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201-758: There are a variety of walkers: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi introduced the All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT) and All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST). Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones , Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars introduced earlier Clone Wars -era models of walkers, such as the All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TE), and

402-425: A Miss Piggy routine. Hamill recalled Ford giving him a kiss instead of reading his lines, which entertained the crew. Mayhew fell ill while filming Han's torture scene because the set used bursts of steam, which raised the ambient temperature to 90 °F (32 °C) while he was wearing a wool suit. Bank of America representatives visited the set in late March, concerned about rising costs. Lucas rarely visited

603-517: A BAFTA , among others. Subsequent releases have raised the film's worldwide gross to $ 538–549   million and, adjusted for inflation, it is the 13th-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada . Since its release, The Empire Strikes Back has been critically reassessed and is now often regarded as the best film in the Star Wars series and among the greatest films ever made . It has had

804-525: A Fox distribution employee with recommending Finse , Norway; Kurtz said it was Reynolds who had done so. For the bog planet Dagobah, scouts looked at Central Africa, Kenya, and Scandinavia, but Lucas wanted to avoid shooting on location. He funded the construction of a " Star Wars stage" at Elstree Studios , London, for the Dagobah and rebel base sets. Construction for the stage—which measured 1,250,000 cubic feet (35,000 m ) and cost $ 2   million—began at

1005-409: A Y. The female's clitoris may be 40 cm (16 in). The vulva is found lower than in other herbivores, between the hind legs instead of under the tail. Determining pregnancy status can be difficult due to the animal's large belly. The female's mammary glands occupy the space between the front legs, which puts the suckling calf within reach of the female's trunk. Elephants have a unique organ,

1206-551: A controlled drop at a rate of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) or 2,500 feet (760 m) a minute. A heated shelter for the helicopter had to be constructed, which delayed filming of the shot by four weeks. The second unit, scheduled to be in Finse for three weeks, was there for eight. When the crew returned to London, they had only half the planned footage, and background images for special effects shots were uneven. Empire ' s budget increased to around $ 22   million because of

1407-487: A cut of the film until March. That month, Lucas decided he wanted an additional Hoth scene and auditioned 50 ILM crew to appear as Rebels. The final 124-minute cut was completed on April 16, which triggered a $ 10   million payment from Fox to Bank of Boston. Lucasfilm also launched an employee bonus scheme to share Empire ' s profits with its staff. Test screenings were held in San Francisco on April 19. While

1608-449: A day. Elephants tend to stay near water sources. They have morning, afternoon, and nighttime feeding sessions. At midday, elephants rest under trees and may doze off while standing. Sleeping occurs at night while the animal is lying down. Elephants average 3–4 hours of sleep per day. Both males and family groups typically move no more than 20 km (12 mi) a day, but distances as far as 180 km (112 mi) have been recorded in

1809-586: A different actor to provide Yoda's voice, but decided it would be too difficult to cast someone who could match their voice to Oz's puppetry. Jeremy Bulloch did not audition for Boba Fett; he was hired because the costume fit him. It was uncomfortable and top-heavy, making it difficult to maintain his balance, and the mask often steamed up. Bulloch assumed his lines would be dubbed over, as he had little dialogue (Fett's voice actor, Jason Wingreen, remained uncredited until 2000). Bulloch also appears as an Imperial officer who restrains Leia on Bespin. No other cast member

2010-527: A diminutive, froglike creature, Minch Yoda. Lucas drew on influences including The Thing from Another World (1951), the novel Dune (1965), and the television series Flash Gordon (1954). Around this time, Kurtz conceived the title The Empire Strikes Back . He said they avoided calling it Star Wars II because films with "II" in their titles were seen as inferior. Brackett completed her first draft in February 1978, titled Star Wars sequel, from

2211-402: A fan-led effort to get a life-sized, fully functional AT-AT built was stopped by Lucasfilm as violating their intellectual property . Commenting on the effort, Heiko Hoffman, a robotics expert at HRL Laboratories , argued that building an AT-AT would easily cost US$ 100 million or more. He also argued that building such a vehicle would poses challenges since structural strength does not increase

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2412-504: A faster gait similar to running. In walking, the legs act as pendulums, with the hips and shoulders moving up and down while the foot is planted on the ground. The fast gait does not meet all the criteria of running, since there is no point where all the feet are off the ground, although the elephant uses its legs much like other running animals, and can move faster by quickening its stride. Fast-moving elephants appear to 'run' with their front legs, but 'walk' with their hind legs and can reach

2613-542: A former Rebel base). The theme park attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance , set after The Last Jedi , features two full-sized AT-ATs in a hangar bay. These walkers, while mostly static, can move their cannons to allow for a scene in which the walker's drivers spot the ride vehicles and fire at them. Joe Johnston 's original design for the Empire's war machines was a giant, multi-wheeled vehicle; this design later became

2814-546: A full mask that his wife Elaine wore. Chimpanzee eyes were superimposed over her face; cat eyes and assistant accountant Laura Crockett's eyes were also considered. Pre-production began in early 1978. Although Kershner wanted two years, this phase only lasted a year. Seeking an area to represent the ice planet Hoth, location scouts considered Finland, Sweden, and the Arctic Circle. The location needed to be free of trees and near populated areas for amenities. Kershner credited

3015-677: A group of Imperial AT-ATs , the clones' AT-TE is destroyed, but thanks to the crew of the Ghost the Imperials are defeated and a captured AT-AT is used to replace it. B.K. Lok of That Hashtag Show argues that the AT-TE is the best-designed walker in the Star Wars universe. Specifically in comparison to the AT-AT , they argue it's harder to hit, is more stable, and possess greater all-around weapons coverage. Daniel Dimanna of Screen Rant however argues that

3216-494: A human brain. It is the largest of all terrestrial mammals. While the elephant brain is larger overall, it is proportionally smaller than the human brain . At birth, an elephant's brain already weighs 30–40% of its adult weight. The cerebrum and cerebellum are well developed, and the temporal lobes are so large that they bulge out laterally. Their temporal lobes are proportionally larger than those of other animals, including humans. The throat of an elephant appears to contain

3417-437: A light blaster cannon and/or concussion missile launcher. AT-STs are crewed by two pilots, one who controls the weaponry while the other drives the walker. Their uniforms include fire-resistant boots, jumpsuits over basic armor plating, and crew helmets with attached telemetry receiver units. The two operate the scout walker looking out of the forward viewports or by relying on viewscreens and holoprojectors which help them see

3618-463: A line mentioning Lando deliberately abandoning his people, and had Luke contact Leia through the Force instead of Obi-Wan's ghost. The fourth draft—mostly the same but with more detailed action—was submitted on October 24. Although some of Brackett's ideas remained, such as Luke's Dagobah training, her dialogue and characterization were removed. Kasdan described her take as from "a different era", lacking

3819-779: A long proboscis called a trunk, tusks , large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive grey skin. The trunk is prehensile , bringing food and water to the mouth and grasping objects. Tusks, which are derived from the incisor teeth, serve both as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging. The large ear flaps assist in maintaining a constant body temperature as well as in communication. African elephants have larger ears and concave backs, whereas Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs. Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa , South Asia, and Southeast Asia and are found in different habitats, including savannahs , forests, deserts, and marshes . They are herbivorous , and they stay near water when it

4020-460: A low centre of gravity, this armored walker could navigate any terrain – even climbing vertical cliffs. It appears in Attack of the Clones , Revenge of the Sith , The Clone Wars multimedia campaign, Star Wars Battlefront II and in the early episodes from the second season of Star Wars Rebels . Conceived by Ryan Church as a predecessor to the AT-AT , the AT-TE's animation for Attack of

4221-520: A magnetic grapple to reach its underbelly, cut open a hole with his lightsaber and throw in a grenade. Ultimately the Empire is victorious as General Veers' Blizzard One destroys the shield generator, and in the ensuing rout he orders the remaining AT-ATs and AT-STs to overrun the Rebels' trenches and capture as many as possible. A ruined AT-AT appears in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as

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4422-401: A number of design flaws. While AT-ATs can navigate most rugged ground, certain features such as steep hillsides or swamps can impede them. A high center of gravity and unstable legs also make them susceptible to tripping. Their size makes them conspicuous targets, especially on open terrain; while largely impervious to attack, their neck and underbelly are vulnerable to blasters and missiles. In

4623-589: A particular vulnerability. He contends that the Empire would have won the Battle of Hoth faster and more easily if they had deployed smaller conventional vehicles. The All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST) is a two-legged mech walker introduced briefly in The Empire Strikes Back and featured extensively in Return of the Jedi . These vehicles were designed to screen and protect the flanks of slower moving AT-ATs and

4824-548: A pouch where it can store water for later use. The larynx of the elephant is the largest known among mammals. The vocal folds are anchored close to the epiglottis base. When comparing an elephant's vocal folds to those of a human, an elephant's are proportionally longer, thicker, with a greater cross-sectional area. In addition, they are located further up the vocal tract with an acute slope. The heart of an elephant weighs 12–21 kg (26–46 lb). Its apex has two pointed ends, an unusual trait among mammals. In addition,

5025-689: A profit percentage. He had profited substantially from Star Wars and did not need to work, but was too invested in his creation to entrust it to others. Lucas had concepts for the sequel but no solid structure. He knew the story would be darker, would explore more mature themes and relationships, and would continue to explore the nature of the Force. Lucas intended to fund the production independently, using his $ 12   million profit from Star Wars to relocate and expand his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and establish his Skywalker movie ranch in Marin County, California , with

