Awesome book for FX fans and Star Wars fans

Great book that chronicles the process of movie making, from concept meetings, to behind the scenes stage sets. Tons of photos you won't see anywhere else. I would say 1/5 of the images and material discussed in this book never made it to the final cut of the movie..so it is very interesting to see how the movie changed as it was completed. Only bad part is the final chapter was completed too late, but can be downloaded in pdf from the publisher's website.

Some things revealed in the book; George mulled the idea of Palpatine telling Anakin he created him. George also was going to have a young Han Solo in the movie, aiding Yoda find General Greivous. It also mentions the little touted fact that Steven Spielberg directed the final duel.

A definate buy for the hardcore fan, besides this, I plan on getting the Art of ROTS, and of coarse the coveted Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels, which is due out December 30, 2005 (ISBN: 0811847357)...that will be awesome..and well worth $150.(or preorder it here for $95)

Ends well short of the films completion

Beware! If you buy this book the final chapter must to be downloaded as a 56-page .pdf (complete with ads for other Del Ray Star Wars products) from www.readstarwars.com. This is a decent book, but it's really bothersome that it was published well before the movie was even completed!

The information in the book, presented diary style, ends in the summer of 2004 with months of post-production work still to be done on Episode III. (The online chapter ends at the end of February 2005.) Unless you download the final chapter you will not be able to read about such "minor" things as John Williams musical score, final effects work, sound design, and editing the final film.

Sorry, but this book was a rush job. A `making of' book should take the reader right up through a films completion, not leave them hanging somewhere in the middle.

What is there is well done and the first chapter that documents the artists designing new characters, vehicles, and entire worlds before Lucas even supplies a rough draft of the script is very interesting. Throughout the book there are nice on-set photos and artwork from the production. The diary entries will most definitely give the reader an insiders' view of what its like to work on a Star Wars film.

There are some amazing artists that bring these films to the screen, too bad this book stops short of giving us the complete picture. I'd rather spend a few more dollars for a completed book than have to waste the time (and the ink in my printer) to get what should have been included to begin with.

If the final chapter were included, this is a four or five star review.

A superb eyewitness account of a technological masterpiece

If you're the type of person who enjoys the behind-the-scenes documentaries of moviemaking, this book will make you feel like a Hollywood insider. Regardless of your opinion of the movie itself, most can successfully argue George Lucas has once again managed to raise the bar in the realm of visual effects and digital production.

You may be surprised to know the entire movie was shot in less than two months. The book is laid out like a diary, with day-by-day discussions of the various scenes and what the actors and crew were going through as the movie was being shot. Considering over half the movie was digitally animated, the book is also chock full of art and photographs from initial concept to finished product.

Beware, this book covers the movie inside and out, so there are plenty of spoilers. However, once you've seen the movie, this book will likely make you want to see it again to catch everything you missed.