FILMING LOCATIONS
Tikal National Park, Guatemala
Death Valley National Monument, California, USA (Tatooine)
Marin co, California, USA
Tozeur, Tunisia (Tatooine)
TRIVIA
World renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell was consulted by George Lucas while writing the Star Wars script.
Lucas had trouble getting funding for this movie, most studios thinking that people wouldn't go to see it.
Obi Wan Kenobi was modelled after a Samurai warrior.
Lucas mentioned in an interview that the word 'Jedi' is derived from the Japanese words 'Jidai Geki' which translate as 'period drama.'
Jodie Foster was Lucas' second option for Princess Leia, Christopher Walken was second in line for Han Solo. Lucas also considered Nick Nolte for the role of Solo. Burt Reynolds was originally cast as Han Solo, but he dropped out.
The episode number and subtitle 'A New Hope' did not originally appear in the film's opening crawl.
Industrial Light and Magic's first ever job was the scene of the escape pod leaving Leia's ship.
C-3PO was designed after the robot from Metropolis, and originally scripted as a used car salesman type.
Han Solo carried a nitros oxide bulb in his belt (visible in the medal presentation scene)
After being built the R2 Units were all rolled in the dirt, nicked with a saw, and kicked around a bit.
The sounds of the lasers were made by striking one of the guy wires of a power pylon.
A small pair of metal dice can be seen hanging in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon as Chewbacca makes preparations to depart from Mos Eisley. They don't appear in subsequent scenes.
To create the scene more spontaneous Harrison Ford deliberately didn't learn his lines for the intercom conversation in the cell block.
Sound efects were added when a stormtrooper entering the room where C-3PO and R2-D2 are hiding, one of them accidentally bumps his head on the door.
The Chewbacca suit retained a bad smell for the duration of filming after the trash-compactor scene.
At the medal presentation at the end of the movie most of the crowd watching the heroes receive their medallions are cardboard cutouts.
BLOOPERS
continuity problems with items on Ben's table as he watches the hologram.
Actor visible through R2-D2's eye when in the Sandcrawler.
C-3PO sustains a dent on his head during the Sandpeople attack, but the dent appears, disappears, and swaps sides frequently during the movie.
The R2 unit with the bad motivator appears back in the lineup after he explodes.
Tatooine has two suns, yet only one shadow is cast
When Ben gives Luke the lightsabre, and Luke activates it, the cape hanging on the wall behind him disappears while the sabre is active, and re-appears when it is shut off.
Scenes from outside the Millennium Falcon indicate it has four windows, yet shots from the inside indicate three.
Rubber sole of Chewbacca's foot visible as he follows Han Solo in the Death Star.
Vader's disappearing lightsabre blade after he kills Ben.
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