StarWarsArchives.com has published a video on YouTube featuring footage from a “lost” documentary by French Filmmaker Michel Parbot’s behind the scenes look at the making of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Including are interviews with actors (Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher), director Irvin Kershner, and other principals from production, and some amazing insights into the film. [Read more…]
About 350 lots of the promised “over 1,000 movie props and costumes” that will comprise the online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza IX” is now listed with online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The two-day auction is scheduled for March 2nd and 3rd. As with past auctions, the sale includes general memorabilia, though there is more interesting material with this event than they’ve had in some time, although much of it does not include any substantive information about history and provenance in the lot descriptions (though to their credit, some do). [Read more…]
A portion of the online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood VIP Auction III”, scheduled for January, is now listed via online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The auction boasts “over 500 famous movie costumes and props from your favorite films”, though as of this writing, 333 items are listed. As with past auctions, the sale includea a substantial number of replica props, and general memorabilia, as well as used toys that are more garage sale fare, which is puzzling, since it is a “Hollywood VIP Auction”. [Read more…]
The online catalog for the Premiere Props “Hollywood Auction Extravaganza VIII”, scheduled for December 8-9, is now listed via online bidding partners iCollector and LiveAuctioneers. The auction purports to include over 1,000 lots from various film and television productions, though as of this writing, only ten items are listed. If past auctions are any indication, the sale will likely include are a substantial number of replica props and general memorabilia. [Read more…]
Filmmaker Kevin Smith’s new television series on AMC, Comic Book Men, recently featured in its second episode (“Life After Clerks”) an individual bringing a prop into the comic book store, claiming it was an original lightsaber used in Star Wars: A New Hope. The shop brought in a third party “expert” to authenticate and value the piece, though no information was provided as to who the authenticator was, or what his qualifications were in being cited as an expert. Having reviewed the segment, in my personal opinion and subjective reaction, the entire affair was quite laughable, from the positive authentication to the assessed value of $7,000 for an original Luke Skywalker lightsaber from The Empire Strikes Back. [Read more…]
While attending San Diego Comic Con, I had an opportunity to meet and chat with Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy. Based on an article written last week (see Revisting the Elstree Props “Return of the Jedi” Star Wars Lightsabers: The $50,000 Question (Original or Replica?)), and a series of articles published in 2007 (see Market Watch | Elstree Props | Return of the Jedi), I thought it would be a good opportunity to ask Mr. Hamill a few questions about the original lightsaber props he used in Return of the Jedi, as well as address the long-running controversy as to whether he filmed a scene in which he portrayed his character building his new lightsaber. [Read more…]
This is an update to a series of articles about two prop lightsabers marketed by Paul Harrison, at the time owner of Elstree Props, which were described as original pieces made for the film, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. No such lightsabers appear in the finished film. Though it has been some time since the last update, published in late 2007, I have obtained new information. Included in this feature are photos of one of the props that I’ve been told were taken in late 2005, of a newly made custom replica lightsaber, prior to delivery to Paul Harrison. The prop in these photos clearly matches one of the two Elstree Props lightsabers. Was a newly made replica prop listed for sale to the public for $50,000.00? [Read more…]
eBay seller biscolors has today listed for sale a prop “Luke Skywalker” lightsaber marketed as an “original prop” from Return of the Jedi and “one that was made for Mark Hamill as backup”, referencing Norman Harrison and Norank Engineering at Elstree Studios as the source. [Read more…]