Tues., June 16, 1998
FireForce: Your new rumors and comments will be posted soon . . .
"John Williams will be handling the musical score for the Prequel Trilogy. However, he won't begin recording the actual music until he receives a rough, final-edit of the film from George (late 1998 at the earliest). George and Mr. Williams will work together so that the music captures and accentuates the 'vision' that George is trying to capture on the silver screen . . . The opening fanfare (the Star Wars opening theme) will remain the same to keep musical continuity for the Star Wars films. The end credit music will also be the same as that used in the orginal trilogy. The most exciting new music for Episode I will be the theme music for the Jedi Knights. George considers this to be the 'key' music for the first film and wants it to be up-beat and heroic in nature similar to the Raiders of the Lost Ark march (Indiana Jones' theme). Some of the music from the original trilogy will appear sporadically in this new film . . . The new music promises to be just as spectacular as the pioneering digital animation and the dynamic plot line." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Mon., June 15, 1998
Sun., June 14, 1998
"Some at I.L.M. are claiming that Lucas is trying to 'stuff' so many computer-generated effects and other special effects into Ep. I that it will take many, many viewings at the theatre to take everything in. Some of the scenes on Coruscant and in the Galactic Senate literally will have several thousand individual characters and creatures on the screen at one time . . . The prequel script is steeped in secrecy and security that would make the Pentagon proud. Rumor has it that the prequel has been printed on dark-colored paper which cannot be easily duplicated by photo copiers. In addition to this security measure, the prequel script was released in short sections to the actors and members on the set with 'mis-information' contained in some of these script sections . . . In the original development of Star Wars, Lucas envisioned See-Threepio as having the demeanor, characteristics and voice of a used-car salesman. However, when Lucas heard Anthony Daniels perform for the role of C3PO, Lucas decided to go with the gentleman-butler-type droid instead. Since Lucas rarely discards prior film ideas, C3PO may be a conman/flim-flam man/shyster type of droid in the prequel, to add comic relief to the prequel similar to the role C3PO served in the trilogy." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Sat., June 13, 1998
"What I dread most are this year's holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) with close family members. You may ask why? Well, this year it will be especially difficult because Episode I will only be about six months from release by Thanksgiving. My family members will be begging me (even more than they do so now on the phone) for some insider prequel info., which I'm not legally permitted to do. They assume that since I work at LFL that I am privy to every aspect of Episode I, which is simply not true. Very few people know everthing about the prequel mainly for security reasons." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Fri., June 12, 1998
Added 1:45 PM PST:
"One of the most asked questions I get is about See Threepio's (C-3PO) appearance. Many believe that he is going to be a computer generated droid [similar to the ASP work droid that is briefly seen in the special edition of Star Wars: ANH in Mos Eisley], but that isn't true. George only uses GGI (computer-generated) images when absolutely necessary. CG images are still too costly to be used for every special effect . . . The C-3PO that appears in Ep 1 was created in the "creature props" department and is a radio, electronically and hand-controlled (by skilled technicians) protocol droid similar to the Torture droid that is featured in the bowels of Jabba's Palace in ROTJ . . . Consequently, Anthony Daniels was not needed on the set during filming to 'wear' a droid suit. His voice will be recorded at Skywalker Sound at the ranch for later insertion into the film . . . highly skilled technicians made the new C-3PO seem perfectly life-like and quite a character . . . What does the new C-3PO look like? Imagine a more primitive looking and rustic protocol droid than what appeared in the original trilogy. C-3PO does look different in Ep 1, but you will still be able to recognize our old friend when he first appears in the film . . . "(Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Thurs., June 11, 1998
Another way that George Lucas is going to change our perceptions of the current trilogy:
"In Star Wars: A New Hope, Tarkin refers to Vader as an 'old friend' and Tarkin chooses Alderaan to be destroyed by the Death Star in A New Hope. What we learn is that Tarkin, Anakin and Palpatine became good friends in the prequels and formed the 'core of evil' that helps the Empire destroy the Old Republic and the Jedi Knights . . . Tarkin targets Alderaan to be destroyed by the Death Star in A New Hope because of his great hatred of Bail Organa, who is finally killed . . . Tarkin gets his revenge. You can bet your mom's wedding ring that Tarkin will appear in the prequels." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Wed., June 10, 1998
Tues., June 9, 1998
Many of you have e-mailed us about the connection to our site being much slower than normal. We apologize. Since SuperShadow got us linked to his on-line magazine column; our hits have gone from 300 hits a day to more than 250 hits per hour (!) during peak times . . . There's nothing wrong with the server. Instead, it's the large volume of visitors which is causing the problem. Have patience and stay one with the Force!!
Mon., June 8, 1998
Sun., June 7, 1998
Eon: We have over 50-plus e-mails piled up in our e-mail boxes. Please, please be patient. We will try to respond to each one of you as quickly as possible and will try to post all of your rumors and comments within 10 days. Thanks!
Episode I News:
"It is rumored that one of the spy ships used by the Mandalore warriors, during the Clone Wars (Episode 2), will be called 'The Gatherer.'"
"Also, during one of the battle sequences in Ep I, be on the look out for the Old Republic's versions of the AT-AT, AT-ST and AT-PT . . . Under the teachings of Obi-Wan, Anakin honed his skills in the Force to near perfection. His tremendous piloting and fighting skills were due to his amazing mastery of the Force . . . ILM's work on the special effects moves forward and only a few days of re-shoots are planned. The film will begin to take 'shape' as George heads into the final, rough edits for the film. As it stands now, Episode I will be finished slightly ahead of schedule, but way, way over-budget . . ."(Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Sat., June 6, 1998
Fri., June 5, 1998
"According to the Return of the Jedi novelization, Obi-Wan and Vader fought. Vader fell into a molten pit and Kenobi believed Vader was dead. After learning that Vader was still alive, Obi-Wan helped the Queen and her newborn twins (whom Vader was not aware of) escape into hiding." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Thurs., June 4, 1998
Wed., June 3, 1998
Here is the backstory of Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi according to Lucasfilm:
"Old Ben Kenobi once went by the name Obi-Wan and courageously served the Old Republic as a Jedi Knight. He was an apprentice to Yoda, who was once a member of the esteemed Jedi Council. During the Clone Wars, Kenobi rose to the rank of general and fought side by side with the admirable Bail Organa and a young hot-shot pilot named Anakin Skywalker. Kenobi and Anakin became extremely close and went on many adventures together defending the Old Republic. Kenobi took it upon himself to train Anakin in the ways of the Force (against the wishes of Yoda). Obi-Wan's conceit had horrifying ramifications for the galaxy because Anakin was seduced by the dark side. Kenobi was not yet ready to train an apprentice himself.
