What do you think?
Rate this book
The Star Wars Archives
The Star Wars Archives. 1977–1983
Star Wars exploded onto our cinema screens in 1977, and the world has not been the same since. After watching depressing and cynical movies throughout the early 1970s, audiences enthusiastically embraced the positive energy of the Star Wars universe as they followed moisture farmer Luke Skywalker on his journey through galaxies, meeting extraordinary characters like mysterious hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, space pirates Han Solo and Chewbacca, bumbling droids C-3PO and R2-D2, bold Princess Leia and the horrific Darth Vader, servant of the dark, malevolent Emperor.
Writer, director, and producer George Lucas created the modern monomyth of our times, one that resonates with the child in us all. He achieved this by forming Industrial Light & Magic and developing cutting-edge special effects technology, which he combined with innovative editing techniques and a heightened sense of sound to give audiences a unique sensory cinematic experience.
Made with the full cooperation of George Lucas and Lucasfilm, this first volume covers the making of the original trilogy – Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi– and features an exclusive interview with Lucas. The book is profusely illustrated with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters.
“Love people. That’s basically all Star Wars is.”
— George Lucas
Writer, director, and producer George Lucas created the modern monomyth of our times, one that resonates with the child in us all. He achieved this by forming Industrial Light & Magic and developing cutting-edge special effects technology, which he combined with innovative editing techniques and a heightened sense of sound to give audiences a unique sensory cinematic experience.
Made with the full cooperation of George Lucas and Lucasfilm, this first volume covers the making of the original trilogy – Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi– and features an exclusive interview with Lucas. The book is profusely illustrated with script pages, production documents, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, stills, and posters.
“Love people. That’s basically all Star Wars is.”
— George Lucas
604 pages, Hardcover
First published December 15, 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 16, 2019
FANTASTIC! Yes the pricetag is a bit hefty, but it’s worth it for this hefty tome. Full of wonderful photos, memories, and details about the making of the original Star Wars. An excellent companion piece to J.W. Rinzler’s, “Making of Star Wars.”
If you are a fan it’s a must read.
If you are a fan it’s a must read.
March 23, 2021
Es una tragedia. Un coche es embestido por otro. El Fiat Bianchina da varias vueltas de campanas. El cinturón se rompe. Su conductor sale disparado. El vehículo choca contra un nogal. El muchacho que llevaba el automóvil solo tiene dieciocho años y es llevado de forma urgente al hospital. Sus padres se esperan lo peor. El nombre del herido es George Lucas:
«No me rompí ningún hueso, pero se me habían aplastado los pulmones. Era un milagro que siguiera vivo. Fue algo así como: «Bueno, aquí estoy, y cada día es un día de propina. Me han dado un día más y tengo que aprovecharlo al máximo». Cada día es un regalo. Quería aprovecharlo al máximo, como si estuviera empezando una nueva vida».
Un hecho que me fascina de este libro es leer sobre los diferentes borradores de las tres películas y ver las numerosas ideas descartadas. Algunas no se hicieron realidad por temas de efectos especiales, otras para abaratar costes, algunas porque no terminaban de encajar con el resto de las películas… Desde la guarida volcánica del Emperador pasando por el padrastro de Han Solo, sin olvidar a Nellith (la hermana perdida de Luke) o que el primer borrador no se pareciese casi en nada a lo que llegó finalmente a nuestras pantallas, es curioso ver cómo algunos de estos conceptos pudieron llegar a hacerse realidad o como sirvieron de base para las pinturas de Ralph McQuarrie que han servido de base para Rebels del digno sucesor de Lucas que es Dave Filoni.
A menudo se ha acusado a George Lucas de haberse vendido a las grandes compañías, cuando, en realidad, comprendemos que él tuvo que crear su propia industria para hacer realidad su película y que, si años después vendió la saga a Disney, es porque deseaba estar con su familia y no continuar siendo vilipendiado por los fans que ahora lo aclaman como una especie de redentor tras años de odio durante las precuelas. Más allá de agrias polémicas, el director dijo lo siguiente sobre lo que Star Wars había hecho con el público:
«No me había costado nada renunciar al éxito o comerciar con él de no ser por la felicidad que Star Wars ha proporcionado a alunas personas: eso tiene valor y doy por bueno el precio que he pagado, pero creo que ya he aportado mi granito de arena y ahora puedo invertir el tiempo en mí mismo. Espero poder recuperar un poco de la felicidad que hemos llevado fuera».
Desde mi punto de vista, como aficionado a la saga, pero también como contador de historias, veo en George Lucas una inspiración: podemos hundirnos, sentir que nuestra vida no tiene sentido y estar a punto de morir… Pero cada día es una propina y debemos aprovecharlo. Podemos crear obras que jamás se disfruten o crear obras esperanzadoras que conecten con los más jóvenes. Pienso que me gustaría recorrer ese sendero algún día.
La crítica continúa aquí
February 3, 2019
This book is awesome, I need say no more, worth every penny.
August 17, 2023
Easiest 5 stars ever! A must-read for any Star Wars fan - especially those that love behind the scenes and the making of movies!
