Archive-name: starwars/faq/part1 Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: 18-OCT-1995 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAR WARS Frequently Asked Questions and Sources of Information George 'Jake' Tringali (tringg@rpi.edu) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION ------------ In the 1970's, George Lucas created the Star Wars universe. From this universe came three films and numerous books, comics, games, and merchandise. The universe also spawned many Star Wars fans, who occasionally find their way onto the Internet where they can discuss Star Wars with other fans. This document was created in an attempt to stop the same questions from being asked and answered every few days The information included in this document comes from various Usenet newsgroups, most notably the rec.arts.sf.starwars.* newsgroups, and various publications. Most of the information in this document has been confirmed. If any of the information listed below is based on rumor, it is clearly stated. If you encounter any items in this document which you believe to be erroneous or missing, please feel free to drop a message to tringali@refine.enet.dec.com. This FAQ is available via anonymous FTP at rtfm.mit.edu in /pub/usenet/news.answers/starwars/faq/ This FAQ is available via the MIT mail server. Send email to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the body: send usenet/news.answers/starwars/faq/part1 send usenet/news.answers/starwars/faq/part2 send usenet/news.answers/starwars/faq/part3 You may view this document with a World Wide Web browser. The URL is: http://www.servtech.com/public/ejack/swars/faq/ This document is posted monthly to rec.arts.sf.starwars.info, rec.arts.sf.starwars.misc, rec.answers, and news.answers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- BASICS If you don't understand terms like "flaming," "ftp," "HTML," "WWW", "newsgroup," and "FAQ," or you are new to Usenet, this would be a good time to jump over to the newsgroup called "news.announce.newusers" and read some of the messages posted there. The information found in "news.announce.newusers" will be essential to understanding Usenet culture and a lot of the terms and abbreviations that appear here and elsewhere. Reading articles that explain Usenet etiquette ("netiquette") will also be helpful. For example, it's always a good idea to "lurk" (i.e., read messages and not write them) when you join a new newsgroup. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) lists like this one will appear, and you'll be able to understand what topics are discussed. It's a good idea to always read the FAQ before posting. Because a primer on Usenet (and the Internet) is beyond the scope of this FAQ list, I humbly direct you to "news.announce.newusers" for more information. If you want to ask a question about the Net, please ask in the newsgroup "news.newusers.questions" and reserve discussions about Star Wars for "rec.arts.sf.starwars.*". ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The most common netiquette mistakes made by Star Wars fans are : 1. Crossposting. A lot of people abuse this function. If you must send to more than one group, perhaps you should create two articles. If you crosspost, or followup to a crosspost, make sure you edit the "Followup To:" line so that it has only one newsgroup. You should always edit your "Newsgroups:" line so that it lists only relevant newsgroups. 2. Posting to the wrong newsgroup. Here is a list of Star Wars newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting Star Wars collecting (Look for the FAQ) rec.arts.sf.starwars.games Role playing, computer, card, etc. rec.arts.sf.starwars.misc Miscellaneous topics about SW rec.arts.sf.starwars.info General information about SW - moderated Group name: rec.arts.sf.starwars.info (moderated) Moderator: David Kemper Submissions address: Contact address: 3. Not marking spoilers. Have you ever had anyone tell you the ending of a movie/book before you got to experience it? This is a spoiler, and it can be done through Usenet. If you are posting sensitive information, please place the text "SPOILERS" in the title and body of the message. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Will there be any more Star Wars movies? When are they coming? Answer : The May 31, 1995 Daily Variety reports : George Lucas, now hard at work penning the next three installments of his "Star Wars" space epic, says he is likely to direct at least one of the films, the first of which he hopes will be in theaters in 1998. Budgets on each of the three films will be in the $50 million to $70 million price range, said Lucas..."Hopefully, next year we'll be able to start building some sets, start shooting some action sequences, and the next year we'll shoot the bulk of it," Lucas said. In Star Wars Insider, it says that Lucas is currently on a writing sabbatical, and that while there is no script yet, he is making real progress on the story. An art department was started, and Lucas meets with the department and Rick McCallum (the producer) about once a week. According to Jesse Berdinka at DragonCon, none of the filming will be done in the United States. Principal photography starts in January 1997. 