Tag: Star Wars

Five Things You Couldn’t Possibly Know About Star Wars (1977)

 

Five Things You Couldn’t Possibly Know About Star Wars (1977)

By Henry Bernice for TheHumbleHeckler.com   

(Editor’s note: Film critic/historian Henry Bernice has been struck by lightning seven times. Keep this in mind when reading the following article.)

Star Wars (1977) is arguably the most important movie in the history of the American film industry. That’s not to say that it is the best or most important work of cinema ever created (after all, it is a relatively simple fantasy/adventure tale that luxuriates in rather well-worn tropes concerning good versus evil); however, one could reasonably contend that no other film has had a greater impact on the way movies are made and marketed. Star Wars is, and will always remain, a touchstone in blockbuster filmmaking and an indelible pop culture hallmark. No film has ever inflamed so much passion in so many movie lovers. For decades the most rabid of all fan bases has continuously picked through the minutia of the Star Wars series, finding relevance in even the most trivial of facts. And yet even the most hardcore believers in the Force don’t know absolutely everything. So, without further ado, here are five things you couldn’t possibly know about Star Wars (1977).

(1) In George Lucas’s original screenplay (called The Star Wars) the character of Darth Vader was originally called Darth Kenny. It wasn’t until Gary Kurtz (one of the film’s producers) saw the final script that the idea of a name change was considered. “I just didn’t think Darth Kenny was the kind of name that would strike fear in the hearts of moviegoers,” Kurtz told Sci-Fi Celluloid Magazine in an interview conducted in 1980. “At the time I was really interested in what was happening in the world of video games. A friend of mine in Japan named Tomohiro Nishikado was developing a new game called Space Invaders,” Kurtz said, “so when George asked me to suggest a new name, I thought the choice was obvious: I suggested we call our villain Darth Space. George loved it, but John Williams (composer of the film’s score), who just happened to be in the elevator with us at the time said, ‘That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I mean, why don’t we call him Darth Elevator since right now we’re in an elevator.’ Strangely enough, George (whose ability to sniff out sarcasm was severely lacking) loved the idea—until he met a waitress at Denny’s whose last name was Vader.”

(2) Harrison Ford originally auditioned for the role of Princess Leia. Ford was looking for something a little different after playing more masculine roles in films like American Graffiti and TV shows like Gunsmoke. “I don’t know, Han Solo just seemed like a bit of a dick,” Ford told The Cleveland Alfalfa Journal in 1981. “I’d done the whole tough, macho, charismatic thing to death. I really wanted to spread my wings as actor and play a gutsy broad.” Ford actually screen tested for the role and won unanimous praise from Lucas and a number of producers. “It was amazing,” said Lucas to Starfire Magazine in late 1979. “That dude really looked like a chick. Sounded like one, too. No kidding, I was this close to asking him out for a drink before I remembered it was actually Harrison under all that hair and makeup.” When Ford was officially offered the part he was ecstatic, but his enthusiasm waned when he attended his first costume fitting. “It was the hair, man. I just couldn’t get past the hair. For some reason George was married to that style, but it made my head look like my ears exploded or some shit, so I was like, screw it. I guess I’ll be charming … again.”

(3) The infamous Mos Eisley Cantina scene was shot illegally, guerrilla-style, without permits or formal permission at an actual bar called The Landing Strip, located just down the road from Newark Liberty International Airport. Therefore, the wacky cast of outrageous monsters and space creatures were actually just a congregation of Newark regulars mixed with a smattering of air travelers who decided to have a drink while waiting for their flights. Lucas snuck in his actors along with a small crew and just started filming everything. “We really hit the jackpot with that place,” Lucas said in a 1982 interview with Spandex World. “The place was so bizarre and everyone in the joint looked so tired and haggard that we didn’t need to use one drop of paint to dress the set or one drop of makeup on any of the extras. We just stole a crap-ton of footage and booked it outta there.” Lucas may be content with the footage, but a number of the extras are not. Not one of the bar patrons was paid for the film’s use of their image. There is still a lawsuit pending in the state of New Jersey.

(4) R2D2 was originally voiced by James Earl Jones. It’s hard to believe but those now-famous metallic-y blips and blops were initially delivered in a much deeper, much more stentorian register. The great James Earl Jones dove into his R2D2 voice recording sessions with an impressive amount of gusto. “I really loved being that little guy,” Jones told High Fashion Weekly in 1991. “When I heard that I’d been replaced I was really upset. That role meant a lot to me.” Eventually the role would go to legendary R&B/soul singer Barry White, who, for reasons unknown decided to remain uncredited for his performance.

