Dated November 2, 1979—the original date for the ADR, which was then postponed—the Cue Sheet lists the Emperor’s lines.
ALL FOR ONE
On March 12, 1980, Daily Variety reported that a deal had been made for Fox to distribute Lucasfilm’s Star Wars III, noting that the terms were “significantly improved” over the deal for Empire. What the article couldn’t mention was the harrowing financial straits that had led to the agreement. Meanwhile, Star Wars II was rapidly approaching its finish, as technicians in LA simultaneously finalized the sound mix and lab work for the crucial color timing.
“If you have a particularly good timer, it can be a great asset,” says Kurtz. “It doesn’t matter what lab you use; they’re all using the same equipment and the same chemical processes for color. So it’s the people who you’re dealing with. We’ve had really good luck with Deluxe. They had very little time to do the work that they did.”
At ILM, diverse shots were being attacked in the last moments. “Pops” in the walkers’ stop-motion stride were concealed by animated laser blasts. “We did end up using bluescreen for three shots at the end of the sequence, including the one with the people running in the foreground, where the walkers are small,” says Muren.
Luke’s snowspeeder crash was handled in shot M-111. Part of that sequence had already been filmed with a camera on a “luge rig,” built by an expert grip, which had plunged into the snow; that footage was now cut together with stop-motion photography of the snowspeeder.
“Pretty late in the game, near the end of postproduction, George wanted to add a scene right before the Rebel fleet leaves Hoth,” says Johnston. “They needed a speaking part, so they auditioned anyone at ILM who wanted to do it. We had like 50 auditions and it took all day for people to come in and read the line. I thought, Well, okay, I’ll come in and do it, what the heck. I read the line and for some reason they picked me—and then I realized, Dammit, now I have to do it.”
“Ralph did that particular painting, so it was kind of neat to have the guy who actually did the painting moving around in front of his own artwork,” says Edlund.
“It was fun,” says Johnston. “Ralph is in the shot, Michael Pangrazio’s in the shot; there’s model builders going through the background. The line, I believe, was, ‘Groups 7 and 10 will stay behind to fly the speeders. As soon as each transport is loaded, evacuation control will give clearance for immediate launch.’ So they started doing take after take—they just kept doin’ these takes—so I began thinking, I wonder if they’re doin’ all these takes to try to get me to blow this line?!” I did 10 takes and I never messed up the line. I’m not saying the acting was any good, but at least I didn’t blow the line.”
“Near the very end of shooting the special effects, I had the opportunity of getting out of the front office for an hour or two when they needed an extra hand to shoot the probe,” says Blau. “I got to control the little Variac that turned on the light of the droid. I was very excited and it was very interesting to see the cheats that they used to create the shot.”
“There were about 10 people doing that shot,” Johnston says. “There were so many things going on. One guy was stationed in front of a fan and threw handfuls of baking soda at the right moment. Phil was down there, Dennis was behind camera, Mike Pangrazio was doing the smoke, and Tom was in there, too. So you had an animator, a cameraman, a machinist, a model builder or two, a matte painter, one of the girls from the front office—in fact, anyone who wasn’t doing something in the building was called in for that shot.”
“A lot of time is going into the look of each shot,” Muren says. “Because it doesn’t matter what it took to get it, or what went on behind the camera—it just matters what’s left on the screen.”
Indeed, though practically out of time, Lucas, Johnston, Berg, and others were able to add the chicken walker to the mix. “We were going to build a completely new one, but we ran out of time,” says Johnston. “Since Jon Berg had already built a new armature, I took the prototype chicken walker parts and glued them to the armature. Then Tom St. Amand worked on the joints, making it operate smoothly. So it’s basically the display model that ended up in the film.”
“I remember Joe and Jon decided that they wanted to have some fun on their own so, on the weekends, they built this little two-legged walker, and then showed it to George,” Muren says. “It’s just in two background out-of-focus shots, marching along. It’s a throwaway thing.”
St. Amand animated the ad hoc model against bluescreen, with Ralston shooting the foreground material. “The two-legged walker was the result of Joe and Jon getting together and putting something into the film that wasn’t even planned,” says Ralston. “It was another ‘element of the strange’—another creation that’s just out there with the walkers, and who knows what it’s doing!”
For the lightsaber effects, a different technique from the first film was used, because the highly reflective tape on the swords shot during principal photography had made them very hard to animate. “Whenever we had a situation where they were being swung mightily through the scene, the image tended to disappear in a blur,” says Edlund.
“The lightsaber effect has been improved,” says Johnson. “It’s the animation that was the key. While we still use some of the old techniques from years ago, we have benefited by advances in film emulsion, so that we get better definition now. We’ve benefited by having different film bases, so we can run film through the camera steadier. We’ve benefited by new lenses; we’ve benefited by lots of things.”
“I was sent down to Los Angeles to oversee, at a crucial juncture, the completion of the effects being done out-of-house,” says Starkey. “We had a lot of laser pistol shots, swordfighting shots, dissolves and wipes, and all kinds of titles and things that were getting done down south. So Duwayne just said one day, ‘You gotta get to LA and on a daily basis, drive this train.’ I stayed at the Oakwood Apartments or some dismal place. I think somebody broke in next door the first night I was there.”
