George Lucas Books

Fairy tales are usually about a young man who becomes a hero by battling the most dispicable enemies and achieving his heart's desire. In the end, despite great odds, monsters are vanquished, villainy is given the heave-ho, the princess' heart is won and great treasure is acquired far from the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service (which is how you can tell this is a fairy tale).

"The Making of Star Wars" is just such a fairy tale, but it's not about the one up on the screen. This big, beefy, bouncy delight tells in 360 eye-squinting pages of type and hundreds of photos the story of how George Lucas, armed at first with nothing more than a bare bones script and a reputation for interesting, if not money-making movies, devoted more than four years of his life, bet his precarious career, and came up with a movie that not just redefined Hollywood blockbusters, but reimagined heroism and other virtues that touched a generation made cynical by the upheavals of the `60s and `70s.

How he did it -- as described in this book -- should give all writers, artists and other dreamers pause to reflect on the value of preparation, hard work, a willingness to absorb ideas from others, and going into a project knowing that you have not only no idea how it will come out, but that bad luck will doom you no matter what you do.

It's amazing that "Star Wars" was made at all, when it becomes clear in the book that the executives in charge at 20th Century Fox were more interested in busting Lucas' chops instead of making a movie. As one of Lucas friends notes: "There was a lack of respect for George. The movie industry is a very vituperative and petty industry most of the time -- and part of the negotiations was just to see how much they could push George around because they felt like they could."After getting Lucas under contract cheap, before the success of "American Graffitti," Fox proceeded to fritter away their leverage by withholding the contract for "Star Wars." To keep the project going, Lucas was forced to invest his own money, and in the end, had to threaten to stop filming to get the contract. By that time, the project was so far along that Fox was faced with either agreeing to his demands, or letting the project go to another studio. Hence, was born the most lopsided contract in history, giving Lucas say over final cut, plus control over all sequels and merchandizing.

Considering that "The Making of Star Wars" was published nearly 30 years after the movie's stunning debut, going back and putting together this history is a major accomplishment. Fortunately, J.W. Rinzler had access to interviews conducted during the production of `Star Wars," when people were in the midst of the work and uninfluenced by its future success. This fills the book with episodes and incidents of such detail that it's possible to fall into the pages and imagine yourself, back in the mid-'70s, where hair was blow-dried, collars and pants were wide, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter were atop the political pyramid -- reflect on that when you look at Obama/Clinton/McCain!

For the two weeks, I was in film geek heaven, boring my wife at lunchtime with details about alternative casting (Christopher Walken as Luke! Jodie Foster as Leia!), alternative storylines (Luke was a girl at one point and named Starkiller; the robots were originally bureaucrats working for the Empire; Lucas toyed with filming it all in Japanese, with subtitles), sources for names (Han Solo? From a brand of paper cups) and those small incidents that acquire greater meaning (an out-of-work James Earl Jones spending a day in a studio to record Darth Vader's lines for $7,500). And don't get me started on the models and special effects; we'd be here all week.

But the heart of the story is George Lucas, and while I've always respected the man, my heart went out to him once I understood the impossible odds he worked again. "Star Wars" was made because he willed it into being; he was the Jedi who rescued his movie.

Lucas created a fairy tale for our times, but his story had a fairy tale twist as well. After laboring for years, fighting the studio executives and impossible deadlines, Lucas got his movie out. But he thought he had failed: "When I saw the first cut, my only opinion was that I did a terrible job, but it works. It doesn't work very well, but it works. ... And then when I finally saw it with an audience for the first time, I realized that no matter how far short I fell and how far short all the departments fell from what I wanted, the film did work for an audience. ... They all laughed at the right place and they believed it."

So the hero wins after all, but not in the way you'd expect. That's the hallmark of all good stories.

Having seen all 3 original trilogy movies over a hundred times a piece, (I paid theater admission for most of those viewings, no video back then), I was and still am interested in the behind the scenes events that took place during the making of the movies.
I have read all three of the "Making Of" books about the original trilogy. This book is definitely the most thorough and indepth with the technical aspects and day to day events on set. I enjoyed the interviews with George Lucas and the other people involved in the film. On the lighter side, (Being a huge Luke/Mark Hamill fan) I really enjoyed the candid photos of Mark Hamill and the other cast members on set.
The true Star Wars fan will enjoy the unlimited access to George Lucas' earliest thoughts about the trilogy and a detailed look into his film making style. This book is a must have for all who have ever dreamed of "a galaxy far, far away....

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the making of Star Wars. The author covers all aspects of the movie and is chock full of paintings, photos, manuscript pages, and poster art. The story unfolds chronologically and after each chapter the author lists the new elements of each draft of the screenplay as it progresses toward the final version. Lots of great trivia and insight into the epic struggle to make Star Wars.

I got this for my 14 year old son and myself. I can't get over how cool this book is !! So much behind the scenes info. I worked at a theater for the initial release of Star Wars and this book gives me information about a movie that I thought I already knew everything about.
Buy it !!!

I am not reviewing this book based on the content as I did not purchase it to read. I purchased it as a gift for my husband - a Star Wars fan from his youth.

