Title: The Art of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Author: J.W. Rinzler
ISBN: 0-345-43135-9
Publisher: Ballantine Books Del Rey/Lucas Books
Copyright: 2005
Reviewed by lazypadawan.
Every Star Wars fan should own a set of the movies...and a set of the Art Of books. From the great conceptual art created for the classic trilogy by the legendary Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston to the wonderful prequel art by Doug Chiang, Iain McCaig, Ryan Church, Erik Tiemens, etc., these books gave fans the chance to see the evolution of places, things, and inhabitants of the galaxy far, far away. Fans could also wonder at what might have been with pieces that did not make it into the films. In any case, the art helped make that fantasy universe just that much more believable, with a rich culture that inspired beautiful works.
This Art Of book works as a companion piece to The Making of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which was written by the same author. It focuses on the production's art department, which got underway in mid-2002 shortly after Attack of the Clones was released. At this point, George Lucas did not have a script but had ideas of places, events, and new characters. It's fascinating to see the artists try and influence the story, which ought to surprise those who envision Lucas as a creative megalomaniac. Ian McCaig in particular had interesting ideas on what should become of Padmé in the film. In one drawing, she is doubled over in pain because carrying two babies strong in the Force was too much for her and Yoda stands by her, helpless. In another series of paintings, McCaig had the idea that Padmé tries to kill Anakin with a dagger after he has turned to the Dark Side, out of love. Once Lucas pitches an idea to his artists, he gives them a remarkable amount of free reign, as one could see with the wild variety of concept art created for General Grievous.
The art department wields perhaps more influence over the look and feel of this film than any other aspect of the production. Their work is seen in the sets, the animatics and visual effects, the props, and the costumes. The media they use vary from pencils to computer graphics. The artists themselves are talented and hard-working; at their busiest they were often working six days a week, even working all night. Despite all of that work, only a small fraction makes it into the final cut.
A great deal of that work however, is published in this book and in The Making Of... book. All of it is gorgeous, especially the digital paintings of Naboo and Mustafar. One can also see in detail various set pieces.
The only drawback is that unlike the other Art Of books, this one does not have a complete film script. Otherwise, it's a must-have for your coffee table whether it's the paperback edition or the pricier hardcover.