Around this time, Lucas rewrote the roll-up to accommodate the film’s new beginning, locking it for final release:
It is a dark time for the Rebellion. Although the Death Star has been destroyed, Imperial troops have driven the Rebel forces from their hidden base and pursued them across the galaxy.
Evading the dreaded Imperial Starfleet, a group of freedom fighters led by Luke Skywalker have established a new secret base on the remote ice world of Hoth.
The evil lord Darth Vader, obsessed with finding young Skywalker, has dispatched thousands of remote probes into the far reaches of space …
Several candidates were tried out for the Emperor’s eyes: a cat, a chimpanzee, and those of assistant accountant Laura Crockett (the chimp won out).
Although a test had been shot with an older actress (Marjorie Eaton), it was decided instead to use an appliance (mask) crafted by Rick Baker, which was then worn by his wife, Elaine Baker. She is filmed by Jim Veilleux with Jim Bloom (on left) in attendance.
By use of split-beam technique with a mirror, the chimp’s eyes and Baker in Emperor makeup could be combined in camera. (INSET: Final frame).
Poster concepts by various artists—one of which touted an abandoned tag line, “The war isn’t over” and one of which re-used Luke and Leia from the Star Wars poster.
Unused poster concepts featuring Darth Vader by Tom Jung.
Attributed to Tom Jung.
Attributed to Tom Jung.
Attributed to Tom Jung.
Attributed to Tom Jung.
The 1979 theatrical advance one-sheet, or teaser poster, for Empire, designed by Tony Seiniger and David Reneric, who also developed the film’s approved logo; the Vader helmet was photographed by Bob Peak, Jr. This poster was used in several formats and countries, including Japan (below).
In England, a movie theater quad, in the tradition of B-movies, was used to hype the film in advance.
TERROR AT THE SCREENING
In early 1980, Hamill had said, “I don’t think Empire can become a phenomenon. You can’t take people by surprise like we did the first time. There’s been so much down the pike since we came out. But I think it’s going to be a smashing success.”
On March 13, Lucas said, “I think it’s a better film than the first one. At this point, the film is practically finished. I feel really good about it and I think it’s great, but I have no idea what the rest of the world will think. It’s probably as pre-sold to the moviegoing public as any film has ever been, but that doesn’t mean anyone’s going to love it. I think it stands just as much chance of being a hit as not being one. I guess I’m the biggest pessimist around here—after all, I said the very same thing about the first one.”
“There was a very apprehensive atmosphere in the company about Empire,” says Ladevich. “It was not a sure thing and everyone was very nervous about it. George had, obviously, a tremendous amount riding on this financially, emotionally—it was going to define the rest of his career.”
“One hopes so much that George will succeed,” Arnold said in discussion with Hirsch. “I mean most people grow right past their dreams and hopes. When you talk to him, his simplicity comes over and indeed I’ve found his sincerity and integrity—you want this man to succeed.”
“Oh, yeah,” Hirsch agreed.
“And that’s why you worry about the movie here to some extent, you know.”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Empire will be every bit as good as Star Wars and probably even better,” says Johnson. “It’s always hard to follow up a stunning movie. You never know what happens until it comes out. But we’ve gotten some very positive reaction from the trailer and it’s thrilling to witness all the visual things that are happening. The story is very strong.”
“I’m scared,” Ellenshaw says. “Because I’m afraid many of the matte shots will look like matte shots, because you’ll know what we’ve done just can’t be accomplished any other way. Fortunately, there is a tone established very early in the film which will cause a suspension of disbelief; hopefully, believing in the fantasy of it all will make the mattes less noticeable or at least less bothersome.”
When asked by Starlog to reveal specifics of the plot, Prowse laughed. “You must be joking. I haven’t got a clue.” That magazine also asked Billy Dee Williams for clues while the actor was on the Nighthawks (1981) set working with Sylvester Stallone in New York. “I don’t even know what happens in the movie!” Williams explained.
Neither did the executives at Fox, until they had their sneak peek on March 22. “We were doing our first screening for Fox in the big theater on the Fox lot,” says Starkey. “For me, this was leaving the little cocoon of Lucasfilm and blowing into the outside world. Before the screening, I was in this little editing room they had at the Egg Company. We were gonna cut in some very late visual effects. It was the eleventh hour—George is in there, Duwayne—and Ben comes in, drops this new mix on the floor within hours of the screening, and says, ‘Here’s the new mix.’
“I looked at it and said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got to …?’ I didn’t have time to view it, check it on the KEM, or put codes on it,” Starkey adds. “All I could do was run it down by the numbers I had written on a piece of paper and pray that I’d done everything right—and then we sat down for the screening. I was so nervous. I was sitting on the edge of the aisle. I knew exactly the frames where it would change reels—and each time, the moment sent a shock through my system. I’d anticipate and go, ‘Oh my God …,’ and watch the first words or something, and then I’d go, ‘Thank God, we’re still in sync!’ I don’t think I was aware of any reaction in the audience. I was in this numb-eared state of hearing sync. I was just so terrified that I was going to have to fix this thing in the middle of this huge screening for the studio. It all came off—but I was so terrified. I just couldn’t believe that they had done this to me.”