The dark side took complete control of Anakin and made him nearly corrupted to his very soul. He had become a new person with a new identity, Darth Vader, the Dark Lord. Blaming himself for Anakin's fall from grace, Kenobi desperately tried to bring Anakin back to the light side of the Force. Their peaceful discussion turned to an epic duel when certain betrayals became known. When the battle was over, Anakin was left for dead and Kenobi walked away a shattered man thinking that he had killed the best friend he had ever known.
Anakin survived . . . barely. His pure hatred nurse him back to health. And the Dark Lord arose as one of the most powerful and feared dark siders that the galaxy had ever known. Over the next several years, the Emperor and Vader ruthlessly hunted down and completely decimated the once proud Jedi Knights.
No match for the Empire, Yoda and Kenobi remained in hiding. Kenobi carefully watched over Luke Skywalker until it was time for Kenobi to set Luke's true destiny into motion." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Eon: Titanic's (1997) box-office numbers as of today: $ 579.4 million (in North America) + $ 1,123.0 million (internationally) = $ 1,702.4 million grand total so far. This figure is astounding. Second place Jurassic Park (1993) has earned only $ 920.1 million world-wide in comparison. Can Episode I possibly make over $ 1.7 billion? I guess will each have to go see the prequel 100 times each, which is fine with me.
FireForce: Vecton won't have a chance to post your latest rumors (with his commentaries) until later in the day . . . check back again, thanx! (For some reason his boss doesn't like him being on-line while at work, go figure!)
Tues., June 2, 1998
Here's a subtle way that George Lucas is going to change our perception of the original Trilogy:
"The last remaining Jedi are desperate to hide the Skywalker twins. Ingeniously, they choose the last places that the Emperor and Lord Vader would ever choose to look: the home planets of the twins' parents. Leia is hidden with Bail Organa on 'Alderaan,' the home planet of the Queen and Luke is hidden on Tatooine, the home planet of Anakin Skywalker. And since the Emperor and Vader only know about Luke's existence and not Leia's, a search for Leia is never conducted. Ironically, about 18 years later while the Emperor presides over the Imperial Senate, he has dramatic and fiery confrontations with a young Senator Leia, who is a child of Skywalker and who with her brother, Luke, eventually brings an end to the Emperor's reign of terror . . . as had been foreseen so many years earlier." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Join our new mailing list to receive exclusive news and rumors about Star Wars: Episode I that are not available anywhere else.
Some of the exclusive news you will receive (and that will never be posted on this site) is a description of Vespon's connection to LucasFilm, who our "anonymous" sources are (job function within LucasFilm and not their real names of course), how George Lucas really feels about Star Wars fan sites and prequel rumors on the Internet, why the Star Wars Insider won't set up an official site for their mag on the Internet, reasons why the major fan web sites are posting tons of fake prequel rumors, we explain who True Fan of the Prequel Watch at JediNet really is (not his real name obviously) and many other interesting details about the upcoming prequel trilogy.
So don't miss out! Join the mailing list today!
Projecting how well Episode I will perform at the box office is an art and certainly not a science. Our numbers may be way, way off the mark, but it sure is fun trying to guess how much money George is going to make off Ep I:
Week 1:...$ 112 million (Fri. to Mon.) == $ 174 mill. (Tues. to Mon.)
Week 2:...$ 58 mill (Fri. to Sun.) (- 48%) == $ 262 mill
Week 3:...$ 35 mill (Fri. to Sun.) (- 40%) == $ 315 mill
Week 4:...$ 23 mill (Fri. to Sun.) (- 34%) == $ 345 mill
Week 5:...$ 17 mill (Fri. to Sun.) (- 26%) == $ 355 mill
Week 6:...$ 13 mill (Fri. to Sun.) (- 23%) == $ 368 mill
Week 7:...$ 11 mill (Fri. to Sun) (- 15%) == $ 379 mill
Week 8:...$ 9 mill (Fri. to Sun) (- 19%) == $ 388 mill
Week 9:...$ 7 mill (Fri. to Sun) (- 22%) == $ 395 mill
Week 10:.$ 6 mill (Fri. to Sun) (- 15 %) == $ 400 mill
======
Final Total: $ 440 million
We believe this is a nice conservative estimate of how well the film should do (even if some of the fans aren't "entirely" satisfied with the finished product).
If the film doesn't meet the hype, then it will make less: somewhere between $ 275 to $ 350 million.
If the film is everything that we are expecting (and hoping) that it will be, then it should make somewhere between $ 550 to $ 700 million plus. But only time will tell of course.
Sun., May 31, 1998
Eon: The weekend box-office estimates are in for Godzilla for its second week of release and the cheers can be heard emanating from Lucasfilm all across the valley. Godzilla is now on a freefall and plummeted to a mere $ 18 million this weekend. The film is expected to cross the $ 100 mill barrier on Monday. Godzilla made the classic mistake of failing to live up to the tremendous hype created by a year-long ad campaign (which Lucasfilm will not duplicate). According to Columbia-TriStar, when international grosses and promotional tie-ins are counted, Godzilla will turn a profit. Still, Devlin and Emmerich must feel like the two dumbest men in show business at the moment because they turned down the opportunity to make a sequel to Independence Day and have further stated publicly that they will never be involved with a sequel to ID4. Having second thoughts now boys? Sequels do matter.