2. Who is in the new movies? Answer: No one has been announced to be in the movies. Lucas denied a rumor that Kenneth Branagh would be in the new movies in an October 1994 TV Guide interview. Rick McCallum will be the producer for the new movies. He will film them back-to-back-to-back. It has not been determined if Lucas will direct the films yet. John Williams will create the score for the new movies. Jesse Berdinka reports from DragonCon that there is no cast yet, and they will start thinking about a cast in January 1996. He also reports that there will be lots of roles for children, but we have no more information on that. In the November 1995 Sci-Fi Magazine, Kenny Baker says that he has not been approached to appear as R2-D2 in the new films yet and that he does not know who has been approached. David Prowse also says that he would love to play Anakin, but that there is some talk about Mark Hammill playing that role. 3. What about the trilogy after Return of the Jedi? Answer: George Lucas has no real plans for these stories yet. It has been rumored that George Lucas asked Mark Hamill to appear in Episode 9. However, since there are no plans for Episode 9 yet, this seems to be only a rumor. 4. Who is writing the new Star Wars films? Answer: Lucas will write the first draft for all three movies, and second and additional drafts will be written by other writers. The Hollywood Reporter on January 23, 1995 said that Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption", "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein") is front-runner to script the first installment of George Lucas' upcoming "Star Wars" prequel. Darabont became a Lucas favorite by scripting six "Young Indiana Jones Chronicles". Darabont is committed to write two scripts for Castle Rock: "The Mist" and "Mine". 5. Will 20th Century Fox distribute the new trilogy? Answer: Most likely. However, 20th Century Fox, which produced the first three movies, lost the rights to the series when Marvin Davis sold the studio to Rupert Murdoch. DreamWorks SKG is another possibility. In the March 27, 1995 issue of Time Magazine, it says : "DreamWorks has the opportunity to create a whole new distribution system that may be a vast improvement over the old one," says George Lucas, who might be persuaded to allow the new company to distribute his next 'Star Wars' adventure, due out in 1998." It was stated in Premiere magazine that Universal City Studios helped with "Radioland Murders" to get in favor with Lucas, and perhaps show him that they could handle the next trilogy to his liking. 6. What's going on with the original Star Wars films? Answer: All three movies will be released on new videocassettes with new packaging on August 29, 1995. These are the first cassettes ever to be digitally mastered in THX, for superior sound and picture quality. The cassettes released in August will not be in letterbox. The letterbox THX cassettes will be released in October. Each cassette features one segment of a three part interview with George Lucas, conducted by movie critic Leonard Maltim. The newly remastered, original version of the Star Wars trilogy will be available for a limited time - from August 29, 1995 through January 31, 1996. All three movies will be released on new laser discs also on August 29, 1995. Star Wars Trilogy: The Definitive Collection is listed at US$250. Included are trailers, production photos, interviews with Lucas and his special effects colleagues, a hardcopy edition of George Lucas: The Creative Impulse, and nine discs that have the whole trilogy in THX-letterbox form. The discs will are mixed in CAV, so you can view every frame at a time. The price for each individual movie is listed at US$60. Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox will distribute a Special Edition of 'Star Wars' to be released on Valentine's Day 1997. The other two movies will not be rereleased in the theaters. The Special Edition will feature previously unreleased footage, new digital special effects, and a digitally remastered soundtrack. New creatures, vehicles, and droids will be added to the Mos Eisley scenes. Han Solo will confront Jabba the Hutt, a scene that was filmed in 1976 and can be found on the video "From Star Wars to Jedi." The rerelease will be about four minutes longer than the original. With only four minutes, it does not look like any scenes with Biggs will be added in the movie (for more information, see Question 14). Extra Note: Sci Fi Universe magazine said in its latest issue that 13 minutes of new special effects footage would be added, but that the Biggs scenes would not be included. This seems to conflict with every other report we've gotten so far. Keep your eyes out for more information. *grin* 7. Are Alec Guinness, Frank Oz, and Peter Cushing dead? Answer: Sir Alec Guinness is not dead. He became 80 years young in 1994 and was included in the Birthday Honors List announced each year by Buckingham Palace in celebration of the Queen's birthday. Frank Oz directed the film "The Indian in the Cupboard". Unfortunately, it is true that Peter Cushing passed away in late August 1994. 