Lucasfilm employee busts Star Wars myths on Twitter
If you’re like me, you’ve probably watched every Star Wars movie ever made, as well as all the animated works, and yes, even the Holiday Special. And if you’re like me, you probably think you know everything there is to know about that galaxy far, far away, and cheerfully wield this knowledge every chance you get.
We’re all wrong. Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak has been on Twitter lately busting all kinds of Star Wars myths. So gather the younglings around and watch the Jedi Master at work:
2. “Darth Vader, a tall, grim-looking general” appears in the May 1974 The #StarWars rough draft
— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) August 3, 2019
3. Darth Vader is not Luke Skywalker’s father until the April 1, 1978 second draft of #EmpireStrikesBack
4. “Darth” doesn’t mean anything in Dutch or German
MYTH BUSTED pic.twitter.com/UaxMKKMwtK
This faulty origin story about Darth Vader’s name is pretty common:
Take it home, Phil.
To summarize, the name “Vader” appeared months before being paired up with “Darth”. And “Darth Vader” appeared long before the protagonist was an orphaned teen. So “dark father” being the inspiration or translation for “Darth Vader” doesn’t make much sense.
— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) August 13, 2019
When The Mandalorian drops on Disney+ this November, fans unfamiliar with Mandalorian bounty hunters will get a cash course in the type. Until then, however, did you know some folks actually thought Boba Fett’s ship, Slave I, was based on the shape of street lamps?
2. #StarWars creator George Lucas interpreted the round Slave I in 3/4 perspective as an oval so the design changed.
— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) August 5, 2019
3. Only while building the Slave I model did an @ILMVFX employee point out to Rodis-Jamero that nearby street lamps resembled the ovoid ship.
MYTH BUSTED pic.twitter.com/SQzYOd2gla
You heard the man. Next.
Finally, Szostak busts a myth regarding a part of Star Wars that is very near and dear to my heart: the work of Ralph McQuarrie, who made concept art for the original trilogy.
3. Even with the concept art & models as visual aids, Fox put a “moratorium” on further #StarWars development in October 1975.
— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) August 9, 2019
4. The Fox board of directors met in December 1975 and finally green-lit the film.
(screengrabs from The Making of Star Wars) pic.twitter.com/va8UhCZpkm
A print of the above image of a very different-looking Luke facing off against a different-looking of Vader — both of them with white lightsabers — is framed and hanging in my office. What I didn’t know is that people thought McQuarrie’s art is what caused Fox to greenlight A New Hope.
5. Each Fox board member had been given a portfolio of McQuarrie and Joe Johnston art. But it is generally agreed that Lucas’ relationship with Fox executive Alan Ladd Jr. and his belief in the project that got #StarWars the green light.
— Phil Szostak (@PhilSzostak) August 9, 2019
MYTH BUSTED pic.twitter.com/ROJQnJwAlO
Szostak is interacting with fans constantly in his mythbusting crusade, so hop over to his Twitter account and tweet him your questions.
Before you go, Stephen Zavala, a concept artist for Industrial Light & Magic, has created a cool image of what Star Wars might have looked like if it were made by Studio Ghibli, the legendary animation house behind movies like Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away:
"Studio Ghibli inspired Star Wars painting by Stephen Zavala from StarWars"
Love it. And Zavala should know his Star Wars, as he’s worked on The Last Jedi, Rogue One and Solo.
dark. Next. Rumor: Ewan McGregor to reprise role as Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+?
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