into a tapestry that helps round out a
picture of how one 1977 film changed film history forever. Nor does
Rinzler stop at the end of the actual shooting- his book includes
post-production information before an extensive section featuring
storyboard pictures by Alex Tavoularis, Ivor Beddoes and Joe Johnston
which are a fascinating supplement to the existing film as we know it.
A thorough bibliographic section rounds off what is an exceptional
piece of work lavishly illustrated throughout with high quality
monochrome and colour pictures. The appeal of a book such as this
should be a wide one: it could act as a reminder of exactly how
complicated film production can be, a reference to the film
30-somethings still think of as ‘Part One’ or simply as a visual
reminder of how great George Lucas’ film really is. The Making of
Star Wars is about more than the making of a mere film however, it
is about the making of a whole generation, and, as such, deserves a
place on the bookshelf of anyone who loved- and continues to love- the
original Star Wars film released three decades ago.
'The Making of Star Wars' is published by Ebury Press.
Ebury Press website
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