Roger Christian | |
---|---|
Born | [1] London, England, United Kingdom | 25 February 1944
Occupation(s) | Film director, production designer, set decorator |
Years active | 1968–present |
Spouse | Lina Dhingra |
Website | www.rogerjchristian.com at the Wayback Machine (archived 15 July 2011) |
Roger John Christian (born 25 February 1944) [1] is an English set decorator, production designer and feature film director. He won an Academy Award for his work on the original Star Wars and was Oscar-nominated for his work on Alien . Christian directed the second unit on both Return of the Jedi [2] and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace as well as feature films including The Sender and Nostradamus . He also directed the 2000 film Battlefield Earth . He created the Lightsaber hilt prop for Star Wars. [3]
He began his career as an assistant art director on several UK productions including the Hammer Studios film And Soon the Darkness (1970). He won an Academy Award for set decoration on the science fiction classic Star Wars (1977). [4] (Christian claims to be the third crew member hired for the project.) [5] Two years later, Christian received his second Oscar nomination for his work as the production designer on Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). [6] Christian's use of aircraft scrap and other machinery to dress the set interiors of these films and creation of weapons using old working guns adapted by adding junk revolutionized the look of science fiction films. [5] [7]
Christian is known for having significantly contributed to the creation of the lightsaber prop for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), thus helping create, alongside John Stears's special effects, that which is arguably the most popular artifact in Star Wars and one of the most popular items in movie and pop culture. In order to create what would eventually would become known as the Skywalker Lightsaber, Christian found the handles for the Graflex Flash Gun in a photography shop in Great Marlborough Street, in London's West End. [8] He then added cabinet T-track to the handles, securely attaching them with cyanoacrylate glue. Adding a few "greebles" (surface details), Christian managed to hand-make the first prototype of a lightsaber prop for Luke Skywalker before production began. George Lucas decided he wanted to add a clip to the handle, so that Luke could hang it on his belt. Once Lucas felt the handle was up to his standards, it went to John Stears to create the wooden dowel rod with front-projection paint so that the animators would have a glow of light to enhance later on in post production. Due to lack of preparation time, Christian's prototype and a second spare were used for the shooting in Tunisia, where filming on Star Wars began. [9]
Christian maintained his working relationship with George Lucas over the years, having worked on Return of the Jedi (1983) and being the second unit director on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). He later briefly met with the Episode VII art department and Star Wars Rebels crew, although not in an official capacity. [10]
Christian began his directing career with the shorts Black Angel (1980) and the Oscar-winning The Dollar Bottom (1981). [11] [12] Black Angel, filmed at locations in Scotland, was mentored by George Lucas who tied the film as a programme with The Empire Strikes Back in UK, Australia, and Scandinavia. [13] The 25-minute film is a retelling of the hero's journey in classical mythology, and it influenced several major directors. [13] He made his feature film debut with the horror film The Sender (1982). Chosen as the opening film at the Avoriaz Film Festival, the film has become a cult classic. Quentin Tarantino has described The Sender as his favorite horror film of 1982. [14] Christian directed the music video "Election Day" by the band Arcadia in Paris, France in 1985. [15] His 1994 feature film Nostradamus , about the life of the famous French prophet, has received worldwide recognition. [13]
His biggest project to date was the big budget L. Ron Hubbard science fiction adaptation Battlefield Earth (2000) [16] starring John Travolta and Barry Pepper, which The Guardian considered a commercial and critical disaster, and as one of the "worst films ever made". [17] [18] [19] In 2009, NPR declared the film "the worst science fiction film of the decade". [20] Christian does not consider Battlefield Earth to be a "Scientology movie" as he intended it as a throwback to regular science fiction. [21] He also won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director.
In 2006, he directed an action/adventure/mystery movie, Prisoners of the Sun , starring John Rhys-Davies, David Charvet, Carmen Chaplin, and Gulshan Grover. It was unreleased until 2014 when it had geographically limited release in Nordic countries.
