My father knows that I like Star Wars (perhaps due to all the whirring and strangely colored lights coming from my bedroom), and so, when I recently earned my Eagle Scout award, my father gave me a rather unique present. Once, during ANH, Dad mentioned that Luke's lightsaber was actually part of a camera, and that parts wouldn't be difficult to procure for an exact replica. So, some time after my Eagle Board of Review (where one actually becomes an Eagle Scout) and before my Court of Honor (where the award is bestowed), Dad called me into the kitchen, where there was a box sitting on the counter with a cloth draped over it so I couldn't see what was inside. Not quite knowing what to expect, I removed the cover, and there, sitting in a nice case, was this:
I was understandably excited, and so I took it out of the box and enjoyed it. It's a cool present, being that it's a replica of a lightsaber in the movie. Dad pointed out what makes this one so cool - and what I'm sure all of you have noticed - this saber has no "grips," and is, in fact, constructed from a Graflex Two-Cell Flashbulb instead of the more well known Graflex Three-Cell Flashbulb which makes up the longer hilt. I was under the impression that this was an inaccuracy, but Dad showed me some research he'd done on the subject - this saber, the Two-Cell version, actually was on set in Tunisia, where Tatooine was filmed, and Alec Guinness and Mark Hamill actually shot the famous scene in Obi-Wan's hut with this version of the hilt, but the Three-Cell won out, as we all know. So, like the Vader ROTS, this hilt never actually appeared on-screen, but was a concept version of the Three-Cell, the beloved Luke ANH. It's really a fascinating piece of Star Wars history.
Here are some more pics of what could have been.
The top of the saber hilt, with Graflex button.
The D-Ring on the hilt, installed so it could hang from Hamill's belt.
The focusing crystal. ;) :D
The only part of the hilt that isn't accurate, here are eight "bubbles" instead of seven, with a neat little electrical curcuitboard for a backdrop.
I personally quite like this little piece of screen lore, and I hope you enjoy learning about it as much as I did. Thanks Dad!
Jm419
Topic: Luke ANH - The Lost Lightsaber (Read 3481 times)