I'm sure this book would make a great gift for the hardcore Star Wars fans (although I expect they would have already purchased it for themselves.) I would particularly like to recommend this book as a gift to more casual fans of Star Wars and fans of books on the film industry in general. My husband has read quite a few Star Wars books, but has said that this is among the most interesting of the non-fiction books he has read on the topic and he was constantly stopping me to read quotes from the book on various aspects of the production history.

It's a very heavy, very large book and makes great presentation on the coffee table - much too nice to be left sitting on a shelf. :)

I remembered listening to this production on NPR when I was a kid and now that my own children have discovered Star Wars I decided to share this version with them on a recent trip to visit grandma. We loved it! The Star Wars story is expanded and the writing and voice acting is so well done that it will keep the kids and adults entertained. Our trip seemed almost too short because we enjoyed listening so much.

Don't waste money on a DVD player in the car. Stories like this one are much more entertaining and leave the special f/x to the imagination.

I recently wrote a review for the Return of the Jedi adaption on NPR which I gave a mere three stars. I cited poor directing, acting and lack of added material.

These complaints cannot be levelled against this, the first of the NPR dramatisations.
The acting is spot on, with Perry King providing a rougher verion of Solo that goes over well, as opposed to the next two adaptions where it begins to grate. Mark Hamil and Anthony Daniels are naturally perfect at the characters that defined them for a decade and more after the original trilogy finished. Bernard Behrens does a surprisingly good Ben Kenobi, and Brock Peters likewise with Vader. They are not Alec Guinness and James Earl Jones, but they're good enough not to cause problems.

The direction is great, and I never found myself noticing the obvious radio 'cues' which tell the listener what is happening. THe music and sound effects are good and the pacing is not rushed, unlike ROTJ.

And as for added material? Deducting front and end credits gives us roughly five and a half hours, nearly triple the length of the film. The vast wealth of extra material is great and never seems out of place.

In all I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Star Wars original trilogy.

In 1981, the phenomenally popular movie Star Wars was adapted into a radio drama. The series ran as 13 half-hour episodes. This being about three times as long as the movie, a lot of extra scenes were added, especially back stories for many of the characters. The only actors from the movie that reprised their roles from the movie were Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker and Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, but most of the actors taking over the other roles do a good job. Most Star Wars fans will probably enjoy this.

I have fond memories of myself eagerly awaiting each installment of this fantastic radio drama adaptation of the original "Star Wars" film back when it aired originally in 1981. Brian Daley did an excellent job via his superb scripts giving us more details of the relationships between Luke Skywalker and his Tatooine friend Biggs Darklighter and between Princess Leia and her father on Alderaan. We also learn here how Princess Leia obtained the technical plans for the Death Star. Both Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels give superb performances of their screen characters, Luke Skywalker and C3PO respectively. However, the rest of the cast is just as fine with a fine - if somewhat restrained - Darth Vader voiced by Brock Peters and Ann Sachs as Princess Leia. Both the sound effects by Ben Burtt and of course the original film score by John Williams are absolutely splendid. This is a spellbinding radio drama that should appeal to diehard fans of "Star Wars".

At first, the idea seems bizarre, even ridiculous. Star Wars, a movie best known for its vistas of alien worlds and epic battles, as a 13 part radio drama? No way would it work, right?

Well, unless you have the cold heart of a Sith, Star Wars did indeed translate well from the silver screen to radio, thank you very much. Yes, Star Wars' visual effects are a big part of the magic of the saga, but the heart and soul of George Lucas' galaxy far, far away are the characters and the storyline. And while the movie is satisfying on its own, the radio dramatization written by the late Brian Daley takes us beyond the movie....beyond the screenplay...and even beyond the novelization.

By expanding the movie's story beyond its two hour running time, the Radio Drama allows us to catch glimpses of Luke Skywalker's life BEFORE the movie. It tells us how Princess Leia acquired the Death Star plans....and what, exactly, happened to her during her interrogation aboard the Empire's battle station...(it is an interesting scene, but not for the squeamish, by the way). In short, by expanding the story to nearly seven hours, characters we loved on screen acquire depth only equaled by novelizations.

The Radio Drama makes extensive use of material written (and in some cases filmed) for A New Hope's silver screen version but cut for editorial or technical reasons. Also, Ben Burtt's sound effects, John Williams' score, and the acting of Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Anthony Daniels (See Threepio) give the whole project its "true" Star Wars cachet.

My children have enjoyed reading this series several times.

Imagine traveling at light speed and traveling to any planet you want. Or having a beam sword/light saber that's indestructible, not even the best of the best could beat it. In "Star Wars Episode 2 Attack Of The Clones" by Patricia C. Wrede all of this is reality but in your mind of course. It's a book of action, adventure, excitement, and fun. Imagine you had the power of the whole galaxy.

