Star Wars

Star Wars

Released; 1977

Location; Death valley, California. USA

Its Star wars….. Do I really need to write a synopsis of the film? Surely you have seen it and if not Im sure you will have an idea what its about?

This was the original game changer when it was released in 1977 and cinema would never be the same again. I was born in ’76 so the original cinema release passed me by but its place on the Christmas TV schedules ensured it a place in my childhood and I am pretty sure Return of the Jedi was one of the first films I saw at the cinema (the ABC Toledo, Muirend, Glasgow).

The locations featured here are from Death valley, California. As you may be aware, most of the scenes set on the desert planet Tatooine were filmed in Tunisia but they had a problem. The R2D2 they had in Tunisia wouldn’t function properly. When it came to editing the film they needed to re film these scenes and shoot some extra pick up shots so they headed into the Californian desert and used locations a little closer to home.

In the 40 + years since filming, not a lot has changed but sadly the rock that the Jawas were hiding under has slid into the canyon.

This is only a short set of Californian locations but in the future I would love to be able to travel to Tunisia to add more shots to the set but as always this will require time and money.

I hope you enjoy the videos and picture sets below and if you have any connection to the film please get in touch and let me know. 

Then and now gallery

Click each image for a bigger version