One of my top
Star Wars books!
One of my top
Star Wars books!
May 3, 2021
"The Star Wars Archives" is a conflicted book. It wants to be a lot of things to a lot of people, but doesn't really excel at any of them.
For one, the format is huge. This allows for a lot of photos and paintings (a lot of which I'd never seen) being given a massive amount of space, but this makes this "coffee table" book weigh over 15 pounds and takes up the entire coffee table.
The images are great, for the most part. Any image from the final film is pulled from the 2011 Blu-ray Special Edition, even when the images next to them are from pre-production or post-production of the original shot. Most of these images are helpfully labelled, even to what version of the Special Edition the change was done, but not all of them. There are two images from Return of the Jedi that were added for the Special Edition that are not labelled.
The text tries to present an "oral history" type of format, but I feel like the history is soured. Quotes from George Lucas made during the original production are mixed with the author's own post-Disney interview, so sections where Lucas talks about not having any idea where the story is going are intermixed with sections where Modern Lucas tries to make it sound like he had it planned all along. It would make for a confusing reading for someone who might reference only this book for the story of how Star Wars was made.
The format of the book is also confusing because the images all go through the movie in chronological order of the movie and the text goes in chronological order of the production. Very rarely does the text match what the images are talking about. I can understand why this is, J.W. Rinzler's books already exist, and this is more of a coffee table book. But I think it shows one of the flaws of trying to make a book all things for all people. It just gets muddled.
For one, the format is huge. This allows for a lot of photos and paintings (a lot of which I'd never seen) being given a massive amount of space, but this makes this "coffee table" book weigh over 15 pounds and takes up the entire coffee table.
The images are great, for the most part. Any image from the final film is pulled from the 2011 Blu-ray Special Edition, even when the images next to them are from pre-production or post-production of the original shot. Most of these images are helpfully labelled, even to what version of the Special Edition the change was done, but not all of them. There are two images from Return of the Jedi that were added for the Special Edition that are not labelled.
The text tries to present an "oral history" type of format, but I feel like the history is soured. Quotes from George Lucas made during the original production are mixed with the author's own post-Disney interview, so sections where Lucas talks about not having any idea where the story is going are intermixed with sections where Modern Lucas tries to make it sound like he had it planned all along. It would make for a confusing reading for someone who might reference only this book for the story of how Star Wars was made.
The format of the book is also confusing because the images all go through the movie in chronological order of the movie and the text goes in chronological order of the production. Very rarely does the text match what the images are talking about. I can understand why this is, J.W. Rinzler's books already exist, and this is more of a coffee table book. But I think it shows one of the flaws of trying to make a book all things for all people. It just gets muddled.
June 10, 2021
Having read the Prequels archive book on its GIGANTIC format, I was worried this smaller version of the Original Trilogy archives would feel disappointing by comparison.... but no. This is as entertaining and well-researched as its enormous counterparts.
As usual, we have the whole story of the three movies; from their conception, to the casting and filming and post-production process. We have interviews with the cast and crew, but mainly George Lucas himself (mixing interviews from the 70s and 80s, with more contemporary stuff), as well as his small army of producers and directors. All of this results in both old and new info --proving, for example, that Lucas was MUCH more hands-on on 'Empire' and 'Jedi' than most people give him credit for, but also that Richard Marquand (one of the unsung heroes of the Star Wars franchise) also had a LOT to do with the success of the movie he directed. Fascinating stuff.
Yeah, the book has a very abrupt ending (although the last sentence, spoken by Lucas, feels rather appropriate). And yes, some of the photo descriptions in this edition might be too small for some (although I personally had no problems). But it still is a magnificent resource of invaluable information about the original Star Wars Trilogy. Will Paul Duncan ever do a similar book for the Sequels? Even though I'm not a fan of those movies, I would be MORE than willing to read it. Somebody make it happen, please!
As usual, we have the whole story of the three movies; from their conception, to the casting and filming and post-production process. We have interviews with the cast and crew, but mainly George Lucas himself (mixing interviews from the 70s and 80s, with more contemporary stuff), as well as his small army of producers and directors. All of this results in both old and new info --proving, for example, that Lucas was MUCH more hands-on on 'Empire' and 'Jedi' than most people give him credit for, but also that Richard Marquand (one of the unsung heroes of the Star Wars franchise) also had a LOT to do with the success of the movie he directed. Fascinating stuff.
Yeah, the book has a very abrupt ending (although the last sentence, spoken by Lucas, feels rather appropriate). And yes, some of the photo descriptions in this edition might be too small for some (although I personally had no problems). But it still is a magnificent resource of invaluable information about the original Star Wars Trilogy. Will Paul Duncan ever do a similar book for the Sequels? Even though I'm not a fan of those movies, I would be MORE than willing to read it. Somebody make it happen, please!
April 5, 2022
OK, yes I enjoyed it. It’s a behind the scenes book on Star Wars with new interviews. Sold. Yes, I’ve seen all the “obscure photos” before. Sure. But two things:
1. For the uninitiated it’s a terrific omnibus of all that went into it.
2. For the initiated, it’s a good companion piece to JW Rinzler’s terrific works that covered the same grounds but were arguably more comprehensive.