5226-418: A protective crust. Elephants have difficulty releasing heat through the skin because of their low surface-area-to-volume ratio , which is many times smaller than that of a human. They have even been observed lifting up their legs to expose their soles to the air. Elephants only have sweat glands between the toes, but the skin allows water to disperse and evaporate, cooling the animal. In addition, cracks in

5427-399: A second, third, and fourth film, but Ford had declined similar terms because of earlier bad experiences; he agreed to return because he wanted to improve on his Star Wars performance. Hamill spent four months bodybuilding and learning karate, fencing, and kendo to prepare for his stunts. David Prowse hesitated to return as Darth Vader because, as he was hidden behind a costume, he believed

5628-520: A sequel was swiftly put into production. In case Star Wars had failed, creator George Lucas had contracted Alan Dean Foster to write a low-budget sequel (later released as the novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye ). Once the success of Star Wars was evident, Lucas was reluctant to direct the sequel because of the stress of making the first film and its impact on his health. The popularity of Star Wars brought Lucas wealth, fame and positive attention from

5829-579: A shot of the Star Destroyer launching probes. He continued tweaking elements to improve the special effects, but even with ILM staff working up to 24 hours a day, six days a week, there was not enough time to do everything they wanted. A Dagobah pick-up scene, in which R2-D2 is spat out by a monster, was filmed in Lucas's swimming pool; the Emperor's scenes were filmed in February 1980. Fox executives did not see

6030-421: A significant impact on filmmaking and popular culture and is often considered an example of a sequel superior to its predecessor. The climax, in which Vader reveals he is Luke's father, is often ranked as one of the greatest plot twists in cinema. The film spawned a variety of merchandise and adaptations, including video games and a radio play. The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in

6231-541: A single species, Loxodonta africana , but molecular studies have affirmed their status as separate species. Mammoths ( Mammuthus ) are nested within living elephants as they are more closely related to Asian elephants than to African elephants. Another extinct genus of elephant, Palaeoloxodon , is also recognised, which appears to have close affinities with African elephants and to have hybridised with African forest elephants. Over 180 extinct members of order Proboscidea have been described. The earliest proboscideans,

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6432-483: A sister (not Leia), Han goes on a mission to recruit his powerful stepfather, and Lando is a clone from the Clone Wars . Lucas made detailed notes and attempted to contact Brackett, but she had been hospitalized, and died of cancer a few weeks later, on March 18. The strict schedule left Lucas no choice but to write the second draft himself. Though Brackett's draft followed Lucas's outline, he found she had portrayed

6633-427: A slimy creature to a small blue one; each version retained the character's long life and wisdom. Yoda was intended to teach Luke to respect everyone and not judge by appearances, and defy audience expectations. The draft tightened or expanded dialogue to better pace action scenes, added more romance, and added or changed locations, such as moving a Vader scene from a spaceship deck to his private cubicle. Lucas removed

6834-478: A story conference to discuss Lucas's draft. The group collaborated on ideas, with Lucas embracing their challenges and input. Mandated to deliver a fifth of the script every other week, Kasdan began his rewrite, focusing on developing character relationships and psychologies; he completed the third draft by early August. This version refined Minch Yoda—alternately named "the Critter", Minch, Buffy, and simply Yoda—from

7035-536: A story conference. Lucas had core ideas in mind but wanted Brackett to piece them together. He envisioned one central plot complemented by three main subplots, set across 60 scenes, 100 script pages, and a two-hour runtime. They formed a general outline and ideas that included the Wookiee homeworld, new alien species, the Galactic Emperor, a gambler from Han's past, water and city planets, Luke's lost twin sister, and

7236-440: A strong grasp. The flexibility of the trunk is aided by the numerous wrinkles in the skin. The African elephants have two finger-like extensions at the tip of the trunk that allow them to pluck small food. The Asian elephant has only one and relies more on wrapping around a food item. Asian elephant trunks have better motor coordination . The trunk's extreme flexibility allows it to forage and wrestle other elephants with it. It

7437-661: A top speed of 25 km/h (16 mph). At this speed, most other quadrupeds are well into a gallop, even accounting for leg length. Spring-like kinetics could explain the difference between the motion of elephants and other animals. The cushion pads expand and contract, and reduce both the pain and noise that would come from a very heavy animal moving. Elephants are capable swimmers: they can swim for up to six hours while completely waterborne, moving at 2.1 km/h (1 mph) and traversing up to 48 km (30 mi) continuously. The brain of an elephant weighs 4.5–5.5 kg (10–12 lb) compared to 1.6 kg (4 lb) for

7638-409: A week later. The typical purpose of the second unit was to do time-consuming filming for special effects shots, but they were now filming main scenes—including Luke's ice cave imprisonment—because the schedule had overrun by around 26 days. Hamill was unavailable for several days after injuring his hand during a stunt jump from a speeder bike . Having been called in for the stunt the same day his son

7839-432: A year. As the tusk develops, it is topped with smooth, cone-shaped enamel that eventually wanes. The dentine is known as ivory and has a cross-section of intersecting lines, known as "engine turning", which create diamond-shaped patterns. Being living tissue, tusks are fairly soft and about as dense as the mineral calcite . The tusk protrudes from a socket in the skull, and most of it is external. At least one-third of

8040-633: Is Rothana Heavy Engineering, a subsidiary of Kuat Drive Yards and long-time enemy to the Trade Federation and Techno Union. A total of 2,160 AT-TEs were deployed in the battle, airlifted across the battlefield by special LAAT /c carriers to engage Separatist forces. The walker's unique six-legged design and flexible midsection gives it excellent stability and allows it to traverse otherwise impassible terrain. Its footpads contain terrain sensors and tractor-field generators which enhance its purchase on rough ground. They can also be magnetized, allowing

8241-512: Is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan , based on a story by George Lucas . The sequel to Star Wars (1977), it is the second film in the Star Wars film series and the fifth chronological chapter of the " Skywalker Saga ". Set three years after the events of Star Wars , the film recounts the battle between

Walker (Star Wars) - Misplaced Pages Continue

8442-409: Is accessible. They are considered to be keystone species , due to their impact on their environments. Elephants have a fission–fusion society , in which multiple family groups come together to socialise. Females (cows) tend to live in family groups, which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring. The leader of a female group, usually the oldest cow, is known as

8643-691: Is derived from the Latin word elephas ( genitive elephantis ) ' elephant ' , which is the Latinised form of the ancient Greek ἐλέφας ( elephas ) (genitive ἐλέφαντος ( elephantos )), probably from a non- Indo-European language , likely Phoenician . It is attested in Mycenaean Greek as e-re-pa (genitive e-re-pa-to ) in Linear B syllabic script. As in Mycenaean Greek, Homer used

8844-630: Is hijacked thanks to Chewbacca climbing aboard and using his strength to rip open its roof hatch; he proceeds to turn its weapons against the other AT-STs to help win the battle. An updated model of the AT-ST is used by the First Order during the Battle of Crait in The Last Jedi . Based on the classic Imperial scout walker, this version boasts improved stability and greater protection thanks to new lightweight armor plating. In episode 208 of Mythbusters ,

9045-417: Is powerful enough to lift up to 350 kg (770 lb), but it also has the precision to crack a peanut shell without breaking the seed. With its trunk, an elephant can reach items up to 7 m (23 ft) high and dig for water in the mud or sand below. It also uses it to clean itself. Individuals may show lateral preference when grasping with their trunks: some prefer to twist them to the left, others to

9246-596: Is typically more worn down, as it is shorter and blunter. For African elephants, tusks are present in both males and females and are around the same length in both sexes, reaching up to 300 cm (9 ft 10 in), but those of males tend to be more massive. In the Asian species, only the males have large tusks. Female Asians have very small tusks, or none at all. Tuskless males exist and are particularly common among Sri Lankan elephants . Asian males can have tusks as long as Africans', but they are usually slimmer and lighter;

9447-415: Is voiced by Clive Revill and portrayed physically by Elaine Baker. The bounty hunter Boba Fett is portrayed physically by Jeremy Bulloch and voiced by Jason Wingreen (who remained uncredited until 2000). Other bounty hunters include Dengar (portrayed by Morris Bush) and the humanoid lizard Bossk (Alan Harris). Following the unexpected financial success and cultural impact of Star Wars (1977),

9648-449: Is well-shielded against electromagnetic pulse and ion cannon weapons. The AT-TE carries two squads of clone troopers into battle, with seating split between the front and rear sections of the walker. These are connected by a flexible "concertina" section which also houses the walker's power generators. Inertial compensators beneath this seating helps to keep troopers secure, with seat restraints in case of compensator failure. In

9849-520: The Fast & Furious and Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchises. It was the most labor-intensive of several Star Wars -themed cars debuted in the run-up to the movie's release. In making a new walker vehicle based on the AT-AT for the First Order, the creative team behind The Last Jedi wanted to address the tow-cable vulnerability which had been highlighted in The Empire Strikes Back. Kevin Jenkins,

10050-521: The Star Wars Rebels episode " Relics of the Old Republic ", a heavily customized AT-TE is used by clone troopers Rex , Wolffe and Gregor as a mobile residence on the planet Seelos. Modifications made to the walker include renovating the interior to make room for bunk beds and a kitchen, and replacing the main cannon with rod and reel for catching the planet's wildlife. During a confrontation with

10251-401: The AT-AT because it has all of the same problems but increased in scale. He argues it was a lost opportunity to not give the walker the same agility as its simian inspiration and allow it to use its massive arms to walk, climb and swing more easily over obstacles. Many vehicles were created for various Star Wars media and depicted as technological evolutionary predecessors and successors to

