Star Wars villain Grand Moff Tarkin, the ‘governor’ who watches from afar as the Death Star is assembled has been resurrected in the lastest Lucas Films installment – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story…
And I have to say, it’s a genius piece of CGI!
The Imperial commander originally played by the late British actor Peter Cushing in 1977’s ‘Episode IV – A New Hope‘ has long been rumored to make an appearance in ‘Rogue One’, which takes place just prior to the events of that first film.
Now, at long last, the film has arrived, and I have to say, it’s an uncanny and breathtaking resemblance to the original character as Cushing is revived as Moff Tarkin.
Cushing died in 1994, but the character has lived on in comics, cartoons, and novels, and even walked the bridge of a Star Destroyer in the final moments of 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. He was played in that movie by Wayne Pygram, in make-up designed to recreate Cushing’s razor-cheekboned appearance. In the animated Rebels and The Clone Wars shows, the character was voiced by Stephen Stanton.
With Cushing long deceased, it’s fascinating to see just how Industrial Light and Magic may have brought him back – if that is the character, and if that’s the method of his resurrection.
John Knoll, the executive producer and visual effects supervisor for Rogue One, hinted at something revolutionary in a recent interview with EW (Entertainment Weekly).
Asked what Holy Grail the visual effects designers were chasing with this film, which never-before-seen bit of technology they innovated, Knoll said: “I have to tread lightly there because some of the fun bits of innovation are stuff that I’ve been asked not to talk about yet. You know, we want to hold that back.”
Outside of Star Wars, Cushing is best known for his role in the Hammer Horror films of the 1950s and ’60s, often starring alongside Christopher Lee. Despite a career that included over 130 credits, he never received an Oscar nomination. In 1956, he did win a BAFTA TV Award.
Tarkin is a key figure during the early days of the Galactic Empire and a military commander for the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. His confidence in the Death Star was ultimately his undoing, since he refused to evacuate “in our moment of triumph,” just before Luke Skywalker blew it up.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has already taken over £290m in global box office….you could say it’s ‘Cushing-in’ big time!
