The Ultimate Behind-the-Scenes Tour de Force In 1977, George Lucas brought Star Wars to the big screen—and made cinema history. Now, more than twenty years later, the visionary writer-director, his brilliant crew of special-effects wizards, and an exciting cast of talented stars have united to make the long-awaited and eagerly anticipated Episode I of the Star Wars epic. Star Wars: The Making of Episode I is your exclusive entrée backstage where the wonders of the newest chapter in the Star Wars saga are brought to life, including - A series of exclusive interviews with George Lucas as he discusses the genesis of the Star Wars story, from themes to scenes to dialogue - The development of such classic characters as young Jedi student Obi-Wan Kenobi and R2-D2—plus intriguing newcomers Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, and Jar Jar Binks - The creation of new state-of-the-art creatures and special effects by the legendary Industrial Light & Magic team - Pre-production: from storyboarding, set-building, and model-making to costume design and the casting of pivotal roles - Post-production: Including editing, scoring, and combining computer generated effects with live-action footage - Shooting in England, Italy, and Tunisia, with stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, and Natalie Portman - Hundreds of drawings and photographs Witness all the movie-making magic behind the sensational Star Wars saga's newest episode!

Packed with breathtaking visuals created by a team of world class artists The Art of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith charts the visual genesis of this epic saga s climactic finale. For years George Lucas s handpicked group has created characters costumes droids star ships planetary vistas digi matte paintings and sculpturesevery type of visual imaginable. This extraordinary volume unveils never before seen imagesthus taking readers on a fascinating journey from the first concepts to the final movie. While marveling at hundreds of brilliant pieces of art readers will experience. Darth Vadera look at the sinister chamber where he is created stunning conceptual visions for the climactic light saber duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi. The evolution of General Grievousthe new face of evil from initial sketches to ILM animation art fantastic full color renderings of costumes weapons landscapes and spacecraft intriguing insights from exclusive interviews with the artists whose groundbreaking work helped bring Lucas s ideas to life. New to this editionthe one and only Revenge of the Sith screenplay revealing every beat of the action. For Star Wars fans everywhere this treasure trove of images from the final fateful Star Wars movie will provide a visual feast that promises hours of endless excitement. Format: Trade Paperback 272 pages

After the 1973 success of American Graffiti, filmmaker George Lucas made the fateful decision to pursue a longtime dream project: a space fantasy movie unlike any ever produced. Lucas envisioned a swashbuckling SF saga inspired by the Flash Gordon serials classic American westerns, the epic cinema of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa, and mythological heroes. Its original title: The Star Wars. The rest is history, and how it was made is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie that has enthralled millions for thirty years–a story that has never been told as it was meant to be. Until now. Using his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published “lost” interviews, photos, production notes, factoids, and anecdotes, Star Wars scholar J. W. Rinzler hurtles readers back in time for a one-of-a-kind behind-the-scenes look at the nearly decade-long quest of George Lucas and his key collaborators to make the “little” movie that became a phenomenon. For the first time, it’s all here: • the evolution of the now-classic story and characters–including “Annikin Starkiller” and “a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills” named Han Solo • excerpts from George Lucas’s numerous, ever-morphing script drafts • the birth of Industrial Light & Magic, the special-effects company that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking • the studio-hopping and budget battles that nearly scuttled the entire project • the director’s early casting saga, which might have led to a film spoken mostly in Japanese–including the intensive auditions that won the cast members their roles and made them legends • the grueling, nearly catastrophic location shoot in Tunisia and the subsequent breakneck dash at Elstree Studios in London • the who’s who of young film rebels who pitched in to help–including Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Brian DePalma But perhaps most exciting, and rarest of all, are the interviews conducted before and during production and immediately after the release of Star Wars–in which George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, composer John Williams, effects masters Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and John Dykstra, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, legendary production designer John Barry, and a host of others share their fascinating tales from the trenches and candid opinions of the film that would ultimately change their lives. No matter how you view the spectrum of this thirty-year phenomenon, The Making of Star Wars stands as a crucial document–rich in fascination and revelation–of a genuine cinematic and cultural touchstone.

In this lavish thirtieth-anniversary tribute to the blockbuster film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler draws back the curtain to reveal the intense drama and magnificent wizardry behind the hit movie—arguably the fan favorite of the Star Wars Saga. Following his The Making of Star Wars, the author has once again made use of his unlimited access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its hidden treasures of previously unpublished interviews, photos, artwork, and production mementos. The result is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes, up-close-and-personal look at the trials and triumphs, risks and close calls, inspiration, perspiration, and imagination that went into every facet of this cinematic masterpiece. Here’s the inside scoop on: • the evolution of the script, from story conference and treatment to fifth draft, as conceived, written, and rewritten by George Lucas, famed science-fiction author Leigh Brackett, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan • the development of new key characters, including roguish hero Lando Calrissian, sinister bounty hunter Boba Fett, and iconic Jedi Master Yoda • the challenges of shooting the epic ice planet battle in the frozen reaches of Norway and of conjuring up convincing creatures and craft—from tauntauns and snowspeeders to Imperial walkers • the construction of a life-sized Millennium Falcon and the swamp planet Dagobah inside a specially built soundstage in Elstree Studios • the technique behind master Muppeteer Frank Oz’s breathing life into the breakthrough character Yoda • the creation of the new, improved Industrial Light & Magic visual effects facility and the founding of the now-legendary Skywalker Ranch In addition, of course, are rare on-the-scene interviews with all the major players: actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and David Prowse; director Irvin Kershner; producer Gary Kurtz; effects specialists Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, and Phil Tippett; composer John Williams; and many others. Punctuating the epic account is a bounty of drawings, storyboards, and paintings by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and Ivor Beddoes, along with classic and rare production photos. An added bonus is a Foreword by acclaimed director Ridley Scott. The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a fittingly glorious celebration of an undisputed space-fantasy movie milestone. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

This is the definitive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy. The author of The Making of Star Wars and The Making of the Empire Strikes Back, J. W. Rinzler uses his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published photos, design sketches, paintings, production notes, factoids, anecdotes, and script drafts to take the reader from concept art and creature design to on-set photography and ILM's visual effects work. This third behind-the-scenes adventure is as entertaining and enthralling as his previous two books, and the movie itself.