What will happen to Star Wars after 1983?

December 23, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Fan Theories, News and Views
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The following news report provides a beautifully whimsical insight into the buzz surrounding the original release of Return of the Jedi, and what Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas had revealed at that point about their future plans for the saga. As someone who was lucky enough to attend a 1983 screening of the third (at that point, possibly the final) Star Wars film, I recall the palpable excitement that precipitated the film’s release. Now part of a well-oiled marketing machine, the merchandising, supporting stories and media buzz about the film was something rarely experienced at the time and it truly felt as though fans were part of a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

A number of interesting sights and tidbits appear within this report, including Harrison Ford suggesting that he was happy to permanently hang up Han Solo’s outfit, an uber-fan queuing up in a rare “Revenge of the Jedi” t-shirt, other fans hinting at the desire for prequel films and early talk about the nine-film story arc that had been drafted in rough form by that stage.

This is a lovely flashback, that will take older fans back to their childhoods and provide newer fans with some understanding as to how significant the Original Trilogy was in the popular culture of its time.

Star Wars actors take ‘What Star Wars Character Are You?’ quiz

December 20, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars Funnies
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Without meaning to come across as a promotion for Buzzfeed, I wanted to share this video with you, as it includes a few touching moments (look out for Mark Hamill’s result), and some beautiful banter between the lead actors of The Last Jedi.

You’ve all seen those rather pointless, but often entertaining, online quizzes that ask you a series of questions to determine which one of the Friends you are, which Disney princess you should marry, whether you should be on Team Swift or Team Kanye, etc. Buzzfeed created a quiz to find out which character from The Last Jedi best matches your personality. Where this becomes interesting is that they then brought in the stars of the film and had them work through the quiz themselves.

Now, actors are by nature performing when they step on set. As such, you  wouldn’t necessarily expect Daisy Ridley, Gwendoline Christie, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and crew to psychometrically align with the characters that they play, but some of the surprises that pop up throughout this process are great value. Gwen, in particular, reveals quite a lot about herself and her desires.

See what you think:

The forbidden spin-off: Star Wars Christmas Special

December 19, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Stories & Spin-offs
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It’s the stuff of legend. Just months after the first Star Wars film became an unexpected box office smash and created a universe to which countless people – young and old – longed to escape, the first spin-off hit TV screens.

It was 1978 and the Star Wars universe, not yet fully formed, was used as the basis for a nonsensical TV variety show. The standalone production had the blessing of George Lucas at the time, though these days he is actively involved in a campaign to wipe its existence from the face of the Earth – which is a tough ask now that were living in the digital era.

The following video provides a fascinating insight into two things. Firstly, it describes how the infamous Star Wars Christmas Special came about, who was involved and what it was all about. Then, the video highlights why it is that this production was allowed to exist (temporarily) in the immature canon of the time, and how the Star Wars universe has both extended and contracted in the years since. It’s well worth a look, even if you know about the Christmas Special. For those who haven’t yet seen any footage from the first Star Wars spin-off, you’re in for a horrid treat.

Storm Troopers boogie their way to victory

December 19, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Funnies
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They may not always encounter success on the battle field, or in the appropriate calibration of a blaster’s targeting system, but storm troopers sure know how to move. The particular group presented below arguably should have been using their spare time to better secure air vents on the Death Star, or to practice their aim, but passion seems to have taken them in a different direction.

See as this troop explodes in a cacophony of color and motion in the Earthly reality show, Britain’s Got Talent.

 

Star Wars Bloopers

December 18, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Funnies
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The film-making process lends itself to mistakes being made. It’s a creative endeavour, often involving literally hundreds of individual specialists, long days and tight schedules. It’s also increasingly a practice that is reliant on technology working the way it is expected. Given this, it’s inevitable that the odd blooper will appear on any production. In fact, it’s surprising that they aren’t more common, but such is a testament to the professionalism of many in the industry.

The Star Wars saga has now delivered nine canonical live-action feature films; spanning five decades. As you might imagine, this means that there have been plenty of mishaps on the set of these films. Those that are caught on camera are often the most humorous, as they involve characters and actors that we all know and love.

The following video presents 10 bloopers from the Star Wars films. Though you’ve likely seen some, there were actually a few in here that came as a surprise to me. Hopefully the video holds a few hidden treasures for you also. Enjoy!