All said, Marquand also comes off better than the rep he’s been slapped with over the years. He’s given a fair amount of respect and some of the crappier things on record said about his efforts are left out. For that I grade generously.
1. For the uninitiated it’s a terrific omnibus of all that went into it.
2. For the initiated, it’s a good companion piece to JW Rinzler’s terrific works that covered the same grounds but were arguably more comprehensive.
All said, Marquand also comes off better than the rep he’s been slapped with over the years. He’s given a fair amount of respect and some of the crappier things on record said about his efforts are left out. For that I grade generously.
December 20, 2020
This book does not deserve 5 stars, but at least 7! This is a massive undertaking of knowledge about Star Wars and the creation of the original trilogy, with interviews with George Lucas, the crew and cast.
Plus it includes as a bonus the related projects such as the Holiday Special, the Ewok TV movies and the Ewoks and Droids cartoons.
The sheer size and quality of it allows for impressive one or two-page displays of photos, many of them never seen before.
This is a volume that might cost a lot but that is worth every penny you pay for it. Can't wait to get my hands on the second volume.
Plus it includes as a bonus the related projects such as the Holiday Special, the Ewok TV movies and the Ewoks and Droids cartoons.
The sheer size and quality of it allows for impressive one or two-page displays of photos, many of them never seen before.
This is a volume that might cost a lot but that is worth every penny you pay for it. Can't wait to get my hands on the second volume.
January 11, 2022
A truly beautiful book. The pictures are fantastic, and cover everything from early scripts to pre-production sketches to Ralph McQuarrie's gorgeous paintings to behind-the-scenes shots on set to final images from the movies. The text alongside the images is full of interesting anecdotes and thought processes. I love how the book presents so many of the different ideas that George Lucas (and everyone else involved) had and tried to work in to the movies, and all the radical changes that went along with that.
The one thing I would ding the book for is that lines from interviews over the past 40 years are all mixed together, which does make for a compelling story but can also be a bit confusing. Really I just wanted to see each quote sourced directly so that I can see what is from 1977 George Lucas or 2018 George Lucas (especially since the book is styled as an "archive"), though I am sure that would have been distracting itself so no easy solutions I guess.
At the end of the day, though, this was a joy to read, and I think I will love flipping back through the pictures for a long time to come. I absolutely give it 5 stars.
The one thing I would ding the book for is that lines from interviews over the past 40 years are all mixed together, which does make for a compelling story but can also be a bit confusing. Really I just wanted to see each quote sourced directly so that I can see what is from 1977 George Lucas or 2018 George Lucas (especially since the book is styled as an "archive"), though I am sure that would have been distracting itself so no easy solutions I guess.
At the end of the day, though, this was a joy to read, and I think I will love flipping back through the pictures for a long time to come. I absolutely give it 5 stars.
December 24, 2020
The Star Wars Archives was amazing. Its focus is the "Why" of Star Wars. A glimpse into Lucas' intentions for how the movie should make you feel. Of what morals or can do spirit it could give a 12 year old. When I watched the movies as a boy it was all about how real, gritty and rough the world felt. After reading this I realized the real story was simpler. The ethical choices, determination and can do attitude. It made me reflect on how many good life lessons I've lived by from the series and how they were on purpose. If you're into learning more about why things were chosen combined with the journey to find and make it this book is for you. The choice of highlight quotes was awesome. Here are a few of my favorite:
"George is immensely sensitive on a primordial basis to the nature of our culture, and he has a way of developing myths for a society that would like to think that it has outgrown a need for myths. His films allow us to confront the issues of childhood -- relating to one's parents, learning to be brave -- which adults like just as much as children, because most of us adults never dealt with those issues the way we wanted to in our own childhoods." - Harrison Ford
"You don't approach this type of movie with cynicism, because if you do you're dead. You can see it on the screen; you can smell the cynical director. And if you can tell it in any movie, then you can certainly tell it in Star Wars which is a movie about innocence." - Richard Marquand
"My films have a tendency to promote a personal self-esteem, a you-can-do-it attitude. Their mess is: 'Don't listen to everyone else. Discover your own feelings and follow them. Then you can overcome anything.' It's old fashioned -- and very American." - George Lucas
"The sense of group loyalty which you get from Jedi is enormous. I would love it if people came out feeling much better about the world they live in. It's the only world we've got and I think it's a pretty good one." - Richard Marquand
"Fairy tales are how people learn about good and evil, about how to conduct themselves in society... The young knight who through his virtue slays the Dragon." - George Lucas
"I was raised believing that right always wins -- and still believe it. It's a deceit of course and it's been replaced by cynicism. You can learn from cynicism, but you can't build on it. You can build on dreams." - George Lucas
"I come across so many people who are basically lost, and all they need is that kind of inspiration to say, 'Don't let all this get you down. You can do it. You may have to overcome a lot of fear, and get up a lot of courage, sometimes to do even the simplest things, sometimes just to get up in the morning. But you can do it. You can make a difference.'" - George Lucas
"There's nothing wrong with bringing pleasure to people." - George Lucas
I had some favorites from the text as well:
"The whole point of the film, the whole emotion that I am trying to get at the end of this film, is for you to be real uplifted, emotionally and spiritually, and feel absolutely good about life. That is the greatest thing that we could possibly ever do." - George Lucas.