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10452-506: The AT-AT is the superior walker. While acknowledging the AT-TE's better stability and maneuverability, he cites the AT-AT's more powerful weaponry, impenetrable armoring, and greater carrying capacity as making it the definitive Star Wars walker. Blake Hawkins of CBR refers to the AT-TE as "slow, awkward and kind of ridiculous" but states that Episode 10 of The Bad Batch helped redeemed it by showcasing its ability to navigate over difficult obstacles and its ability to intimidate

10653-507: The AT-ATs using stop-motion animation against matte paintings created by Michael Pangrazio because attempts at compositing miniature footage against live-action background footage yielded mediocre results. Additionally, ILM studied elephants to determine the best way to animate the four-legged AT-ATs . Although the stop-motion animation style gave the AT-ATs a jerky, "staccato-like" effect on film, ILM found this movement acceptable because of

10854-509: The AT-ATs' mechanical nature. The sound of the AT-AT walking was created by sound designer Ben Burtt using a punch press. The All Terrain Armored Transport is an assault walker used by Imperial ground forces to blast through enemy lines with its sheer mass and firepower and deploy a platoon of crack assault troops. The thick armor plating on the AT-AT will deflect or absorb anything but

11055-505: The AT-M6 to its predecessor, Dr. Malcolm Davis notes that, while the specific vulnerability to tow-cable attacks was addressed, many of the same criticisms applied to the AT-AT still hold true for the First Order's walker. A more realistic design he argues would look similarly to the massive tanks which feature in the Bolo universe . Joe Pappalardo likewise believes that the AT-M6 is even worse than

11256-545: The AT-ST can be traced back to earlier walker models like the AT-RT and AT-DP . Constructed as a companion to the larger AT-AT , the scout walker's lightweight bipedal design allows it to travel across rugged ground and fulfill a variety of missions, including patrolling , reconnaissance and mop-up operations . During major ground combat, AT-STs protect the flanks of AT-ATs and hunt down any infantry or smaller threats which evade

11457-437: The AT-ST model was ruined when the set's background shifted. For Return of the Jedi , ILM made the AT-ST design more detailed. Numerous models were created, including a full-sized AT-ST for on-location shooting. Director Richard Marquand and producer Robert Watts had cameos as AT-ST operators for the scene in which Chewbacca ( Peter Mayhew ) and a pair of Ewoks commandeer an AT-ST. Lee Seiler sued Lucasfilm in

11658-427: The AT-TE to even hang upside-down on metal surfaces. A turret-mounted mass driver cannon atop the AT-TE has a low rate of fire but can be used to bombard fixed emplacements or shoot down slow-moving aircraft. Six turret-mounted laser cannons, four on the front of the hull and two in the rear, defend it against enemy infantry. The AT-TE 's conductive armor spreads heat to minimize penetration from enemy fire, and

11859-553: The Battle of Hoth , General Veers leads a group of AT-ATs and AT-STs dubbed Blizzard Force in the attack on the Rebels' Echo Base, as only slow-moving ground vehicles can penetrate the base's shield system . During the battle, the AT-AT designated Blizzard Two is destroyed when Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson use their snowspeeder 's tow cable to trip it up and target its now-exposed neck with blaster fire to blow it up. Luke Skywalker destroys another AT-AT, Blizzard Four , by using

12060-552: The Bering Strait into the Holocene, with their latest survival being on Wrangel Island , where they persisted until around 4,000 years ago. Over the course of their evolution, probobscideans grew in size. With that came longer limbs and wider feet with a more digitigrade stance, along with a larger head and shorter neck. The trunk evolved and grew longer to provide reach. The number of premolars, incisors, and canines decreased, and

12261-809: The Early Pleistocene , all non-elephantid probobscidean genera outside of the Americas became extinct with the exception of Stegodon , with gomphotheres dispersing into South America as part of the Great American interchange , and mammoths migrating into North America around 1.5 million years ago. At the end of the Early Pleistocene, around 800,000 years ago the elephantid genus Palaeoloxodon dispersed outside of Africa, becoming widely distributed in Eurasia. Proboscideans were represented by around 23 species at

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12462-932: The Falcon ' s hyperdrive and the vessel escapes. After the group joins the rebel fleet, Luke's missing hand is replaced by a robotic prosthesis . He, Leia, C-3PO , and R2-D2 observe as Lando and Chewbacca depart on the Falcon to find Han. The film also features Alec Guinness as Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, and John Hollis as Lobot, Lando's aide. The Rebel force includes General Rieekan (portrayed by Bruce Boa ), Major Derlin ( John Ratzenberger ), Cal Alder ( Jack McKenzie ), Dak Ralter ( John Morton ), Wedge Antilles ( Denis Lawson ), Zev Senesca ( Christopher Malcolm ), and Hobbie Klivian ( Richard Oldfield ). The Empire's forces include Admiral Piett ( Kenneth Colley ), Admiral Ozzel ( Michael Sheard ), General Veers ( Julian Glover ), and Captain Needa ( Michael Culver ). The Emperor

12663-743: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade , as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks. Other threats to wild elephants include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people. Elephants are used as working animals in Asia. In the past, they were used in war; today, they are often controversially put on display in zoos, or employed for entertainment in circuses . Elephants have an iconic status in human culture and have been widely featured in art, folklore, religion, literature, and popular culture. The word elephant

12864-516: The Jedi Master Yoda . Han Solo discovers Luke and insulates him against the weather inside his deceased tauntaun mount until they are rescued the next morning. Alerted to the Rebels' location, the Empire launches a large-scale attack using AT-AT walkers , forcing the Rebels to evacuate the base. Han, Princess Leia , C-3PO and Chewbacca escape aboard the Millennium Falcon , but

13065-632: The National Film Registry in 2010. Return of the Jedi (1983) followed Empire , concluding the original Star Wars trilogy . Prequel and sequel trilogies have since been released. Three years after the destruction of the Death Star , the Imperial fleet, led by Darth Vader , dispatches probe droids across the galaxy in search for the Rebel Alliance . One probe locates the rebel base on

13266-536: The Star Wars property. Lucas took an executive producer role, enabling him to focus on his businesses and the development of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). By late 1977, Kurtz began hiring key crew members, including production designer Norman Reynolds , consultant John Barry , makeup artist Stuart Freeborn , and first assistant director David Tomblin . Lucas rehired artists Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston to maintain visual consistency with Star Wars , and

13467-579: The Star Wars stage. By February 25, the Finse location crew had arrived in Norway to receive flown-in equipment containers and begin digging trenches for battle scenes. The musical score for The Empire Strikes Back was composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra , at a cost of about $ 250,000. Williams began planning the score in November 1979, estimating

13668-560: The acetate film brittle, camera lenses iced over, snow seeped into equipment, and effects paint froze inside the tin. To counter these effects, lenses were kept cool but the camera body was warmed to protect the film, battery, and camera operators' hands. The crew was outside for up to 11 hours at a time, being subjected to thin air, limited visibility, and mild frostbite ; one crewman slipped and broke two ribs. The difficult conditions led to strong camaraderie among crewmembers. Avalanches blocked direct transport links, and trenches dug by

13869-450: The crew credits at the end of the film to avoid interfering with the opening. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Directors Guild of America (DGA) had allowed this for the first film because Lucas directed and it opened with the logo for his namesake Lucasfilm, but for Empire they refused to allow Kershner or the first and second unit directors to be credited only at the end, fined Lucas $ 250,000 when he ignored them and tried to have

14070-405: The incisors , known as the tusks ; 12 deciduous premolars ; and 12 molars . Unlike most mammals, teeth are not replaced by new ones emerging from the jaws vertically. Instead, new teeth start at the back of the mouth and push out the old ones. The first chewing tooth on each side of the jaw falls out when the elephant is two to three years old. This is followed by four more tooth replacements at

14271-522: The largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ), the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ), and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ). They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea ; extinct relatives include mammoths and mastodons . Distinctive features of elephants include

14472-507: The matriarch . Males (bulls) leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males. Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate. They enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth , which helps them gain dominance over other males as well as reproductive success. Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years. Elephants can live up to 70 years in

14673-423: The pleural cavity . This may allow the animal to deal with the pressure differences when its body is underwater and its trunk is breaking the surface for air. Elephants breathe mostly with the trunk but also with the mouth. They have a hindgut fermentation system, and their large and small intestines together reach 35 m (115 ft) in length. Less than half of an elephant's food intake gets digested, despite

14874-487: The temporal gland , located on both sides of the head. This organ is associated with sexual behaviour, and males secrete a fluid from it when in musth . Females have also been observed with these secretions. Elephants are herbivorous and will eat leaves, twigs, fruit, bark, grass, and roots. African elephants mostly browse , while Asian elephants mainly graze . They can eat as much as 300 kg (660 lb) of food and drink 40 L (11 US gal) of water in

15075-432: The ventricles of the heart split towards the top, a trait also found in sirenians. When upright, the elephant's heart beats around 28 beats per minute and actually speeds up to 35 beats when it lies down. The blood vessels are thick and wide and can hold up under high blood pressure. The lungs are attached to the diaphragm , and breathing relies less on the expanding of the ribcage. Connective tissue exists in place of

15276-552: The "Juggernaut" in West End Games ' roleplaying material, and the design was reworked into the clone turbo tank for Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith . Johnston said Lucas wanted the walkers to look like anthropomorphic walking tanks to make them frightening. For The Empire Strikes Back , however, the final design was a four-legged walker. Inspiration for the AT-AT came from Paraceratherium , an extinct genus most closely related to living rhinoceroses , and one of

