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"When I saw those films, what I realized was that that could be a potential career. And then the following year after Star Wars, I saw The Making of Star Wars, and that completely transformed me. That's when I saw people behind the scenes, doing the craft, doing the artwork, doing the model building. I knew. I said, 'That's what I want to do.' That was exactly what I wanted to do. "
―Doug Chiang [2]
The Making of Star Wars is an hour-long television special (49 minutes without commercials), produced and directed by Robert Guenette , which originally aired on the ABC Television Network on September 16 , 1977 . Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz acted as Executive Producer for the special.
The special features interviews with the writers, producers, and cast members of the film then known simply as Star Wars , including Kurtz, George Lucas , Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , and Alec Guinness ; and is hosted by C-3PO (voiced by Anthony Daniels ) and R2-D2 (performed by Kenny Baker ), with voiceover narration by William Conrad . The show was produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with the Star Wars Corporation (one of the early subsidiaries of Lucasfilm Ltd. ).
In addition to Star Wars and Lucas's previous films THX 1138 and American Graffiti , the special also includes footage from The Black Swan , The Mark of Zorro , My Darling Clementine , the Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe episode "Doom of the Dictator," the Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars episode "The Miracle of Magic," Twelve O'Clock High , and the Atari game Anti-Aircraft , which Fisher is seen playing during her interview.
Home video release [ ]
VHS cover
The special was the first Star Wars material to be released to the home video market in 1979 by Magnetic Video . It was reissued on video in 1980 with a trailer for The Empire Strikes Back , which had been released that year. This trailer was not featured on the DVD box set issued in 2004 .
In 1982 , it was reissued to video by 20th Century Fox on VHS , Betamax , CED , and Laserdisc as part of a double feature with the 1980 special SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back . It was reissued separately in Japan on Laserdisc in 1992, and was reissued as a triple feature with SPFX and the 1983 special Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi . It was also included in the Star Wars saga Blu-ray box set released in 2011 .[3]
Alternate version [ ]
Aired immediately following the George Burns episode of The Muppet Show
In 1995 , this special was released on VHS as a mail-in offer with the Kellogg Company to tie in with the last video and Laserdisc releases of the original versions of the original trilogy .[4] This version replaces William Conrad's voiceover with that of Don LaFontaine , but is otherwise unmodified. This version has not been issued on DVD nor any other format.
Portions of the special were included in The Story of Star Wars , a VideoNow release that was also released on DVD as a promotional bonus at Wal-Mart stores alongside the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith .
Credits [ ]
By type
Cast
Uncredited cast
Crew
Uncredited crew
Special thanks
Cast
Crew
Produced and Directed by — Robert Guenette
Written by — Richard Schickel
Narrator — William Conrad
With appearances by — Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford
Associate Producers — Monroe E. Carol , N. H. Cominos
Director of Photography — David Myers A.S.C.
Additional photography by — Ben Burtt , Peter Shillingford , Peter Kuran , James Short
Star Wars music by — John Williams
Music Coordination — William Loose
Original music copyright (C) 1977 Fox Fanfare Music Inc.
Art Director — Tom H. John
Film editor — N. H. Cominos
Production Supervision — Paul Asselin
Production Coordinator — Robert M. Stein
Production Assistant — Marlene Goland
Star Wars Liaison — Miki Herman
Assistant Art Director — John Told
Sound Mixer — Jeff Wexler
Post Production Supervision — Neiman-Tiller Assoc.
Re-recording — Samuel Goldwyn Studio
Gaffer — Howard Ex
Key Grip — William Whatley
Assistant Cameraman — George Stephenson
Assistant Editors — Juan Bueno , Karen Sharp
Film Control — Constance M. McCrum
Production Assistants — J.J. Candrella , James Halpern
Sound Effects — Rick Victor
Star Wars Excerpts Courtesy of STAR WARS Corporation and Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Film Excerpts Provided Through The Courtesy Of:
King Features Syndicate
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Universal Pictures
Warner Brothers, Inc.
Production Services by — Guenette-Asselin Productions
Executive Producer — Gary Kurtz
Notes and references [ ]
External links [ ]
Star Wars : Episode IV A New Hope
Books
Legends full adaptations :Novel · The Star Wars Storybook · Book-and-record (1979) · Classic Star Wars book-and-tapeClassic Star Wars (Bullseye Book) · Classic Star Wars (Random House) · Mighty Chronicles Shimmer Book · A Storybook (1997) · A New Hope Read-Along · Golden Book Junior novelization · Verily, A New Hope (Non-canonical)
Legends partial adaptations :Luke's Fate · Heroes in Hiding · Darth Vader's Mission · R2-D2's Mission · Journey to Mos Eisley Journal: Captive to Evil · Journal: Hero for Hire · Journal: The Fight for Justice · R2-D2 and Friends The Life of Luke Skywalker · Death Star Battles · Join the Rebels · A Droid's Tale Choose Your Own Star Wars Adventure (Non-canonical)
Canon full adaptations :Read-Along Storybook and CD · Little Golden Book · The Film Novel (French) The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy (audiobook ) · Big Golden Book · Junior novelization (Updated) The Rise of a Hero · A New Hope (French) · Disney Die-Cut Classic · Epic Adventures (Canceled)
Canon partial adaptations :Escape from Darth Vader · Death Star Battle · Trapped in the Death Star! · Trouble on Tatooine · From a Certain Point of View
Comics
Original adaptation : Marvel Comics : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6
Reprints :Illustrated Version · Marvel Special Edition : 1 , 2 , 3 Star Wars Weekly : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , Annual 1978 Marvel Movie Showcase : 1 , 2 · Classic : 1 , 2 , TPB
Other Legends adaptations :Contemporary Motivators · Droids : 6 , 7 , 8 · The Special Edition : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , TPB · Manga : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 PhotoComic · Infinities : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , TPB (Non-canonical)
Canon adaptations : Cinestory Comic · Graphic Novel Adaptation
Video games
1987 video game · 1991 video game · Super Star Wars (Official Game Secrets ) · Heroes Path
Behind the scenes, guides, and reference books
The Making of (TV) · Sketchbook · Blueprints · Album · Portfolio · The Art of · The Making of the Movie (1980) Galaxy Guide 1 (Second Edition ) · Illustrated Screenplay · The Making of (Rinzler's 2007) · Official Celebration Special · Cinematic Classics
Trading cards and card games
Topps : Series 1 , Series 2 , Series 3 , Series 4 , Series 5 , Hardcover book , Widevision , Illustrated Customizable Card Game : Premiere Limited , Premiere Unlimited , Limited , Revised Unlimited , Jedi Pack , Premiere Two-Player , Enhanced Premiere · Trading card game
Other material and merchandise
Toy line · Soundtrack · Official Poster Monthly · Radio drama (Script book ) · Activity Book
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