More on the mysterious Clone Wars:
"About 20 to 30 years prior to Star Wars: A New Hope, the Clone Wars was a horrible event that shook the very foundation of the Grand Old Republic to its very core. The wars produced some of the greatest heroes in galactic history including Anakin Skywalker, Bail Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi . . . and the enigmatic Boba Fett. While this important part of Old Republic history remains hidden mostly in mystery, we do know for certain that the Jedi Knights, with their allies, battled to protect the Old Republic from its enemies." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Sat., May 30, 1998
"It is rumored that the Clone Wars were a series of wars that erupted on an off for many years. The Jedi Knights are rumored to have defeated the Mandalore warriors long before the events of the Prequel Trilogy occurred. The enemies, faced by the Jedi Knights in the Clone War that occurs in the prequels, remain unknown." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Fri., May 29, 1998
SuperShadow: We can now report that we've officially and irreversible sold the "contents" of this site (to be used as an archive of sorts) and will be using our writing prowess to provide a bi-weekly column for one of the premiere and most generous on-line magazines in the galaxy . . . Thanks to everyone of you for making this possible. To say this is a dream come true is the biggest understatement of my life. Apparently, it's all about fortune and glory . . . fortune and glory . . . We hope to continue to set the standard for rumors and news for the Prequel Trilogy over the next decade. We hope to become a permanent part of your life. We will continue to provide you with the best sources for rumors and news for many, many years yet to come. Here's another exclusive from one of our envied (very envied from what other Star Wars webmasters are saying) sources:
"Some fans seem convinced that Lucasfilm is engaged in some kind of covert mis- or dis-information agenda, while no evidence exists to support such a conspiracy. As far as I know, no one at Lucasfilm is employed for the specific purpose of spreading false information about Episode I. There is not an active campaign of that sort. Instead, steps were taken on the set to insure that wannabe spies would disseminate false information if they were so inclined to tell others about what they thought the real plot to the film was. For instance, those on the set were rarely told what they were really suppose to imagine in their minds when acting against the blue screens, where digital images would later be added by ILM. They had no reason to know what would really be added later on.
Whether your being attacked by Rancors, Rontos, Krayt dragons, Sand People, etc. doesn't matter, an attack is suppose to make the actors react in one way: FEAR. This "misdirection" strategy has been used by Lucasfilm on productions in the past . . . Lucasfilm has literally hundreds of employees who are in one way or another connected to and working on the Episode I production. Lucasfilm is more than a mere group of five employees sharing a rented home in the suburbs of Marin County. It is a large, thriving company that has better things to do than play games in cyber space. I would estimate that a very tiny group of Lucasfilm employees surf cyber space for information on Episode I. What can you guys/gals post in cyberspace that we don't already know? The last thing that most Lucasfilm employees want to do when they get home from work is surf for Episode I stuff. Episode I is our work, but it sure in the world is not our entire lives. Everything, even Episode 1, has to be kept in the proper perspective." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Employee)
"In case you're wondering why starwars.com wasted no time in criticizing the box-office underperformance of Godzilla, here's why: There is a lot of resentment toward Devlin and Emmerich at Lucasfilm for many reasons. First, Independence Day is considered to be a blatant ripoff of the Star Wars trilogy (and many other sci-fi/fantasy films). And to add insult to injury, ID4 ($ 811.2 mill) has outgrossed SW: ANH ($ 780.1 mill) worldwide. Second, Devlin and Emmerich have stated that Godzilla could be Sony's franchise series in the same vain as Star Wars, which sent tempers flaring at Lucasfilm. How can you compare Godzilla to Star Wars? Star Wars is a worldwide cultural icon (for crying out loud) that has changed millions of lives while Godzilla is a forgettable, 'summer event' pic that is no more memorable than last year's big flop-- Batman and Robin. Third, Devlin and Emmerich had the audacity to release Godzilla during what many at Lucasfilm consider to be the 'Star Wars Memorial Day Weekend,' when all the Star Wars films (and the Indiana Jones pics) have been released. Fourth, Devlin and Emmerich arrogantly believed that Godzilla would be the first pic to earn over $ 100 mill during the Memorial Day weekend. Fifth, Devlin and Emmerich believed that tons of digital special effects could overcompensate for a lame and plot-hole-ridden script while George believes that special effects should only be used to 'enhance' a well-written and thought-out story line. Hence, for many reasons, there is no love lost between Lucasfilm and Centropolis (Devlin and Emmerich's production company)." (Source: Eon)(SuperShadow: Godzilla will probably make less than 200 million in North America, but I would be willing to bet that it makes over 300 million overseas . . . just watch and see what happens. A sequel is not yet out of the realm of possibility)
"By so openly (and harshly) criticizing Godzilla, starwars.com has now placed a very heavy burden on those who are actually working on the film to produce the 'perfect' Star Wars film. Is that even possible? Is there anyway humanly possible for Episode I to live up to all the hype? But as they say: If your gonna talk the talk, you gotta be willing to walk the walk. Lucasfilm has certainly had all the time and money in the world to make the 'perfect' film. So in less than one year, we will get to see what's delivered . . . " (Source: FireForce)
Thurs., May 28, 1998
For the latest rumors and comments for May 28 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
Well, if you have visited starwars.com within the last few hours, you should have found this new pic. It takes a jab at Godzilla, which went for flash over substance and is going to end up being a box-office disappointment. So with this pic, LucasFilm is promising Episode I will have a great plot plus the greatest special effects in the 100 year history of cinema. Looks like Episode I will be the first film to surpass $ 100 million during Memorial Day Weekend . . . but should this really surprise anyone? (Source: Vespon)
In the latest Star Wars Insider #38, Rick McCallum, on page 13, answered this question:
IS THERE A TIMETABLE FOR THE RELEASE OF THE TITLE FOR THIS MOVIE (Episode 1)?
Rick McCallum: " No. That will come as the film evolves. George hasn't really been able to focus on that yet."
The title will probably not be revealed to the public until November/December 1998. Look for the title to be revealed in the theatrical trailer. Once again, we warn you to be wary of the rumors posted on the Net. 95% of them always turn out to be false. (Source: FireForce)
Join our new mailing list to receive exclusive news and rumors about Star Wars: Episode I that are not available anywhere else.
Some of the exclusive news you will receive (and that will never be posted on this site) is a description of Vespon's connection to LucasFilm, who our "anonymous" sources are (job function within LucasFilm and not their real names of course), how George Lucas really feels about Star Wars fan sites and prequel rumors on the Internet, why the Star Wars Insider won't set up an official site for their mag on the Internet, reasons why the major fan web sites are posting tons of fake prequel rumors, we explain who True Fan of the Prequel Watch at JediNet really is (not his real name obviously) and many other interesting details about the upcoming prequel trilogy.