15477-592: The "shovel tuskers" like Platybelodon ), choerolophodontids and stegodontids . Around 10 million years ago, the earliest members of the family Elephantidae emerged in Africa, having originated from gomphotheres. Elephantids are distinguished from earlier proboscideans by a major shift in the molar morphology to parallel lophs rather than the cusps of earlier proboscideans, allowing them to become higher-crowned (hypsodont) and more efficient in consuming grass. The Late Miocene saw major climactic changes, which resulted in

15678-637: The AT-M6. The All Terrain Armored Transport ( AT-AT ) is a quadruped mechanized infantry combat vehicle used by Imperial ground forces. The AT-AT (pronounced either casually as 'at at', or using only the letters ' A.T. A.T. ') was first introduced in The Empire Strikes Back (as the Galactic Empire 's main units against Rebel Alliance infantry during the Battle of Hoth ) and also appears in Return of

15879-520: The African Eritherium and Phosphatherium are known from the late Paleocene . The Eocene included Numidotherium , Moeritherium , and Barytherium from Africa. These animals were relatively small and, some, like Moeritherium and Barytherium were probably amphibious. Later on, genera such as Phiomia and Palaeomastodon arose; the latter likely inhabited more forested areas. Proboscidean diversification changed little during

16080-540: The All Terrain Recon Transports (AT-RT). The Star Wars Legends continuity features numerous walker variants, several which have been merchandised in popular culture, while the later films Rogue One and Star Wars: The Last Jedi depicted, respectively, the former the AT-ACT variant to the standard AT-AT, the latter a restyled AT-AT for its new and more modern setting, and a new, even larger walker known as

16281-476: The Build Team ( Grant Imahara , Kari Byron and Tory Belleci ) tested the plausibility of the scene in Return of the Jedi wherein a swinging log trap destroyed an AT-ST. The team determined that the logs in the scene each weighed approximately 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) and were swung at a 45 degree angle at the walker, impacting with the energy equivalent of around two megajoules . To test this in real life,

16482-565: The Clones was supervised by Rob Coleman . Tom St. Amand, who worked on the AT-AT scenes in The Empire Strikes Back , provided his experience to create a similar appearance for the AT-TE . AT-TEs first appeared in Attack of the Clones during the Battle of Geonosis , where they serve as both assault vehicles and infantry transports for the Grand Army of the Republic. Their in-universe manufacturer

16683-563: The Defense & Strategy Program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute , argues that the AT-AT has several flaws which make it an ineffective design. Compared to tracked vehicles , Davis states that while walking vehicles like the AT-AT can potentially step over obstacles, they cannot run as fast, and destroying a leg would topple one over. The AT-AT also has a limited field of fire with all its weapons mounted in

16884-612: The First Order attempted to wipe out the Resistance in the Battle of Crait , and have appeared in other multimedia related to the sequel trilogy . As part of a promotional tie-in for the release of The Last Jedi , Nissan unveiled a concept car based on the AT-M6 called the Nissan Titan. Weighing about 6,500 pounds and using primarily molded aluminum parts, the Titan was built in partnership with Vehicle Effects, which also built cars for

17085-402: The First Order forces deployed to the planet's surface to engage them, providing escort for a massive superlaser siege cannon. Despite the Resistance's best efforts, the walkers are able to hold them off and the cannon punches a hole through their defenses. However, the arrival of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker distracts the First Order and allows the Resistance to successfully escape. In comparing

17286-654: The Greek word to mean ivory , but after the time of Herodotus , it also referred to the animal. The word elephant appears in Middle English as olyfaunt ( c.  1300 ) and was borrowed from Old French oliphant (12th century). Orycteropodidae [REDACTED] Macroscelididae [REDACTED] Chrysochloridae [REDACTED] Tenrecidae [REDACTED] Procaviidae [REDACTED] Elephantidae [REDACTED] Dugongidae [REDACTED] Trichechidae [REDACTED] Elephants belong to

17487-640: The Jedi and in Rogue One (in the AT-ACT variant). The AT-AT also appears in a destroyed form in Star Wars: The Force Awakens , explained in the video game Star Wars Battlefront (2015) to be a residue of the Battle of Jakku, which was the Empire's last defeat and resulted in its dissolution. Updated forms appear in The Last Jedi (used by the First Order to attack Resistance forces in

17688-651: The Oligocene. One notable species of this epoch was Eritreum melakeghebrekristosi of the Horn of Africa , which may have been an ancestor to several later species. early proboscideans, e.g. Moeritherium [REDACTED] Deinotheriidae [REDACTED] Mammutidae [REDACTED] Gomphotheriidae [REDACTED] Stegodontidae [REDACTED] Loxodonta [REDACTED] Palaeoloxodon [REDACTED] Mammuthus [REDACTED] Elephas [REDACTED] A major event in proboscidean evolution

17889-617: The Special Edition trilogy was distributed. Micro Machines also released AT-AT, AT-ST, and AT-TE toys. Both Decipher Inc. and Wizards of the Coast published AT-AT and AT-ST cards for their Star Wars Customizable Card Game and Star Wars Trading Card Game , respectively. Lego has released AT-AT, AT-ST, AT-DP, AT-AP, AT-OT, AT-RT, AT-TE, AT-M6, and AT-HS models. The Empire Strikes Back The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back )

18090-406: The adventures of Luke Skywalker . The draft contained a city in the clouds, a chase through an asteroid belt, a greater focus on the love triangle between Luke, Han, and Leia (who is portrayed as a damsel in distress ), the battle of Hoth and a climactic duel between Luke and Darth Vader. The ghosts of his father and Obi-Wan visit Luke, leaving Vader a separate character. The draft reveals Luke has

18291-475: The ages of four to six, 9–15, 18–28, and finally in their early 40s. The final (usually sixth) set must last the elephant the rest of its life. Elephant teeth have loop-shaped dental ridges, which are more diamond-shaped in African elephants. The tusks of an elephant are modified second incisors in the upper jaw. They replace deciduous milk teeth at 6–12 months of age and keep growing at about 17 cm (7 in)

18492-417: The area all around the walker. While the AT-ST's computer can pilot it easily enough over level ground, AT-ST pilots must use their dexterity and superior sense of balance to help it navigate more difficult terrain. In order to achieve its speed and size, the AT-ST is forced to sacrifice offensive and defensive capability. Its chin-mounted blasters are only effective out to 2 km (1.2 mi), while

18693-445: The assault walkers. A powerful gyro stabilizer, sophisticated shock absorbers, and terrain-measuring sensors in the footpads allow the scout walker to move faster and traverse areas which would be impassible to an AT-AT . Standard weaponry includes a chin-mounted twin medium blaster cannon, with a twin light blaster cannon and a concussion grenade launcher on either side of the head. AT-STs may carry different side-mounted weapons, such as

18894-621: The beginning of the Late Pleistocene . Proboscideans underwent a dramatic decline during the Late Pleistocene as part of the Late Pleistocene extinctions of most large mammals globally, with all remaining non-elephantid proboscideans (including Stegodon , mastodons , and the American gomphotheres Cuvieronius and Notiomastodon ) and Palaeoloxodon becoming extinct, with mammoths only surviving in relict populations on islands around

19095-406: The characters differently than he intended. Lucas completed his handwritten, 121-page draft on April 1. He found the process more enjoyable than on Star Wars because he was familiar with the universe, but struggled to write a satisfying conclusion, leaving it open for a third film. This draft established Luke's sister as a new character undertaking a similar journey, Vader's castle and his fear of

19296-453: The cheek teeth (molars and premolars) became longer and more specialised. The incisors developed into tusks of different shapes and sizes. Several species of proboscideans became isolated on islands and experienced insular dwarfism , some dramatically reducing in body size, such as the 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall dwarf elephant species Palaeoloxodon falconeri . Elephants are the largest living terrestrial animals. Some species of

19497-611: The company and Lucasfilm, granting himself 5% of the box office gross profits . He also founded Black Falcon to license Star Wars merchandising rights, using the income to subsidize his ongoing projects. Development for the sequel began in August 1977, under the title Star Wars Chapter II . Lucas considered replacing producer Gary Kurtz with Howard Kazanjian because Kurtz had not fulfilled his role and left problems unresolved while filming Star Wars . Kurtz convinced him otherwise by trading on his longtime loyalty to Lucas and knowledge of

19698-402: The crew quickly filled with snow. Scenes could be prepared only a few hours in advance and many scenes were filmed just outside the crew's hotel as the shifting weather regularly altered the scenery. Although Fisher was not scheduled to film scenes in Norway, she joined Hamill on location because she wanted to observe the process. Ford was not scheduled for the Finse phase, but to compensate for

19899-515: The crew, including Kershner, and tactics were used to delay its impact, including paying staff biweekly instead of weekly and Lucas borrowing money from his merchandising company Black Falcon. Lucas worried he would have to sell Empire and its associated rights to Fox to sustain the project, losing his creative freedom. Fox was also threatening to buy out the bond and take over filming. With about 20% of Empire left to film, Lucasfilm president Charles Weber arranged for Bank of Boston to refinance

20100-524: The dark side and help him destroy his master, the Emperor , so they may rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses, citing Obi-Wan's claim that Vader killed his father, prompting Vader to reveal that he is Luke's father. Distraught, Luke plunges down the air shaft and is ejected beneath the floating city, latching onto an antenna. He reaches out through the Force to Leia, and the Falcon returns to rescue him. They are attacked by TIE fighters but narrowly evade capture by Vader's Star Destroyer when R2-D2 repairs

