Subject: title-trivia?AF200

From: Mark Costlow <costlow>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 1994 14:18:51 -0600

MOVIE TRIVIA.

     _________________________________________________________________
   
Star Wars

          Director George Lucas had trouble getting funding for this
          movie, most studios thinking that people wouldn't go to see it.

          The Director's Guild of America (DGA) didn't like the fact that
          there were no specific credits at the beginning of the film.
          They ``ordered'' Lucas to recut the film and put some credits
          at the beginning. Lucas refused, claiming that this would
          destroy the opening of the film. The DGA fined Lucas, who paid
          up, and promptly quit the DGA.

          Derived from (among other things) a Japanese movie called
          _Hidden Fortress_ (QV). Obi Wan Kenobi was modeled after a
          Samurai warrior, and C-3PO and R2-D2 are derived from a couple
          of petty crooks he conscripted to help rescue a princess.

          The word ``Jedi'' is derived from the Japanese words ``Jidai
          Geki'' which translate as ``period drama.'' A period drama is a
          Japanese TV soap opera program set in the samurai days. Lucas
          mentioned in an interview that he saw a ``Jidai Geki'' program
          on TV while in Japan a year or so before the movie was made and
          liked the word.

          Jodie Foster was Lucas' second option for Princess Leia,
          Christopher Walken was second in line for Han Solo. Lucas
          also considered Nick Nolte for the role of Solo.

          A great deal of the film was shot by vintage 1950's VistaVision
          cameras, because they were of higher quality than any others
          available. After the film was released, the prices of these
          cameras skyrocketed.

          The episode number and subtitle ``A New Hope'' did not
          originally appear in the film's opening crawl. These were added
          in a later re-release to be consistent with those seen in
          Empire Strikes Back, The.

          There is a rumor that while Lucas and a co-worker were editing
          American Graffiti, the co-worker asked Lucas for ``Reel Two,
          Dialog Two'', which abbreviated to ``R2D2'', a name which stuck
          in Lucas' mind.

          Scene of escape pod leaving Leia's ship was the first ever done
          by ILM.

          C-3PO originally scripted as a ``used car salesman'' type, and
          designed after the robot from Metropolis.

          The Tatooine scenes were filmed in Tunisia. There is a town in
          Tunisia called ``Tatahouine''. Some of the interiors of Luke's
          house were filmed in a hotel in Tunisia.

          The sounds of the lasers were made by striking one of the guy
          wires of a power pylon.

          There is a rumor that Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) was having
          trouble timing his conversations with R2-D2, as R2-D2's dialog
          was to be dubbed in later. Supposedly, Daniels asked Lucas to
          make some kind of noise to help him, but when Lucas forgot, the
          matter was dropped.

          Chewbacca was modeled after Lucas' dog, Indiana. See also
          Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

          C-3PO loses an arm when attacked by the Sandpeople. Ben cuts
          off a creature's hand in the Cantina. See also Empire Strikes
          Back, The and Return of the Jedi.

          The following characters ``have a bad feeling about this'':
          Luke and Han. See also Empire Strikes Back, The, and Return of
          the Jedi.

          A small pair of metal dice can be seen hanging in the cockpit
          of the Millenium Falcon as Chewbacca makes preparations to
          depart from Mos Eisley. They don't appear in subsequent scenes.

          Han and Luke ``transfer'' Chewbacca from cell block 1138: Lucas
          directed a film called THX 1138. "THX-1138" was going to be the
          serial number of the guard with the faulty transmitter on the
          Death Star, but this was changed.

          Harrison Ford deliberately didn't learn his lines for the
          intercom conversation in the cell block, so it would sound
          spontaneous.

          When the stormtroopers enter the room where C-3PO and R2-D2 are
          hiding, one of them ``accidentally'' bumps his head on the
          door, complete with sound effects.

          Scenes featuring Luke and his Tatooine friend ``Biggs'' were
          cut from the film. Biggs was a young pilot who left the
          Imperial Academy to join the Rebellion. Luke mentions him to
          his ``aunt'' and ``uncle'' during the breakfast scene, and the
          character later shows up as a Rebel pilot who accompanies Luke
          down the final run on the Death Star trench (and is killed by
          Darth Vader).

          James Earl Jones supplied the voice of Darth Vader, but
          specifically requested that he not be credited, as he felt he
          had not done enough work to get the billing. David Prowse was
          supposedly extremely annoyed at not being told that his voice
          would be dubbed.

          Cardboard cutouts are used for some of the background
          starfighters in the Rebel hanger bay.

          Mark Hamill held his breath for so long during the trash
          compactor scene that he broke a blood vessel in his face.
          Subsequent shots are from one side only.

          Luke's other wingman on the trench run is named Wedge Antilles,
          and is played by Dennis Lawson. See also Empire Strikes Back,
          The and Return of the Jedi. [rumor]

          When Luke returns to the Rebel base after destroying the Death
          Star, he gets out of his X-Wing and greets Princess Leia
          (Carrie Fisher) who is running towards him. He says
          ``Carrie!''.

          Most of the crowd watching the heroes receive their medallions
          are cardboard cutouts.

          FTP site wpi.wpi.edu is the official rec.arts.sf.starwars
          archive.

          SEQUEL(Empire Strikes Back, The)

     _________________________________________________________________

   If you'd like to add some trivia to the database, please read this
   guide first.
     _________________________________________________________________

   Additional information... Miscellaneous Star Wars home page Review.
   Plot Summary. Movie Quotes. Trivia. Goofs. Ratings. 
   
   (this page was taken from the cache)
   
     _________________________________________________________________

   Search Menu. [Name Search Form | Page] [Title Search Page]
    [email-masked]