Wed., May 27, 1998
" . . . he (Lord Darth Vader) is one of the Dark Lords who is working for the Emperor, and he has to do the Emperor's bidding. You will see at some point in the future that the Jedi have the same relationship to the Republic; they're like public servants, they're like marshals and policeman. They basically do what they're told to do. They're not independent agents who can do whatever they want. In the case of the Jedi, they work for the Republic, and in the case of the Sith Lords, they work for the Empire . . . )(Source: George Lucas, Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays, p. 266)(FireForce: SW: The Annotated Screenplays is a great source for information on the upcoming Prequel Trilogy. You can pick up a copy for about $ 12 at your local book store)
Tues., May 26, 1998
Probably the first so-called insider to report to a SW fan site was True Fan (TF) of the Prequel Watch at JediNet.Com. TF has claimed in the past that his rumors turn out to be about 90% accurate on average. Well, even if that were true (which it ain't), then TF's accuracy rating has really taken a nose dive with the garbage he recently reported to Cinescape On-Line and the Prequel Watch. TF stated that Lucasfilm would release the title to the public within in 30 days of his report to Cinescape and PW, which implied May 25. FALSE. TF reported that "Guardians of the Force" was being considered as a possible title to Ep 1. FALSE. He stated that he saw the prototype promo-posters for Ep 1. FALSE. And if that weren't enuff, he also stated that Quentin Tarantino (!!!!!) had visited Skywalker Ranch (Lucasfilm's corporate HQ) in hopes of directing Ep 2. FALSE. TF stated that George Lucas has signed to direct Ep 2, even though he could later withdraw. FALSE. And finally, he claimed that George was going to re-join the Director's Guild of America. FALSE. In short, TF spouted off quite a load of doo-doo. Out of a possible score of 10, TF rates a lowly 2.
So there you have it . . .
For the latest rumors and comments for May 26 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
The on-line magazine that will be paying us to write a bi-weekly column about Star Wars: Episode 1 has asked us to post the following:
Any money generated by Dark Side Prequel Rumors is earned from original editorial writings (which will not be posted on this site) and not from the intellectual property rights currently held by Lucasfilm Ltd. This site is solely for private, non-commercial purposes.
Mon., May 25, 1998
Celebrate the 21st Anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope by subscribing to the Star Wars Insider today! Call toll free 1-800-TRUE-FAN!
For the latest rumors and comments for May 25 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
Vespon: Less than 365 days until the North American release of Episode I. This will probably seem like the longest year of your life unless it is your job to finish the 1,500 plus SFX (special effects) for the film. If you work at ILM, days seem like seconds. The pressure is now on to complete the film.
SuperShadow: For me, it is still hard to believe that we will actually get to see a NEW Star Wars film in our life times . . . Also, we have added three new staff members. Two have previously worked on Dark Side Rumors: Eon and Fire Force. The third new member goes by the code name, Vecton. With five individuals now maintaining this page, we should be able to update daily without missing a couple of days like we have done recently . . . keep your fingers crossed anyway!!
"It appears that the desire of Star Wars fans to see a prequel trailer and to hear/see the 'real' title of Ep 1 (for the first time) is reaching epidemic proportions. But as I reported months ago to this page, the promotional push for the movie will not begin until the end of this year . . . LucasFilm has been carefully planning the promotional 'blitz' for Ep 1 for many, many years. The hardest part of the promotion will be to let everyone in the free world know that a new Star Wars film is coming without burning people out and making them sick and tired of the massive advertising campaign that will be coming . . . Why do fan sites insist on claiming that a theatrical trailer and the revelation of the prequel title are imminent? Because they have nothing better to post and have no legitimate LucasFilm sources. Anyone who is anybody at LucasFilm has known for months that the trailer won't be out until Winter 1998 and George won't title the film for many weeks . . . LucasFilm gets a real laugh from reading fan sites, which claim to have 'the inside scoop on the plot line' to the prequels and other such non-sense . . . The major fan sites are basicly mini-versions of the National Enquirer that don't make any money . . . Don't believe any of the rumors you read on the Net until you see the film for yourself. Happy birthday Star Wars! The best SW film is yet to come. The countdown continues . . . " (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Sun., May 24, 1998
For the latest rumors and comments for May 24 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
Sat., May 23, 1998
For the latest rumors and comments for May 23 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
SuperShadow: We're still working out the details on writing a bi-weekly column for one of the premiere on-line magazines. Hold tight for details!
Fri., May 22, 1998
For the latest rumors and comments for May 22 from SW fans from around the world CLICK HERE
One parallel between the prequels and the original trilogy is that Leia was briefly Jabba's slave/prisoner in ROTJ and Anakin and Shmi Skywalker are Jabba's slave/prisoner in Episode 1. While Anakin never gets complete revenge against Jabba for enslaving him and his mother, Anakin does get ultimate revenge because Jabba is killed by Anakin's daughter, Leia, in ROTJ. This is one way that the prequels change our perception of the Trilogy. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
SuperShadow: We've been contacted by a major on-line magazine to be their exclusive source for Episode 1 news. We're currently working out the details. They're actually going to pay us to write a bi-weekly column about Star War: Episode 1! Heaven on Earth . . . stay tuned. We'll give you the complete low down once everything is arranged . . .
This won't make me very popular with the SW faithful, but George has decided not to release a teaser for Episode I this summer. Sorry. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Employee)
Vespon: More posts later today!
Thurs., May 14, 1998
Click here for the latest rumors and comments sent in by Star Wars fans for May 14, 1998
George Lucas has a short list of seven titles that he is considering for the title to SW: Episode 1. Three of these titles include Ways of the Force, Crusaders of the Republic and The Jedi Knights.
George is toying around with this idea of how Anakin Skywalker "earned" the name Darth Vader. In Episode 3, the Emperor wants Anakin to become his right-hand man and second in command by defeating the current Sith Lord leader who goes by the name of Lord Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. In a stunning duel, Anakin barely defeats this Dark Lord and, thusly, earns the title of Lord Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Wed., May 13, 1998
Click here for the latest rumors and comments sent in by Star Wars fans
SuperShadow returns from his sabbatical tomorrow . . .