On a planet called Naboo there was a young kid called Anakin Skywalker, chosen by a Jedi knight obi wan from the republic academy. Anakin was born to be a Jedi. He was the chosen one. So Obi Wan trained him for years. Soon he was set on a mission to protect the queen Padme. But really he was on a different mission to find his lost mother. Also to become a Jedi knight. But if he failed his quest to protect Padme he would never become a Jedi knight. He felt miserable because Obi Wan would not let him pass and also fight a real battle as a real Jedi. But he was just as miserable because he thought his mother was died. So he traveled to Naboo to hunt down the kidnapers of his mother. Accomplishing his goal he did. He destroyed all men and women of their kind. But to late he was, his mother was dead, hanging from a rope in one of their huts. After returning to his mission he felt that he failed his mother. But Padme was happy for him because he found his mother died or alive, as long as he finished his quest. Just then Padme reached to kiss him and that ended in an affair. When he returned to the republic and heard that he accomplished his mission they decided to night Anakin a full Jedi knight. His life was complete. Besides for his mother but when he married Padme his life was like he had a whole new family.

In this book there's a lot cool action. One of my favorites are when Obi Wan went to find the mastermind killer, the bounty hunter. When the bounty hunter tried to run from Obi Wan, but Obi Wan took this little tracker that Obi Wan put on his ship. So then obi wan took his ship and they started a high-speed plane chase. Back and forth through asteroids and shooting missiles at each other. Obi Wan knew he had to fire back but his real mission was to find out where he was going. So he did dodging missiles and asteroids but he made it. The bounty hunter was going to count Dooku the evil mastermind.
The theme of this book is that a young child that was chosen to be a Jedi knight. Trained by Obi Wan he was told to be the best of the best. But Anakin knew there was more in life then being a Jedi. He had to find his real family. So this book is really about a kid going to for fill his destiny.

If you read this book your imagination will grow farther then the galaxy. That's why you got to read this amazing book; also if you want fun, adventure, and excitement well this book has it all and even more. So in my opinion I rate this book 4/5 stars and I think it would be great for ages 9 to 13.

this book was awsome i rate it a five and above this is a must read book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the book Star Wars Episode 2 Attack of the Clones you will find Jedi fighting the dark side. My favorite parts are when Jango Fett and Obi-Wan fought on Komino. Also, the execution and the war on Genosis. Finally, I like the light saber fight at the end. I recommend this fictional book because this book is adventuresome, unpredictable, and shows exitement through out the novel. If you want to find out more read this book.

Starwars Episode 2 was an action/lovestory. The setting of the story was were the Jedis tried searching for the bad guys all over the galaxy. The main characters in the book were Obi won Kenobi ,the Queen and all the Jedi masters. My favorite character is Yoda because he was a very good Jedi master.My favorite part of the book was when all the Jedis fight against the clones.I would recommend this book to children betwen the ages of 7-13 because it is very cool and action packed.

The Contented Achiever is an excellent book that helps us on our journey as to whether we are living the life we truly want! In the back of the book, there is a Self Assessment entitled "Are You a Contented Achiever?" My score told me that this book would absolutely be read next!

The lessons learned about being centered and living in the "now" have greatly impacted my life. The chapter on "Clutter" has created even more satisfaction and peace in my daily life. I ask myself the following question: Are there things that tie me to my past that prevent me from enjoying the present? Try it, you'll experience a wonderful sense of letting go and enjoying life more!

This book is a quick and easy read suitable for individuals or groups. For the "puzzle of life" the book provides, in outline form, key factors to build success and a belief system to allow one to enjoy the ride. I recommend it highly and recently purchased copies for my entire organization.

I believe that The Contented Achiever stands out in the crowd of books on self-improvement. I found this book to be thought-provoking, positive and creative. The Contented Achiever has a large number of creative suggestions which I found to be directly applicable to my life. I get the impression that the authors' beliefs are based on a profound knowledge of their subject gathered over a life-time. There are also great, well-positioned quotes to reinforce good points made throughout the book.

My favorite subjects pertained to "Creating Desired Results" which is a very simple series of steps to use to become the person you are striving to become. I found suggestions about dealing with clutter to be very practical and a chapter about "Creating an Environment for Success" to be insightful and especially thought-provoking. I also believe that the book would be especially useful to anyone experiencing some personal, or professional frustration in his/her life.

I highly recommend The Contented Achiever to those people interested in personal, or professional improvement. The simple, straightforward style used by the authors will make the book a refreshing and enjoyable experience.

I enjoyed this book so much that I got several copies to give away to friends. It was humorous, nostalgic, thought-provoking, cathartic and inspiring.

Not since I read Co-Dependent No More have I had a more graphic awakening to my own reality. This book provided me with a plethora of labels to apply to many dysfunctional life-situations and thereby provided many clues to personal problem-solving answers.

Even though I already know I am an extremely organized individual, still, I learned many new ideas to experiment with in my constant quest for even better methods for pursuit of a productive life both physically and emotionally. No one could read this book without coming away with something new to think about.

Big Boxes can hold many miracles...don't miss Chapter 6.

Rush, rush, rush. Push, push, push. Gotta achieve. Gotta make it! Life is complicated, but that's the fun. Go go go!

So is this what achievement is all about? Not really, say these authors. There's a system for success, and it's simple. In fact, simplicity in life is part of the magic. But it all starts inside. As the book explains, "what's in the well comes up in the bucket."

This is an interesting book because it's written by three authors-three people who have "been there, done that, and taught others." But the book is written in the singular. The authors realized that their ideas were bouncing all over the place, so they engaged a writer to "harmonize them into one voice." Clever idea, but a little unnerving at times, knowing that there are three people behind the message.