Two days later, Lucas was back at ILM, where editing notes recorded the supervisors’ and Lucas’s ongoing list of improvements: “Fix transparent matte, pod needs to be darker; M-40, wrong background, should be similar to M-99, needs 60 frames. If we can’t get 60, make up by re-comping M-41. Make black-and-white test to check movement …”
Mixing the sound in Hollywood are (FROM LEFT) Greg Landaker, Steve Maslow, and Bill Varney; Lucas and Burtt supervise from seats in the back.
A painted photo comp by McQuarrie shows the first attempt at a Rebel hangar scene as planned and shot in England—but when Lucas found the shot unsatisfactory, he decided to redo it.
A storyboard by Johnston for the rebel transport (in background) shot.
On February 9, 1980, Lucas, Kurtz, and Kershner reconvened for the pickup shoot (effects editor Michael Kelly in the background is dressed for his part).
Kurtz speaks with Johnston, who had the sole speaking part, while Kershner chats with McQuarrie.
Ellenshaw, McQuarrie, and Pangrazio.
Two final frames with Kelly, Johnston, and Ellenshaw; McQuarrie walks through the midground (he also did the shot’s matte painting).
Johnston redesigned his 1977 concept of a two-legged “scout walker,” on January 28, 1979, perhaps based on an envelope doodle signed “Johnston/Berg ’79—very early prototype chicken walker.”
Johnston envelope doodle.
Rough boards led to a revised Johnston storyboard of the AT-ST, or “chicken walker,” on February 23, 1980 and to its very late inclusion in two shots.
Revised Johnston storyboard of the AT-ST.
Chicken walker in two shots.
A memo from Patty (Patricia) Blau to Carol Titelman, dated February 18, 1980, concerning out-of-house lightsaber effects.
Final frames with finished lightsaber effects.
The typed up final version of the opening crawl contains one last edit from Lucas, who changed “have” to “has.”
The crawl was then filmed at ILM, circa March 1980.
Animation supervisor Peter Kuran.
A matte painting looking into the reactor shaft (into which Luke lets himself fall) by Ellenshaw, who convinced Lucas that the shot would be more foreboding if dark, though in earlier shots the core was lighter and had a pulsating glow.
A storyboard, dated November 6, 1979, helped visualize another downward looking matte—this one underneath Cloud City for Luke’s point-of-view as his lightsaber falls away.
The final matte painting by Ellenshaw is set up for front projection at ILM.
Assistant art director Nilo Rodis-Jamero and model maker Dave Carson work on a large painted model of the Cloud City underside.
Harrison Ellenshaw and his painting of the reactor shaft.
GOOD SUSPENSE
Variety announced on April 1 that Lucas would act as consultant on John Korty’s Twice Upon a Time (1983) for The Ladd Company, the new production house Ladd and his partners had formed. A Bay Area filmmaker, Korty, like Kasdan, was a friend of Lucas’s.
“Laddie went ahead with Body Heat and I was able to make the movie with complete autonomy,” says Kasdan. “George never came to visit. We would send him dailies—I don’t know if he ever looked at them. He did come and look at the movie when I’d finished cutting it; he spent a day with me and Carol Littleton, my editor, going through the movie and making a few suggestions, which were very supportive and very smart, ’cause George is a great editor. That was it! And then he came to the sneak preview. You know, he couldn’t have been more helpful or supportive.”
For his own film, Lucas was finalizing shots as late as April 11. The last reel was delivered on April 16, which triggered a $10 million payment from Fox to the Bank of Boston. On April 17, Lucasfilm put into effect a new Employee Bonus Plan, which would enable qualified staff to participate in the profits of Empire.
That same day, somewhat prematurely, The Hollywood Reporter called the film “completed,” because it was being shown in seven states where anti-blind-bidding laws were in effect: Ohio, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, South
Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Empire was already setting new exhibition standards by demanding minimum play time of up to 28 weeks and more, according to Fox president Norman Levy (a 12-week minimum engagement was usually the upper limit even for a “big” film).
On April 19, Lucas previewed the film, as he had Star Wars, at the Northpoint Theatre in San Francisco. An interoffice memo summed up the answers on the Preview Questionnaires distributed after the showing:
Male comments under 10: “Thought it was great … It was like a dream … It was very good … Movie too long. Luke sometimes gross (hand). Tan Tan [sic] animation could be better, otherwise movie good. It was kind of sad when Han Solo turned into ice. Why are you making me phil [sic] this out?”
Female comments under 10: “You should have less violence, or if you have violence, make it funny violence. I was unhappy I had to wait so long to see it. I did not like it as much as Star Wars. All the war was a little too much for me. I didn’t like the ending. Overall good suspense.”
The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Enhanced Edition) Page 51