Tues., May 12, 1998
Boba Fett wears Mandalore battle armor, the same type of armor used by a group of evil warriors who were beaten by the Jedi Knights in the Clone Wars. However, Fett's connection to the Madalore warriors remains a mystery. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Mon., May 11, 1998
We get to see Jabba's father in the prequels: Zorba the Hutt. The difference in the appearance between Jabba and his father is that Zorba has long hair braids and a beard . . .
Imperial City, the capital city of the evil Galactic Empire on Coruscant, was once the capital and center of the Old Republic as well . . . During the glory days of the Old Republic, every sentient and intelligent creature and species known in the galaxy wanted to live on the wondrous world that was Coruscant. Coruscant thrived with thousands of alien species all working together . . . However, after Palpatine proclaimed himself Emperor and established his iron-fisted regime known as the "New Order;" all alien creatures were banned from Imperial City unless they were the slaves of humans. This is one of the reasons you do not see any aliens serving in the Imperial Navy. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Sun., May 10, 1998
Every so often, the debate will rage on the issue of exactly what is Star Wars canon. According to George Lucas, an original Lucasfilm source, which is considered official canon, are the films, the radio dramas and the original novelizations. Everything else that has been officially licensed by Lucasfilm (i.e., the Bantam novels [The Thrawn Trilogy, etc.], DarkHorse comics) may or may not agree with what George considers to be official Star Wars canon. (Source: Bill Slavicsek author of A Guide to the Star Wars Universe: available at your local book store for $ 11.00 from Del Ray Books)(Vespon: Bill's book is the best source for Episode 1 information like who are the Sith, the Dark Jedi and information about the Clone Wars and other things that are going to occur in the Prequel Trilogy. It would be a good idea to buy a copy of this book to get an incite into what is in store for us in the prequels)
Expect to see the Drednaught star cruiser in the prequels as it was first produced just before the start of the Clone Wars. Also, there are definately going to be Dark Jedi in the Clone Wars who were essentially evil Jedi Knights . . . and also large star ships will be used in the Clone Wars to transport Jedi Knights so expect to see large battles between many Jedi Knights and their enemies. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Employee)
Sat., May 9, 1998
We're all right here. Everything is fine. How are you? Actually, it's busier than can believed here right now. A new update will becoming again soon . . . oh, yeah and special thanks to Marc (Hedlund) for redoing the official website.
Click here for the latest rumors and comments sent in by Star Wars fans
Fri., May 8, 1998
Sorry for the lack of updates. Things have been unbelievably busy here lately . . . but a new update with your new comments and rumors will be posted tonite! MTFBWY! (Source: Vespon)
Mon., May 4, 1998
"As most everyone knows, ROTJ was originally titled Revenge of the Jedi. Is Balance of the Force going to be changed into ______ (add your clever word here) of the Force. Is "of the Force" going to necessarily be in the title of Episode I or could George be planning to save this as the title of one of the other prequels . . . "
"Probably . . . not many Star Wars fans realize that LucasFilm is playing a very coyish game with them . . . slowly releasing bits and pieces about Episode I to keep the frenzy amongst the hard-core fans alive. The two biggies that fans want are the 'real' title for the film and to see some footage of what George has been slaving on for so many, many days. Will George give us both of these pieces of information in one fell swoop vis a vis a teaser trailer this summer? Just remember, the rumors that surrounded Titanic about an Episode I trailer. Every major Fox film released between now and December will be 'rumored' as the one that has the trailer and eventually one of these rumors will have to pan out."
"The plot for the prequel will be a much richer and complex tapestry than that seen in the original trilogy. More intrigue. The viewer needs to be very familiar with the original trilogy in order to understand how shrewdly and cleverly Episode I will change certain parts of the trilogy."(Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Click here for the latest rumors and comments sent in by Star Wars fans
Sun., May 3, 1998
Click here for the latest rumors and comments sent in by Star Wars fans Sat., May 2, 1998
Interesting statement made in the Life section of USA Today's Friday edition. The maintainer of an on-line "film rumors" website claims that if the Episode I trailer is released with the X-Files movie; it would boost the opening of that movie by 40% . . . is there anything about Episode I that has not been exaggerated at this point? Maybe, George will announce the title of the prequel during the final episode of Seinfeld . . .
Thurs., April 30, 1998
Cinescape On-line has unwittingly revealed the so-called legitimate prequel source, "True Fan," to be a true fake. True Fan, who has claimed in the past to be a close relative of the Lucas family (and that would make me Spielberg's twin sister) stated in his/her "impromptu chat" with Cinescape that George Lucas is a member of the Director's Guild (of America). However, this is completely false. George resigned from the Guild in 1980 over a fine that the Guild levied on LucasFilm for placing Irvin Kershner's name at the end of the film instead of the beginning. George didn't want to disrupt the dramatic flow of the Empire Strikes Back by placing the film credits at the beginning of the movie so he chose to put all the credits including Kershner's credit as director at the end of the film (as is always customary in a Star Wars film). The Guild chose to fine George for this act and, as a result, George resigned from the Guild. This further cemented George as a true Hollywood outsider . . . This goes without saying, but True Fan also made other false statements: that the Episode 1 title should be released to the public in 30 days, that LucasFilm is seriously considering "Guardians of the Force" as the title, that he/she saw "prototype" movie posters to be released by Thanksgiving and the most ridiculous claim of all that Quentin Tarantino had visited Skywalker Ranch (LucasFilm's head quarters in Marin County, California) in hopes of directing Episode 2 . . . just a bunch of rubbish. Keep these rumors in mind and see how many of them are proven correct. When asked about so-called legitimate sources like True Fan and the Bothan Spy, George only laughs and replies that: 'Your all in for quite a surprise.'" (Source: Vespon)
Your comments and rumors, for April 30, will be posted later today . . .