Readers will begin the journey through this book by Defining Success. Chapter 2 talks about Creating Desired Results, with the obligatory four-quadrant model. The dimensions of this one are Failure and Success, Frustration and Fulfillment. The Impact of Thoughts, Words, and Actions is explored in the third chapter. Values are addressed in a chapter entitled "Reflecting on Your Belief System" before an advisory chapter on getting clutter out of your life. The balance of the book focuses on creating an environment for success. It's a "typical" self-help book, but well put together.

Extra features include the inspirational quotes you might expect, sprinkled through the pages. A 19-question assessment at the back of the book serves as a summary, but could also be taken before reading the book as a sort of benchmark. The Points to Ponder at the end of each chapter add value to this book, moving the reader from absorption of good advice to a pensive and self-reflection mode to stimulate progress.

I was so excited when my package arrived and couldn't wait to open it.
What i got is an unbelievable box that holds a mass of little treasures, beginning with the little piece of Darth Vaders Cape and continuing with the book itself, the fabric samples or the also included DVD.
Everything is done with so much care for the details and you also get a certificate plus a little card with your book's collectors number. I don't regret my purchase at all. Even though it was a lot of money, it's totally worth it for every fan of the Saga who doesn't just like the ships, battles or lightsaber-fights. Also i have a little suggestion - be careful carrying it around - it is really heavy :)

Ever since I saw Episode One I have been fascinated by the costume designs of the Star Wars universe and finally here is the book that shows just how special these costumes are. With large photographs of the costumes and detailed close ups that show the attention to detail.

Finally my time in a galaxy far, far away has an end?

This book is above and beyond excellent. From the way that the book is packaged, presented and written, not to mention the tangible supplements that are exclusive to this edition - such as the cloth swatch from Darth Vader's cape - what a thrill it is to actually own something that has literally been a part of the Star Wars universe!

This book is highly informative, insightful and entertaining.
Packed full of sumptuous photographs, illustrations, fold-outs, cloth swatches and an exclusive DVD - ANYTHING a Star Wars fan or those with only a passing interest in film costuming could ever want.

This publication is a must. It is simply an absolute joy to behold and a treasure trove for one and all who read it. I'm sure it is destined to become a crown jewel in many a Star Wars fan book collection!

I cannot recommend Dressing a Galaxy enough - go buy it, and May The Force Be With You!

You can buy whatever book you want on the Star Wars films, but not having this one is a crime. Photography is amazingly clear and detailed, the inserts are awesome, and the swatches...forget about it...they are priceless.

This is, by far THE package of the Star Wars empire. Destined to be a classic and one "to die for" in the Star Wars ranks. Don't, let it pass you by.

I was beginning to think this book wouldn't come, because the release was put back twice and then it seemed to be unavailable. Well, I guess with limited editions of this price band it's understandable. I was kind of starting to not care, because at this price I was starting to think I should save my money. Then today, my other half called me at work to say this huge parcel had been delivered. Yes!
I got home an hour ago and, well, it IS huge. Extremely well packed, a box inside another box, and then the fabric-covered clamshell box with the fastended silk wrap. Lovely. I almost didn't want to unseal it any further, but carefully I did. The fresh print smell hit me first, and within seconds I got a headache from it. Opening the box gave me that geeky excitement I haven't had since, I don't know when. I'd made sure to wash my hands first. Then I opened it. The book is outwardly the same as the regular version, set into the right-hand side of the clamshell with a red silk pull underneath to help lift it out. On the other side, there was the replica wookie belt buckle, a certificate of authenticity, a companion DVD, and a special sealed sample of Vader's cloak fabric. All looked pretty good.

I lifted out the book with the pull, and noticed it's thicker than the regular version, with lots of the special inserts I'd read about. Nice and weighty, I put it aside, because underneath is a gatefold supplement containing a dozen or more fabric samples from the costumes pictured next to them. Lovely. Really lovely. And then, underneath that, a thicker booklet showcasing digital creatures from the prequels and their costumes. I then opened the main book to find the limited edition number. There are 2,500 of these books, and I got number 2,479. I think I was lucky getting this!

So often these collectors pieces are disappointing, but I have to be completely honest with this. It's a beautiful book, and I haven't even started reading it yet, which isn't going to make a lot of difference because of the quality of the whole package. If you can get hold of a copy, do it. I know it's pricey, but you'll get over that soon enough, and you'll have what I think is one of the best pieces of Star Wars memorabilia ever made.

You see I've read the non-manga version of comics of the movies, honestly I was disappointed. The artwork was bad, they screwed things up, left parts out. but this, this is the proper star wars comic. I'm not really a fan of the japanese style of drawing but I think star wars wears it well.
this book ends just when luke comes across his home set on fire. I was a little disappointed that they can't just put all the books into one longer one to save the reader money you know instead of buying 4 books for ten bucks each. that is really the only flaw I see with this series. As I was saying, although Han Solo is on the front cover he doesn't come into the series till the 2nd book.
For all of you that are old fans looking for a comic that is actually fit to wear the star wars name, I think you will like this series and I did. There are 4 books in this series, there is also a manga version of Empire strikes back and return of the jedi, so if you get into this there are more.
I feel this japanese art style worked so well with star wars is because of all the action in it. That was one of the big problems with the non-manga version was that they were unable to draw all the action in it. This does it all really well. Also a good thing about this is that the expressions on the characters tell volumes about they are feeling. Sometimes the artists over-do it a little bit, but its really not a problem.
So, I'd say that this is for new fans, long-time fans, old fans, young fans everyone really. You won't be disappointed, really its good.