20301-510: The dark side tree on Dagobah. A wrap party was held on the set to mark the official conclusion of filming on September 5, 1979, after 133 days. Guinness filmed his scenes against a bluescreen the same day. Kershner and the second unit continued filming additional footage, including Luke's X-Wing being raised from the swamp. Kershner left the set on September 9, and Hamill finished 103 days of filming two days later. The second unit finished filming on September 24 with Hamill's stunt double. There

20502-431: The dark side, wanting to instead explore this in the next film. Lucas believed it was important the characters be inspirational and appropriate for children. His typed draft is titled Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back . In June 1978, impressed with his work on Raiders of the Lost Ark , Lucas hired Lawrence Kasdan to refine the draft; Kasdan was paid $ 60,000. In early July, Kasdan, Kershner and Lucas held

20703-402: The decline and extinction of many proboscidean groups. The earliest members of the modern genera of Elephantidae appeared during the latest Miocene–early Pliocene around 5 million years ago. The elephantid genera Elephas (which includes the living Asian elephant) and Mammuthus (mammoths) migrated out of Africa during the late Pliocene, around 3.6 to 3.2 million years ago. Over the course of

20904-434: The delays and having to rework scenes to compensate for the missing footage. Filming at Elstree began on March 13, 1979. Production remained behind schedule without Stage 3 (which had been destroyed by fire), and the incomplete Star Wars stage lacked protection from the cold weather. The result was that the crew had to work out of any available space. To save time, some scenes were shot simultaneously, such as those set in

21105-484: The delays, he was brought there instead of creating a separate set in a Leeds studio. On a few hours' notice, he arrived in Finse, having traveled the last 23 miles (37 km) of the snow-laden journey by snowplow. Production returned to England after a week, though Hamill had an additional day of filming. The second unit remained in Norway through March to film explosions, incidental footage, and battle scenes featuring 35 mountain rescue skiers as extras. The skiers' work

21306-531: The director's indulgences. Kurtz had also given Kershner more leeway because of the delays caused by the Stage 3 fire. Kershner's slower work pace had frustrated Lucas. He described his filming style as frugal, performing two or three takes with little coverage film that could later compensate for mistakes. Watts and Reynolds said Kershner often looked at new ways of doing things, but this required planning that only delayed things further. Kershner had tried replicating

21507-420: The ear is considerably thinner. Elephants are typically grey, but African elephants look brown or reddish after rolling in coloured mud. Asian elephants have some patches of depigmentation, particularly on the head. Calves have brownish or reddish hair, with the head and back being particularly hairy. As elephants mature, their hair darkens and becomes sparser, but dense concentrations of hair and bristles remain on

21708-525: The elephant uses its trunk as a snorkel . The trunk also acts as a sense organ. Its sense of smell may be four times greater than a bloodhound 's nose. The infraorbital nerve , which makes the trunk sensitive to touch, is thicker than both the optic and auditory nerves. Whiskers grow all along the trunk, and are particularly packed at the tip, where they contribute to its tactile sensitivity. Unlike those of many mammals, such as cats and rats, elephant whiskers do not move independently ("whisk") to sense

21909-476: The emperor, distinct power levels in controlling the Force, Yoda's unconventional speech pattern, and bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Lucas wrote Fett like the Man with No Name , combining him with an abandoned idea for a Super Stormtrooper . Lucas's handwritten draft included mention of Vader being Luke's father, but the typed script omitted this revelation. Despite contradictory information in drafts that included

22110-439: The end of August. Sets were the single biggest expense of the production, costing a total of $ 3.5   million. By December, the budget had increased to $ 21.5   million, more than double the original estimate. Financial projections for The Chapter II Company suggested it would run a monthly deficit of $ 5–25   million by the end of 1979, including over $ 2   million in production costs and $ 400,000 to fund ILM. As

22311-449: The ending was unclear about where Luke and Leia were in relation to Lando and Chewbacca. In the three-week window between its limited and wider release, Lucas, Johnston, and visual effects artist Ken Ralston filmed enhancement scenes at ILM, using existing footage, a new score, modified dialogue, and new miniatures to create establishing shots of the Rebel fleet and their relative positions. By

22512-402: The environment; the trunk itself must move to bring the whiskers into contact with nearby objects. Whiskers grow in rows along each side on the ventral surface of the trunk, which is thought to be essential in helping elephants balance objects there, whereas they are more evenly arranged on the dorsal surface. The number and patterns of whiskers are distinctly different between species. Damaging

22713-432: The equipment that would be necessary to complete their work. Compared to the 360 special effects shots for Star Wars , Empire required around 600. The crew, supervised by Richard Edlund and Brian Johnson , included Dennis Muren , Bruce Nicholson , Lorne Peterson , Steve Gawley , Phil Tippett , Tom St. Amand, and Nilo Rodis-Jamero . Up to 100 people worked on the project daily, including Stuart Freeborn, who

22914-399: The experience was like fighting blindfolded because of the costume. Hamill spent weeks practicing his fencing routine, eventually growing frustrated and refusing to continue. The next scene, where Vader confesses he is Luke's father, was shrouded in secrecy. Prowse was given the line "Obi-Wan Kenobi is your father" to read because he was known for repeatedly leaking information. Only Kershner,

23115-410: The extinct elephant genus Palaeoloxodon considerably exceeded modern elephants in size making them among the largest land mammals ever. The skeleton is made up of 326–351 bones. The vertebrae are connected by tight joints, which limit the backbone's flexibility. African elephants have 21 pairs of ribs, while Asian elephants have 19 or 20 pairs. The skull contains air cavities ( sinuses ) that reduce

23316-585: The family Elephantidae , the sole remaining family within the order Proboscidea . Their closest extant relatives are the sirenians ( dugongs and manatees ) and the hyraxes , with which they share the clade Paenungulata within the superorder Afrotheria . Elephants and sirenians are further grouped in the clade Tethytheria . Three species of living elephants are recognised; the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ), forest elephant ( Loxodonta cyclotis ), and Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ). African elephants were traditionally considered

23517-551: The film removed from theaters. Because Lucas had followed the laws relevant to the United Kingdom where it was produced, the DGA was unable to sanction him and instead fined Kershner $ 25,000. Lucas paid his fine but was so frustrated that he left the WGA, DGA, and Motion Picture Association , which restricted his ability to write and direct future films. Elephants Elephants are

23718-481: The film would require 107 minutes of music. For two weeks across 18 three-hour sessions just after Christmas, Williams recorded the score at Anvil Studios and Abbey Road Studios , London. Up to 104 musicians were involved at a time, playing such instruments as oboes, piccolos, pianos, and harps. Principal photography began on March 5, 1979, on the Hardangerjøkulen glacier near Finse, Norway, representing

23919-402: The filmmakers played down his involvement to portray the droid as a real being. He ultimately agreed, however, for an improved salary. Alec Guinness said he could not return as Obi-Wan because his failing eyesight required him to avoid bright lights. Recasting him was considered but, determined to recruit him, Lucas agreed to a deal in late August 1979 which gave him a more limited role. Guinness

24120-511: The front and back using harnesses. The walker's crew consists of two AT-AT pilots and a vehicle commander; while both pilots are fully qualified, one usually serves as the driver and the other as gunner. AT-AT pilots receive specialized training in order to operate their walkers, using terrain sensors in the head and footpads to find sure footing, and as such warrant extra layers of protection and long-lasting power packs in their life-support suits. Although imposing, these weapons of terror have

24321-519: The front and hind limbs can support an elephant's weight, although 60% is borne by the front. The position of the limbs and leg bones allows an elephant to stand still for extended periods of time without tiring. Elephants are incapable of turning their manus as the ulna and radius of the front legs are secured in pronation . Elephants may also lack the pronator quadratus and pronator teres muscles or have very small ones. The circular feet of an elephant have soft tissues, or "cushion pads" beneath

24522-526: The full-scale Millenium Falcon . These scenes had to be filmed efficiently, so the Falcon could be dismantled to make way for the Dagobah set. Filming began on the carbon chamber scene in late June while the second unit filmed anything they could. The raised set was largely incomplete, and low lighting and steam were used to conceal any obvious flaws. The fog machines and heat from the steam made many cast and crew members sick; it took approximately three weeks to film. The confession of love between Leia and Han

24723-426: The genre attempting to profit by association and big-budget entries such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Black Hole , both released just months before The Empire Strikes Back . Sequels were not expected to perform as well as their originals, and there were low expectations for merchandising. Even so, tie-in deals were arranged with Coca-Cola , Nestlé , General Mills , and Topps collectibles. Fox

24924-474: The ghost of Luke's father, Lucas said he had always intended for Vader to be Luke's father and omitted it from scripts to avoid leaks. Lucas included elements such as Han's debt to Jabba, and recontextualized Luke leaving Dagobah to rescue his friends: in Brackett's draft, Obi-Wan instructs Luke to leave; Lucas had Luke choose to do so. He also removed a scene of Luke massacring stormtroopers to convey him falling to

25125-510: The group to the Empire, knowing Luke will come to their aid. Meanwhile, Luke travels with R2-D2 in his X-wing fighter to Dagobah, where he crash-lands. He meets Yoda, a diminutive creature who reluctantly accepts him as his Jedi apprentice after conferring with Obi-Wan's spirit. Yoda trains Luke to master the light side of the Force and resist negative emotions that will seduce him to the dark side , as they did Vader. Luke struggles to control his anger and impulsiveness and fails to comprehend

25326-419: The head and its slab sides would be more vulnerable to shaped charge munitions as opposed to angled sides. He notes however that its height would give its line-of-sight weaponry a greater reach and puts its occupants well above any IED explosion. Joe Pappalardo of Popular Mechanics also argues that the AT-AT is a poorly-designed troop transport, being slow, top-heavy and conspicuous with its legs being