The book itself is just amazing as well. A full size amazing coffee table book. The images are big enough for you to be a bit overwhelmed by them.
"George is immensely sensitive on a primordial basis to the nature of our culture, and he has a way of developing myths for a society that would like to think that it has outgrown a need for myths. His films allow us to confront the issues of childhood -- relating to one's parents, learning to be brave -- which adults like just as much as children, because most of us adults never dealt with those issues the way we wanted to in our own childhoods." - Harrison Ford
"You don't approach this type of movie with cynicism, because if you do you're dead. You can see it on the screen; you can smell the cynical director. And if you can tell it in any movie, then you can certainly tell it in Star Wars which is a movie about innocence." - Richard Marquand
"My films have a tendency to promote a personal self-esteem, a you-can-do-it attitude. Their mess is: 'Don't listen to everyone else. Discover your own feelings and follow them. Then you can overcome anything.' It's old fashioned -- and very American." - George Lucas
"The sense of group loyalty which you get from Jedi is enormous. I would love it if people came out feeling much better about the world they live in. It's the only world we've got and I think it's a pretty good one." - Richard Marquand
"Fairy tales are how people learn about good and evil, about how to conduct themselves in society... The young knight who through his virtue slays the Dragon." - George Lucas
"I was raised believing that right always wins -- and still believe it. It's a deceit of course and it's been replaced by cynicism. You can learn from cynicism, but you can't build on it. You can build on dreams." - George Lucas
"I come across so many people who are basically lost, and all they need is that kind of inspiration to say, 'Don't let all this get you down. You can do it. You may have to overcome a lot of fear, and get up a lot of courage, sometimes to do even the simplest things, sometimes just to get up in the morning. But you can do it. You can make a difference.'" - George Lucas
"There's nothing wrong with bringing pleasure to people." - George Lucas
I had some favorites from the text as well:
"The whole point of the film, the whole emotion that I am trying to get at the end of this film, is for you to be real uplifted, emotionally and spiritually, and feel absolutely good about life. That is the greatest thing that we could possibly ever do." - George Lucas.
The book itself is just amazing as well. A full size amazing coffee table book. The images are big enough for you to be a bit overwhelmed by them.
March 1, 2022
Finished reading “The Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983 (Episodes IV-VI) (40th Anniversary Edition)” (2020), edited by Paul Duncan and published by TASCHEN tonight. The “40th Anniversary Edition” releases in 2020 were smaller sized (and much less expensive) rereleases of some of TASCHEN’s more popular high-end coffee table books released by them over the course of their first forty years as a publisher.
The “Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983 (Episodes IV-VI) book (the expensive oversized limited edition release) was published in 2018 and had a release price of $200. The 40th Anniversary Edition that I read (borrowed from the public library) reformats the material from a large wider-than-it-is-tall art style book into a more standard taller-than-it-is-wide format, necessitating reformatting the positions of the text and illustrations/photographs on each page from the original version. (It is also a much more affordable edition, with a release price of only $25.) However, I believe that some of the photos and illustrations were saved for only the original edition (not included in the newer edition).
This 40th Anniversary Edition is a nice thick book (512 pages) covering the production of all three of the original Star Wars movies (“Star Wars”, a.k.a. “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), and “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1983). The majority of the text is from interviews between author/editor Paul Duncan and George Lucas. The rest is interview quotes with the actors (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, etc.) as well as others behind the scenes (directors, producers, writers, etc. There are also production notes interspersed between the interview sections, including details such as which scenes were shot on which days and involved which actors.
The photos on each and every page are amazing. Behind the scenes production shots (including ones of the actors between takes) as well as preproduction sketches and illustrations.
The only thing that is a bit confusing at first is that the text and the pictures don’t go together, the two progressing along at different paces through the production of each movie. I developed a habit of looking at the pictures first and their captions, then back to whatever things Lucas and Duncan were talking about in the text.
The other thing about this smaller 40th Anniversary Edition release is that the gold ink on the front cover rubs off very easily, leaving partial lettering after your fingers have rubbed the gold ink off just from holding the book. I ended up buying a copy of my own, I enjoyed this book so much, but I just might have to wear gloves when handling it.
I highly recommend this book, though, for any fans of the original Star Wars movies. (There is also a second book covering the prequel trilogy, “The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005 (Episodes I-III), but it’s only available in the original 2020 $200 limited edition version still, no lower priced version as of yet.)
The “Star Wars Archives: 1977-1983 (Episodes IV-VI) book (the expensive oversized limited edition release) was published in 2018 and had a release price of $200. The 40th Anniversary Edition that I read (borrowed from the public library) reformats the material from a large wider-than-it-is-tall art style book into a more standard taller-than-it-is-wide format, necessitating reformatting the positions of the text and illustrations/photographs on each page from the original version. (It is also a much more affordable edition, with a release price of only $25.) However, I believe that some of the photos and illustrations were saved for only the original edition (not included in the newer edition).