8. What other projects are LucasFilm, LucasArts, ILM, and THX working on? Answer: LucasFilm is in preproduction on a film called "Red Tails", to be directed by Thomas Carter. The film, not currently set up at any studio, is about the first all black air squadron in World War II. LucasFilm also has a fourth Indiana Jones production waiting in the wings. LucasArts latest additions are 'Dark Forces' and 'Full Throttle'. Following that will be the release of 'Indiana Jones and his Desktop Adventures', 'Rebel Assault 2', and 'The Dig'. In 1996, LucasArts will unveil its game 'Star Wars : Shadows of the Empire' on the Nintendo Ultra 64. Its arrival will be promoted as a major media event in a year-long program with Bantam novels, a Dark Horse comic series, Kenner action figures, and other merchandise tied into the characters and events of the game. ILM has started creating elements to be used in the "Star Wars Special Edition", to be released in 1997. Other upcoming projects include "Spawn" for New Line Cinema, "Mission Impossible", "Sabrina", and the sequels to "Casper", "Jurassic Park", and "Forrest Gump" for Paramount, "American President" for Columbia, and "Jumanju" for Tri-Star. ILM has a head start on 1996 with work beginning on "Dragonheart", starring Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery (as the voice of the dragon). THX has started a 1-800-PHONE-THX service, in which the audience is encouraged to call to report any presentation problems with certain movies. Movie studios interested in bringing this service to film patrons will hire Lucasfilm/THX on a picture by picture basis. The latest movie included in this service is "Apollo 13". THX also certifies laser discs. Upcoming titles include "Amadeus", "Casper", "The Lion King", and "Pulp Fiction". 9. I have something called "Episode III : Fall of the Republic". Is it the real thing? Answer: No. It was written by John Flynn. This is fanfiction. In reality, Episode III has not been written yet. John Flynn also wrote an article for CINESCAPE in which he describes the plot and characters of Episodes I, II, and III, but he neglects to tell them that his interpretation of the plot and characters are just his own fanfiction and his own speculations. 10. What are the black things on the Emperor in the Throne Room? Answer: Bad special effects. They tried to cover up parts of the Emperor's face with the black "white-out". These are known as the Emperor's slugs. 11. What are the Clone Wars? Answer : The Clone Wars seem to be a war between the Jedi and some unknown enemy. The Timothy Zahn 'Star Wars' books say that there was a technology that could clone warriors to create legions of troops. However, this may or may not be used by Lucas. 12. Why is Star Wars called Episode IV? Answer: The Star Wars saga as originally conceived by Lucas was much too large to be made into a single film or even a single trilogy so Lucas structured his ideas into three trilogies. He decided to make the middle trilogy first because he believed it had the greatest chance of being a theatrical success. 13. In A New Hope, why didn't the Death Star blow up the planet, or, in the movie , why didn't do ? Answer: Dramatic License. Remember, this is a legend, not a historical account of an actual story. 14. What are the cut scenes from 'Star Wars : A New Hope'? Answer: There were scenes filmed where Luke met his friend Biggs on Tatooine. It was _never_ released in the movie theaters. There was a scene filmed where Luke met someone in the Rebel hangar that knew Luke's father. There was a scene where Han met Jabba on Tatooine. Originally, Lucas had a large actor in a fur suit as Jabba, and he wanted to use special effects to place the creature of Jabba over the actor. He did not like the results, so he cut the scene from the movie. Partial unfinished footage of these scenes can be found on the video "From Star Wars to Jedi : The Making of a Saga". The original film did not have the text "Episode IV: A New Hope". This text was later added to the opening scenes. Ryan Silva maintains an extensive listing of ALL the lost scenes. You can email him at talkytoast@aol.com, or point your WWW browser at: http://www.cs.utk.edu:80/~ereynold/cgi-bin/swcut.cgi 15. What are the differences in the soundtrack of the released Star Wars and the currently available ones? Answer: This answer in under construction. There are now four different versions of the soundtrack: 70mm 6 track, 35mm stereo, 35mm mono, and THX. The THX version is a "best mix" of all three. Mr. THX (starman@cnj.digex.net) is compiling a list of the differences. 