The Star Wars saga taps into a sense of pure, childlike wonder – a galaxy where even behind-the-scenes trivia feels larger than life. With this in mind, here are five facts to fascinate the fan in all of us.
1. George Lucas went out of his way to hire crewmembers from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.
credit to www.bbc.com.
While the two filmmakers would seem to have very little in common from a creative standpoint, Lucas sought to capture something of Kubrick’s 1968 classic in his own aesthetic – so much so that the production team behind 1977’s Episode IV: A New Hope was known on set as “the Class of 2001.”
2. There’s a wolfman in A New Hope.
credit to www.jedinet.com.
Budgetary limitations necessitated the use of some pre-existing costumes, including one bearing all the hallmarks of a traditional Universal-style werewolf (plus glowing red eyes). Known as Lak Sivrak, the creature is among those originally glimpsed at the Mos Eisley cantina but replaced by a completely unrelated CGI alien in subsequent re-releases.
3. David Lynch was approached to direct Return of the Jedi.
credit to www.i09.gizmodo.com.
The stylistic disconnect suggested by the director of Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive tackling a family-friendly franchise project complete with loveable (?) Ewoks is potentially mindboggling. However, it’s worth noting that Lynch’s next effort ended up being an adaption of the sci-fi novel Dune. Bonus fact: Return of the Jedi used the working title Blue Harvest to avoid public attention. It was billed as a low-budget horror film, which the Star Wars team seriously considered shooting during breaks in filming.
4. E.T. makes a cameo in Episode One: The Phantom Menace.
credit to www.starwars.com.
George Lucas’ friend Steven Spielberg has been on the periphery of Star Wars since A New Hope, making creative suggestions (like hiring John Williams instead of relying on classical music ala Kubrick) and receiving 2.5% of the profits from the film (as the result of winning a bet that it would outperform Close Encounters of the Third Kind at the box office). As a tip of the hat, Lucas included E.T.s as members of the Intergalactic Senate in The Phantom Menace.
5. Darth Vader has been played by at least 10 actors.
credit to www.starwars.com.
British bodybuilder David Prowse played Vader in the original trilogy, while the character was famously voiced by James Earl Jones. Meanwhile, stuntman Bob Anderson donned the iconic costume for the lightsaber fights. However, when it came time to reveal the face behind the mask, Lucas chose UK thespian Sebastian Shaw. But that’s just the original trilogy. Jake Lloyd played pre-Vader Anakin Skywalker as a child in The Phantom Menace, with the much-maligned Hayden Christensen taking over the role in Attack of the Clones. More recently, Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous both did suit work for Rogue One, while both Mat Lucas and Matt Lanter did voice work for The Clone Wars series.
Here at Jasco, we design and sell officially licensed Star Wars lighting products that let your love of the movies shine brighter than ever. And while we most likely won’t be carrying any Lak Sivrak night lights anytime soon, we do offer other illuminating options, ranging from Darth Vader and Stormtrooper color-changing night lights to an X-Wing Fighter Projectable, with more products (featuring more beloved characters) coming soon to a galaxy near you!
