BOOK REVIEW: The Ultimate Guide To The 1977 Classic Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

BOOK REVIEW: The Ultimate Guide To The 1977 Classic Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Sterling/New South Books
December 2017
$29.99
Hardback/film tie-in

Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
10/10

The inside story on the greatest fairy tale ever told, this Celebration Special is a slight book at only 98 pages, but absolutely crammed full of behind the scenes photos and insider information about the making of and reception to the film that was originally titled, simply, Star Wars.

The saga now spans eight films and one official spin-off movie, with more in the works, and any number of side efforts and intrusions into the lexicon of popular culture, but this is where it all started and fans will geek out at the glut of information herein.

Want to know the costume budget for Darth Vader? $1,173/£500.
When did Alec Guinness shoot his scenes as Obi-Wan Kenobi? 28 March through 16 June, 1976.
Han Solo’s last line in the movie? “Well, I wasn’t gonna let you get all the credit and take all the reward.”

The real joy is being able to peek behind the curtain and see how they created the special effects and stunts in a pre-CGI world, where innovation was paramount, and there are no shortage of pictures and explanations about the processes employed to make this iconic film look as seamless as it did, and go on to influence cinema forever.

Category: Book Reviews