This 40th Anniversary Edition is a nice thick book (512 pages) covering the production of all three of the original Star Wars movies (“Star Wars”, a.k.a. “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980), and “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1983). The majority of the text is from interviews between author/editor Paul Duncan and George Lucas. The rest is interview quotes with the actors (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, etc.) as well as others behind the scenes (directors, producers, writers, etc. There are also production notes interspersed between the interview sections, including details such as which scenes were shot on which days and involved which actors.
The photos on each and every page are amazing. Behind the scenes production shots (including ones of the actors between takes) as well as preproduction sketches and illustrations.
The only thing that is a bit confusing at first is that the text and the pictures don’t go together, the two progressing along at different paces through the production of each movie. I developed a habit of looking at the pictures first and their captions, then back to whatever things Lucas and Duncan were talking about in the text.
The other thing about this smaller 40th Anniversary Edition release is that the gold ink on the front cover rubs off very easily, leaving partial lettering after your fingers have rubbed the gold ink off just from holding the book. I ended up buying a copy of my own, I enjoyed this book so much, but I just might have to wear gloves when handling it.
I highly recommend this book, though, for any fans of the original Star Wars movies. (There is also a second book covering the prequel trilogy, “The Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005 (Episodes I-III), but it’s only available in the original 2020 $200 limited edition version still, no lower priced version as of yet.)
Read
January 2, 2022Bottom line up front, no, I don’t believe you need to read this book if you’ve read J. W. Rinzler’s excellent Making of Star Wars series. But, I think that great Star Wars whets your appetite for more Star Wars and this book certainly achieves that.
The best portions of this book (the Kerschner transcript from Empire, the story conference from Jedi) are truncated versions of what appear in the Making of books. And keep in mind this book is massive. Bigger than the 007 Archives. It is truly a coffee table book. I had to read it on a coffee table there was no other option. And that star field on the cover? That’s glitter baby. And I got it on me good trying to read it in my lap with reckless abandon for my neck. If you’re interested in photographs though they’re displayed here pretty gloriously and the format was clearly chosen with that in mind.
What this book offers that Rinzler’s don’t necessarily is new interviews with George Lucas conducted in 2017 with sufficient hindsight on the whole original trilogy. There are certainly insights to be garnered from hearing directly from Lucas himself, though not necessarily on any particularly thorny topics you’d be dying to get his take on.
With all this in mind, I am of the opinion that Rinzler’s books are the greatest piece of behind the scenes content about movie making that have ever been produced and so I am setting an incredibly high bar for this volume of the Star Wars Archives. That bar is not present for the follow up volume that covers the prequels, only one of which was covered by Rinzler in a currently out of print book that I haven’t been able to get my hands on. So I am honestly psyched as hell for the next volume.
Bottom line down back, if you’ve only read this book and you haven’t read Rinzler’s I would strongly recommend you still check out Rinzler’s, whereas if you’ve already read Rinzler’s books but not this one, the value added in grabbing this massive tome probably falls short of the price tag on this brick (though the regular-sized, reasonably priced Taschen 40th Anniversary Edition would probably be worth it for the Lucas interviews).
The best portions of this book (the Kerschner transcript from Empire, the story conference from Jedi) are truncated versions of what appear in the Making of books. And keep in mind this book is massive. Bigger than the 007 Archives. It is truly a coffee table book. I had to read it on a coffee table there was no other option. And that star field on the cover? That’s glitter baby. And I got it on me good trying to read it in my lap with reckless abandon for my neck. If you’re interested in photographs though they’re displayed here pretty gloriously and the format was clearly chosen with that in mind.
What this book offers that Rinzler’s don’t necessarily is new interviews with George Lucas conducted in 2017 with sufficient hindsight on the whole original trilogy. There are certainly insights to be garnered from hearing directly from Lucas himself, though not necessarily on any particularly thorny topics you’d be dying to get his take on.
With all this in mind, I am of the opinion that Rinzler’s books are the greatest piece of behind the scenes content about movie making that have ever been produced and so I am setting an incredibly high bar for this volume of the Star Wars Archives. That bar is not present for the follow up volume that covers the prequels, only one of which was covered by Rinzler in a currently out of print book that I haven’t been able to get my hands on. So I am honestly psyched as hell for the next volume.
Bottom line down back, if you’ve only read this book and you haven’t read Rinzler’s I would strongly recommend you still check out Rinzler’s, whereas if you’ve already read Rinzler’s books but not this one, the value added in grabbing this massive tome probably falls short of the price tag on this brick (though the regular-sized, reasonably priced Taschen 40th Anniversary Edition would probably be worth it for the Lucas interviews).