Christian is a Buddhist. He is an admirer of filmmakers Peter Jackson and Quentin Tarantino. [21] [22]
Short film
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | Black Angel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1981 | The Dollar Bottom | Yes | No | No |
2012 | Riddle of the Black Cat | No | No | Yes |
Feature film
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | The Sender | Yes | No | |
1984 | Starship | Yes | Yes | |
1994 | Nostradamus | Yes | Story | |
1995 | The Final Cut | Yes | No | |
1996 | Underworld | Yes | No | Also wrote lyrics for the song My Pop |
1997 | Masterminds | Yes | No | |
2000 | Battlefield Earth | Yes | No | |
2004 | American Daylight | Yes | No | |
Bandido | Yes | No | Also producer and production designer | |
2013 | Stranded | Yes | No | |
Prisoners of the Sun | Yes | No | ||
2016 | Joseph & Mary | Yes | No | |
Bear Clan Station | Yes | No | ||
2022 | Galaxy Built On Hope | Yes | Yes | Documentary film [23] |
Music video
Year | Title | Artist |
---|---|---|
1985 | "Election Day" | Arcadia |
1986 | "Fire on the Water" | Chris de Burgh |
Television
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Dangerous Intuition | Yes | No | TV movie |
TBA | Replicants on Atlantia | Yes | Yes |
Set dresser
Assistant art director
Art director
Set decorator
2nd unit director
Other
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1968 | Oliver! | Art department assistant | Uncredited |
1974 | Mahler | Associate art director | |
2013 | 13 Eerie | Executive producer | |
2017 | The Black Prince | Consulting producer |
Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Academy Awards | Best Production Design | Star Wars | Won | [24] |
1980 | Alien | Nominated | [25] | ||
1981 | BAFTA Awards | Best Short Film | The Dollar Bottom | Nominated | |
1982 | Avoriaz International Fantastic Film Festival | Grand Prize | The Sender | Nominated | |
1987 | Fantasporto | International Fantasy Film Award for Best Film | Starship | Nominated | |
2001 | Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Director | Battlefield Earth | Won |
Jedi, Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the Star Wars franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depicted as a religious, academic, meritocratic, and military-auxiliary (peacekeeping) organization whose origin dates back thousands of years before the events of the first film released in the franchise. The fictional organization has inspired a real-world new religious movement and parody religion: Jediism.
Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film that is a sequel to The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It is the third installment in the original Star Wars trilogy and the sixth chronological film in the "Skywalker Saga". It is directed by Richard Marquand based on a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was also the executive producer. The film follows the ongoing struggle between the malevolent Galactic Empire and the freedom fighters of the Rebel Alliance. As the Rebels attempt to destroy the Empire's second Death Star, Luke Skywalker tries to bring his father, Darth Vader, back from the dark side of the Force. The film stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas in his first directorial effort since 1977. The film stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August, and Frank Oz. It is the fourth film in the Star Wars film series, the first film of the prequel trilogy and the first chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". Set 32 years before the original trilogy, during the era of the Galactic Republic, the plot follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they try to protect Padmé Amidala of Naboo in hopes of securing a peaceful end to an interplanetary trade dispute. Joined by Anakin Skywalker—a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force—they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith. The film was produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. The sequel to The Phantom Menace (1999), it is the fifth film in the Star Wars film series and second chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". The film stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz.
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary. It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence in Los Angeles, California. The film stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 American epic space opera film that is the sequel to The Phantom Menace (1999) and Attack of the Clones (2002). It is the sixth film in the Star Wars film series, the third installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and third chronological chapter of the "Skywalker Saga". It is written and directed by George Lucas, who also served as executive producer. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz.
Qui-Gon Jinn is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was introduced as a Jedi Master in the prequel film The Phantom Menace (1999), and is portrayed by Liam Neeson. He appears in the series Tales of the Jedi, and is featured as a Force spirit in the animated series The Clone Wars (2008) and the live-action miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). Qui-Gon also appears in novels, comics and video games.