Well at least this is a more complete version of the film than the American one, I'm a great lover of anime and manga, and you can be sure that I loved reading Star Wars in this highly expressive style, This volume features many scenes scripted that never made even to the Special Edition.

Certainly artist Hisao Tamaki took some liberties like changing a little bit of Princess Leia's look, but I can asure you that it looks great and true to the original style... hey! by the way if George Lucas got inspired to create Star Wars by watching Akira Kurosawa's films then you can be sure this is a wonderful adaptation!

I wasn't sure what to expect with the Star Wars: Manga series. I wasn't sure if it would just be a tired retread of familiar material done with big eyes, or if it would be the first really quality adaptation of the Star Wars films. Because lets face it, most Star Wars comics suck. The art is lacklustre, with artists often trying to make their character look too much like Harrison Ford or Mark Hamill. The dialogue is flimsy, with characters either spouting catchphrases from the movies or just dropping awkward speech balloons all over the place. No, Dark Horse has not done much with the coveted Star Wars franchise to crow about. Until now.
I'm not one of those fans that preaches the unfailing superiority of Japanese manga. Nor do I decry the often exaggerated facial expressions and unfamiliar art style. I simply appreciate good comics, and this is good comics. This is the best graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars: A New Hope that anyone could ever ask for. The well-known script is adapted directly from George Lucas' original script, and so it includes the new scenes of the Special Edition releases from a few years back (Though Han does seem the shoot first in a highly satisfyingly violent scene). This is not merely a storyboard adaptation, but a true utilisation of what comics do best. Hisao Tamaki, who adapts and draws this story, uses plenty of panels just to establish mood and setting, most noticeable in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene. The characters, thankfully, are not modelled on their silver screen counter-parts, but rather have a life of their own. Action scenes are a beauty to behold, and Tamaki's kinetic style is really showcased. The lightsaber duel between Vader and Obi-Wan is infused with a distinctly Japanese aesthetic, giving the samurai-esque Kenobi a mobility that the honourable Sir Alec Guiness could simply never achieve. The destruction of Alderaan is handled far more dramatically than in the film, flashing panels of the people of that doomed world with the Death Star as it charges its cannon. The blast is one of those truly impressive sights that make your eyes widen in an attempt to take it all in.
Perhaps the most appealing part of this series is the way Tamaki exploits the lighter moments to brilliant effect. The Jawa's incessant jabbering, the mugging of Luke and Han, and especially the frantic chases through the Death Star in the third volume all illicit great little moments. Once one becomes accustomed to Tamaki's visual language, including little teardrops and pulsing forehead veins, it's easy to follow the laughs.
If there are any drawbacks to this story, they involve the inevitable problems in translating a Japanese work for an English market. Virtually all panels are mirrored to accommodate our left-to-right reading style. It seems that some action scenes devoid of dialogue were left in their original format, making the transition a bit jarring if your eye's sharp enough to spot the gaffes. I've read other reviews that disapproved of the sound effect lettering, arguing that it distracted from the art in certain scenes. I agree that the sound effects are occasionally overwhelming, but they are clearly an important part of the art style, and are used so effectively in certain scenes that I'm willing to forgive this minor sin.
For any fans of the Star Wars films or comics series, this set is a valuable and highly entertaining addition that lets you appreciate the classic tale in a new medium. I look forward to reading the following Star Wars: Manga adaptations.

I used to love Star Wars more than anything. It was the end-all, be-all of sci-fi. Then I started to read sci-fi books and watch anime. My opinion of Star Wars went down considerably. And over the years I saw the movies so many times I thought I would never want to see them again. Well, I am once again VERY excited about Star Wars...

What do I love about this Manga? Where do I start? First, this Manga is pretty much word-for-word exactly the same as the movie. Secondly, the art style is more than good. It's incredible. I never thought I could get into a comic book without color, but man this one changed my mind. Then there is the character designs.

Some people might not like their favorite Star Wars characters remade into anime-style characters with big eyes, but personally I REALLY dig it. I never really liked Princess Leia in
A New Hope, but man, get a load of what she looks like now! She just went from a character I didn't like to a fantasticly beautiful and deeply soulful character (well, that how I feel about it anyway).

Lastly, I will say that the action in this Manga series is truly amazing. From the first time a light saber lights up you will be amazed. If you love Star Wars you need this Manga. If you used to like Star Wars and now like comic books, check it out anyway.

This is a truly wonderful adaption. I love the style, and the whole thing is just so good you won't care that you've already seen the movie. It's like, you can really look over the good parts, taking in every detail. Thank God they kept it in black and white! The artist does an incredible job with shading and character likeness, and you can almost hear Mark Hamill's voice... This manga also includes a flash back and a cool pic of the sandtroopers on dewbacks. I'd recommend this for Star Wars fans in general, Japanese or American.