May 29, 2024
Preciosa obra que relata todo lo sucedido durante los rodajes de la trilogía original de Star Wars. La forma en que se narra me ha parecido muy buena y enriquecedora, haciendo muy interesante la lectura, sobre todo porque ves los pensamientos de aquellos que vivieron Star wars en primera persona mediante este sistema de entrevistas. La aparición de los protagonistas no solo actores sino todos aquellos detrás de cámara cuyo trabajo es también clave da un toque muy humano a esta obra pues no solo relatan sino que dan su punto de vista, las cosas buenas o malas de la filmación o las ideas y experiencias que aportaron a la trilogía. Hay que destacar las imágenes que son preciosas y generan junto al texto una idea realista de como debió ser la filmación de este clásico del género de la ciencia ficción. Un 10/10 que recomiendo a todo aquel que le guste Star Wars o quiera saber más sobre ello pues la lectura es entretenida y para nada se hace pesada gracias a ese apartado gráfico.
Por poner un pero destacaría la gran cantidad de información sobre grabación de películas y tecnología fílmica que aparece a lo largo del libro. No es algo por lo que desechar la obra ni mucho menos, pero si es cierto que para todo aquel que no tenga mucha idea sobre el tema algunas partes puedan sonar a chino (como es mi caso). Esto puede resultar positivo si como yo te interesas y buscas un poco la clase de avances tecnológicos y técnicas utilizadas se usaron a lo largo de las grabaciones.
Por poner un pero destacaría la gran cantidad de información sobre grabación de películas y tecnología fílmica que aparece a lo largo del libro. No es algo por lo que desechar la obra ni mucho menos, pero si es cierto que para todo aquel que no tenga mucha idea sobre el tema algunas partes puedan sonar a chino (como es mi caso). Esto puede resultar positivo si como yo te interesas y buscas un poco la clase de avances tecnológicos y técnicas utilizadas se usaron a lo largo de las grabaciones.
February 2, 2023
Este libro es casi una enciclopedia de conocimiento sobre la historia de la trilogía original de Star Wars. Utilizando material primario, Paul Duncan entrelaza de manera individual el proceso creativo que llevó cada película desde una idea en la cabeza de George Lucas a la pantalla grande.
Lo que no me gustó:
- Hay unas secciones que son bien técnicas, y que para una persona que no sabe absolutamente nada de como funciona un "crew" de películas o efectos especiales no hace mucho sentido.
- Es casi completamente diálogo. Me hubiese gustado un poco más de una voz narrativa uniendo los pedazos de estas entrevistas con el resultado final.
Lo mejor del libro:
- Las fotos! Hay imágenes brutales de todos los artistas con los conceptos iniciales a base de la historia. Uno puede ver como algunos fueron evolucionando hasta convertirse en realidad, como otros eran tan imaginativos que fueron rechazados y como algunos han sido adoptados en proyectos actuales tanto de animación como live-action.
- George Lucas. Hay muchísima información de los pensamientos de George, su filosofía y razones para hacer lo que hizo. Cuando una termina uno siente que lo conoce de mucho tiempo. También es increíble ver el valor de poner tantas cosas en riesgo para seguir una meta. Inspiración es una palabra que viene a la mente.
Lo que no me gustó:
- Hay unas secciones que son bien técnicas, y que para una persona que no sabe absolutamente nada de como funciona un "crew" de películas o efectos especiales no hace mucho sentido.
- Es casi completamente diálogo. Me hubiese gustado un poco más de una voz narrativa uniendo los pedazos de estas entrevistas con el resultado final.
Lo mejor del libro:
- Las fotos! Hay imágenes brutales de todos los artistas con los conceptos iniciales a base de la historia. Uno puede ver como algunos fueron evolucionando hasta convertirse en realidad, como otros eran tan imaginativos que fueron rechazados y como algunos han sido adoptados en proyectos actuales tanto de animación como live-action.
- George Lucas. Hay muchísima información de los pensamientos de George, su filosofía y razones para hacer lo que hizo. Cuando una termina uno siente que lo conoce de mucho tiempo. También es increíble ver el valor de poner tantas cosas en riesgo para seguir una meta. Inspiración es una palabra que viene a la mente.
November 4, 2022
Una obra de obligada lectura para cualquier aficionado a Star Wars.
Taschen es una editorial que nunca defrauda, tanto por la calidad de sus ediciones como por sus textos; no es diferente en esta obra.
A lo largo de las 500 páginas, vamos desgranando no sólo las tripas de cómo se gestó una de las leyendas del cine sino que, para aquellos que no conocemos el proceso que lleva a plasmar una idea en una película, resulta muy ilustrativo.
Aprender un poco más sobre todos esos pequeños detalles, cómo se tomaron ciertas decisiones y porqué, el proceso creativo y las dificultades de un proyecto de esta envergadura hacen que se valore un poco más el conjunto de la obra.
Las fotografías e ilustraciones, marca de la casa Taschen, son un fantástico complemento a un texto cuidado y ameno.
Quizá la trilogía original, dentro de este mundo de Star Wars expandido por Disney, hsya quedado como una reliquia nostálgica para los que ya superamos los 40, pero no deja de ser una obra que, en cierto modo, cambió el modo de ver y hacer cine tal y como lo conocemos ahora.
Taschen es una editorial que nunca defrauda, tanto por la calidad de sus ediciones como por sus textos; no es diferente en esta obra.
