What I told you was true, from a certain point of view...

February 5, 2011 1:13 AM

Star Wars Begins. Fan documentarian Jambe Davdar has completed has completed his third documentary about the original Star Wars trilogy. He's re-cut all three films, editing in alternate takes, deleted scenes, original audio, with quotes from various interviews and commentaries and recordings playing over the footage like the ultimate DVD commentary. [via]

Star Wars Begins: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.

Building Empire: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

Returning to Jedi: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.

posted by crossoverman (53 comments total)

Anchorhead! The footage actually exists!
posted by KingEdRa at 2:24 AM on February 5, 2011

Begun, the Star Wars has?
posted by orthogonality at 2:53 AM on February 5, 2011

You guys know I was actually going to try and accomplish something today. I'll just watch the first few parts...

I never heard Leia's hairstyle referred to as the "bagel" hairstyle. I always thought of it more like cinnabuns.
posted by marxchivist at 3:15 AM on February 5, 2011

Its so nice to hear Maurice Murphy, damn that man could blow a trumpet.
posted by Virtblue at 4:22 AM on February 5, 2011

Like Peter Cushing, I too have often wondered what a Grand Moff is.
posted by Ritchie at 4:58 AM on February 5, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'm sure it's been out there before, but I've never seen that Biggs stuff. Worth it just for that. Feels like I'm reading the Scholastic storybook again.
posted by scrowdid at 5:09 AM on February 5, 2011

Can't believe this is up on youtube without getting DMCA'ed.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:47 AM on February 5, 2011

Can't believe this is up on youtube without getting DMCA'ed.

Lol, it says "Copyright Respected" in the opening few frames, and if I'm any sort of legal expert, that means it's perfectly ok to publish any copyrighted work and the original author has absolutely no say in the matter. Right?
posted by blue_beetle at 5:59 AM on February 5, 2011

I cant wait to see what he does with the Holiday Special
posted by wheelieman at 6:10 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can't believe this is up on youtube without getting DMCA'ed.

I came to say this too... this is Star Wars in its entirety, with some alternate scenes and a bonus commentary track.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:19 AM on February 5, 2011

'Jambe Davdar' sounds like the name of an X-wing pilot. But this looks interesting.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 6:39 AM on February 5, 2011

Lol, it says "Copyright Respected" in the opening few frames, and if I'm any sort of legal expert, that means it's perfectly ok to publish any copyrighted work and the original author has absolutely no say in the matter. Right?

I am a lawyer and this is exactly how copyright law works. Also: I declare bankruptcy!

Take that, student loans and credit cards!
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:18 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]

This is what all "behind the scenes" documentaries should aspire to.
posted by pyrex at 7:18 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can't believe this is up on youtube without getting DMCA'ed.... this is Star Wars in its entirety, with some alternate scenes and a bonus commentary track.

What about the concept of "fair use" because you know tha-
[CRACKKck-ckh! fuq is assassinated by a MPAA sniper]
posted by fuq at 7:33 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

She doesn't know it yet, but my wife hates you for posting this.
posted by mazola at 7:39 AM on February 5, 2011 [9 favorites]

I like the part where the big spaceship zaps the little one!
posted by newdaddy at 7:46 AM on February 5, 2011

oh my .. god... this is AWESOME.
posted by odinsdream at 7:53 AM on February 5, 2011

So, Before I start watching this, can someone tell me if this explains how both Captain Kirk and the bald English guy can BOTH be the captain at the same time?
posted by Snyder at 8:49 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've known, for whatever number of years, that at some point, I'd seen the anchorhead footage, that I saw, somehow, someway, Luke talking to Biggs about becomining a fighter pilot. In my own hazy memories of it, I would rather avoid watching the actual footage, since my own, however hazy, memories of it seem so pure, and so perfect.

That, and due to traffic, we were late to Empire. I was maybe 5, maybe 6. I don't recall. My honest recollection is diametrically opposed to what actually happened, thought. For years (possibly until late teens) I was convinced there were two versions of Empire, one with Hoth, one without. In reality, as I later learned, my mother and my aunt had us wait in the bathroom so we could sneak into the next showing. We'd simply been late and missed the scene on Hoth the first go-round, and I got to see it the second time.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:51 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wait this has the scene with Biggs in it? I am vindicated! No one ever believed me!
posted by charred husk at 9:01 AM on February 5, 2011

At about 4:30 in the 3rd empire video, we see Han dragging Luke's body towards the Taun-Taun. At the point the shot cuts, there's a weird jump in the music -- at least, it's sounded that way to me since I was eight or so.

I was really hoping this video would explain what the weird jump is, but no luck.

(Still awesome, though)
posted by HeroZero at 9:37 AM on February 5, 2011

Wow, this is great, and I'd never heard of it before....thank you for posting!
posted by nevercalm at 9:52 AM on February 5, 2011

I came to say this too... this is Star Wars in its entirety, with some alternate scenes and a bonus commentary track.

That really demeans the amount of work this guy did. It's an amazing accomplishment.
posted by jscott at 10:04 AM on February 5, 2011

Any advice on how I can download this for DVD use on my snazzy TV?
posted by ReeMonster at 10:12 AM on February 5, 2011

Impressive. Most impressive.

