There is no doubt in my mind, I am a diehard Star Wars fan. Well, that is to say, I am of the original trilogy. And the spin-off films. And the various other material. And (to a degree) the prequel trilogy. I’m just not as enthusiastic as to what has been done for The Force Awakens through The Last Jedi, maybe The Rise of Skywalker will change that, but it’s to early to tell at this point, so I can only guess.
But back to the matter at hand, for today’s “Did you know?” corner, I will be discussing the original film that started all, that is to say, the original film that started all, year of release wise, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope:
- Originally, George Lucas hadn’t considered making more movies, so, A New Hope was just meant to be a stand alone film.
- And another thing, when originally released, the movie wasn’t always called A New Hope, it was just called Star Wars.
- During earlier drafts of the script, Luke’s last name was originally Starkiller. While this never came to be in the final movie, there are two things regarding Starkiller that would come to be in the franchise…
- The first being Vader’s secret apprentice Galen Marek in the now Legends two part Force Unleashed video games.
- The other being the main base that the New Order uses in Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015).
- The first being Vader’s secret apprentice Galen Marek in the now Legends two part Force Unleashed video games.
- Cindy Williams auditioned for the role Princess Leia but never got the part.
- If the name doesn’t ring a bell, she did the role of Laurie in another George Lucas film, American Graffiti (1973), which also has Harrison Ford.
- Other well known actresses who auditioned for Leia include Karen Allen
- Who would go on to work with Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
- Other ladies who audtioned include Kim Basinger, Glenn Close, Geena Davis, Farrah Fawcett, Melanie Griffith, Anjelica Huston, Margot Kidder, Jane Seymour, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver.
- Who would go on to work with Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
- Other well known actresses who auditioned for Leia include Karen Allen
- If the name doesn’t ring a bell, she did the role of Laurie in another George Lucas film, American Graffiti (1973), which also has Harrison Ford.
- Among other big name actors who auditioned for Han Solo include Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Al Pacino, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, John Travolta, Jack Nicholson, James Woods, Christopher Walken and Billy Dee Williams.
- Who would actually play Lando Calrissian later in Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) and Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
- This movie inspired James Cameron to be a movie director.
- Denis Lawson, aka Wedge Antilles, is related to another actor in the franchise, he is Ewan McGregor’s, aka younger Obi-Wan Kenobi, uncle.
- Also, that’s not him as Wedge when the Rebels are told only Proton Torpedoes can destroy the Death Star and he says, “That’s impossible, even for a computer.”
- That’s actually a small-time actor named Colin Higgins, who was fired a day after shooting his only scene.
- Also, that’s not him as Wedge when the Rebels are told only Proton Torpedoes can destroy the Death Star and he says, “That’s impossible, even for a computer.”
- C-3PO was originally supposed to be a voice provided by Mel ‘Bugs Bunny’ Blanc himself.
- Long before Lucas decided against it in the end, originally, Orson ‘Citizen Kane‘ Wells was in mind as the voice of Darth Vader.
- To be fair, knowing him, he’d have hated the role, just like how Alec Guinness hated playing Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi.
- Long before Alec Guinness was casted as Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi, Peter Cushing was in mind instead.
- The film industry owes this movie owes a huge debt on bringing back an old sound effect, the Wilhelm Scream, for more information about this, see the following link:
- One of Luke’s lines improvised, can’t put your finger on it? It’s the infamous, “I can’t see a thing in this helmet.” line.
- This is so because Mark Hamill had a hard time seeing inside the Stormtrooper helmet, the crew thought it was so funny, George did too, and so, they kept that moment.
- Also regarding Luke, the only well known actor outside of William Katt who auditioned for the part is Robby Benson, who is best known for voicing The Beast aka Prince Adam from Disney’s animated version of Beauty and the Beast (1991).
- This is so because Mark Hamill had a hard time seeing inside the Stormtrooper helmet, the crew thought it was so funny, George did too, and so, they kept that moment.
- When Luke is about to be shot by a TIE Fighter and Wedge is on his way to save him, Luke does thank him properly, but the previous line is read as, “Blast it, Biggs Where are you?” That should’ve be read as, “Blast it, Wedge! Where are you?”
- It turns out Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Flanders, etc. in The Simpsons) has a few vocal parts in this film, he voices Imperial Officer Khurgee whom Vader tells to send in a scanning crew to examine the Millennium Falcon, he also does the voice of Gold Two.
- Mark Hamill’s not the only Star Wars actor who would go on to have a career doing Batman material by being the voice of The Joker as seen in the 90s animated series, but other material too…
- Garrick Hagon (aka Biggs) and William Hootkins (aka Porkins), as well as Billy Dee Williams, would all go on to be in Batman (1989), Billy Dee Williams would also be in The Lego Batman Movie (2017) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Garrick is seen as the father in the opening of the Batman movie and William is Lieutenant Eckhardt.
- Even Hootkins would be seen in working with Harrison Ford a few years later in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
- Phil Brown (aka Uncle Owen) can be seen in Superman (1978) as a State Senator for Missile Control, even Carrie Fisher had a small Editor in Chief part in Smallville (2001 – 2011).
- Even Hootkins would be seen in working with Harrison Ford a few years later in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
- Garrick Hagon (aka Biggs) and William Hootkins (aka Porkins), as well as Billy Dee Williams, would all go on to be in Batman (1989), Billy Dee Williams would also be in The Lego Batman Movie (2017) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Garrick is seen as the father in the opening of the Batman movie and William is Lieutenant Eckhardt.
- The line “May the Force be with you.” as said by Han Solo is currently ranked #8 in the Greatest Film Quotes in the American Film Institute.
- It is also their #15 pick for 100 movies (originally back in 1998), #27 for thrills, Han and Obi-Wan are #14 and #37 best heroes (Darth Vader is #3 for best villains), #39 for cheers and #13 for best 100 movies (the 10th anniversary list released in 2007).
- And finally, John Williams score for the movie still remains to this day, the uncrowned champion for the #1 pick for the AFI’s best 100 years of Film Score, and that’s, as Vader would say a sequel later, “Impressive, most impressive.”
- It is also their #15 pick for 100 movies (originally back in 1998), #27 for thrills, Han and Obi-Wan are #14 and #37 best heroes (Darth Vader is #3 for best villains), #39 for cheers and #13 for best 100 movies (the 10th anniversary list released in 2007).
That’s all for today, but stay tuned next time when I do another movie, what it’ll wind up being is something only I can decide.
Until then, I’m BigMax89 signing off… And remember, the Force will be with you… Always!
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