FOREWORD BY FRASER HESTON
In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Planet of the Apes, the classic science-fiction film from 1968, The Making of Planet of the Apes tells the film and offers exclusive, never-before-seen photographs and concept art.
Based on Pierre Boulle's novel La Planéte de singes, the original Planet of the Apes was one of the most celebrated films of the 1960s and beyond. Starring Hollywood icons Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowall, the movie struck a chord with the world and sparked a franchise that included eight sequels, two television series, and a long-running comic book. Now, five decades after its theatrical release, New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler tells the thrilling story of this legendary Hollywood production—a film even Boulle thought would be impossible to make.
With a foreword by Fraser Heston, Charlton Heston's son, The Making of Planet of the Apes is an entertaining, informative experience that will transport readers back to the strange alternate Earth ruled by apes, and bring to life memorable characters such as Cornelius, Dr. Zira, Dr. Zaius, and Taylor, the human astronaut whose time-traveling sparks an incredible adventure. Meticulously researched and designed to capture the look and atmosphere of the film, The Making of Planet of the Apes is also packed with a wealth of concept paintings, storyboards, and never-before-seen imagery—including rare journal pages and sketches from Charlton Heston's private collection—as well as color and black-and-white unit photography, posters, and more unique ephemera.
Comprehensive in scope, The Making of Planet of the Apes is the definitive look at the original blockbuster film, a must-have for fans, film buffs, and collectors alike.

The Making of Planet of the Apes

Arts & Photography

Rinzler, J.W.

Photography & Video

Harper

Packed with breathtaking visuals created by a team of world-class artists, The Art of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith charts the visual genesis of this epic saga’s climactic finale. For years, George Lucas’s handpicked group has created characters, costumes, droids, starships, planetary vistas, digi-matte paintings, and sculptures–every type of visual imaginable. This extraordinary volume unveils never-before-seen images–thus taking readers on a fascinating journey from the first concepts to the final movie. While marveling at hundreds of brilliant pieces of art, readers will experience • Darth Vader–a look at the sinister chamber where he is created • stunning conceptual visions for the climactic lightsaber duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi • the evolution of General Grievous–the new face of evil– from initial sketches to ILM animation art • fantastic full-color renderings of costumes, weapons, landscapes, and spacecraft • intriguing insights from exclusive interviews with the artists, whose groundbreaking work helped bring Lucas’s ideas to life New to this edition–the one and only Revenge of the Sith screenplay, revealing every beat of the action. For Star Wars fans everywhere, this treasure trove of images from the final, fateful Star Wars movie will provide a visual feast that promises hours of endless excitement.

The Art of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Humor & Entertainment

Movies

LucasBooks

This is it–the climax of the greatest science fiction movie epic of all time, and Star Wars fans can venture behind the scenes for all the fascinating details. From the first story discussions to the final stages of post-production,The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sithis an exclusive, unprecedented look at the crafting of the most anticipated and perhaps the most important Star Wars film ever.Packed with hundreds of never-before-seen photos and interviews with the visual-effects teams, cast, and crew–including writer/director George Lucas and producer Rick McCallum–this outstanding volume offers a rare insider’s look at the complete creative process. Granted unprecedented access to all those involved at every stage of the film–from Skywalker Ranch to the sets at Fox Studios, Australia–author and Lucasfilm senior editor J. W. Rinzler captures in riveting detail the intense drama and cliffhangers that occurred as production worked day and night for three years to bring their monumental undertaking to conclusion. Readers will uncover • details on how the art and animatics departments teamed up with ILM to create the spectacular opening sequence, perhaps the greatest Star Wars space battle ever produced • revelations on the genesis of archvillain General Grievous within the Episode III art department • accounts of how George Lucas and Rick McCallumreached critical decisions in often pressure-laden situations • exclusive interviews with Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor on how they prepared for their thrilling lightsaber duel as Anakin and Obi-Wan • an eyewitness account of the reappearance of Darth Vader on the set in Sydney, Australia Finally, there’s the film editing–Lucas’s favorite part of the moviemaking process.This portrait of the legendary director captures the down-to-the-wire tension encountered in getting to the final cut. Fueled by his imagination and his beginnings as a documentary filmmaker, Lucas makes films the way some painters create canvases, building layer upon layer in each frame of the film. And this book takes the reader along for the ride.