When I first found out about this book, I immediately came to Amazon and read the reviews listed with this one. I must whole heartedly agree with my fellow reviewers that this book is filled with a lot of never before seen photos and information about George Lucas that the public has never had access to before. It is graphically beautiful. When I first received my copy, I literally couldn't put it down for hours. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning more about the man behind the Star Wars saga.

This guy has got it together - a great look inside the creative process and genius of the modern film maker. Absolute must have for a Star Wars fan or anyone wanting to learn more about the cause and effect this one man has had on the film industry, movie making, motion pictures and the technology to bring them to life - far beyond any one else has ever done before..... travel into hyperspace with this book.

By now, most people have seen one George Lucas film, just as they have most likely seen a film by Steven Spieldberg. This wonderfully photographed and informative coffee table book has everything you need to know about the directoral genius and the history of his films. It all began in the late 60's, when he and Steven Spieldberg graduated from USC in Southern California. They would both go on to become leading American film directors. Lucas's first attempt at film was a successful student film- THX 1138, a chilling science fiction film about a futuristic, militant society akin to George Orwell's 1984. Already, there are signs of his most recognizable movie Star Wars as in that film a young man defies the oppressive regime and attempts to rescue himself but fails to do so. In the mid 70's, Lucas had already created the storylines for his Star Wars saga. It is a 9 part saga. We have seen Episodes 1-6. Beginning in 1977 with Episode 4 A New Hope, the film that won him instant fame. The book recounts the making of the film on location, the casting of Mark Hammill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford- actors who at that time were in need of a successful film role. The book even details original scenes that were cut off. In 1980, The Empires Strikes Back was released and it proved to be the highest grossing sequel of a film ever made. 1983's Return of the Jedi, as wonderfully made as it was, has never been as successful as the first two, though it raps the saga nicely. In 1999, Lucas released Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, the first installment of his space opera which tells of the growth and downfall of the young Anakin Skywalker who becomes Darth Vader. 2002's Attack of the Clones dealt with the Clone Wars and the budding romance of Padme and Anakin. 2005's Revenge of the Sith describes the Sith takeover and the destruction of the Old Republic and extinction of the Jedi, all except for Yoda, Obi-Won and Padme's twins Luke and Leia. Lucas had a hand in the making of Spieldberg's popular Indiana Jone series. We have seen how he has become a film-maker who relies on great stories and the magic effects of cinema and computer graphic/digital technology. He is the only director who can point us to the path of how future movies will be made.

This book is filled with rare and beautiful images from the Lucas archive. If you're interested in George Lucas, there is no alternative. The story is pretty good, although a little limited. If you combined the images from this book with the detailed story in DROIDMAKER (subtitled- George Lucas and the Digital Revolution- which i just read straight through and LOVED), I think you'd have the perfect Lucas book. Still, i highly recommend this.

Excellent book about Lucas' life and projects. Special focus is of course on Star Wars and Indiana Jones. The Star Wars (original film) is the best chapter and there is some excellent stuff there - including segments from the first draft of the film and how the story changed from the first and final draft. This tells the real story about Lucas and his incredible path from the shy film student to the man that would change film making forever. A must for all fans of films. This is a truly interesting book with some great pictures and it is very easy to read. Highly recommended.

"Cinema By The Bay" by San Francisco-based film and culture writer Sheerly Avni is a profusely illustrated survey of influential, full-length, post-1960s feature films produced by five movie studios located in the San Francisco Bay Area (American Zoetrope, The Saul Zaentz Company, Lucasfilm Ltd., Pixar Animation Studies, and Pacific Data images), or which were directed by independent filmmakers living and working in Northern California (many of whom were recent graduates of the California Institute of the Arts and Stanford - where they had studied experimental animation). Enhanced with the inclusion of an informed and informative introduction by film critic Michael Sragow, filmographies, an index, credits and acknowledgments, "Cinema By The Bay"is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Cinema History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The pervasive influence of the San Francisco Bay Area on the American film industry certainly makes for a rich pictorial of quite a tapestry of movies. At first, it seems like the commonality of location would make for a contrived listing, but this book is not just about filming locations. What local arts writer Sheerly Avni does is a solid if rather lightweight job of capturing the frenzied spirit that has marked Northern California's moviemaking scene since the early 1970's. Unsurprisingly, she tends to get effusive about her publisher, George Lucas, and his limited output as a director, but it is a forgivable breech when one considers the breadth of films, both renowned and almost forgotten, that she writes about here.

The book is divided neatly into two sections, the first devoted to the five studios based in the Bay Area (Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope, Lucasfilm and the Saul Zaentz Company, as well as the CGI powerhouses of Pixar and PDI) and the second to the filmmakers who are either from here or have chosen toe base themselves here. They include not only Coppola and Lucas but also Carroll Ballard, Clint Eastwood, Phil Kaufman, Michael Ritchie, Chris Columbus and Wayne Wang among others. A complete filmography is included for each studio and director, and Avni provides plenty of interesting information about the productions. The best part of the book is really the treasure trove of production photos provided for each major film presented, many rarely seen before. I also like how certain overlooked films of quality, such as "Tucker: A Man and His Dream", receive renewed attention here, as well as vastly talented filmmakers like Ballard, who do not usually receive much media attention.

