10 Interesting Facts About 'Star Wars' You Never Knew
Star Wars is a series that has spanned several generations, and with any series that has lasted that long, there are bound to be a few behind-the-scenes goofs, random factoids, compromises, and interesting tidbits that not everyone may be aware of. Conversely, when a series has existed since 1977, it can be hard to find information that fans don’t already know. That is doubly true for a series like Star Wars that also exists in the age of the internet. That being said, I compiled a list of some Star Wars facts that I don’t see widely talked about but are still interesting.
10. Lightsaber Sounds
We have all had some amazing backyard lightsaber duels in our day, and everyone knows that no lightsaber duel is complete without the iconic “zzzzzrrrrr” sound that comes from the sabers. Unfortunately, in the actual movies, actors are not allowed to make those noises because they get added in during post-production. However, that has not stopped many of the actors in the films, most notably Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. After too many childhood lightsaber duels, they would constantly subconsciously make the noises during the filming of their scenes.
9. Tarkin’s Slippers
Peter Cushing is a renowned actor and portrayed Grand Moff Tarkin perfectly in the original Star Wars film. Apparently, he also has large feet, which did not fit well in the stock boots that were part of his costume. They hurt his feet so much, that he asked George Lucas to shoot him from the waist up as much as he could. George said yes, and he even gave Cushing a pair of slippers to wear instead.
8. James Bond and the Princes
Star Wars is no stranger to the occasional cameo, and there have been many great ones throughout the years. J.J. Abrams also made sure to pack in as many cameos as he could in his Star Wars films. From Kevin Smith to Simon Pegg, there are some truly great cameos in the flicks. The greatest cameos may come from James Bond actor Daniel Craig who played a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens. He played the stormtrooper guarding Rey’s cell who was later manipulated by the old Jedi mind trick. There was also a scene shot for The Last Jedi featuring Prince Harry, Prince William, and Tom Hardy as stormtroopers. Unfortunately, the scene was deleted from the final film, but it would have been great to see two princes and Mad Max appearing in Star Wars together.
7. Ewoks
The loveably adorable Ewoks played a huge part in helping the Rebels in Return of the Jedi, and they have since become iconic creatures in the Star Wars universe and in pop culture. However, the actual name “Ewok” is never used in the original Star Wars films. Though we all know who they are, and some astute fans even know some of their individual names, they are never mentioned by name at any point. Behind the scenes, the script would give insight to their names for the actors and crew to help with scenes, but never in the dialogue. We can thank the Star Wars toys and action figures for revealing that mystery since it was on those figures that fans finally figured out what these little creatures were called.
6. George Lucas and Darth Vader
While most everyone knows James Earl Jones provided the iconic voice of Darth Vader, only astute fans might know that David Prowse wore the suit of Vader. That may be due in part to the constant feud Prowse and Lucas had throughout the films and even after. It is tough to say why the actor and director couldn’t get along. Some reports claim that it was because Prowse revealed spoilers to the movies before they came out, and others say it is because Lucas cast someone to play Anakin Skywalker in the “unmasked” scene in Return of the Jedi. This all came to a head in 2010 when Lucas banned Prowse from Star Wars conventions, which is terribly unfortunate for such an icon of the series.
5. Carrie’s Hair
Few hairstyles are as iconic in pop culture than the famous hair-buns that Carrie Fisher wears in Star Wars. It is probably one of the first images people think of when they imagine Star Wars. Carrie Fisher actually gave us more information about it in her book The Princess Diarist. In the book, she says that it was actually the aftermath of a lot of exotic hairstyles presented by her hairdresser. Although she liked it better than the rest, it was not her favorite look. However, when she was asked by George Lucas what she thought, she responded, “I love it!”
4. Practical Miniatures
The Phantom Menace tends to get mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. One of the biggest complaints of it, and the other prequels, is the heavy reliance on computer-generated characters and scenes. However, according to John Knoll, who was an ILM visual effects supervisor, The Phantom Menace actually contains the most practical miniature effects of any Star Wars film. I am not sure if that will help fan opinions of the film, but it might be an example of how good the miniature work is on the film.
3. Darth Vader Twist
We all know that the reveal of Darth Vader being Luke’s father is one of the greatest twists in movie history. It is a scene that has so much weight and power that still resonates throughout the entire series. George had to have Master Yoda reiterate the revelation in Return of the Jedi to cement it as the truth. Lucas was told by a child psychologist that kids would not believe the revelation and think it was a lie if it came from an evil character like Darth Vader. That is why he had Yoda repeat the truth in Episode VI.
2. George Lucas and the Director’s Guild
The opening of any Star Wars film is largely the same, and it has been since the original 1977 release. This caused a lot of problems for George Lucas, though. This actually went against the Guild standards at the time. The Guild required all movies to begin with a typical opening credits scene, but George Lucas had his own ideas for the opening. Instead of changing the film, he paid his fine and left the DGA, but this would cause problems a little later. . .
1. Spielberg Couldn’t Direct Star Wars
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have been friends for years. When it came time for Lucas to finish his trilogy of movies with Return of the Jedi, Spielberg was Lucas' first choice. As said above, the Director’s Guild was still upset with Lucas for not using a traditional opening crawl in his movies, and they forbade anyone in the guild from working on the film. This would unfortunately include Steven Spielberg. That, of course, led Lucas to choosing Richard Marquand to direct the film. However, Spielberg would eventually help out in future Star Wars movies.