25527-405: The head's "chin" can be fired in quick succession or simultaneously for a single, power blast, and can engage targets from many kilometers away; on either side of the "temples" are mounted medium repeating blasters and targeting rangefinders. When it comes time to deploy, troops carried in the AT-AT exit out of the sides via harness-and-cable from extendable boom racks while speeder bikes exit out

25728-428: The heaviest turbolaser weaponry. Standing over 22 meters (72 ft) tall, the AT-AT is as much a weapon of terror as anything else, and its mere presence is often enough to intimidate the local populace into obedience. Its prodigious height also helps the walker see over obstacles and provides a clear line of sight for its weaponry, carried in its heavily armored head. A pair of Class II heavy laser cannons mounted in

25929-567: The ice cavern and medical bay. Kershner wanted each character to make a unique entrance in the film. While filming Vader's entrance, the snow troopers preceding Prowse tripped over the polystyrene ice, and the stuntman behind him stood on his cape, breaking it off, causing Prowse to fall onto the snow troopers. The shoot was strenuous and mired in conflicts. Fisher suffered from influenza and bronchitis, her weight dropped to 85 pounds (39 kg) while working 12-hour days, and she collapsed on set from an allergic reaction to steam or spray paint. She

26130-451: The ice planet Hoth . While Luke Skywalker is scouting near the base, a wampa captures him before he can investigate a meteorite, but he escapes by using the Force to retrieve his lightsaber and wound the beast. Before Luke succumbs to hypothermia , the Force spirit of his deceased mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi , instructs him to go to the swamp planet Dagobah to train as a Jedi Knight under

26331-422: The insurers refused to allow him to perform a 15-foot (4.6 m) fall out of a window. He accidentally fell from a nine-inch ledge 40 feet (12 m) high but rolled on landing to avoid injury. Lucas returned to the set on July 15 and stayed for the rest of filming. He rewrote Luke's scenes on Dagobah, removing or trimming them so they could be shot in just over two weeks. Most of the cast completed filming by

26532-619: The larger tanks used by the Empire. Due to their design and movement, they are often dubbed as a " chicken walker ". The name Scout Walker is also used to refer to an AT-ST . This name was used for the official toy instead of the AT-ST name. Used in the Battle of Endor and also used in the Battle of Hoth. An AT-ST also appears briefly in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , patrolling Jedha City following an attack by Saw Gerrera 's forces. A modified AT-ST later appears in The Mandalorian under

26733-542: The largest ear flaps. The ossicles are adapted for hearing low frequencies, being most sensitive at 1 kHz . Lacking a lacrimal apparatus (tear duct), the eye relies on the harderian gland in the orbit to keep it moist. A durable nictitating membrane shields the globe. The animal's field of vision is compromised by the location and limited mobility of the eyes. Elephants are dichromats and they can see well in dim light but not in bright light. The elongated and prehensile trunk, or proboscis , consists of both

26934-520: The largest known land mammals. George Lucas later dismissed claims that the AT-AT design was inspired by container cranes at the Port of Oakland (across San Francisco Bay from ILM's San Rafael offices), calling it a "myth"; animator Phil Tippett told the San Francisco Chronicle the same thing. ILM created models ranging from six to fifty centimetres (2–20 inches) in height. ILM filmed

27135-402: The largest recorded was 302 cm (9 ft 11 in) long and weighed 39 kg (86 lb). Hunting for elephant ivory in Africa and Asia has resulted in an effective selection pressure for shorter tusks and tusklessness. An elephant's skin is generally very tough, at 2.5 cm (1 in) thick on the back and parts of the head. The skin around the mouth, anus , and inside of

27336-488: The loan to $ 31   million, including $ 27.7   million from Bank of Boston and $ 3   million guaranteed by Fox in exchange for an increased percentage of the theatrical returns and 10% of merchandising profits. Lucasfilm took out the loan, making the company directly liable. The Star Wars stage was completed in early May. It was too small to house the Rebel hangar and Dagobah sets, and an extension had to be funded and built. The producers mandated filming begin on

27537-786: The local populace. The AT-TE was similar to the All Terrain Open Top Transport (AT-OT), which was used for troop transport and lightly armed, while the AT-TE was more heavily armed and had less space for troops inside. The All Terrain MegaCaliber Six, or AT-M6 walker, is a mobile siege engine utilized by the First Order in their attempt to reconquer the galaxy. Built around a massive turbolaser cannon carried on its back, this simian -shaped walker combines equal parts devastating firepower and psychological warfare. These walkers made their theatrical appearance in The Last Jedi as

27738-405: The makeshift home of the scavenger Rey on the planet Jakku. Using scavenged parts from the walker and other vehicles, Rey is able to construct a power system for her home along with booby traps and motion sensors to deter potential thieves. Information in the AT-AT's manifest reveal it was designated Hellhound Two , part of the complement of the Imperial -class Star Destroyer Interrogator , but

27939-507: The malevolent Galactic Empire , led by the Emperor , and the Rebel Alliance , led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia . As the Empire goes on the offensive, Luke trains to master the Force so he can confront the Emperor's powerful disciple, Darth Vader . The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , Anthony Daniels , David Prowse , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , and Frank Oz . Following

28140-449: The manus or pes , which allow them to bear the animal's great mass. They appear to have a sesamoid , an extra "toe" similar in placement to a giant panda 's extra "thumb", that also helps in weight distribution. As many as five toenails can be found on both the front and hind feet. Elephants can move both forward and backward, but are incapable of trotting , jumping , or galloping . They can move on land only by walking or ambling :

28341-408: The mid-1980s, claiming that the AT-ST infringed on his copyright on what he called a "Garthian Strider", which he said he created in 1976 or 1977. The case was dismissed with the court noting that not only did Seiler not produce the supposed drawings at trial, but that the copyright came one year after The Empire Strikes Back debuted. According to Star Wars sources, the in-universe development of

28542-425: The middle with a thinner tip and supported by a thicker base. They contain numerous blood vessels called capillaries . Warm blood flows into the capillaries, releasing excess heat into the environment. This effect is increased by flapping the ears back and forth. Larger ear surfaces contain more capillaries, and more heat can be released. Of all the elephants, African bush elephants live in the hottest climates and have

28743-406: The movie's design supervisor, suggested to Rian Johnson that it be based on a gorilla instead of a dog so they could not be tripped up. Photos of real-life gorillas were used as a starting point for the final design and helped to give the AT-M6 a distinctive and aggressive posture. According to background material, the AT-M6 is considered the First Order's most powerful combat walker. Unlike

28944-465: The nature and power of the Force until he witnesses Yoda use it to levitate the X-wing from the swamp. Luke has a premonition of Han and Leia in pain and, despite Obi-Wan's and Yoda's protestations, abandons his training to rescue them. Although Obi-Wan believes Luke is their only hope, Yoda asserts that "there is another." Leia confesses her love for Han before Vader freezes him in carbonite to test whether

29145-686: The necessary tone. Kazanjian did not believe the Writers Guild of America West would approve of her receiving credit, but Lucas liked Brackett and supported her credit as co-writer. He also provided for her family beyond her contracted pay. The fifth draft was completed in February 1979. It revised some scenes and introduced a "Hogmen" species devised by Kershner; Lucas did not like the idea because he perceived them as slaves. Mark Hamill (Luke), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Harrison Ford (Han), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) all reprised their Star Wars roles. Hamill and Fisher were contracted for

29346-413: The nose and upper lip, which fuse in early fetal development. This versatile appendage contains up to 150,000 separate muscle fascicles , with no bone and little fat. These paired muscles consist of two major types: superficial (surface) and internal. The former are divided into dorsal, ventral , and lateral muscles, while the latter are divided into transverse and radiating muscles. The muscles of

29547-626: The planet Hoth. Initially scheduled to conclude on June 22, by the end of the first week it was obvious it would take longer and cost more. Filming the Hoth scenes on a set was considered, but ultimately rejected as inauthentic. The location filming coincided with the area's worst snowstorm in half a century, impeding the production with blizzards, 40-mile-per-hour (64 km/h) winds, and temperatures between −26 °F (−32 °C) and −38 °F (−39 °C). The weather cleared only twice; some days, filming could not take place. The frigid conditions made

29748-419: The player's craft, in contrast to the heavily armored AT-ATs which have to be tripped by tow cables. AT-STs are also player-controllable units in several real-time strategy games. A single AT-ST makes a brief appearance in The Empire Strikes Back alongside the larger AT-ATs during the Battle of Hoth. The AT-ST was meant to have more screen time; however, one scene depicting a snowspeeder shooting at

29949-441: The possession of a group of raiders, as the Empire has ceased to exist by the time of the series. An updated model of the AT-ST is used by the First Order in The Last Jedi . Shortly before the film's climax, an AT-ST is commandeered by BB-8 . Video games such as Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Shadows of the Empire (in a much expanded Battle of Hoth) include numerous AT-STs , and these can be destroyed by direct shooting from

30150-410: The preceding AT-AT which functioned as an assault transport, the AT-M6 is primarily a platform for a MegaCaliber Six turbolaser carried on its back. Capable of penetrating deflector shields rated to withstand planetary bombardments , the weapon requires a dedicated power plant and several auxiliary fuel cells to reduce recharge time. The AT-M6's heavily armored front legs were modified to handle

30351-423: The process lasting a day. An elephant's bladder can store up to 18 litres of urine and its kidneys can produce more than 50 litres of urine per day. A male elephant's testes, like other Afrotheria , are internally located near the kidneys. The penis can be as long as 100 cm (39 in) with a 16 cm (6 in) wide base. It curves to an 'S' when fully erect and has an orifice shaped like

