Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible - Softcover

Sansweet, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0811800962 ISBN 13: 9780811800969

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 1992

Synopsis

The three films of the Star Wars sagaStar Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and the Return of the Jedirank among the most popular of the modern era, with ticket and merchandise sales in excess of three billion dollars. Today, collecting Star Wars memorabilia has become one of the hottest hobbies around. The first illustrated Star Wars book to feature the multitude of merchandising spin-offs generated by the filmand the only one that traces the transformation of the movie's fabulous characters, creatures, and vehicles from original concepts and prototypes into toys, clothing, and dozens of other objectsthis spectacular volume is a veritable Star Wars fan's bible. A complete overview of a modern marketing extravaganza, featuring more than 150 full-color images of collectible items, the book takes readers behind the scenes and includes many never-before-published sketches and photographs from the Lucasfilm and Kenner toy archives. A lively text featuring recent interviews with George Lucas, among others connected with the film, completes this intriguing and fascinating glimpse into one of popular culture's most engaging phenomena.

About this title

Review

Nowadays nearly everything linked with the original Star Wars trilogy is valuable, from bottle caps to shoelaces to posters. This beautiful volume, published by Chronicle Books, follows the design and development of these items--and the development of George Lucas from filmmaker into "merchandiser par excellence." Even casual fans will be delighted by dozens of photos of toys they wanted, toys they had, and toys they wish had been made. Models of some of these never-produced toys provide tantalizing glimpses of what might have been, for better or worse. Thankfully Leia wasn't turned into a Barbie clone, but what child wouldn't have loved a Boba Fett's Bounty Set? Many familiar characters and vehicles are accompanied by concept sketches marked by Lucas's rubber stamps, from "O.K." (translation: try again) to "WONDERFUL." The marketing blitz may be off-putting, but it is fascinating to look back over the wide range of licensed products: linens, shoes, watches, and, of course, food. You might remember C-3POs and the ice-cream bars, but did you know that English fans were offered Star Wars Yogurts with flavors such as Luke Skywalker raspberry, Darth Vader black cherry, and tasty Jabba the Hutt peach melba? A photograph of a tiny, vinyl-caped Jawa action figure, now selling for several hundred dollars, reminds us of the true lesson of Star Wars: You should have held on to those toys! --C.B. Delaney

About the Author

Stephen J. Sansweet has one of the world's largest and most complete private collections of Star Wars collectibles. The former Los Angeles Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, Sansweet is the author of two other books, including a photo guidebook to s

Steve Essig is a well-known California commerical photographer whose work has appeared in hundreds of trade and other magazines around the world.

Edition details

• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0811800962
• ISBN 13: 9780811800969
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 132