Wed., April 29, 1998
"It seems that only the fans think it is a pressing matter for George to reveal the prequel title to the public during Summer 1998 . . . George can reveal the name to the licensees while still keeping the title a mystery to the public until the theatrical trailer is released in late 1998. Sometimes Star Wars fans can be too ardent in their thirst for Episode I knowledge. Just relax. All things must come to pass." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
"One of the crowning achievements of George's life is the Smithsonian display in Wash., D.C. George finally believes that Star Wars is moving beyond a mere celluloid existence and beyond a mere cultural icon to actually now becoming fused with our very culture as a true myth . . . The Prequel Trilogy will undoubtedly solidify Star Wars as the first and only modern myth that will out last the society that helped create it." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
To read the latest reader comments and rumors about S.W. Episode 1 click here (updated daily)
Tues., April 28, 1998
The most frustrating part as a member of the Star Wars Insider is that we know way more about the film than we want, but it is interesting watching the film take shape and change. Plot points can change at the drop of a hat because of the vast digital prowess of ILM and the sophisticated editing techniques now available. What's funny is that some think that the changes are related to the so-called "leaks" on the internet. I have yet to see any leaks of significance posted on the net (other than on starwars.com, of course) . . . The funniest part is reading the net hoping to find a kernal of truth from so-called "inside sources" that many fan sites claim to have. Kind of ironic that if the movie were even 1% like they claim it is, it would undoubtedly bomb, big time. Only George knows how to make a Star Wars film the right way . . . " (Source: Anonymous Staff Member of the Star Wars Insider 1-800-TRUE-FAN)(SuperShadow: It truly is bizarre that the film is "spoiled" for many of those who are working so hard to make it spell binding . . . we call this a paradox.)
Mon., April 27, 1998
"Since day one, the production has practiced a little of what is known in magician's circles as misdirection, using as cover a false name for the production, false character names and scenes that will not be used in the final version of the film . . . The complexity of the security surrounding Episode I is amazing. The security concerns have even been extended to ILM, where the actual plot of the movie has not been disclosed or discussed, so effects scenes are created without the artists knowing how their work fits into the entire film. All this is humorous to those at ILM because there is no time for intrigues because ILM is too busy trying to top previous works and still produce over 1,500 separate special-effects shots by May 1999." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Opinions on LucasFilm's Episode I secrecy tactics:
"Regarding the so-called 'Bothan Spy' - it occurred to me the other day that in Return of the Jedi, the Bothan Spies supplying the Rebellion with info on the Death Star were actually fed false information by the Emperor himself..(i.e. 'It was I who allowed the plans (blah blah blah)...' and 'Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!' etc, you know how it goes...)
"Consider this. The rumour of clever secrecy tactics has been going around since day 1. Secrecy is crucial in the production. So why would Lucasfilm allow this so-called 'spy' to continue with such regular updates, when really not much of it has been proven yet? Put it this way....George Lucas = Emperor....Bothan spy = fool, or a figment of Lucasfilm's "disinformation" agenda. The name itself, Bothan Spy, suggest some kind of trap, doesn't it? 'Öh, and I'm afraid that the deflector shield is quite operational....'. and the secrets of the real character names and plot line are quite safe from your puny spies. The Emperor cackles madly . . .
Don't believe it until you see it for yourself next year." (Source: Unknown Soldier)
What your sources can't tell you for fear of being canned by the man himself is that (outside of his children and family) the most important thing to George Lucas in this world is the secrecy of the SW: Episode 1 production. The most elaborate security measures imaginable were taken. Even most of the actors themselves (and some of the top level people working on the production) were never given the entire script, they were only given the pages needed for that days shooting. On a need to know basis. Lucas guided them on the proper way to portray their character and the best way to act for a particular scene. This was done with ROTJ. Another trick used during ROTJ was to release false info. to minor workers related to the production, which creates false leaks and makes everybody think that the plot has been revealed. Hence, what you have seen posted on the web from multiple sources (including the Bothan Spy) are either false releases by Lucasfilm (to test security) or are just pure fabrications or speculations on what they think will occur in the film. Why spend millions to secure the plot and other aspects of Episode 1's production from the public? Simple. This is all being done to protect the investment Lucasfilm and the product licensees have made in Episode 1.
If the real plot to Episode 1 were circulating on the web, some other production company could make a quick TV show or mini-series to rip off Lucasfilm's ideas. Only the top level employees at Lucasfilm know everything and believe me; none of them are going to risk their cushy jobs by reporting Episode 1 secrets to the web for FREE. Why not sell their secrets to the National Enquirer for big bucks? Because the info. is incorrect and they have no way of proving its truth. Don't worry about the film being spoiled for you and your thousands of readers because Lucas has taken care of everything . . . I mean everything. Keep up the good work; Lucasfilm loves fan sites! (Source: Final Enigma)
And here is what LucasFilm has to say about secrecy and disinformation ploys it may utilize for Episode I. This is an article that was posted on starwars.com late 1997:
As Episode I comes together, we are witnessing an experimental new style of filmmaking in action. Director George Lucas' approach to the creation of Star Wars: Episode I has made the creative aspects of this production significantly more free-form than large-scale productions are accustomed to. Lucas has always emphasized the power of the editing room to shape a film, but in the case of Episode I that power will be especially strong.
Many scenes for Episode I begin to take shape with a rough video cut of the action and pacing - "animatics," or scene sketches created from footage such as rough models, computer elements, and actor stand-ins (often personnel handy in the hallways at ILM or Skywalker Ranch, sometimes holding broomstick lightsabers). This rough cut can be modified like a pencil concept sketch, quickly and easily on Avid non-linear editing equipment, where shots can be cut, pasted, and rearranged just like words on a computer screen.
The animatics provide a flexible blueprint for filming. Footage shot each day here on the soundstages of Leavesden Studio can be cut into the animatics, allowing Lucas to consider how well the shots work in the context of a scene's flow. This will lead to additional shooting and writing of scenes.
Lucas intends to carry creative flexibility to an unusual degree with Episode I. The shooting schedule includes plans to re-assemble the production crew in 1998 for shoots of additional elements and possibly the shooting of entire scenes if the evolving story suggests new directions. Everything from character names to plot points remain subject to later change. "So much of what this movie is remains only in George's head at this time," commented a co-worker on the set, "and as he has told us, that may really become something different before the film takes its final form."
