Elstree 1976

The title of this excellent documentary - referring to the year Star Wars was made at the venerable British studio - is a mere starting point for a fascinating delve into the lives of ten disparate performers who all happened to work on George Lucas's sci-fi saga. Don't expect the usual making-of dissection of the film, though. Director Jon Spira adopts a 7-Up approach here, as he traces the lives of a group comprising star names like Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett), character actors (Angus MacInnes, Garrick Hagon) and background extras (just don't call them bit-part actors!), even using a technique appropriately labelled "vibrapause" to reveal the latter's blink-or-miss appearances. The film certainly brims with anecdotes about Lucas's soon-to-be cultural phenomenon, whether it's cheeky John Chapman larking about with Mark Hamill during the final ceremony scene, Laurie Goode confirming he is the Stormtrooper whose head clattered a door in one notorious on-screen scene or Bulloch just being charm personified. But Spira keeps the spotlight firmly on his interviewees and their subsequent ups-and-downs (Prowse's bitterness over his most famous role; battles with depression and addiction for others). All have interesting, humorous stories to tell (Prowse on Kubrick; Paul Blake on being Greedo). Indeed, who would have thought the pecking order at Star Wars conventions could become so tetchy after 40 years? Nonetheless, it's a richly rewarding experience whether you are a fan of all things Star Wars or not.