STAR WARS : GENERATION SKYWALKER

THE COSTUMES OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

We’ve looked at ‘art’, we’ve listened to ‘sound’, and now, as we move towards the end of our special Attack of the Clones month, we are turning our attention to another standout element of the movie – 'costumes'.

Stu, Craig and Dan explore the work of Trisha Biggar and Ian McCaig and their teams, as they appraise a number of key looks from both an ‘in-universe and 'real world' perspective.

It’s not every show where we get to talk 'antique lace', ‘the male gaze’ and ‘cosplay’ – so join us as we explore the costumes of a selection of key players and background characters, and of course, have a good rifle through Padme’s eclectic wardrobe. 

THE SOUNDS OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

George Lucas and Skywalker Sound live by the rule ‘sound is half the picture’.

Join us as we look, well… listen to the wonderful work of Ben Burtt, Matt Wood and the masters at Skywalker Sound for a show that takes you deep into the incredible sounds of the Attack of the Clones.

Discover how dolphins, vintage aircraft and mating penguins all played their part in creating the soundscape of the galaxy, as Jez leads an exploration that will change your perception of the movie forever. 

ATTACK OF THE CLONES : ACROSS THE STARS AND BACK

Star Wars : Episode II : Attack of the Clones premiered 20 years ago today. 

We have been celebrating all month, but as an extra special treat we've curated and assembled a collection of behind the scenes clips, archive news and TV footage into one mega tribute to a chapter in the Skywalker story that has sat too long in the shadow of more revered movies.

Come with us back to 2002 for a journey across the stars. 

And back.



THE ART OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

 

In 1977 a Star Destroyer flew over our heads and the Hildebrandt brothers turned in an mesmerising poster to promote a new space fantasy movie. Star Wars has continued to push the limits of visual artistry on and off screen ever since.

 

And Attack of the Clones was no exception.

 

Stu, Jez and Craig go deep on this one, as they explore the marketing campaign – from the teaser poster and Drew Struzan's stunning artwork, to the unusual strategy and some of the clever tactics employed to encourage people around the world into cinemas.

 

The team also look at the concept work of Doug Chiang and his team, examine the influence of Art Nouveau on the film and cherry pick some of the best licensed and unlicensed art inspired by the movie.

 

Checking out the enhanced version of this one is very much recommended.

THE MATTHEW SCHOENFELDER INTERVIEW

Episode II? A missed opportunity to be brilliant?

Not for Prequel and Attack of the Clones superfan Matthew Schoenfelder.

Matthew joins Stuart to discuss why this film works for him and why he feels the need to defend the prequels on social media at every given opportunity.

It's a refreshing discussion with a fan who sees the positives in ALL Star Wars, even if it's sometimes flawed.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES COMMENTARY

Join Stu, Jez, Craig and Dan for a big watch-along as we start to get into our special month of Attack of the Clones shows.

As longtime fans who are heavily invested in Star Wars, what exactly does everyone think to this film? Which bits work and which bits don’t? And what tidbits of info have stayed lodged in our brains all these years? 

Consider this your formal invitation to hang out with the boys for 2 hours and 25 minutes as they candidly air their views in real time.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES MONTH : PROLOGUE

May 2002 saw the release of the second chapter in the Skywalker saga, and Episode II : Attack of the Clones instantly rocketed to the bottom of a lot of fans’ lists of their favourite five Star Wars movies.

Its detractors are often quick to point at the bad dialogue, wooden acting and poor cgi, so why would Generation Skywalker dedicate a whole month to exploring a film most people are lukewarm about at best?

Because we we are convinced there’s more too it – things we’ve maybe missed and elements that certainly deserve closer examination with the hindsight of 20 years.

So join us as we set the the scene, with this short episode to kick-off 31 days of shows, unboxings and social posts that will explore the best and worst of the movie and its legacy.

Think you know Attack of the Clones? Think again.

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 16

Our modern collecting shows are always crammed with news and reviews of the latest Star Wars collectible releases – and this one is no exception. 

We have all the latest on Hasbro’s Star Wars licence renewal, a watch of the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer, a look at how recent TV shows are affecting the prices of older toys, thoughts on our freshly landed Razor Crests and of course, a run down of what’s new from Hasbro, Lego, Sideshow and all the other things we like to chat about. 

So join us to hear Mark get nerdy over Nerf, Stu get geeky about new tikis, Craig get a teeny bit excited for tiny toys and for Dan's hot take on Hot Toys stands.

This is the Modern Way.

ECHO BASE LIVE : APRIL 2022 REVISITED

Echo Base Live returned to Redditch at the start April and Generation Skywalker were there to capture what went on at the biggest and best Echo show yet.

Join us, as we discuss everything from what we spotted on the dealer tables and what we bought, to the guests, cosplay, swag, fundraising and other activities.

It was a great event, but you don’t have to just take our word for it as we have Mark Baker, Richard and Seth, Chris Lawrence, Dan Adey, Nick Dykes, Adam Pemberton, Phil Parker, Lee Gregory and Michael Havens all giving their views on the show too.

