Anatomy of a Dewback
Anatomy of a Dewback, a behind-the-scenes web series in five parts, totaling 26 minutes, debuted in 1997 on StarWars.com. It details the restoration and enhancement of the Tatooine Dune Sea scene for the Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope Special Edition, specifically focusing on transforming the dewbacks from static rubber props into digitally animated creatures. The documentary unveils the restoration work done by YCM Labs on the original footage, along with the expansion of the scene through new footage. It also features interviews with George Lucas and ILM discussing the scene's concept and purpose.
Introduction
The genesis of The Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition was initially to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Star Wars' release. However, as the process of restoring the original film's negative began, its scope broadened considerably. Primarily, this new edition provided George Lucas, the creator, an opportunity to address long-standing issues by correcting shots he felt were flawed and incorporating new sequences that were previously impossible to execute two decades prior. Furthermore, it presented Industrial Light and Magic, Lucas's leading special effects company, with a chance to innovate and experiment with novel techniques that would subsequently be extensively utilized in the creation of the Star Wars prequel, Episode I.
One particular scene that underwent revision to better align with Lucas's vision was a sequence set in Tatooine's Dune Sea in Star Wars. This scene depicts a squad of stormtroopers in pursuit of the missing droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, believed to be carrying the top-secret plans for the Death Star battle station. Lucas sought to introduce an element of surprise by having the troopers ride large, slow-moving creatures known as Dewbacks instead of utilizing more advanced vehicles. Due to financial and technological constraints, the original Dewbacks were essentially immobile, oversized rubber figures.
This unique five-part web documentary, with each episode released weekly over a five-week period, illustrates the transformation of the Dewbacks into the lifelike, breathing creatures seen in the Star Wars Special Edition.
Sources
- Star Wars: Anatomy of a Dewback on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- Anatomy of a Dewback, Part 1 on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- Anatomy of a Dewback, Part 2 on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- Anatomy of a Dewback, Part 3 on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- Anatomy of a Dewback, Part 4 on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- Anatomy of a Dewback, Part 5 on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
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