The Star Wars Bookshelf #3: The Star Wars Storybook

The front cover of The Star Wars Storybook

Every Star Wars fan remembers the novelization of the original film, credited to George Lucas but in fact written by Alan Dean Foster. But it was not the only version of the story on the bookshelves back then.

The characters of Star Wars: Luke Skywalker

Our hero: Luke Skywalker watches the binary sunset in Star Wars

To create a great story, you have to have a great mix of characters.

George Lucas got that right with American Graffiti. He got it spectacularly right with Star Wars. And he would struggle to get it right again.

The 5 things some people don't get about Star Wars

Star Wars first time around

I sometimes speak to people – especially young people – who just don't get Star Wars. It's not just that they don't particularly like it; it's that they can't comprehend why it looms so large in the lives of the first generation of fans.

Star Wars comes home: the Super 8 releases from Ken Films

The 200ft black and white silent Star Wars on Super 8 from Ken Films

The story of Star Wars on home video really begins with its release on VHS and Betamax in May 1982. But long before then, there were some lucky people who were able to relive the Star Wars experience at home.  They were the people with Super 8 movie projectors.

The Star Wars Record Collection #3: Star Wars – Original Soundtrack double LP

The front cover of the Star Wars double LP

One of the greatest favours Steven Spielberg ever did for his friend George Lucas was to introduce him to the man who had written the music for Spielberg's first two films – John Williams. The young George Lucas knew little about music, apart from the kind of rock and roll 45s that had been so adeptly woven into the soundtrack of American Graffiti.  But he wisely put his trust in a fine composer.

Star Wars on the small screen: The Making of Star Wars TV documentary

The Making of Star Wars

When a film has already broken all box office records and has been packing out cinemas for more than three months, it isn’t in desperate need of a free hour-long advert on prime time television. But that’s just the boost Star Wars received on September 16 1977, when ABC aired The Making of Star Wars. 

The Star Wars Record Collection #2: The disco single Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band and the LP Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk by Meco

Among the hundreds who stood in line to see Star Wars in New York on Wednesday May 25 1977 was a 37-year-old trombone player and record producer named Meco Monardo.