30552-516: The process will safely imprison Luke. Han survives and is given to Fett, who intends to collect his bounty from Jabba the Hutt . Lando frees Leia and Chewbacca, but they are too late to stop Fett's escape. The group fights its way back to the Falcon and flees the city. Luke arrives and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel over the city's central air shaft. Vader defeats Luke, severing his right hand and separating him from his lightsaber. He urges Luke to embrace

30753-411: The producers' favor if it exceeded $ 100   million. Filming had to begin by January 1979 for release on May 1, 1980. The deal offered the possibility of significant financial gain for Lucas, but he risked financial ruin if the sequel failed. To mitigate some of the risk, Lucas founded The Chapter II Company to control the film's development and absorb its liabilities. He signed a contract between

30954-408: The producers, and Hamill knew the actual line. While filming the scene, Hamill was positioned on a platform suspended 35 feet (11 m) above a pile of mattresses. Footage of his fall into the reactor shaft was damaged during processing and the scene had to be reshot in early August. The Vader confrontation took eight weeks to film. Hamill insisted on doing as many of his stunts as possible, though

31155-514: The project's conclusion, around 700 people had worked on Empire . Lucas's firm, Industrial Light & Magic, developed the special effects for The Empire Strikes Back at a cost of $ 8   million, including staffing and the construction of the company's new facility in Marin County, California. The building was still under construction when staff arrived in September 1978, and initially lacked

31356-430: The project's conclusion. Released on May 21, 1980, the highly anticipated sequel became the highest-grossing film that year , earning approximately $ 401.5   million worldwide. Unlike its lighthearted predecessor, Empire met with mixed reviews from critics, and fans were conflicted about its darker and more mature themes. The film was nominated for various awards and won two Academy Awards , two Grammy Awards , and

31557-400: The public, but it also brought negative attention in the form of threats and many requests for financial backing. Conscious that the sequel needed to exceed the original's scope—making it a bigger production—and that his production effects company Lucasfilm was relatively small and operating out of a makeshift office, Lucas considered selling the project to 20th Century-Fox in exchange for

31758-570: The quick pacing of Star Wars , not lingering on any scene for too long, and encouraged improvisation, modifying scenes and dialogue to focus more on characters' emotions, such as C-3PO interrupting Han and Leia as they are about to kiss. Kazanjian said many mistakes were made but blamed Weber, Lucasfilm vice president John Moohr, and primarily Kurtz. Actor John Morton called Kurtz an unsung hero, who brought his experience of filming war to Empire . The schedule overrun resulted in filming and post-production taking place simultaneously; filmed footage

31959-451: The remainder as collateral for a loan from Bank of America for the film's $ 8   million budget. Fox had the right of first negotiation and refusal to participate in any potential sequel. Negotiations began in mid-1977 between the studio and Lucas's representatives. Fox had already given Lucas controlling interest in the series' merchandising and sequels because it had thought Star Wars would be worthless. Terms were agreed quickly for

32160-493: The right. Elephant trunks are capable of powerful siphoning. They can expand their nostrils by 30%, leading to a 64% greater nasal volume, and can breathe in almost 30 times faster than a human sneeze, at over 150 m/s (490 ft/s). They suck up water, which is squirted into the mouth or over the body. The trunk of an adult Asian elephant is capable of retaining 8.5 L (2.2 US gal) of water. They will also sprinkle dust or grass on themselves. When underwater,

32361-496: The role offered little job security; he returned after being told further delays would lead to his being replaced. James Earl Jones returned to voice Vader but, as with Star Wars , declined a credit because he considered himself "special effects" to Prowse's physical performance. He earned $ 15,000 for half a day's work, plus a small percentage of the profits. Anthony Daniels was reluctant to return as C-3PO because he had received little acknowledgment for his previous performance, as

32562-499: The same way as mass and there would be tremendous stress on the legs and joints, though he noted the AT-AT's method of walking was "statically stable" and appropriate for a heavy vehicle. A later estimate conducted in 2016 argued that building a real-life AT-AT would cost US$ 228.5 million. Using the M1 Abrams as a starting point, such a vehicle would weigh over 1,000 tons and generate 19 megawatts of power. Dr. Malcolm Davis, director of

32763-402: The sequel compared to the original, in part because Fox executive Alan Ladd Jr. had been supportive of the original and was eager for the sequel. The 100-page contract was signed on September 21, 1977, dictating that Fox would distribute the film but have no creative input, in exchange for 50% of the gross profits on the first $ 20   million earned, with the percentage increasing to 77.5% in

32964-606: The sequel to a film as successful as Star Wars , and his friends warned him against taking the job, believing he would be blamed if it failed. Lucas convinced Kershner it was not so much a sequel as a chapter in a larger story; he also promised him he could make the film his own way. Lucas began formulating ideas in August 1977. These included the Emperor, Luke's lost sister, and an explanation of facial injuries Hamill had suffered from an accident after filming Star Wars (Lucas told Hamill that, had he died, his character would have been replaced, not recast). Hamill recounted being told

33165-409: The set, but arrived on May 6 after realizing the production was behind schedule and over budget. An official Lucasfilm memo instructed staff to misstate the film's direct costs as $ 17   million. At this point, Kurtz and Lucas estimated it would cost $ 25–28   million to complete filming. Finances ran out in mid-July when Bank of America refused to increase the loan. The crisis was kept from

33366-496: The shield generator is destroyed, they race ahead of the assault walkers to capture as many of the fleeing Rebels as possible. During the ground skirmish of the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi , after initially inflicting heavy casualties on the Rebels and Ewoks , several AT-STs are destroyed when they prove highly vulnerable to the Ewoks' primitive booby traps, with one crushed between two large tree trunks swung on ropes. Another

33567-475: The ship's hyperdrive malfunctions. They hide in an asteroid field , where Han and Leia grow closer amid the tension. Vader summons several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett , to find the Falcon . Evading the Imperial fleet, Han's group travels to the floating Cloud City on the gas planet Bespin , which is governed by his old friend Lando Calrissian . Fett tracks them there, and Vader forces Lando to surrender

33768-425: The side-mounted weaponry has less range. Lightweight armor plating is proof against blasters and other small arms, but cannot withstand heavier laser cannons and missiles. The AT-ST must rely on high-intensity power cells as it is too small to carry a full power generator, limiting its range. In The Empire Strikes Back , AT-STs scout for and provide support for the slower AT-ATs during the Battle of Hoth ; when

33969-401: The sister character might be Leia, which he found disappointing. Lucas had written Star Wars but did not enjoy developing lore for an original universe. Science-fiction writer Leigh Brackett , whom Lucas met through a friend, excelled in quick-paced dialogue. He hired her for $ 50,000, aware that she had cancer. Between November   28 and December   2, 1977, Lucas and Brackett held

34170-401: The skin may reduce dehydration and allow for increased thermal regulation in the long term. To support the animal's weight, an elephant's limbs are positioned more vertically under the body than in most other mammals. The long bones of the limbs have cancellous bones in place of medullary cavities . This strengthens the bones while still allowing haematopoiesis (blood cell creation). Both

34371-456: The skull, which serve as protection. Because of the size of the head, the neck is relatively short to provide better support. Elephants are homeotherms and maintain their average body temperature at ~ 36 °C (97 °F), with a minimum of 35.2 °C (95.4 °F) during the cool season, and a maximum of 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) during the hot dry season. Elephant ear flaps, or pinnae , are 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) thick in

34572-415: The stage on May 18, regardless of its state. The hangar scene involved 77 rebel extras, which cost £2,000 per day. Around 50 short tons (45 long tons) of dendritic salt , mixed with magnesium sulfate for a sparkle effect, were used for the snowy sets; this combination of substances gave the cast and crew headaches. Second unit director John Barry died suddenly in early June; Harley Cokeliss replaced him

34773-400: The start of August, including Ford, Fisher, Williams, Mayhew, and Daniels. Hamill began filming on the Dagobah set with Yoda. They only had 12 days to film because Oz was scheduled for another project. With the film now over 50 days behind schedule, Kurtz was removed from his role and replaced by Kazanjian and associate producer Robert Watts . One of the last scenes shot was of Luke exploring

34974-574: The start of filming in January 1979 loomed, a fire on Elstree's Stage 3—where The Shining (1980) was being filmed—destroyed the space planned for Empire ' s sets. The impact was significant, resulting in the Empire production being forced to give up two stages so The Shining could continue filming. Sixty-four sets had to be moved through nine stages and the filming schedule had to be altered. Poor weather delayed construction of necessary sets, props, and

35175-872: The success of Star Wars , Lucas hired Brackett to write the sequel. After she died in 1978, he outlined the whole Star Wars saga and wrote the next draft himself, before hiring Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) writer Kasdan to enhance his work. To avoid the stress he faced directing Star Wars , Lucas handed the responsibility to Kershner and focused on expanding his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic instead. Filmed from March to September 1979 in Finse , Norway, and at Elstree Studios in England, The Empire Strikes Back faced production difficulties, including actor injuries, illnesses, fires, and problems securing additional financing as costs rose. Initially budgeted at $ 8   million, costs had risen to $ 30.5   million by

35376-417: The tauntaun special effect was criticized, audiences liked Han's reply of "I know" to Leia's confession of love. Lucas was unimpressed by the scene, believing it was not how Han would act. Because the magnetic soundtrack could flake from the film reels, Kurtz hired people to watch the film reels 24 hours a day to identify defects; 22% were defective. Shortly after the film's theatrical release, Lucas decided

