Monday, November 11, 2013

A 'Shipper's' Review of the 'Making Of' Ebooks: Guest Post by Lady Peter

Here's a special treat.  A guest review of the Ebook versions of the 'Making of' books that were just recently released.  Thanks so much to Lady Peter for the submission, and another reminder that we welcome contributions such as this one!

                                                                           -Z

 
Thank you, Zyra, for letting me do my favorite thing: obsessing about Star Wars and my OTP, on the H/L Writers Blog.

Well, friends, I've spent the last 72 hours purchasing and reading the expanded ebook editions of the JW Rinzler "Making Of" books. I asked Zyra if I could hop up here and share my impressions with you all, since I know that not all of you are crazy enough to buy all of these editions. "Impressions" are all these are, and highly biased ones at that. 

The Making of Star Wars

For some reason I don't have much to say about the "making of" aspect of this volume. And that's strange because this is the book that is based the most on unseen material. Rest assured it's a good story, though, with plenty to learn.

There are a couple of extra features in here to warm the fangirl's heart. First, and most outrageous, is an audio clip of George Lucas being interviewed by Charles Lippincott, the Lucasfilm Vice President of marketing and merchandising. He's asked why he cast Harrison Ford, gives the non-answer of "because he was best for the role," and when pressed says, and I quote directly, "because he was handsome and dashing and sullen...and had an undercurrent of sensual hostility." Seriously: that's what he says. Lippincott then makes a noise like "WooOOOOoooo!" Whatever wackjob theories I've ever had about Ford's role in Lucas' imaginative life are now proven incontrovertibly. (Their personal relationship is also a source of fascination to me, but I'm trying to keep it classy here.)

For an even cheaper thrill that provides zero insight into the creators of the film, you could look to a daily of the cantina scene in which Han shoots Greedo. This is a single fixed camera at Han's seated eye level, more or less, so when Greedo pushes him back toward the alcove, Ford steps into the frame ass first. It basically looks just like this:  


It's not particularly enticing, just good for a giggle. 

In addition to those, there isn't much in the Star Wars book that I found really fascinating. From the ebook extras, the footage from Tunisia is pretty amazing, and there's some film from the Death Star escape that's fun. What I found missing from this book was anything really interesting about Carrie Fisher. It was just pretty sparse in the areas where I have most interest.

But if you're a conspiracy theorist like me, you might also find this kind of interesting: a passage about principal shooting discusses the friendships growing among the actors. It mentions the growing bond between Hamill and Ford, and Fisher and Hamill. And does not, as one might expect, add anything else. I found that an intriguing omission, and I've been busy crafting new and different conspiracy theories to explain it. In the interest of keeping it classy, as I mentioned, I will say no more. But I'm biting my tongue. :-) 

(Keeping it classy, right. Is that why you have a hand-drawn storyboard of a butt  up there, LP?)


The Making of the Empire Strikes Back

The Making of Empire book is the only one I have in both hard copy and ebook. If you don't own a copy in either format, I highly recommend it. The transcript from the day of shooting the carbon freeze scene alone is worth it. This transcript is taken from the same tape quoted in the "Once Upon a Galaxy" book by Alan Arnold. But this version (as you'd expect from something published 30 years after the fact) is much more candid. I was fascinated by the details about the differences in approach between Lucas and Kirshner, including the story of how Gary Kurtz came to leave Lucasfilm. I'm a strong Empire partisan, and I'm of the school of thought that it never could have been made as it was with Lucas any closer than an ocean away.

So, strictly from the fangirl perspective, what is there in the Making of ESB book to cause major squeeing? Aside from the on-set transcript, not much. When I heard about the added content for the ebooks, I was hoping to to perhaps see some behind-the-scenes footage from that day, since it seems like that does exist. But no luck. There are, however, some nice clips that really illuminate the process of shooting the film. For instance, there's an interview with Carrie Fisher explaining the secondary importance of the actual dialog being delivered during shooting, as well as footage of her and John Ratzenberger (Cliff Clavin!!) being prepped for the evacuation briefing scene, which was apparently particularly difficult for Fisher to film. 

But, as noted before, there's nothing in here truly squee-worthy for the 'shipper. 


