474 Empire Strikes Back, The (1980)
Description
This article is from the Movie Trivia, by Murray Chapman muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au with numerous contributions by others.
474 Empire Strikes Back, The (1980)
- Lighting for SFX was so strong that several models melted.
- The AT-AT's were based on ship loading structure in an Oakland, California
shipyard. Walking patterns of elephants were studied to make the movements
seem as realistic as possible.
- Before this film was made, 'Mark Hamill' (qv) (Luke) was driving his BMW
along a highway. Realizing was missing his turn, he swung sharply, but
ended up rolling his car and suffering facial scarring. Despite the efforts
of plastic surgeons, his appearance was noticeably different. For this
reason, the scene where Luke receives facial scars from a Wampa was written.
- Further scenes with the Wampa Ice Creatures were shot, and later cut. R2-D2
encountered one within the Rebel base, where it was killed by troopers.
Later, the beasts were lured into a prison within the complex. In the
completed film, a medical droid is seen examining the wounds of a Tauntaun
killed by a Wampa, and Princess Leia mentions the ``creatures'' while
discussing the Imperial Probe Droid. A scene filmed but cut had Han, Leia
and C-3PO running through a corridor. Han went to take a short-cut through
a door with a sign on it, but Leia warned him ``that's where those creatures
are kept''. They run off, but not before C-3PO rips off the sign, hoping
that the stormtroopers will enter the room.
- Luke cuts off the Wampa's hand. C-3PO loses an arm when blasted by the
Stormtroppers. Darth Vader cuts off Luke's hand. See also
"Star Wars (1977)" (qv) and "Return of the Jedi (1983)" (qv).
- The blasers used by the stormtroopers were constructed from Sterling
submachine guns.
- There is a rumor that one of the asteroids is actually a potato.
- The following characters ``have a bad feeling about this'': Leia. See
also: "Star Wars (1977)" (qv) and "Return of the Jedi (1983)" (qv).
- Security surrounding this movie was so intense that 'George Lucas' (qv) had
regular reports about ``leaks'' from actors. Lucas was so determined that
the ending be kept secret that he had actor 'David Prowse' (qv) (Darth Vader)
say ``Obi Wan Kenobi is your father'', and dubbed it later to be ``I am your
father''.
- 'Denis Lawson' (qv), plays Wedge Antilles. See also
"Return of the Jedi (1983)" (qv).
- The designers at ILM wanted a radical design for Boba Fett's ship. They
ended up using the end of a lamp post from the street outside the ILM
building.
- This is 'Carrie Fisher' (qv)'s favorite movie of the trilogy. Despite this,
there were claims that she was heavily into drugs at the time. The scene
where Han Solo ('Harrison Ford' (qv)) was to be carbon frozen was a long a
complex scene which required many takes. Eventually, Leia says ``I love
you'' to Han Solo. Ford had heard this line so many times that he changed
the scripted ``I love you too'' to ``I know''. Lucas didn't want to film
the scene again, and thought it read much better that way, so it remained.
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