35577-514: The team created a swinging log rig out of telephone poles and, after shoring the structure up with steel reinforcement, swung replica logs at an armored truck. The team declared the myth plausible when the logs succeeded in punching the truck's side panels off its frame. The All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, or AT-TE walker, is a mechanized infantry combat vehicle used by the Grand Army of the Republic ground forces. Having six grappling legs and

35778-461: The three began conceptualizing the Hoth battle in December. By this point, the budget had increased to $ 10   million. Lucas wanted a director who would support the material and accept that he was ultimately in charge. He considered around 100 directors, including Alan Parker and John Badham , before hiring his old acquaintance Irvin Kershner in February 1978. Kershner was reluctant to direct

35979-472: The tip of the tail and parts of the head and genitals. Normally, the skin of an Asian elephant is covered with more hair than its African counterpart. Their hair is thought to help them lose heat in their hot environments. Although tough, an elephant's skin is very sensitive and requires mud baths to maintain moisture and protection from burning and insect bites. After bathing, the elephant will usually use its trunk to blow dust onto its body, which dries into

36180-514: The trunk connect to a bony opening in the skull. The nasal septum consists of small elastic muscles between the nostrils, which are divided by cartilage at the base. A unique proboscis nerve – a combination of the maxillary and facial nerves – lines each side of the appendage. As a muscular hydrostat , the trunk moves through finely controlled muscle contractions, working both with and against each other. Using three basic movements: bending, twisting, and longitudinal stretching or retracting,

36381-422: The trunk has near unlimited flexibility. Objects grasped by the end of the trunk can be moved to the mouth by curving the appendage inward. The trunk can also bend at different points by creating stiffened "pseudo-joints". The tip can be moved in a way similar to the human hand. The skin is more elastic on the dorsal side of the elephant trunk than underneath; allowing the animal to stretch and coil while maintaining

36582-508: The trunk would be detrimental to an elephant's survival, although in rare cases, individuals have survived with shortened ones. One trunkless elephant has been observed to graze using its lips with its hind legs in the air and balancing on its front knees. Floppy trunk syndrome is a condition of trunk paralysis recorded in African bush elephants and involves the degeneration of the peripheral nerves and muscles. The disorder has been linked to lead poisoning. Elephants usually have 26 teeth:

36783-433: The tusk contains the pulp , and some have nerves that stretch even further. Thus, it would be difficult to remove it without harming the animal. When removed, ivory will dry up and crack if not kept cool and wet. Tusks function in digging, debarking, marking, moving objects, and fighting. Elephants are usually right- or left-tusked, similar to humans, who are typically right- or left-handed . The dominant, or "master" tusk,

36984-447: The ultimate fate of its crew is unknown. The First Order uses an updated model of the AT-AT during the Battle of Crait at the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi . Built by Kuat-Entralla Drive Yards, these versions of the venerable AT-AT address some of the stability issues that plagued the Imperial walkers. They also use lighter armor material to add additional layers of protection and address weak points without increasing weight. In 2011,

37185-877: The walkers featured in the original trilogy. The All Terrain Advance Raider ( AT-AR ) appears in Marvel Comics ' Star Wars series, and an All Terrain Experimental Transport ( AT-XT ) appears in LucasArts ' Star Wars: The Clone Wars game. DK Publishing 's Attack of the Clones: Incredible Cross-Sections book mentions an All Terrain Heavy Enforcer ( AT-HE ). Kenner released AT-AT and AT-ST toys as part of their Empire Strikes Back line, and Hasbro released toys based on those molds when

37386-415: The weight and massive recoil of firing the weapon, and feature ventilation gates which double as cable-cutters. This locomotion system also gives the walker the appearance of a giant simian predator which, combined with firepower to rival a battleship, is meant to help intimidate an opponent into submission. With the Resistance entrenched on Crait at a former Rebellion base, a contingent of AT-M6s are among

37587-419: The weight of the skull while maintaining overall strength. These cavities give the inside of the skull a honeycomb -like appearance. By contrast, the lower jaw is dense. The cranium is particularly large and provides enough room for the attachment of muscles to support the entire head. The skull is built to withstand great stress, particularly when fighting or using the tusks. The brain is surrounded by arches in

37788-463: The wild. They communicate by touch, sight, smell, and sound; elephants use infrasound and seismic communication over long distances. Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans . They appear to have self-awareness , and possibly show concern for dying and dead individuals of their kind. African bush elephants and Asian elephants are listed as endangered and African forest elephants as critically endangered by

37989-445: Was a token role , but was assured it was not specifically written for a black actor. Kershner said Williams had the fantastic charm of a "Mississippi riverboat hustler". Howard Rollins , Terry Alexander , Robert Christian , Thurman Scott, and Yaphet Kotto were also considered for the part. Yoda was voiced and puppeteered by Frank Oz, with assistance from Kathryn Mullen , David Barclay , and Wendy Froud . Lucas had intended for

38190-531: Was also allergic to most makeup. Her overuse of hallucinogens and painkillers worsened her condition, as did the anxiety she experienced while performing her speech to the rebels. Stress and personal traumas led to frequent arguments among Hamill, Fisher, and Ford. Ford and Hamill fell ill or were injured at different times. Hamill was depressed by his isolation from human cast members, as his scenes required him to interact mostly with puppets, robots, and actors whose voices would be added later or dubbed over. He

38391-431: Was approximately 400,000 feet (120,000 m) of film, or 80 hours of footage. The final budget was $ 30.5   million. Kurtz blamed inflation , which had increased resource, cast, and crew costs significantly. Lucas blamed Kurtz for lack of oversight and poor financial planning. Watts said Kurtz was not good with people and never developed a working relationship with Kershner, making it difficult for him to temper

38592-459: Was available for this role, so Kurtz had him quickly change out of the Fett costume to stand in. John Morton portrays Fett in the same scene. There was no extensive casting for the Emperor. Lucas chose Clive Revill to provide the character's voice, and actress Marjorie Eaton physically portrayed the Emperor in test footage. The footage proved unsatisfactory, and special effects artist Rick Baker created

38793-428: Was born, aggravated by the salt-laden setting, and exhausted, he angrily chastised Kurtz for not using a double for the scene. Kershner's hands-on directing style, which included him acting out how he wanted a scene performed, agitated Hamill; Kershner, for his part, was frustrated that Hamill was not following his advice. The life-size hangar set was dismantled in mid-June to allow the construction of other sets around

38994-502: Was compensated with a donation to the Norwegian Red Cross . To film the Imperial probe landing, eight sticks of dynamite were placed on the glacier and set to explode at sunrise, but the demolitions expert in charge knocked the battery out of his radio and received the message too late to capture the intended shot. The opening sweeping shot of the area was captured by flying a helicopter to 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and performing

39195-612: Was confident in the film and spent little money on advertising, taking out small advertisements in newspapers instead of full-page spreads. The studio's market research showed 60% of those interested in the film were male. Lucasfilm set up a telephone number allowing callers to hear a message from cast members. Fox demanded a minimum 28-week appearance in theaters, although 12 weeks was the norm for major films. Estimates suggested Empire needed to earn $ 57.2   million to be profitable, after marketing, distribution, and loan interest costs. As with Star Wars , Lucas wanted to place all of

39396-404: Was meant to use an earpiece to hear Oz's Yoda dialogue, but for various reasons this did not work, and he struggled to form a relationship with the character. The Dagobah set was liberally sprayed with mineral oil, which caused him physical discomfort for long periods. Hamill called it a "physical ordeal the whole time   ... but I don't really mind that". At one point, Oz cheered Hamill up with

39597-422: Was paid 0.25% of Empire ' s box office gross for his few hours of work. Billy Dee Williams was cast as Lando Calrissian, making him the first black actor with a starring role in the series. He found the character interesting because of his cape and Armenian surname ; Williams believed this gave him room to develop the character. Williams said Lando was much like himself—a "pretty cool guy". He believed it

39798-686: Was responsible mainly for crafting the Yoda puppet. Various techniques, including miniatures , matte paintings , stop motion , articulated models and full-size vehicles were used to create Empire ' s many effects. Industry professionals expected comedies and positive entertainment to dominate theaters in 1980 because of low morale in the United States caused by an economic recession . This generally increased theatrical visits as audiences sought escapism and ignored romantic films and depictions of blue-collar life . A surge of interest in science fiction following Star Wars led to many low-budget entries in

39999-459: Was scripted with both of them admitting their feelings for the other. Kershner felt this was too "sappy". He had Ford improvise lines repeatedly until Ford said he would do only one more take; his response to Leia's confession of love in the final take was "I know". By the end of the month, cast and crew morale was low. Hamill returned in early July to film his climactic battle against Darth Vader, portrayed by stunt double Bob Anderson , who said

40200-416: Was shipped immediately to ILM to begin effects work. A rough cut resembling the finished film (minus special effects) was put together by mid-October 1979. Lucas provided 31 pages of notes about changes he wanted, mainly alterations in dialogue and scene lengths. Jones recorded Vader's dialogue in late 1979 and early 1980. In early 1980, Lucas changed the long-planned opening of Luke riding his tauntaun to

40401-650: Was the collision of Afro-Arabia with Eurasia, during the Early Miocene, around 18–19 million years ago, allowing proboscideans to disperse from their African homeland across Eurasia and later, around 16–15 million years ago into North America across the Bering Land Bridge . Proboscidean groups prominent during the Miocene include the deinotheres , along with the more advanced elephantimorphs , including mammutids (mastodons), gomphotheres , amebelodontids (which includes

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