The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

This is it–the climax of the greatest science fiction movie epic of all time, and Star Wars fans can venture behind the scenes for all the fascinating details. From the first story discussions to the final stages of post production,The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sithis an exclusive, unprecedented look at the crafting of the most anticipated and perhaps the most important Star Wars film ever. Packed with hundreds of never-before-seen photos and interviews with the visual-effects teams, cast, and crew–including writer/director George Lucas and producer Rick McCallum–this outstanding volume offers a rare insider’s look at the complete creative process. Granted unprecedented access to all those involved at every stage of the film, author and Lucasfilm senior editor J. W. Rinzler captures in riveting detail the intense drama and cliffhangers that occurred as production worked day and night for three years to bring their monumental undertaking to conclusion. Readers will uncover • details on how the art and animatics departments teamed up with ILM to create the spectacular opening sequence, perhaps the greatest Star Wars space battle ever produced • revelations on the genesis of archvillain General Grievous within the Episode III art department • accounts of how George Lucas and Rick McCallumreached critical decisions in often pressure-laden situations • exclusive interviews with Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor on how they prepared for their thrilling lightsaber duel as Anakin and Obi-Wan • An eyewitness account of the reappearance of Darth Vader on the set in Sydney, Australia Finally, there’s the film editing–Lucas’s favorite part of the moviemaking process.This portrait of the legendary director captures the down-to-the-wire tension encountered in getting to the final cut. Fueled by his imagination and his beginnings as a documentary filmmaker, Lucas makes films the way some painters create canvases, building layer upon layer in each frame of the film. And this book takes the reader along for the ride.

The Making of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

More than thirty years ago, filmmaker George Lucas realized a longtime dream, creating a swashbuckling sf saga inspired by vintage Flash Gordon serials, classic American westerns, the epic cinema of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa, and mythological heroes. Its original title: The Star Wars. The rest is history–and how it was made is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie that has enthralled millions for the past three decades. Using his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published “lost” interviews, photos, production notes, factoids, and anecdotes, Star Wars scholar J. W. Rinzler hurtles readers back in time for an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the nearly decade-long quest of George Lucas and his key collaborators to make the “little” movie that became a phenomenon. For the first time, it’s all here: • the evolution of the now-classic story and characters–including “Annikin Starkiller” and “a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills” named Han Solo • excerpts from George Lucas’s numerous, ever-morphing script drafts • the birth of Industrial Light &amp; Magic, the special-effects company that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking • the grueling, nearly catastrophic location shoot in Tunisia and the following breakneck dash at Elstree Studios in London • the intensive auditions that won the cast members their roles–and made them legends • the who’s who of young 1970s film rebels who pitched in to help–including Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Brian DePalma But perhaps most exciting, and rarest of all, are the first interviews conducted before and during production and immediately after the release of Star Wars–in which George Lucas, the film’s stars, composer John Williams, effects masters Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and John Dykstra, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, legendary production designer John Barry, and a host of others share their fascinating tales from the trenches and candid opinions of the movie that would ultimately change their lives. No matter where you stand in the spectrum of this thirty-year phenomenon, The Making of Star Wars stands as a crucial document–rich in fascination and revelation–of a genuine cinematic and cultural touchstone.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars - Legends)

