Star Wars Gathering in Beverly Hills

[Geekyfanboy]

Star Wars Feted In Beverly Hills

Star Wars stars Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher joined director George Lucas and about 50 others involved in the classic SF movie to reveal the film's creation and backstory at a sold-out event attended by SCI FI Wire April 23 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. The gathering marked the beginning of a series of events commemorating the 30th anniversary of the film, which culminates with the Star Wars Celebration IV convention in Los Angeles in May.

With a question/answer period that went on until nearly midnight, Lucas credited fellow attendee and former 20th Century Fox production chief Alan Ladd Jr. with saving the picture when the studio considered cutting its $13 million budget. "I gave him the script, which was incomprehensible, and he said, 'I think you will do something wonderful with it, and I want to be a part of it,'" Lucas said. "And I don't know if that happens today anymore."

Fisher, who has become a noted Hollywood script doctor in her own right, disagreed with Lucas' characterization of his original script. "Unlike what George said, I thought it was a great script," she said. "I first read it with an actor friend of mine, Miguel Ferrer, and I wanted to play Han Solo, but that part wasn't available. ... I knew it was a movie I wanted to be a part of. I did not want to be an actress at the time. I just wanted to be in that movie. Then I was stuck. ... I thought it would be a groovy art film."

Lucas and Fisher were joined by Jawas, stormtroopers and cantina denizens to watch a digital version of the film, which is now called Star Wars: Episode IVâ€"A New Hope. Afterward, Fisher blurted out, "I slept with him!" when Lucas was asked how he picked his cast. Lucas quipped that he "threw darts at a board" to pick out his cast and that he simply "got lucky."

Hamill told a story about how he and Fisher sneaked into the Avco Theater in Los Angeles' Westwood Village to see the trailer and heard the audience heckle the trailer by shouting, "and in six weeks it will be on the late, late show." He said he figured that "even if it bombed, I thought it could be a midnight cult film. It was hilarious. Of course, Luke didn't get any of the laughs."

The desert was something Hamill remembered well. "We were first filming out in Tunisia, and that was so otherworldly," he said. "We came back to London, and it was difficult getting used to running water and no cockroaches in the bedroom."

Hamill also recalled that British extras yelled "Yankees go home" and "You're a wanker!" while filming the Massassi Temple award scene at the movie's end. After the actor explained that they had just saved the universe for them all, the extras were more enthusiastic. "I told them the story, and no one had empowered the background people by telling them what to do," Hamill said

[jedijeff]

Those are some pretty interesting stories, especially the ones MArk Hamill told. Surprising how people felt it would bomb well watching the trailer, maybe it was showing before some heavy drama. As well the story about the extras yelling at the actors as well was interesting. I guess it must have been different times then it is today.

[Bryancd]

Those are some pretty interesting stories, especially the ones MArk Hamill told. Surprising how people felt it would bomb well watching the trailer, maybe it was showing before some heavy drama. As well the story about the extras yelling at the actors as well was interesting. I guess it must have been different times then it is today.

Have you ever seen the early theatrical trailers, Jeff? They are AWFUL! They had terrible editing, half done special effects and sound, they are on YouTube. I mean, they are bad squared! :)

[ryanlb]

[Deep Movie announcer voice, with a starry background]

It's a story...about a boy...a girl...and a universe.

And it could all be happening, right now.

Star Wars, coming to a galaxy near you.

[/end trailer]

Yeah, they were pretty bad. :D

[jedijeff]

It has been awhile since I have seen them, so I guess my Memory is not as sharp. I guess I was thinking the final product and not the early trailers. Still found the quotes interesting still, given the time they were given in.