(5) When the film was released in Japan the title had been changed from Star Wars to Happy Space Monster Ray Gun Vader Joy Joy Hour America Yes! As a result, this particular Japanese movie poster has become the holy grail for Star Wars collectors the world over. First printings of the poster are said to sell for as much as 4 million dollars. In 2016 a first printing sold at a Sotheby’s auction for more than 9 million dollars to a collector named Byron Toodles, an investment banker who loves movie paraphernalia. “It’s so stupid looking,” Mr. Toodles said in an impromptu press gathering outside of Sotheby’s auction house. “It’s such a freakout to look at this thing, man. It’s gonna make my cat york up his Meow Mix.”

So, there you have it, Star Wars aficionados. There’s five more things you can use to impress people at sci-fi conventions. You’re Welcome.

Star Wars 8 is a Real Knee-Slapper

Star Wars 8: The Last Jedi is a Real Knee-Slapper

Reviewed by Cooter Jenkins-Dixon for TheHumbleHeckler.com.

(Editor’s note: This is film critic Cooter Jenkins-Dixon’s first review for TheHumbleHeckler.com since being recruited from the Arts & Leisure section of The Shadypork Hollow Gazette. The following review contains words and phrases that some readers may find offensive or baffling.)

Let’s just start by sayin’ that Star Wars 8 is one entertainin’ sumbitch. Hell, I was laughin’ and jumpin’ and clappin’ and squawkin’ so much I dern near split my denims—and I was wearin’ my good Duluth denims, so I weren’t spectin’ there’d be any concern for splittin’. Anyhoo, this here flick was directed by Rian Johnson, and let me tell ya’, that sumbitch surely earned whatever them Hollywood people done paid him for this one. The action sequences were slicker than a polecat’s corn hole after a mud bath. Hell, some of them scenes were so excitin’ I didn’t even realize my mouth was hangin’ as wide open as a BBQ pit before ya’ add the hickory chips. There was even a coupla times when I was white-knucklin’ it so hard my chew slipped out my mouth and hit the floor. At one point my buddy Clem refused to take a run to the bathroom cuz he didn’t want to miss anything, and the crazy bastard ended up gettin’ a surprise visit from his pork-and-bean lunch in the form of an unwanted mud pickle in his denims. Sad thing is, Ida done the same thing.

Let’s talk a bit about the actin’. Overall, I’d say the performances was believable, mostly because they was subtle as a breeze on a moonless August night in Georgia. I was pleased as punch to see that good ole’ boy Mark Hamill back as Luke Skywalker. Damn, that boy can swing a saber! To be fair, all the actors was real good, especially the little fella they got to play BB-8. I don’t know his name, but any flesh-and-blood human that can be that believable as a robot deserves to have an Oscar named after him and a lifetime supply of free root beer.

Now, I ain’t supposed to say nothin’ about the story or the characters or the endin’ or anything like that, so I guess I’ll just go on ahead and put a bow on this here review by sayin’ that Star Wars 8 might not be the prettiest Star Wars movie at the barn dance, but she’s still worth a twirl. I’d say Star Wars 8 is the movie version of a fried chicken dinner with plenty of gravy on the taters, because it tastes as good as it looks, you walk away from it feelin’ warm and satisfied, and you’ll find yourself thinkin’ about it for the next few days every time you have to squat and fire—that’s right, your turds will smell like Star Wars.

I give Star Wars 8 my highest ratin’ yet: A whole pen full of healthy hogs and one more Christmas with Maw-Maw Jean.

(Star Wars 8 is rated PG-13 for a few rough patches of violence involvin’ spaceships and ray guns and whatnot. I don’t think there was any cussin’, but I don’t remember for sure. It’s hard to remember much of anything since Maw-Maw Jean’s donkey, Bo, done kicked me in my head. Also, no one was naked and no one performed any lewd acts or nothin’. I thought I seen that big ole’ Wookie snort coke off a switchblade, but now that I really think on it, it don’t really seem in keepin’ with the whole Star Wars philosophy, so maybe I can blame that one on Bo. Did I mention that sumbitch done kicked me in my head?)