Michael Sragow, film critic for the Baltimore Sun, provides the book's invaluable introduction, which summarizes the long history that Northern California has had on cinema starting with Charlie Chaplin's use of Niles in the East Bay as a shooting location for many of his early silents. Alfred Hitchcock is another filmmaker known for his love of Bay Area locations as seen in "Vertigo", "Shadow of the Doubt" and "The Birds", a topic covered thoroughly in Jeff Kraft and Aaron Leventhal's entertaining "Footsteps in the Fog: Alfred Hitchcock's San Francisco". In the meantime, this is a worthy coffee table book providing ample evidence of how San Francisco has been an enduring creative touch point for much of the best of American cinema.

This book sums up the last four decades of filmmaking that has come out of the Bay Area. When you see all these films collected between the covers of this book, one realizes just how much Coppola, Lucas, Eastwood, Kaufman, Saul Zaentz, and Pixar have contributed to our collective movie consciousness. The writing is crisp and lucid, but the images [many never seen previously] and page layouts are astounding. This would make a wonderful gift for *any* movie lover, but even those with a casual interest in film will find it captivating. I am pretty sure this is the first book from Lucas Books, and I applaud it.

From the founding of Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope to Pixar's struggles to stay fresh, I learned so much about the Bay Area's contribution to American film reading this book. (And who knew film producer Saul Zaentz discovered Creedence Clearwater Revival in a prior life as a record producer?) I always thought of "The Godfather" as the region's major movie claim to fame, but this book covers five studios, and 12 independent directors, most of whose names even the most casual filmgoer will recognize. Of course, "Star Wars" and "Amadeus" are covered, but so are less likely suspects such as "Rumble Fish" and "A Perfect World."

The photographs and images are amazing, but Avni's spunky text really makes it. I will be giving this book to my dad, who has lived in the Bay Area for more than 30 years, for Christmas.

From the very first spread, I knew CINEMA BY THE BAY was going to be a very special book. The helicopters flying over the beach in APOCALYPSE NOW is one of the most referred to scenes in modern film history, for all of the elements of war and tragedy that it evokes, but also because it is a scene that demands watching on the big screen. Not only the big screen of a movie theater, also evocatively referred to by the layout of the first page, but the big screen of the imagination, which all good movies reside on.

With that one choice Sherrly Avni brings home not only what is special about the filmmakers covered in her well-researched and totally accessible book, but what was important about the studios founded and fueled by the creative and business efforts of those men and women: that the works created by those artists and companies were defiant, revolutionary, often strokes of genius that come on like an invading army going to war full of dreams to change the landscape while at the same time shackled by the politics of an industry rooted so deeply in its old ways that breaking free was sometimes an impossible task. That all these studios were born in the same area of California amongst a group of creative people who alternated between being mentors and students of each other's work was hardly an accident, and as I made my way across the pages of the book, first learning more about the films of American Zoetrope, The Saul Zaentz Company, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Pacific Data Images than I'd ever learned in a thousand books and magazine articles, then delving into the meatier director biographies, it was clear to me why these filmmakers have been the people who have shaped the way we all look at movies for most of the last century.

The book's layout is great, the writing crisp and direct, and filled with first hand observations from the people who lived the challenges of making the movies what they are today. I can't recommend the book more highly. If you're a fan of movies or just a fan of people and companies that defy the odds, you have to get this book!

Until I had picked up Lucas Delattre's "A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich: The Extraordinary Life of Fritz Kolbe, America's Most Important Spy in World War II", I had never heard before of this book's fascinating subject. Without question, he became an important source of information to the United States on the state of affairs in Nazi Germany towards the latter half of World War II. But still more fascinating is that he came "out of the cold", unannounced, and introduced himself to skeptical American and British intelligence operatives in Switzerland as a German foreign service employee willing to work alone against a diabolical, despotic regime. Delattre - and his English translator George A. Holoch, Jr. - have told a riveting tale in the best tradition of a Graham Greene or John Le Carre novel, but here, the truth is surely much stranger than fiction. I was especially intrigued with how well Kolbe had won over the Americans, especially Allen Dulles, the OSS station chief in Switzerland, and that he managed to provide - without any detection by his superiors in the foreign ministry or by the Gestapo - invaluable information on Nazi-occupied Europe and Japanese-occupied Asia. And I find it remarkable that Kolbe escaped detection by the Gestapo when quite a few of his friends and colleagues did not, and were executed eventually for their resistance against the Nazi dictatorship. It's a pity that this story had a bittersweet ending for Kolbe, who could not serve in the Federal Republic of Germany's foreign ministry due to the influence of former Nazis who objected to having a "traitor" working in their midst; much to Germany's credit, he has been remembered posthumously with a memorial room in the current Foreign Ministry office. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested not only in World War II, but in events in Germany immediately after the war.

