For many reasons The Empire Srikes Back is my favourite of all the Star Wars movies. It has epic battle scenes on the ice planet Hoth, with it's incredible vistas and the Empire's approaching Imperial Walkers. It introduced us to Master Yoda and revealed that Darth Vader was in fact, Luke's father!
Way back in 1979, before Empire opened, the studio created an early teaser trailer. Since the live-action sequences weren't ready they used pre-production artwork by the great Ralph McQuarrie. This was before the first Empire Strikes Back Trailer was released on August 15, 1979.
Lucasfilm re-released The Empire Strikes Back Teaser Trailer in October of last year and described it this way:
"Watch the original teaser trailer for The Empire Strikes Back, which is notable for featuring solely concept art by Ralph McQuarrie but no film footage. Among the McQuarrie paintings seen are the Rebel hangar on Hoth, Luke on a tauntaun, Darth Vader aboard a Star Destroyer, Cloud City, an Imperial probe droid, and Luke's final duel with Darth Vader."
I think it would be great if studios did this today, as Sci-fi movies always have vast amounts of incredible, detailed concept art, why not 'draw' from it to create a teaser? Then we would be kept in suspense, have our imaginations stimulated, and not have the whole story given away, as is the case with some trailers!
Now watch the original teaser trailer made solely from concept art by the late, great, Ralph McQuarrie!
Images sourced from: The Empire Strikes Back Portfolio
Article Published:
2014-02-23 07:15:04