A lo largo de las 500 páginas, vamos desgranando no sólo las tripas de cómo se gestó una de las leyendas del cine sino que, para aquellos que no conocemos el proceso que lleva a plasmar una idea en una película, resulta muy ilustrativo.
Aprender un poco más sobre todos esos pequeños detalles, cómo se tomaron ciertas decisiones y porqué, el proceso creativo y las dificultades de un proyecto de esta envergadura hacen que se valore un poco más el conjunto de la obra.
Las fotografías e ilustraciones, marca de la casa Taschen, son un fantástico complemento a un texto cuidado y ameno.
Quizá la trilogía original, dentro de este mundo de Star Wars expandido por Disney, hsya quedado como una reliquia nostálgica para los que ya superamos los 40, pero no deja de ser una obra que, en cierto modo, cambió el modo de ver y hacer cine tal y como lo conocemos ahora.
January 5, 2023
This book is just so excellent!!! If you're a Star Wars fan or have one in your life, get yourself or them this book!!!
This is perfection and so well done, and this 40th Anniversary Edition has an incredible quality-price value, this edition is a much cheaper than the big one but the quality in image is still so good, with incredible photos from the movies, the behind-the-scenes, storyboards, script pages and so much more in between!!!
As someone who this year also read the George Lucas biography and has been watching the Light & Magic documentary on Disney Plus, there are things I already knew about, but in no way takes the enjoyment of the book!!! Here you'll have the information all in one place, with the actual words from Lucas, the cast, crew and producers - the interviews let yourself build up and learn what the set and filming process with, and it's really interesting how the text from the three movies is not formulaic but each gives you a different thing.
Really just get it!!! It's a Star Wars fan need!!!
This is perfection and so well done, and this 40th Anniversary Edition has an incredible quality-price value, this edition is a much cheaper than the big one but the quality in image is still so good, with incredible photos from the movies, the behind-the-scenes, storyboards, script pages and so much more in between!!!
As someone who this year also read the George Lucas biography and has been watching the Light & Magic documentary on Disney Plus, there are things I already knew about, but in no way takes the enjoyment of the book!!! Here you'll have the information all in one place, with the actual words from Lucas, the cast, crew and producers - the interviews let yourself build up and learn what the set and filming process with, and it's really interesting how the text from the three movies is not formulaic but each gives you a different thing.
Really just get it!!! It's a Star Wars fan need!!!
July 26, 2022
Nota real : 9/10
Libro de cine y arte, para los amantes de la saga como para aquellos que les gusta como se construyen este tipo de películas.
En este caso, dividido en tres partes, uno para cada película a través de entrevistas con diferentes miembros del equipo de producción, podemos ver como las películas se construyeron mientras ya se rodaban, como iba cambiando el guion, como se superaban problemas técnicos ya fuera por la necesidad de nuevas técnicas de filmación de los efectos especiales, o como reconducir escenas por la falta de presupuesto, así como los constantes cambios en la construcción de decorados y localizaciones.
Una obra amena de leer al estar basada en las entrevistas, lo que da diferentes puntos de vista y no una visión lineal del autor. El otro gran input del libro, son las numerosas fotografías, algunas de ellas inéditas, todas procedentes de los archivos de producción.
Libro de cine y arte, para los amantes de la saga como para aquellos que les gusta como se construyen este tipo de películas.
En este caso, dividido en tres partes, uno para cada película a través de entrevistas con diferentes miembros del equipo de producción, podemos ver como las películas se construyeron mientras ya se rodaban, como iba cambiando el guion, como se superaban problemas técnicos ya fuera por la necesidad de nuevas técnicas de filmación de los efectos especiales, o como reconducir escenas por la falta de presupuesto, así como los constantes cambios en la construcción de decorados y localizaciones.
Una obra amena de leer al estar basada en las entrevistas, lo que da diferentes puntos de vista y no una visión lineal del autor. El otro gran input del libro, son las numerosas fotografías, algunas de ellas inéditas, todas procedentes de los archivos de producción.
July 14, 2023
A very good insight into the arduous production of the first three movies! I do with that the actors were interviewed more and that the pictures aligned up with the topic being discussed. These are minor complaints and I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an insight to how the movies were made! A huge highlight of this book was reading some of the original scripts for each movie and seeing how much they got changed. It was also cool to hear about some deleted scenes and see pictures of how they were made! It was also very cool to see where all the locations of the sets were and how much time and money went into building all the sets and models for each movie!
July 29, 2023
Me gusta el cine. Me encanta ver los making off de las películas, para ver cómo se rodaron, cómo se trasladaba la historia a imágenes y sonido, los efectos especiales, la banda sonora,… Y también me gusta Star Wars, especialmente la trilogía original.
Así que cuando me regalaron este libro, antes de abrirlo ya tenía, digamos, cierta predisposición a que me gustase. Y lo cierto es que no me ha defraudado para nada. Este libro es un compendio espectacular de notas de producción, páginas de guión y de storyboard, fotos del rodaje,… Una delicia si te gustan las películas de Star Wars y saber cómo se rodaron.