How much did we end up raising for the Echo charity? Do we think the £38,000 carded Palitoy VCJ was worth the money? What did Femi think to Mark’s Rancor impression? Listen and find out.

ECHO BASE LIVE : A CELEBRATION

The 10th Echo Base Live Star Wars show comes to Redditch on April 2nd 2022 and what better way to celebrate, than a special look back at past events and a peek at what to expect this time around?

 

We hear about Echo Live's origins along with some personal highlights from Adam Pemberton, and Wayne Totty also drops by to discuss how the event has evolved, the tremendous charity work Echo Base does and which guests will be in attendance.

 

Plus trader Tom Scaife pops in to tease a few items he'll have for sale,  as well as discussing former events including his first show where he rocked up two hours late to set up! 

 

We also catch up with Echo's resident DJ Trev, who will be providing the soundtrack for the event and talk to Andy Preston about why he loves Echo Live so much.

 

All this, plus our own views on the show and what we are each looking forward to on the day.

A LOOK AT THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT : SEASON 1

Now that the dust, sand and spice has settled, the Generation Skywalker syndicate takes an in-depth, spoilery look at all seven episodes of the recent The Book of Boba Fett TV series.

We chart the highs and lows, shine a light on the main references to the wider Star Wars saga and painstakingly try to capture the bulk of the nods the show constantly makes to other classic movies.

With the benefit of few week’s distance and repeated viewings, the team also bring their personal stand-out moments to the table, as well as their own interpretations of some of the many themes the series explores.

It all makes for a great podcast. 

And an even better video!

(Which you can find here)

THE LEE WARD INTERVIEW

Lee Ward is a collector and independent retailer of Hot Toys. On this show he sits down with Dan to discuss his Star Wars collecting journey, from seeing The Empire Strikes Back in a Weybridge cinema in the early eighties, through to performing Instagram Hot Toys unboxings with comedian Keith Lemon.

He discusses the genesis of his store The Good, The Bad and The Robots and how Paddy McGuinness, as well as many other celebrities came to be his customers.

As well as selling Hot Toys, he collects furiously and admins several Hot Toy groups on Facebook. Join us as we discuss the trials and tribulations of Hot Toy collecting, from sequel troubles to the dreaded customs charges.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 12

It’s the first Those Old Fossils of 2022 and the team have assembled to review their most exciting purchases of last year. 

 

From vintage jewelry displays to Clipper mailers, there are some fascinating items and great stories brought to the table for discussion, before Dan takes us on a deep analytical dive through the results of January’s C&T Auction.  

 

As vintage gets harder to find and more expensive across the board, our main topic explores the idea of community and ‘networking’ as the team share old tales, past examples and tips for new collectors. 

 

As Boba says: 'You can only get so far without a tribe.'  

 

We round off with a look at what’s on everyone’s wants lists – from the common, to the do-able, to some la la land items the lads have their eyes on.

FARTHEST FROM : DECEMBER 2021 REVISITED

Two years since the last Farthest From had taken place, December 2021 finally saw the return of the much loved event and Generation Skywalker were in town to capture everything that went on. 

 

Now, a month after the event, the team look back at what was an amazing return to the vintage Star Wars collecting gathering.  

 

Not only do we get the thoughts and memories of the Generation Skywalker team, but we bring back a host of interviews recorded at the event. David Tree, Steve Davies, Rob Marsh, Peter Lee, Chris Mann, Mark Newbold, Marc Hockley, Wayne Totty, Jason Smith, Jon Aves, Lee Bullock, Drew Tegg, Darren Hayman, Andrew Norton and Andrew Karnecki all stop by to discuss their experience of the weekend.

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 15 : 2021 REVIEW

To kick off this year's run of Modern Way episodes, we are looking back at 2021 and forward to 2022.

 

Dan tots up all the figure releases from The Vintage Collection, Black Series and Hot Toys, before guiding us through what else has been announced in recent weeks, whilst the team are on hand to offer up their top picks from the whole bunch.

 

And of course, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't examine the failure of the Haslab Rancor project. What went wrong? What could have been done better? What effect this will have on future Haslab Star Wars projects?

 

All this is topped and tailed with some personal collecting highs and lows from 2021 and plans and hopes for the new Star Wars-packed year.

FARTHEST FROM : A CELEBRATION

The UK's premier Vintage Collecting show returns after a two year hiatus.

 

Stuart, Grant, Jez, Mark and Dan sit down to reminisce about previous events and as they discuss highlights, purchases, social stories amongst other things, the excitement for the return of the show can be heard in all their voices.

 

Dave Tree, Mr Farthest From himself, joins us to discuss the origins of the event, his personal highlights and what to expect from this one – whilst Dave Shorter, Marc Hockley and Jason Smith all drop by to share their memories too.

GIFT? WHAT GIFT? : 2021 CHRISTMAS PRESENT GUIDE

Buying Christmas gifts for the Star Wars fan in your life gets harder each year, so here's the team to help make the task easier this festive season.

Breaking the guide down into four age ranges – Pre-School (up to 5), Primary (6-11), Teenage/Secondary (11-17) and Adult (17+) we are offering up give three main gift ideas (over £25), three stocking fillers (under £25) and a left field item, whilst also revealing the best places to purchase things and the current price you'd expect to pay.