This will hardly be the first time that Lucas has kept his creative options open. Luke Skywalker was originally written as a girl, and was later named Luke Starkiller all the way up until the first day of shooting for the original Star Wars. Key plot elements of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi changed drastically in the editing room when "actual" dialogue was dubbed over the "prop" dialogue spoken by some actors from the shooting scripts.
Whether the same sorts of security measures are being taken with Episode I our director (not surprisingly) refuses to confirm, though we can admit that "there are rumors" of misleading scenes being filmed for the preservation of mystery, as well as multiple versions of the shooting script with alternative names and scenes. Of 'leaks,' Lucas will only say "don't count on it until you see the movie." (Source: starwars.com maintained by Marc Hedlund)
SuperShadow's Final Analysis: "The vast majority of rumors about Ep 1 that have circulated the Internet are false. And most of us are intelligent enough to realize that fact. However, George would be the first to admit that the fans love speculation and this is why it becomes easy to get sucked into the rumor frenzy because the most tantalizing and tintillating scenario possible for die-hard Star Wars fans is to think that the code has been "cracked" and the secrets of Ep 1 are being revealed to them. Many of the most popular prequel fan sites (and you know who you are) are willing to take advantage of Star Wars fans by promising true prequel rumors when all they are producing are prequel lies. But at least the movie will be a complete surprise for you come May 1999 ! ! ! In the end, we will enter the theater and watch 2 and 1/2 hours of the greatest "space opera" ever presented in the 100 year history of cinema . . . George is going to capture the magic again . . . )(Source: SuperShadow)(Please contact us if you would like to add your "two-cents worth" to this debate at vespon@starwarsfan.com or if you wish to remain anonymous, then click here to use our anonymous e-mail form or use the one at the bottom of this page. )
SWD : So what can we look forward to from Episode I?
ILM-er : There are some astounding digitally-created animations that I am not at liberty to discuss, but I can tell that your eyes will bulge and your jaw will drop when you see the finished product. One thing we are extremely excited about is the impending completion of our newest software. We think that that this upgrade is a significant improvement and exactly what we need at the moment.
SWD : So are your having problems with some of the FX shots?
ILM-er : George is the visionary, while ILM has to be the realist. What I mean is that George will say: "This is what I need for this shot." And our reply is: "Sure, we can do that for say $ 10 million." And he, of course, replies: "No, you only got $ 200K for that shot." So it's up to us to re-invent the software and techniques that we use so we can capture exactly what George wants. For example, he wants a truly life-like cyber-creature, which can be like a regular actor. That's never been done before by anybody. We're constantly investing in new technology and that's what's causing the budget to skyrocket, but it will be worth it because it will make Episodes 2 and 3 much cheaper and easier to do.
SWD : What's the real budget going to probably end up being?
ILM-er : George wants to cap the budget at about $ 115 million. The entire production has probably spent roughly $ 85 to 90 million of that already. Realistically, the final cost of this film will probably end up being about $ 150 million, which would make Episode I the third most expensive film in history behind Titanic and Waterworld.
SWD : What hardware do you use to create the digital effects?
ILM-er : We use SGI machines.
SWD : What software are you running?
ILM-er : We use Alias Wavefront, SoftImage, and a special program that is not very well known called Nichimen Graphics. We have several other "specialized" packages, of course, for innovative tasks, but these are the programs we use the most.
SWD : ILM is obviously a successful company. What is the biggest challenge you face in keeping things running smoothly?
ILM-er : (Laughing) That's easy. Keeping the clients happy and still making a profit. Finding the right price for new technology is always a challenge. George is our big client at the moment, but we do special effects for many Hollywood productions and many TV ventures including commercials.
SWD : We only have one more question. As you know, there is a lot of turmoil in the industry right now and it seems as if things are changing every day. How does ILM see the future of special effects?
ILM-er : We are hoping that soon the low-end market will catch up and provide more demand for our services. With the falling cost of high speed machines and rapidly improving software, we are hoping that it will open up the market to a whole new group of consumers.
SWD : Thanks for answering our questions. It was very informative and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Keep up the great work.
ILM-er : Thank you. It was my pleasure. We won't disappoint the fans. Let them know that.
That was a huge update (and we're all out of breath). Hope you can fully digest all that new info. . . . more to come tomorrow!
Send us your comments and rumors whether they be good, bad or ugly:
Sun., April 26, 1998
In the months following the release of Return of the Jedi in May 1983, the most frequent question that George would receive from the media and fans was: When will you make the next Star Wars film? George's stock answer was that he had dedicated the previous ten years of his life making the Star Wars Trilogy and wanted to take a break from Star Wars. One goal George had was to make Lucasfilm financially independent from the profits generated by Star Wars. From 1983 to 1995, George put most of his time into building Lucasfilm into one of the finest entertainment companies in the world. After viewing the digital effects for Jurassic Park accomplished by ILM, George told Rick McCallum that he was ready to return to the Star Wars galaxy. Technology had finally caught up with George's immeasurable vision. After the Prequel Trilogy is complete, George hopes that his massive expansion of Skywalker Ranch will lead to a film production enterprise where one day films can be made totally on computer . . . one day George will also accomplish that goal." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Fri., April 24, 1998
"When discussing the story structure for the second episode of a three-part trilogy, George states that in part two the writer has to put the protagonists (the good guys) in the worst possible situations of their lives. In ESB, Luke has his hand cut off, finds out that he is the son of the evil, mass murderer known as Darth Vader and learns that his mentor, Ben, has lied to him, Han is frozen and taken to Jabba, Leia loses Han, Chewie loses his best friend to Fett, C-3PO is in pieces and has to be put back together and Lando is forced to betray his "friends" to the Empire. What will happen to Ben, Anakin, C-3PO, R2, the Queen and the other protagonists, whom we have not yet met, in Episode 2? According to Rick McCallum, Episode 2 ends with the marriage of Anakin and the Queen that sounds tranquil enough. But what kind of hair-raising and surprising dire straits does George have planned for our heroes? Hint: Expect the unexpected and think in terms of "Michiavellinism." I guess we'll have to wait until May 2002 (the release date for Episode 2) to find out. That makes the wait for Episode 1 seem very short." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Thurs., April 23, 1998
What's the hardest part about working at ILM? It is the constant pressure that George puts on you to push digital-effects technology to heights it has never been and perhaps may not even be possible with the state of current technology. George wants Episode I to make the Trilogy look like black-and-white silent films. And he will succeed that is for certain. (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Sat., April 18, 1998: Rumored titles for Star Wars: Episode I : Battle of the Force, Knights of the Force, The Last Hope, First of the Jedi, Age of the Republice, Realm of the Force, Ways of the Force, Crusaders of the Republic, Tremors in the Force, Ways of the Dark Side, Wars of the Force, The Jedi Republic, Circles of the Force, The Old Republic and Star Wars . . .