16. Wasn't Return of the Jedi originally Revenge of the Jedi? Answer: Yes. A lot of promotional material was printed with this title. The title was changed because revenge is not Jedi-like, and the studio wanted to avoid confusion with an upcoming movie named "Star Trek II: Vengence of Kahn", which later became "Wrath of Kahn". While filming in certain locations, the workers said they were making a film called "Blue Harvest : Horror Beyond Imagination" to keep away Star Wars fans. 17. What Star Wars related items have appeared on TV? Answer: Each movie had a "making of" TV special. You can find them at some video stores. They are "The Making of Star Wars" (1977), "SPFX: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), and "Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi" (1983) In 1978, "The Star Wars Holiday Special" aired for its only showing. The special was about Chewie visiting his family on his home planet. Most of the major movie characters had cameos. There was a short cartoon in the middle which showed Boba Fett. If you ask around on the Star Wars newsgroups, you can usually find someone who will sell you a copy of this. You can also contact Dog Star Collectibles for a copy of the special and the "making of" TV specials at soundit@aol.com. NOTE: I have never done business with Dog Star. I know nothing of their business. If anyone has something good or bad to say about Dog Star, please email me so I can feel safer placing their email address in this document. There were two Ewok movies. They were "The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage" and "The Ewoks: Battle for Endor". There was a season of animated comic "The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour." In the second season, the show became the half-hour "Ewoks" show. In 1985, PBS aired "From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga", which is now available with the boxed set of the trilogy. 18. What is Hardware Wars? Answer: Hardware Wars is a thirteen-minute, very funny, very low budget parody of Star Wars. You can find it at some video stores, on a tape called "Hardware Wars and other film farces," which also contains three other short films: "Closet Cases of the Nerd Kind", "Bambi Meets Godzilla", and "Porklips Now", which, like Hardware Wars, were made by Ernie Fosselius. For more information, point your WWW browser to http://www.earthlink.net/~mwp/mwp.html. 19. What is the Journal of the Whills? Answer: This is mentioned in the intro to the Star Wars novelization and hardly anywhere else. Its significance is unclear, but it might be similar in concept to the Red Book of Westmarch, the ficticious book from which Tolkiens' Lord of the Rings story supposedly comes. 20. How did Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford get their scars? Answer: Mark Hamill went through the windshield of his BMW in California. Harrison Ford received his two-inch scar in a one-man car accident in his early twenties. 21. Why did Han Solo refer to parsecs as a unit of time? Answer: He was lying to Ben and Luke and trying to make himself look good. This is shown in the novel adaptation and the script of 'A New Hope'. If you look at the movie (and in the script), Ben gives Han a disbelieving face after this line. Kevin Anderson gives an alternate answer in his Star Wars books, which deals with travelling near black holes. 22. Why is a B-wing called a B-wing? Answer: It is shaped like a "B"lade. 23. Was Cliff Claven from Cheers in a Star Wars movie? Answer: John Ratzenberger, who portrayed the Cliff Claven character on Cheers, was Major Derlin in "The Empire Strikes Back". He tells Leia that "there's nothing more we can do tonight. The shield doors must be closed." Later, before the battle on Hoth, Derlin instructs the fighters "Okay. Everybody to your stations. Let's go!". 24. Did you know the stormtrooper hit his head? Answer: Yes, we all know that. Every month or so, someone drops in with this question. It happens so often that it's now a joke on the Star Wars newsgroups. When the stormtroopers find the droids in the Death Star, the stormtrooper on the right of the screen bumps his head...pretty hard too. 25. What is GONK? Answer: A long time ago, in rec.arts.sf.starwars (rest in peace), the Gonk Wars raged. Gonk is the power droid that you can see throughout the movies. It is a black cube with silver legs that says "Gonk". You can see Gonk best in the Jawa's Sandcrawler in 'A New Hope'. Many Star Wars fans believed that Gonk was a God and that the whole movie was about Gonk and the characters of Luke, Leia, and Han were just bit parts. In any case, we hope never to have a Gonk War again since it took up so much traffic in r.a.s.s. 26. What does the Hebrew lettering on Darth Vader's chestplate mean? Answer: There is, indeed, Hebrew lettering on Vader's suit. There has been much speculation on the wording, but no definitive translation has been made. When and if a translation becomes available, it will be added to the FAQ. 27. In Kevin Anderson's books, it refers to a time when the Emperor was resurrected. In which book did this occur? Answer: The Emperor was resurrected in Dark Horse's "Star Wars : Dark Empire" comic series. You can buy the six issues separately, or you buy the trade paperback which places all the issues into a single book, and has some extra information. "Dark Empire II" has also been published, and the trade paperback ships in early September. 