A must-have for Star Wars fans—the definitive behind-the-scenes history of the classic film that started it all After the 1973 success of American Graffiti, filmmaker George Lucas made the fateful decision to pursue a longtime dream project: a space fantasy movie unlike any ever produced. Lucas envisioned a swashbuckling SF saga inspired by the Flash Gordon serials classic American westerns, the epic cinema of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa, and mythological heroes. Its original title: The Star Wars. The rest is history, and how it was made is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie that has enthralled millions for thirty years–a story that has never been told as it was meant to be. Until now. Using his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published “lost” interviews, photos, production notes, factoids, and anecdotes, Star Wars scholar J. W. Rinzler hurtles readers back in time for a one-of-a-kind behind-the-scenes look at the nearly decade-long quest of George Lucas and his key collaborators to make the “little” movie that became a phenomenon. For the first time, it’s all here: • the evolution of the now-classic story and characters–including “Annikin Starkiller” and “a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills” named Han Solo • excerpts from George Lucas’s numerous, ever-morphing script drafts • the birth of Industrial Light &amp; Magic, the special-effects company that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking • the studio-hopping and budget battles that nearly scuttled the entire project • the director’s early casting saga, which might have led to a film spoken mostly in Japanese–including the intensive auditions that won the cast members their roles and made them legends • the grueling, nearly catastrophic location shoot in Tunisia and the subsequent breakneck dash at Elstree Studios in London • the who’s who of young film rebels who pitched in to help–including Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Brian DePalma But perhaps most exciting, and rarest of all, are the interviews conducted before and during production and immediately after the release of Star Wars–in which George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, composer John Williams, effects masters Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and John Dykstra, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, legendary production designer John Barry, and a host of others share their fascinating tales from the trenches and candid opinions of the film that would ultimately change their lives. No matter how you view the spectrum of this thirty-year phenomenon, The Making of Star Wars stands as a crucial document–rich in fascination and revelation–of a genuine cinematic and cultural touchstone.

The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film

Random House Worlds

From Raiders of the Lost Ark to The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull The man with the hat is back–in the definitive behind-the-scenes look at the Indiana Jones epic action saga. When George Lucas and Steven Spielberg put their heads together to create a no-holds-barred action-adventure movie, bigger-than-life hero Indiana Jones was born. The rest is breathtaking, record-breaking box-office history. Now comes an all-new Indiana Jones feature film: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Here’s your chance to go on location for an up-close, all-access tour of the year’s most eagerly anticipated blockbuster, as well as the classics. The Complete Making of Indiana Jones is a crash course in movie magic-making–showcasing the masters of the craft and served up by veteran entertainment chroniclers J. W. Rinzler and Laurent Bouzereau. Inside you’ll find: • exclusive on-set interviews with the entire cast and crew of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, including Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone, and John Hurt–plus director Steven Spielberg, executive producer George Lucas, screenwriter David Koepp, and the incredible production team that built some of the most fantastic sets ever. • hundreds of full-color images–from storyboards, concept paintings, and set design schematics to still photos from all four films with candid action shots of the productions in progress • an in-depth chronicle of the making of the first three Indiana Jones movies–Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade–including transcripts of the original concept meetings, cast and crew anecdotes, production photos, and information on scenes that were cut from the final films • never-before-seen artwork and archival gems from the Lucasfilm Archives • and much more! Don’t miss the thrilling new movie or this definitive making-of opus. It’s as essential to fans as that trusty bullwhip is to Indy!