The Making of Return of the Jedi

Now the Jedi book is probably the one that I found the most interesting. I readily admit that Jedi is my least favorite of the OT, and since I'm far from the only one who feels this way, there's a lot in the book to explain what went on to make it the film that it is. For instance, we have Harrison Ford, who apparently didn't see a script until arriving in the UK, lamenting that Lucas et al care more about Luke than Han as a character(!!). We learn that it was Lucas' idea to put Carrie Fisher in a dancing girl costume, perhaps in reaction to complaints that previous films hadn't been "sexy" enough. (Please. Just ask any heterosexual woman which of the three films is sexiest, Lucas. I dare you.) The Ewoks, love 'em or hate 'em, are also all on Lucas' head. Not just their existence, but the specific character design. He also himself (as second unit director) filmed a lot of the footage that some consider most egregious, including the baby ewok shots. So basically, Lucas made the film for man-children like himself.

There is some great content in here for any fan of Carrie Fisher. I don't care if she was allegedly trashed half the time during filming, her commentary about the whole thing is spot on. Especially when she points out that the second she's put in the slave girl outfit, she's silenced. Think about it - she doesn't utter more than 6 words through that entire sequence. She goes from intrepid rescuer to mute sex slave. Fisher is quoted as saying that it was during the shooting of these scenes that she decided to become a writer.

As for the ebook extras, there's some fun stuff. There's an interesting daily from the Rebel briefing room scene where some blocking is worked out with the big three. There are several other dailies that are neat to see. From a fangirl's perspective, though, nothing beats a photo which may actually also appear in the hard copy of the book. It's a shot of Ford reclining sans shirt on the sands of Yuma, Ariz., looking much like a scruffy (link: https://www.google.com/search?q=odalisque&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=VCpvUv3TIsW24APhqoCIDw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAA&biw=1024&bih=672) odalisque. There's definitely some sort of fic prompt in there, friends, I guarantee.

29 comments:

  1. Excellent reviews, LP. Thanks so much for sharing them. I have the ESB hardback, but that begins and ends my "Making of…" collection. It was interesting to hear what was on the e-book versions though.

    And that's so crazy about Leia being suddenly mute as a slave girl. I never truly registered that before. Weird! And disturbing.

    Anyway, thanks for that. I really enjoyed reading it.

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  2. Thanks for the reviews. I just got all three of the hardcover books as a Christmas present for myself, so I haven't opened them yet. Now I'm wondering if I should have gotten the e-versions, hmmm. I always noticed that Han's character lost his 'edge' in ROTJ, but, now that you mention it, Leia lost her 'edge' also. Thank goodness for FF.

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  3. I've received my copy of the Making of the Empire Strikes back. Mr. Stats likes it. I haven't touched it; been too busy to sit down and enjoy. I'm saving it for winter break. He likes the technical details in putting the movie together, and I'm looking forward to that part as well.

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  4. One complaint by Mr. Stats was that throughout the book, the typeface is very small. Both of us are blind as bats (he more so than me), and if you're old like us, that;s a drawback, but I suspect most of you are young and won't have a problem with this.

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    1. I've seen more than one review of the new Making of Jedi book that says the same thing about the print and suggests the e-book especially if you have an iPad where it's easy to change the text sizing.

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  5. Hi...lurker here. Thanks for this review. As a kid, I didn't mind Jedi, although I never loved it like I loved SW and, particularly, Empire. As an adult, I can barely stand it because of the way it really refused to develop Han and Leia's characters. Seems that Ford and Fisher felt similarly. Good for them, as jedi was such a lost opportunity to see that relationship grow and mature. I remember reading that Lucas felt that Han and Leia ran away with Empire, and he didnt like that, but they should have upped their A game on Luke, not downgraded two much-loved characters.



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    1. Yes, but he would have needed a story to have done that. It's now pretty obvious that Lucas made up or changed a lot as he went along, that he only had the loosest of story outlines.

      BTW, nice point about the silenced sex slave.

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  6. Ok so does anyone know where online we can find this new shirtless pic? I'm practically drooling at the thought of it.