28. What is THX-1138? Answer: It is 1970 futuristic science-fiction movie starring Robert Duvall, who plays a character named THX-1138. It was written, directed, and edited by George Lucas and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. It was adapted from his first short film that he made at his university. - THX stands for "Tomlinson Holman's eXperiment" after a friend of Lucas who invented the THX sound system extensively used by Lucas. - The name of the movie is also found on Pinky and the Brain's chalkboard in the Animaniacs animated series. - THX-138 is on the license plate of a car in another Lucas movie "American Graffiti". - Luke says "Prisoner transfer from block 1138" on the Death Star. - In the novelization of "A New Hope", the stormtrooper whose uniform Luke wears is designated THX-1138. - Rieeken says "Send Rogues Ten and Eleven to station three-eight" on Hoth. - In the children's books by Paul and Hollace Davids, Han Solo prepares for a party by setting up his THX SuperSound System. - Noel Nelson reports that a speeder has the license plate THX-1138 at the Star Tours ride in Disneyland. - Peter Leyshan reports that THX1138 is the name of a container in the LucasArts game 'TIE Fighter'. He also reports an uncofirmed sighting of THX1138 in the movie 'Johnny Mnemonic'. - THX Sound System can be found at http://www.thx.com/ - There are many more obscure ones, too many to be mentioned here. One includes a car in a Danish comic that has THX 138 on it. 29. When Han is lowered into the carbon freezing chamber, he is wearing handcuffs. Why do they disappear when he escapes in Jabba's Palace? Answer: You were probably watching the Pan and Scan version of the movie. The Pan and Scan version was made for televisions, and therefore cuts out the sides of the movie. If you watch the letterbox version, you can clearly see two ugnaughts walk in front of him and take off the handcuffs. 30. What are the "Star Wars people" up to recently? Answer: Carrie Fisher may play the role of Edina in an American version of the British sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous". Carrie Fisher is doing a rewrite of "Kate & Leopold", which stars Sandra Bullock. Mark Hamill has been on the TV show seaQuest recently. Hamill's voice is in the game "Full Throttle" and the animated series "Batman" and "Spiderman". Mark will be in the upcoming "Wing Commander IV" computer game. (A "Wing Commander" movie is being made that will take place 25 years before the games, but Mark Hamill will not be playing the young Christopher Blair.) Mark will be working on an upcoming Dark Horse comic called "Black Pearl". Harrison Ford is in the upcoming movies "Sabrina" and "A Hundred and One Nights". Author Tom Clancy worked a deal with Paramount for three more Jack Ryan films, starting with "The Cardinal of the Kremlin", and they hope Ford will agree to play the role for all three films. Steven Spielberg said that they have been working on a fourth movie for Indiana Jones, but they don't have a script that even approaches "good" yet. If the script does not mature, Spielberg says it "just might not happen." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I would like to thank all the Star Wars fans that help me 'spread the word'. These (and many other unmentioned) people deserve credit for this part of the FAQ. If you see any of them, pat them on the back and get them your local equivalent of Corellian Rum. Jeanne Mangum 2jlm@cwo.com Peter Ferguson Peter_Ferguson@tvo.org Eric Sansoni sanson08@futures.wharton.upenn.edu Alec Usticke uncleowen@aol.com James L. Belcher jlb1@freenet.scri.fsu.edu Aditya Sood asood@pomona.claremont.edu Eric Schaetzlein un5p@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de John Warren rutabega@leland.stanford.edu Michelle Lunsford lunsford@uansv5.vanderbilt.edu Noah Nelson coxmage@mercury.sfsu.edu Jim 71344.2421@CompuServe.COM Peter Leyshan peterl@ibm.net Ryan Silva talkytoast@aol.com Eric Jackson ejack@cyber1.servtech.com Keven Lewis lewiskev@student.msu.edu Ralph? PRalph40@aol.com Nicole Nuke bl003@torfree.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This FAQ is Copyright (C) 1995 by George Tringali. This work, in whole or in part, may not be sold in any medium, including but not limited to electronic, CD-ROM, or print, without the explicit, written permission of George Tringali. Permission is hereby granted to quote reasonable extracts from this work, provided that proper attribution is given. You may also distribute this work (subject to the conditions above) in its entirety via email, FTP, and the WWW, provided that the the work is distributed in its entirety (including header information) and remains unaltered. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------