Así que cuando me regalaron este libro, antes de abrirlo ya tenía, digamos, cierta predisposición a que me gustase. Y lo cierto es que no me ha defraudado para nada. Este libro es un compendio espectacular de notas de producción, páginas de guión y de storyboard, fotos del rodaje,… Una delicia si te gustan las películas de Star Wars y saber cómo se rodaron.
August 7, 2023
This book was so good! Star Wars had such an impact on me growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. I was 8 years old when my older brother took me to see The Empire Strikes Back, one of my favorite films. It took me a while to go through The Star Wars Archives because there is so much information! If you want to be a filmmaker - this is a must read. I went to film school in the 1990s and wish we had a book like this. I loved reading about the story process for all three movies, especially the section on Return of the Jedi. There is a lot of cool details about special effects. Of course there are lots of awesome pictures. Definitely worth your time.
August 3, 2021
No le doy más estrellas porque no me dejan, Como fanático de Star Wars e leído y visto cualquier cantidad de bibliografias y documentales por lo que mi expectativas con este libro eran bastantes comedidas sin embargo con sólo unas pocas páginas ya estaba gratamente sorprendido que iba ser una gran experiencia leer este libro.
Muchísima información nueva para mi, con material visual como las pinturas conceptuales, guiones gráficos y primeros guiones que fueron sencillamente oro.
Felicidades y ojalá esta casa editorial se anime a sacar otro libro pero de los 3 primeros episodios
Muchísima información nueva para mi, con material visual como las pinturas conceptuales, guiones gráficos y primeros guiones que fueron sencillamente oro.
Felicidades y ojalá esta casa editorial se anime a sacar otro libro pero de los 3 primeros episodios
October 20, 2023
Una auténtica joya, no puede faltar en la biblioteca de nadie que sea fan de esta saga. Solo por el material gráfico (fotogramas de las películas, fotos del rodaje, de las maquetas, storyboards…) ya sería imprescindible, pero además el texto, aunque pudiera parecer de primeras farragoso o pesado, porque detalla guiones descartados, anécdotas de rodaje, etc…. es muy ameno y de lectura ágil. Obviamente, no conozco todos los libros que se han escrito sobre Star Wars, pero me cuesta creer que pueda haber alguno mejor que este.
September 15, 2019
An absolutely stunning volume — truly a treasure for fans of the original Star Wars trilogy. An oral history stuffed with incredible behind-the-scenes photos, concept art, and storyboards, presented in a lavish oversize format, The Star Wars Archives takes you on an incredible journey through the films' creation. Even if you've read all the other books about the making of Star Wars, this one will open your eyes.
June 29, 2021
Uno cree que conoce la historia de cómo se hizo la trilogía original, pero este libro profundiza en la búsqueda, el cómo y el porqué detrás de la motivación de Lucas para realizar estas maravillosas películas.
El libro es como un parque de atracciones, con fotos, anécdotas, bocetos, scans de páginas de guion... sin duda un abanico de características que hacen la lectura muy amena.
Recomendadísimo.
El libro es como un parque de atracciones, con fotos, anécdotas, bocetos, scans de páginas de guion... sin duda un abanico de características que hacen la lectura muy amena.
Recomendadísimo.
August 9, 2023
Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Star Wars, in comes this wonderful insight into the production of The Original Trilogy. Tons of behind the scene photos, storyboards and concept art, and even early drafts of the script. It was fascinating to learn how the films evolved overtime and how scrapped ideas were later integrated into the prequel trilogy and other Star Wars stories.
April 3, 2022
Excellent. Was very interested to read of the way Lucas developed the original scripts and how the story changed, unfolded and adapted into the classic masterpieces we nearly all know.
Superb collection of illustrations and photos, many I’d not seen before.
Text was a little erratic at times, but I like Train of Thought writing anyway, so it wasn’t ever a problem.
Superb collection of illustrations and photos, many I’d not seen before.
Text was a little erratic at times, but I like Train of Thought writing anyway, so it wasn’t ever a problem.
June 24, 2022
The archive materials - photographs, production sketches, documents and extracts from treatments and draft scripts - are fascinating. However, the bulk of the book, an interview between George Lucas and Paul Duncan, is absolutely brutal. If you're getting outwitted by George Lucas, you're not gonna make it.
May 28, 2023
Easily the best book on the making of George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy, and essentially an oral history of the three films providing incredible insight into a creative visionary whose work inspired an entire generation’s worth of adults and kids alike. I especially very much enjoyed the behind-the-curtain look at how Lucas developed the story of the OG trilogy, from the first draft of The Star Wars to the final shooting script of Return of the Jedi.
November 4, 2023
I have heard most of these stories before, but I this always fun to dig into the history of Star Wars. I am the kind of person who wants to know how the magic trick is done , but is still amazed when the trick is preformed every time.
January 21, 2024
This is an interesting book, full of interesting details about the making of movies that were a huge part of my youth. I really enjoyed a lot of it. It really dug into the details of certain aspects of the creative process behind the craft, but I came away feeling that something was lacking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews