Imperial Dententionation Blocks

"Dentention
Dentation
Detonation
Dentationation
Dententionation... Prison Block"

My friends and I used to be baffled by that word 'Detention'. Or maybe it was just me? We'd be playing a scene from Star Wars and all sorts of odd variations would come up. 'Den-tention' was, I think, the most common. The actors said to Lucas: "You can type this stuff George - but you can't SAY it."

It's where people are detained. DETAINED. Got it lads?

Movie Notes

This is a really enjoyable scene in the film and Harrison Ford demonstrates what he, and he alone could ever have brought to the role. Okay, Chris Walken or Kurt Russell could have but they wouldn't be as likeable as Ford. Or as handsome. I haven't drawn the rather uncomfortable - but comic manner in which Solo reclines, feet on the desk in his bulky stolen uniform. Pity. And I've always liked that dismissive 'couldn't care less' pose and his over the shoulder monosyllables barked through curled lips. Plus the look of wide-eyed disbelief, that a person might consider helping someone else: for free.

Apparently the actors were really starting to gel during these Death Star scenes and they produced real sparkle and humour. A quality that the prequels almost entirely lack. But Lucas wasn't pleased. Especially when they got to the Trash Compactor scene and they all began to ad-lib. (Speaking of which, you'll love that when it arrives here in a few weeks. I can't wait!)

So, I sometimes I wonder if the very occasional sparks of cheeky wit and mischievous flourishes from Ewan McGreggor in the prequels - really coming into his own on Episode 3 - were actually improvised on the spot? I've heard that he found acting against a blue screen for 3 films tedious, so I think rather than just giving in, he stayed upbeat like a real pro and tried to inject some energy and humanity. His performance reminds me of the energy sparking between the actors in this the original film. "Always on the move", "Another happy landing!", "Well, hello there!"

Wasn't our Liam Neeson like a piece of wood in 'Phantom' though? I do like him a lot. But could it be that he wasn't confident enough to challenge the direction? Or was it a case of "It's boring, but think of the paycheque - think of the paycheque..."

Art Notes

"HAN!
WE'VE GOT TOO  RECUE HER!"

I'm guessing this page was late 1978 or early '79 - from the look of it. Not sure what the dramatic ZAK! is for when Luke shouts "HAN!"Is he slapping him? Karate Chopping? Solo might develop a stress disorder too, if Luke keeps this up.

No wonder Solo's jumped up and drawn his blaster! Maybe the next page should have been Luke dead on the floor followed by the closing credits.

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