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    1. You mean thiiis... http://starwarrior.tumblr.com/image/67041968019

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    2. OMG, you're a star, thanks so much! :) Now why oh why could we not have had shirtless Han on Jabba's skiff? Actually maybe he should have been frozen in carbonite shirtless ;)

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    3. Thank you! You know, I knew without a doubt when I read that but didn't see it yet, "Elivagar will have that up on her tumblr sometime in the very near future..."

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    4. I was thinking the same thing Zyra.

      Lol, Claire! Mmm, shirtless Han. I'd go for that. ;)

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  7. Thanks for reviewing these- I requested them for a Christmas present but am now re-thinking that decision.
    Just wondering- has anyone seen the Darth Vader's Little Princess book and the equivalent with Luke? They're books of comics; I was just wondering if they'd be worth purchasing :)

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    1. Why are you rethinking them as a Christmas present? As a 'shipper' the books are not that exciting, but as a general Star Wars fan I find them quite enjoyable. Lots of fun behind the scenes stuff and great pictures.

      As for the Little Princess and Luke book.... they are absolutely adorable. That said, unless I had a kid, they don't really seem adorable enough that I need to have them on my book shelf to look at a lot. Coincidentally just yesterday I came across them at a book store and flipped through and read the whole thing. Again, super duper cute but I don't really feel the need to own it. Also, you can find a lot of the pictures from it online anyway. There were ones in the book I hadn't seen in spite of having seen quite a lot of them online already.

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    2. I don't know... I have so many Star Wars books already and not just the fiction, but massive, heavy books with behind the scenes information. My bookshelf which has 5 shelves has two of them completely filled with Star Wars books.
      I guess I'm trying to be a little more picky now that I'm rapidly running out of room for all of these books. Plus, I saw one of the books at my local library, which means the other two may be available to borrow as well.
      Although, if it has great pictures, I don't know...Han Solo... so tempting ;)
      As for the Little Princess and Luke books, I see what you mean about the comics being widely available on the internet, but its such a cute idea. I love it!

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    3. I have the Little Princess book and I love it. But it was handy to read to my kids and just a treat for me. There are quite a few Han/Leia jokes in there.

      I know what you mean Blamey about SW books. I have quite a few and haven't even read some of the ones I have. Makes it hard for me to want to add to the collection. Sometimes. :)

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    4. I have both the Little Princess and Vader and Son books. Both are extremely cute and funny for both kids and adult. Lots of cute H & L stuff in the Leia book. Han is portrayed as the kind of boyfriend that daddy does not approve of ;) Even the Luke book is adorable.

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    5. OK, now I want all of the books! Thanks everyone, for your opinions :)

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  8. Blamey, maybe the ebook editions would work for you? I'd definitely recommend them in any format: they're pretty much the pinnacle of the nonfic SW books.

    I loved "Darth Vader and Son:" it is absolutely perfect! But I found myself groaning a bit at "Vader's Little Princess." Vader not wanting to let Leia out of the house wearing the slave costume? Groan. Instead of playing on common parenting experiences like the Luke book did, the Leia book seemed to play on tired stereotypes. Maybe because the author has a young son but not a daughter? That said, I'd still recommend the book for a fan. And I'm also interested in his Jedi Academy book, which was featured on a lot of Star Wards Reads materials.

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    1. my son got Jedi Academy from the book fair at school and adored it, he's 8, mind you, but it was cute.

      I am also at that age where tiny print mocks me, BTW, and I love my e-editions.

      jzhanfan it's late and I'm too lazy to log in

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  9. There were some moments in the Leia book that were just like my daughter. Leia not waking up in the morning and not cleaning her room? Just like my house. :)

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  10. Is anyone interested in a screencap of the Ford/Solo Odalisque photo?

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    1. You bet. Is it the same one the Elivagar posted a link to?

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    2. D'oh! How did I miss that?? Yup, that's the one. Looks like cropping and color processing are a little different, but it's def the same shot.

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  11. I'm trying to get some work done and I keep flipping back to the photo from Elvigar's site. This is not working well :)

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  12. Thanks for the review LP! Hoping that my hubby gets the ESB version for me for Christmas. They're not cheap but I have Christmas, anniversary, birthday, and Valentine's Day all within 2 months so fingers crossed! And I love the butt! (that's what she said!)

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