Here's a documentary about John Williams, the composer of the music of the Star Wars film saga, which was made as he was scoring and recording the soundtrack for "The Empire Strikes Back": 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

And here's a documentary along the lines of "Star Wars Begins" called "Star Wars - Deleted Magic": 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Here's the official "The Making of Star Wars," relased in 1978 (narrated by C-3P0): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

And the official "The Making of the Empire Strikes Back," released in 1981 (narrated by Mark Hamill): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

And the official "From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga" (also narrated by Mark Hamill), broadcast around the time "Return of the Jedi" was released : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Here's "Star Wars: The Magic and the Mystery," a documentary timed to coincide with the release of the Special Edition versions of the original trilogy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Lastly, here's another fan documentary on the entire "Star Wars" saga, titled "Star Wars: A Long Time Ago": 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
posted by New Frontier at 10:21 AM on February 5, 2011 [19 favorites]

I just paused for a moment to say THIS IS AWESOME. Now I must leave again.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:47 AM on February 5, 2011

What an impressive collection of Youtube links. (And no, that is totally not sarcasm, either.)
posted by immlass at 11:12 AM on February 5, 2011

I am checking this out right now: but I will say it's such a pain that someone hasn't slapped this into a playlist yet. My biggest quibble with watching anything longer than 10 minutes on Youtube is being constantly taken out of the zone by having to click through to the next video. Alas.
posted by Gordafarin at 11:14 AM on February 5, 2011

Does Han shoot first in this version? That's all I need to know before I begin.
posted by Ber at 11:23 AM on February 5, 2011

Lighting a candle instead of cursing the darkness, Here's the first one in playlist mode.
posted by Gordafarin at 11:30 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]

Darth Vader was originally wearing a mask because the illustrator was worried about his health? Wow.
posted by Burhanistan at 12:08 PM on February 5, 2011

Does Han shoot first in this version? That's all I need to know before I begin.

Yes. Han actually appears to be the only one who shoots in this edit.
posted by odinsdream at 12:08 PM on February 5, 2011

"The noise of the TIE-fighter is that of a slowed down elephant call, mixed with the sound of a car driving on a wet road."
posted by Burhanistan at 1:05 PM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

This reminds me a lot of the "Behind The Red Velvet Curtain" version of Moulin Rouge, which is a fancy DVD thing where you watch the movie and then it breaks out of the flow of the film to go into behind the scenes featurettes and other making-of things. It's one of those "will this break my DVD player" kind of features, as it involves a lot of scene inserting and jumping around on the disk, but it's a fascinating way to watch the movie.

I wish more films had that kind of feature. And I'm glad to see something similar for Star Wars.

Thanks for posting!
posted by hippybear at 2:04 PM on February 5, 2011

Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:05 PM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]

Keepvid > mp4 > ps3 > :D
posted by Senor Cardgage at 5:01 PM on February 5, 2011

Wow, this makes me like the trilogy more, but respect Lucas less. How come he has a job and certain other people I know don't? A lot of people did great work on Star Wars.
posted by fuq at 5:20 PM on February 5, 2011

Two minutes into it and I'm already enamored. I'd petition to get Gordafarin's playlist link added to "more inside" it that's appropriate
posted by churl at 12:38 AM on February 6, 2011

I'm halfway through and loving it. While we're geeking out, the articles at The Secret History of Star Wars are worth a read.
posted by Gordafarin at 4:30 AM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wait just a second here.

Lucas got James Earl Jones for the VO for Vader for the first film for SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS? ( Mind you, in 1970's terms, that's good money, but still... )
posted by mikelieman at 6:12 AM on February 6, 2011

Lucas got James Earl Jones for the VO for Vader for the first film for SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS?

Given what the other actors were being paid--a quick run to a historical currency converter suggests that Ford was getting a little under $3K per day, US--$7000 sounds about right for the amount of time JEJ would have had to spend in a recording booth.
posted by thomas j wise at 6:43 AM on February 6, 2011

It seems that Peter Cushing had the highest daily salary.
posted by Burhanistan at 8:56 AM on February 6, 2011

marxchivist: "I never heard Leia's hairstyle referred to as the "bagel" hairstyle. I always thought of it more like cinnabuns"

I remember her hair rolls being compared to bagels when Star Wars came out. Cinnabon, the fast food chain, didn't exist yet; I don't know if many people called chinnamon rolls "cinnabuns" then.

I have a faint memory of them being called bagels in a Mad strip (maybe this one?).
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:40 AM on February 6, 2011

I've always called them donuts.
posted by Gordafarin at 1:38 PM on February 6, 2011

"As George taught me, there is no underwear in space."
posted by Gordafarin at 2:04 PM on February 6, 2011

Thanks a lot. I'm now very behind with work and doubt I'll make Wednesday's deadline.
posted by run"monty at 2:34 PM on February 6, 2011

Thanks a lot. I'm now very behind with work and doubt I'll make Wednesday's deadline.

You're welcome.
posted by crossoverman at 5:54 PM on February 6, 2011

So, this George Lucas guy... everything he says is just a lie, right?
posted by interrobang at 8:03 AM on February 8, 2011

After watching the Red Letter Media analysis of Ep 3, it's hilarious to me that one of the deleted scenes in Part 2 is a static, boring scene of Luke and Biggs talking and mouthing bad exposition (although at least they're out in the desert, rather than a greenscreen corridor).
posted by COBRA! at 8:27 AM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]

Building Empire playlist

Returning to Jedi playlist
posted by Gordafarin at 4:23 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Second link borked,
Returning to Jedi playlist
posted by Gordafarin at 4:39 AM on February 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

COBRA!: "After watching the Red Letter Media analysis of Ep 3, it's hilarious to me that one of the deleted scenes in Part 2 is a static, boring scene of Luke and Biggs talking and mouthing bad exposition (although at least they're out in the desert, rather than a greenscreen corridor)."

Yeah, the Anchorhead stuff is just...AWFUL.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:56 AM on February 14, 2011

Flashback!
posted by crossoverman at 5:15 AM on February 18, 2011