The Complete Making of Indiana Jones: The Definitive Story Behind All Four Films

Bouzereau, Laurent

In this lavish fortieth-anniversary tribute to the blockbuster film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler draws back the curtain to reveal the intense drama and magnificent wizardry behind the hit movie—arguably the fan favorite of the Star Wars Saga. Following his The Making of Star Wars, the author has once again made use of his unlimited access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its hidden treasures of previously unpublished interviews, photos, artwork, and production mementos. The result is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes, up-close-and-personal look at the trials and triumphs, risks and close calls, inspiration, perspiration, and imagination that went into every facet of this cinematic masterpiece. Here’s the inside scoop on: • the evolution of the script, from story conference and treatment to fifth draft, as conceived, written, and rewritten by George Lucas, famed science-fiction author Leigh Brackett, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan • the development of new key characters, including roguish hero Lando Calrissian, sinister bounty hunter Boba Fett, and iconic Jedi Master Yoda • the challenges of shooting the epic ice planet battle in the frozen reaches of Norway and of conjuring up convincing creatures and craft—from tauntauns and snowspeeders to Imperial walkers • the construction of a life-sized Millennium Falcon and the swamp planet Dagobah inside a specially built soundstage in Elstree Studios • the technique behind master Muppeteer Frank Oz’s breathing life into the breakthrough character Yoda • the creation of the new, improved Industrial Light &amp; Magic visual effects facility and the founding of the now-legendary Skywalker Ranch In addition, of course, are rare on-the-scene interviews with all the major players: actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and David Prowse; director Irvin Kershner; producer Gary Kurtz; effects specialists Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, and Phil Tippett; composer John Williams; and many others. Punctuating the epic account is a bounty of drawings, storyboards, and paintings by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and Ivor Beddoes, along with classic and rare production photos. An added bonus is a Foreword by acclaimed director Ridley Scott. The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a fittingly glorious celebration of an undisputed space-fantasy movie milestone. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Just as Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi completed the most successful cinematic trilogy of its generation, perhaps of all time, this splendid thirtieth-anniversary tribute completes New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler’s trio of fascinating behind-the-scenes books celebrating George Lucas’s classic films. Once again, the author’s unprecedented access to the formidable Lucasfilm Archives has yielded a mother lode of extremely informative, vastly entertaining, and often unexpected stories, anecdotes, recollections, and revelations straight from the closely guarded set of a big-screen blockbuster in the making. Brimming with previously unpublished photos, production artwork, script excerpts, exclusive intel, vintage on-set interviews, and present-day commentary, The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi chronicles “how George Lucas and his crew of extroverted artists, misfits, and expert craftspeople roused themselves to great heights for a third time” to create the next unforgettable chapter in one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Get up close to the action and feel like a studio insider as • creator George Lucas, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, and director Richard Marquand huddle in a script conference to debate the destinies of iconic Star Wars characters, as well as plot twists and turns for the epic final showdown between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire • artists and craftspeople at the groundbreaking Industrial Light &amp; Magic facility top their own revolutionary innovations—despite the infamous Black Friday—with boundary-pushing new analog visual effects • a crack team of sculptors, puppeteers, actors, and “monster-makers” bring Jabba the Hutt and his cohorts to startling, slobbering life from the inside out • a Who’s Who of heavyweight directors—from such films as Superman, Gremlins, Halloween, Dune, Scanners, and Time Bandits—are considered for the coveted job of bringing a new Star Wars adventure to the silver screen • actors and crew race to the finish line at Elstree Studios, in a fiery desert, and beneath the trees of a dense redwood forest—before money runs out—to answer the questions that audiences had waited three years to find out: Is Darth Vader really Luke’s father, who is the “other”—and who or what is the Emperor? Star Wars’ stars from both sides of the camera—including Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Alec Guinness, director Richard Marquand, producer Howard Kazanjian, Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, and mastermind George Lucas—weigh in with candid insights on everything from technical challenges, character design, Ewoks, the Empire’s galactic city planet, and the ultimate challenge of bringing the phenomenal space fantasy to a dramatic close. The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi gives a spectacular subject its just due, with more than five hundred images and many, many new interviews. Praise for The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi “Just like Rinzler’s 2010 volume about Empire Strikes Back, The Making of Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi is an indispensible volume that will add tons of insight to your appreciation of George Lucas’ Original Trilogy. Rinzler has gone through masses of production documents at Lucasfilm and interviewed tons of people, and come up with a portrait of Lucas struggling to find a fitting ending to his ambitious, heroic saga.”—io9

The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Literature & Fiction

Dramas & Plays

The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Enhanced Edition)

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