Although the team do get a litte distracted with a nostalgia trip over video rental shops and the Kays and Argos catalogues.

From the hottest gifts on the market to creative fun items – there is something for everyone in this fun filled festive Star Wars guide.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 11

This episode of Those Old Fossils takes some deep dives into specific  topics – Grant looks at focus collecting, with reference to his own TIE  Fighter Pilot focus, Jez explores the vintage Droid Factories and their legacy, Craig's new blog has made him very nerdy about Look-In magazines, and Mark runs through the evolution of Star Wars Palitoy ads of the 70s and 80s. 

 

It’s a packed show that also takes time to discuss Mark’s recent  appearance on Toyshop On Tour, Jez raises the confusing issue of historical toy line classification and we have a little look at our plans for December’s Farthest From.

THE DARREN HAYMAN INTERVIEW

Songwriter, musician and artist Darren Hayman sits down with Craig to talk about how the re-discovery of his childhood Star Wars figures has inspired a new set of paintings, some tentative steps into collecting and his first ever attendance at a Comic Con. 

 

From his beginnings with much-loved indie band, Hefner, to a solo career that has seen him bring his enquiring mind and unique creative perspective to everything from open air swimming pools to the Essex witch trials, Darren’s latest project sees him tapping into the magic of vintage Star Wars. 

 

Join us for a tale of action figures loved, lost and found again, Darren's memories of experiencing Star Wars in the UK in the mid 70s, his thoughts on the success of The Mandalorian, and discover how he is adapting his painting style to produce work that not only captures the look of his old figures, but their spirit too. 

 

It's work made with acrylics and a lot of love.

BOOK MONTH 2021 : EPILOGUE

Join Stu, Craig and Jez as they look back on all the highlights of Book Month 2021, which this year featured Becca Benjamin, Brian Cameron, Mark Mulcaster and Stephane Faucourt.

 

Has a month of shows focused on Star Wars literature influenced the team? What has Stu been buying? What has Jez got on his reading list? Just how much sex and violence is portrayed on Craig’s new Shadows of the Empire trading cards?   

 

The  answers are all here, plus there’s a blow-by-blow recap of our Eulogising Legends knockout competition, exploring which Legends  characters you think are worth bringing back into future Star Wars movies, TV shows, books and comics. 

 

Things get tense and friendships are tested as Craig reveals the ultimate winner of the nail-biting final.

THE MODERN WAY 14 : THE TOYS OF THE EXPANDED UNIVERSE

This edition of The Modern Way celebrates the crossover of modern Star Wars toys and literature.

 

The boys get together to count down a top ten of figures inspired by the books and comics from the Star Wars galaxy, including a nostalgic look back at the Shadows of the Empire line from the 90s.

 

From Mouse  and Princess Leia in her areobics wear, to the heavy metal stylings of  Nom Anor, it's a fun look at some of the more obscure toys from the modern era. Join in and see exactly which figures got the team all excited and straight onto eBay.

THE STEPHANE FAUCOURT INTERVIEW

Stephane joins Generation Skywalker during Book Month to discuss his stunningly beautiful new book, 'The Legendary Advertisements 1978-1985' which looks at Star Wars advertisements during the vintage era, and covers everything from toys through to Milky Way chocolate bars.  

 

Stephane gives us an insight into where the idea from the book came from, through to its completion and we also also discuss his previous books and working relationship with co-author Yann Leroux.

THE GERALD HOME INTERVIEW

From one Squid Head to Another – a truly endearing interview.

 

The Star Wars community was saddened this week to learn of the passing of one of the friendliest actors in the franchise, Gerald Home who is best known for playing the ROTJ character Squid Head. Gerald always had time for the fans, would greet everyone with the biggest of smiles and was clearly happy to share his stories and experiences. 

 

In 2015, he was kind enough to be interviewed by Jez’s son Leo who was 9 years old and had been given the nickname Squid Head by Jez several years before! 

 

This interview beautifully encapsulates Gerald’s involvement with the fans. Even though the sound quality isn’t the best, the GS crew feel that the Star Wars community would love to listen to this interview. 

THE AFTERMATH TRILOGY

The Aftermath books tell the 'official' story  of what happened after Return of the Jedi. And for Book Month 2021, we've invited Mark Mulcaster and Brian Cameron from Fantha Tracks to  join Stuart and Craig to take a closer look at the trilogy.
 

From the general story arc  and key characters, to the cover designs and the initial reaction of fans and  detractors – it’s a series of books that divided opinion at the time, but how do they stand up six years and three sequel films later?

THE BECCA BENJAMIN INTERVIEW

Stuart and Jez chat with Becca Benjamin – host of 'Tarkin's Top Shelf' and 'Kanata's Castle' podcasts.

 

Becca is one of the busiest people in the community – whether it's podcasting, writing reviews, penning articles or titling artwork, Becca has always got a project on the go.  

 

Her passion for Star Wars and especially the books and  literature really comes across in this interview as we discuss her background and the areas that inspire her the most.