R2-D2 or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical Star Wars films to date, including every film in the "Skywalker Saga", which includes the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. At various points throughout the course of the films, R2, an astromech droid, is a friend to C-3PO, Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. R2-D2 and his companion C-3PO are the only characters to appear in every theatrical Star Wars film, with the exception of Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
Yoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force. He first appeared in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back, in which he is voiced and puppeteered by Frank Oz, who reprised the role in Return of the Jedi (1983), the prequel trilogy, the sequel trilogy, and the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Other actors who voice Yoda are Tom Kane, Piotr Michael, John Lithgow, Tony Pope and Peter McConnell. In addition to films and television series, Yoda appears in comics, novels, video games and commercials.
A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout Star Wars. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about 3 feet (0.91 m) in length emitted from a metal hilt around 10.5 inches (27 cm) in length. First introduced in the original Star Wars film, it has since appeared in all 12 theatrical Star Wars films, with at least one lightsaber duel occurring in each installment of the "Skywalker saga". The lightsaber's distinct appearance was created using rotoscoping for the original films, and with digital effects for the prequel and sequel trilogies.
The sandcrawler is a fictional transport vehicle in the Star Wars universe that is found on the desert planet Tatooine. The vehicle, as it appears in its major appearances in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is 37 meters long and 18 meters tall. Only a 27-meter length of its lower hull was constructed as a set for the film. Other appearances were simulated with matte paintings and a remote-controlled model.
General Grievous is a character in the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. He was introduced in the 2003 animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, before appearing through computer-generated imagery in the 2005 live-action film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Wood reprised the role in the 2008 animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the 2024 anthology series Tales of the Empire.
John Stears was an English special effects artist. A two-time Academy Award winner, nicknamed the "Dean of Special Effects," he was responsible for creating a host of iconic movie gadgets and effects, including James Bond's lethal Aston Martin DB5, Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder, the Jedi Knights' lightsabers, the Death Star, and the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO.
Benjamin Burtt Jr. is an American sound designer, film director, film editor, screenwriter, and voice actor. As a sound designer, his credits include the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film series, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), WALL-E (2008), and Star Trek (2009).
Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker is the novelization of the 1977 film Star Wars, ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster, but credited to George Lucas. It was first published on November 12, 1976, by Ballantine Books, several months before the release of the film. In later years, it was republished under the title Star Wars: A New Hope to reflect the retroactive addition of a subtitle to the film in 1981.
Battlefield Earth is a 2000 American science fiction film based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. It was directed by Roger Christian and stars John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker. The film follows a rebellion against the alien Psychlos, who have ruled Earth for 1,000 years.
Norman Reynolds was a British production designer and art director, best known for his work on the original Star Wars trilogy and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Darth Maul is a character in the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. He first appeared in the prequel film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). Maul returned in the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), as well as the standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Lucas had intended for Maul to feature in the sequel film trilogy, but these plans were discarded when Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.
Jabba the Hutt is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is a large, slug-like crime lord of the Hutt species. Jabba first appeared in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi, in which he is portrayed by a one-ton puppet operated by several puppeteers. In 1997, he appeared in the Special Edition of the original Star Wars film, which had been retitled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope. Jabba made his third film appearance in the 1999 prequel film The Phantom Menace. He is voiced by Larry Ward in Return of the Jedi and by Scott Schumann in A New Hope and The Phantom Menace.
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was introduced in the prequel trilogy as a Jedi Master who sits on the Jedi High Council during the final years of the Galactic Republic. He is portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in all three prequel films. Windu also appears in the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars, the television series of the same name, and in novels, comics, and video games.
[...] Battlefield Earth has opened to spectacularly bad notices, many of which have suggested that the film is the worst of the year, the decade, the millennium or whatever exotic time-frame the alien Psychlos recognise.