Movies like The Last Jedi are epic in story and in the immense effort it takes to make it a success. Years of planning go into such a monumental task and it all starts with an art team who envisions the final product before any shots are taken.
After reading The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the reader gets a little glimpse into this process and learns a small portion of how it all came together. It truly is a fascinating read, filled with beautiful concept art, all of which laid the groundwork for what was eventually put on screen.
Besides showcasing the various stages of artwork and how they arrived at the final images, Phil Szostak does an excellent job giving the reader the backstory behind each image and how it all fits into the storyline. A major question the filmmakers had to answer was, “Who is Luke Skywalker?,” and the book offers some of the background that led to the final decisions regarding Luke’s character.
It is fascinating to see what designs were accepted and which ones were entirely different and rejected. For example, the concept art of the First Jedi Temple was wide ranging and didn’t get finalized until Skellig Michael became the center stage.
The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a great book for all Star Wars fans as well as anyone interested in the development of movies. It shows how important the design stage is and the major role the artists play in making an epic film with stunning visuals.