Fri., April 17, 1998
Added 1:12 PM pst: Odds look good that George will direct Ep 2. Added 11:25 AM pst: "This almost goes without saying, but 90% of the leaks (i.e., Darth Maul, Naboo, Watto) from so-called 'reliable sources' will not be appearing in Ep 1. Big surprise, right? The major SW sites posting such rumors as FACT are the joke of LucasFilm." (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)
Episode 1 News: "The rumored title for Ep I, 'Knights of the Republic,' (KOTR) is a hoax. And the so-called script treatment for KOTR that has been posted on some sites is fan fiction of unknown origin." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Thurs., April 16, 1998
A milestone, of sorts, has been reached today: There are now less than 400 days until Episode I debuts in theaters in North America . . .
Added 9:52 AM pst-- A word from Vespon: "Even after LFL reveals the title for Ep I, there are still going to people who will claim it is only a preliminary title like Revenge of the Jedi."
Wed., April 15, 1998
Episode 1 News: "It appears that George is close to revealing the title to Episode I. As each day passes, it becomes more and more important for the various Episode 1 licensees to know the title of the film so that they can begin the necessary preliminary work for the packaging of the merchandise. George hopes to reveal the title to the various licensees without this title leaking to the public. In no time at all, the Internet will no doubt be flooded with claims from someone claiming to work at Kenner and have been told that the title of the film will be _______ of the Force or something to that effect. So be on the look out for bogus titles to start hitting the Net from 'reliable sources' within the next few months or so . . . " (Source: Anonymous Lucasfilm Informant)(SuperShadow: George started out calling Return oTJ, Revenge oTJ so maybe instead of Balance of the Force; George is going to replace balance with some other word like Victory, Crusaders, Dark Side, Way, Child, etc. It's an interesting theory.)
Sun., April 12, 1998 Episode 1 News: "According to the current contact from Fox, Fox wants to greatly boost the opening weekend of the X-Files movie (and other Fox films) by running a small Episode I trailer prior to their films . . . Apparently, the trailer would show behind the scenes filming of the new movie (or something along those lines) and not reveal any of the revolutionary digital effects or the title of the film . . . However, don't get your hopes up yet, but an Episode I trailer, in one form or another, to be released this summer by Fox is a strong, strong possibility because George has no objections to a brief one." (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Sat., April 11, 1998
Episode 1 News: "20th Century Fox has the prequel trilogy, but how many theater owners will get a print of the film? It appears that the business side of movie making is "forcing" George to release the film in over 4,000 theater screens even though only about 2,700 or so are digital screens at the moment. During its first four days of wide release, Jurassic Park: The Lost World averaged over $ 22 million dollars a day in North America. The industry "buzz" is that Episode I should average at least $ 28 million dollars a day in its first week of release or about $ 200 million. Also, some think that Episode I has a realistic shot at cracking the $ 700 mill barrier in North America alone . . . George had been planning to release Episode I in only digital theaters, but this plan is extremely unrealistic and unfair to SW fans who have been eagerly waiting for a new SW film for over 15 years . . . So George will give the fans the choice to either see the film on a digital screen or a non-digital screen. George hopes that everyone will view Episode I at least one time on a THX exhibition room because THX will maximize the rich audio and visual tapestry currently being weaved by ILM and Skywalker Sound . . . Also, Kenner toys is planning to release so many "variations" of Episode I action figures that your going to have to be Bill Gates to afford them all. So expect Wal-Mart to change its name to StarWars-Mart come May 1999 . . . " (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)
Fri., April 10, 1998
Episode 1 News: "Most people outside LucasFilm assume that Episode I is being filmed as the ordinary linear movie, which means that there is a single version of the movie. In reality, as has been reported before on this page, George is filming multiple versions of scenes and using multiple versions of character names. As he begins to piece the film together, he chooses the scenes he thinks are best for the movie and integrates them into the overall stunningly epic story line . . . Even after all these multiple scenes have been filmed, George is still sometimes unhappy with the results and this is why the re-shoots have to be done in order to capture George's vision.
Hence, the original budget of $ 60 - 65 million will eventually swell to somewhere around $ 115 - $ 125 million. George has decided not to let cost be a factor with this film since Fox' penny pinching ways with ANH harmed the overall result of the film in George's opinion . . . This is one of the many reasons that Fox gave LucasFilm the most lucrative distribution deal in Hollywood history. The numbers in favor of LucasFilm are mind boggling. Fox wants to keep the deal a secret in order to keep other film makers from demanding nearly all the box-office gross. Episode I will likely turn a profit for LucasFilm within two weeks of its worldwide theatrical release . . . although it is unlikely it will become the number one grossing film of all time . . . " (Source: Anonymous LucasFilm Informant)(SuperShadow: Although this is pure speculation on our part, the "leaks" about alleged scenes that will appear in the prequel may be scenes that George has discarded and decided not to use in the final version of the film)
| June 16, 1998 to April 10, 1998 |
March 23, 1998 to March 14, 1998 |
February 18, 1998 to February 15, 1998 |
| February 14, 1998 to February 3, 1998 |
February 2, 1998 to January 25, 1998 |
January 23, 1998 to January 18, 1998 |
| January 11, 1998 to January 8, 1998 |
January 7, 1998 to December 23, 1997 |
December 22, 1997 to December 1, 1997 |
| November 30, 1997 to October 30, 1997 |
October 28, 1997 to October 16, 1997 |
October 15, 1997 to September 24, 1997 |
| September 23, 1997 to August 30, 1997 |
August 29, 1997 to December 23, 1993 |