This must be one of the most remarkable stories to come out of World War II, and Fritz Kolbe must be one of that war's most unique personalities. During the last two years of the war, and at the risk of his life, Fritz Kolbe brought to the Allies over 2600 secret documents from Hitler's Foreign Office in Berlin. As a result, at war's end he was regarded as "the prize intelligence source of the war." For all this, he asked nothing.

Kolbe was a minor official in the Foreign Office who had managed to maintain his position despite never having joined the Nazi Party. He came to detest the Nazi regime and, despite the inherent risks, resolved to do everything in his power to help bring it down. In early 1943, despite not being a party member, he managed to wangle a trip to Bern, Switzerland as a diplomatic courier. Once there, he attempted to contact the British secret service but they turned him away.

Kolbe then managed to contact the Bern office of the fledgling American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - the forerunner of today CIA - which was headed by Allen Dulles. Kolbe brought with him about two hundred Nazi top secret documents. Dulles was somewhat uncertain, but decided to take a chance on Kolbe and gave him the cover name George Wood. From that time on, Kolbe provided Dulles with highly classified information regarding the third Reich, its plans, its weaponry, its manufacturing plants and their locations, damage to factories and other installations by allied aircraft, Germany's negotiations with other countries, and strategic information concerning the Japanese war machine. In addition, Kolbe's information helped identify German spies and/or their locations in Ireland, Ankara, and Africa.

But sadly, much of this information was never acted upon by the Allies. For some inexplicable reason the OSS office in Washington assigned his file to the counter-espionage service which spent most of its time trying to verify the authenticity of the source. Even more sadly, shortly before his death President Roosevelt mandated that no special consideration should be given to Germans who risked their lives to aid the Allied cause. Germany's surrender must be unconditional.

Thus the ultimate irony: It has been said that no good deed shall go unpunished. So, if Fritz Kolbe's heroic efforts to help bring down Adolph Hitler's Nazi Germany can be considered a good deed by mankind, then Kolbe certainly received his just reward. For at war's end, and with the newly established German Foreign Office largely staffed with ex-Nazi officials, Fritz Kolbe found himself blacklisted as a traitor and left out in the cold.

He had many friends in America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS), but despite the best efforts of his friend, Allen Dulles, who's reputation as a spy master Kolbe had almost single handedly created, Kolbe was never able to resume his career. Instead, he went from one low paying job to another until his death on February 16, 1971. This was a sad end for a forgotten hero who strangely enough might have wanted it that way.

This is a truly unforgettable biography of a German civil servant and diplomat who risked his life to spy for the allies during WWII.He was a member of the German diplomatic service, who had the courage (almost alone among his colleagues), to refuse to join the Nazi party. As the war went on, he was steadily promoted, ending up in a position in which he had access to top-secret documents. Driven by his conscience, he decided that he must help the allies, and this he did at the risk of his life, by smuggling documents to Switzerland. For his first trip across the German - Swiss frontier, he wrapped secret documents around his thighs, under his trousers! Discovery by customs agents would have led to his arrest and eventual execution.

When he first arrived in Zurich, he attempted to contact British and American spy organizations, but was treated by them with great suspicion, and considered a 'double agent'. Eventually he was able to gain the trust of Allen Dulles who acted as head US espionage in Switzerland during this period. Fritz Kolbe worked with Dulles for several years, during which he was able to transmit over 2,600 secret documents to the Dulles organization. From the outset, he astonished his American colleagues by refusing any and all payment for his dangerous work. As the war end approached, he even attempted to form a guerilla group in Berlin, but was dissuaded from this by his US handlers, who persuaded him that his work as a spy was too important for him to take on extra risks. When the war was over, he was unable to find employment in the German diplomatic service, because he was considered a traitor by the many ex-Nazis who had managed to re-enter German government service. He died of cancer in 1971.

It seems like the release of previously secret information from World War II will never end. This book is based on information from the OSS archives that was finally released in 2000. It tells a story that was simply unknown before.

Fritz Kolbe was a walk in. One day he walked in to the OSS office in Switzerland and offered to spy on Germany. Both the British and the Americans were very concerned that he was a double agent. Eventually though Allen Dulles, then head of the OSS in Switzerland took a chance with him.

Kolbe was a medium level officer in the German foreign office. He was not a Nazi and became disenchanted with the Nazi regime. All in all he passed some 2,600 secret documents to the OSS.

After the war Kolbe wanted to continut working for the German Foreign Office. But the Nazi officials who had by then re-entered the German government considered him a traitor and refused to employ him.

The CD is read by Michael Prichard, who has recorded some 430 full length books.

An excellent demonstration of how the Japanese illustrate. Toshiki Kudo is magnificent at drawing wampas, lightsabers, and the characters. This features how Luke survives the wampas and how han comes to his rescue. A fine addition to all your comics! -Sideus

Just magnificent. A piece of art by one of the greatest artist of the asian continent.

Finally, we can have the last of the three parts of the Manga Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. As always, spectacular drawing and the best version of the Donald F. Glut script ever made!

Just when we were enjoying the marvelous comic book of A NEW HOPE, the manga version, Toshiki Kudo strikes back with this spectacular version of the sequel of the trilogy created by George Lucas. The price is a little elevated, but the drawing is excellent. A must-buy book!