Written by Vanessa Agius
If you’re looking for a way to kill the final few hours before Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in Australian theatres, we might be able to help out.
Here’s some trivia you might not know about the seven previous instalments to date.
EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE
Ewan Mcgregor Making Lightsaber Sounds
The lightsaber sounds are something so iconic to the Star Wars saga, whether it is a ‘whoosh’ or the calm ‘hum’. In fact, these are so iconic that Ewan McGregor, who portrayed a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, found it quite difficult to use a lightsaber without making the sound, as reported by The Telegraph.
EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Making A Mark In Cinema
Attack Of The Clones was one of the very first films to be shot completely in high-definition. The motion picture used a digital 24-frame system and was shot using a Sony HDW-F900 camera. The 2002 film was only preceded by Once Upon A Time In Mexico, the director of which, Robert Rodriguez, was incidentally inspired by George Lucas who showed him early digital film samples.
EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH
Young Han Solo?
With news of a new young Han Solo film in the works, audiences might be surprised to know that the character was initially scheduled to make an appearance earlier on in the series of films. Writers planned that Solo, who would have been 10 years old at the time, would appear as an orphan amongst the Battle of Kashyyyk. The young scoundrel would have assisted Master Yoda in helping take down General Grevious. Obvious clashes with Solo’s existing personality and storyline saw this cameo cut, however, it’s exciting to see that writers will be exploring the story of his younger years again.
EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE
Hamill Short Of Breath
Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker, is a sucker for authenticity. During the trash compactor scene, Hamill would hold his breath constantly to make it look more realistic. Unfortunately, he managed to break a blood vessel in his face after holding his breath for too long. It was so bad that following takes were only shot from one side.
EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
A Last-Minute Change In Script
Possibly the most famous scene in the Star Wars saga was, in fact, a last-minute addition. The moment in Cloud City where Luke finds out Vader is his father (spoiler) originally had a different script. Initially, Vader was meant to say, “Obi-Wan killed your father.” However, that was changed to the infamous, “No, I am your father.” Mark Hamill was only told of the changed just before the cameras rolled, making his reaction incredibly authentic.
EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI
Hugh Spight Or Hugh Spirit?
Hugh Spight, who played a Gamorrean guard escorting Han Solo into captivity, was incorrectly credited in the film. As the credits rolled, Spight’s name was misspelt as “Hugh Spirit”, which in turn made it very hard for anyone to find him post-production. Spight stated: “I don’t know how it happened, it’s a bit of a mystery. I was a bit gutted really.” As you would be.
EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Obi-Wan Kenobi Cameo
Both Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness, who have played Obi-Wan Kenobi in previous Star Wars films (Episode I-III and Episode IV-VI respectively), featured in Episode VII. As Rey picks up Luke’s lightsaber, you can hear them in the line “Rey, these are your first steps”. As Alec Guinness had passed away, his dialogue (‘Rey’) was edited from a previous Star Wars film where he says “afraid”.
The Last Jedi is out December 14, with tickets on sale now.
READ MORE:
