You don't need to know who Cardi B or indeed who Star Wars is to enjoy this video, in which the sound effects are replaced. Read the rest

In my 90s childhood Star Wars obsession, I remember hearing a lot about the fabled NPR radio drama adaptations (read: "podcast") of the original trilogy. They were supposed to be canonical, in-as-much as they were Lucas-approved stories that expanded on the familiar ones we already knew.

Now, someone has finally compiled them all on YouTube (although apparently you can find the MP3s on Archive.org as well). And wow, they are expanded — the A New Hope radio drama is 13 hours long!

It's quite a stark departure from the movies I'm used to. The first chapter focuses exclusively on Luke, and highlights his relationships with his friends at Tosche Station — Cammie, Fixer, Deke, and the OG prodigal son, Biggs Darklighter (there's a version of some of this material floating as a deleted scene, but it's not nearly as expansive as this). Chapter Two turns more attention to Leia and her relationship with her father, as well as the information that lead them to the Death Star plans in the first place. It's not even until the third chapter that we get to the opening scene of the movie (that's as far as I've listened yet). It definitely conflicts with the newly established canon, especially Rogue One, but I'm enjoying the experience of re-discovering this world in a different format, with different and exciting details filling out the edges. I'm eager to find out what other ancillary characters might get more of a spotlight treatment here.

From the editor who posted these compilations on YouTube:

I have combined all episodes of the original radio drama using excerpts from John Williams' original soundtrack and Ben Burt's sound effects for a more seamless blending from one episode to the next.

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We've been cleaning out and sorting through some stuff we had in storage, which I re-discovered this generous gift that someone (my mother-in-law?) bought me at some point in time. My sister picked it up, asking why I had a poop-shaped cookie cutter in the pile with my Star Wars cookie cutters. Normally, this would be a valid question to ask — it is certainly reasonable to think that I would own both poop and Star Wars cookie cutters. But then I had to remind her that, no, that was in fact, a Jawa, a member of the Tatooinian trader race that's also kind of uncomfortably anti-Semitic once you start to think about it.

Now, I'm not sure why this particular cookie cutter set came with a Jawa. An Ewok would have probably made more sense (while still remaining slightly poop-like). I can't find this particularly set available anywhere else on the Internet; William-Sonoma sells an 8-pack of Star Wars cookie cutters with the exact same Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3pO molds — but alas, no Poop Jawa. Walmart sells a lone Poop Jawa cookie cutter for a whopping $18. I'm assuming that someone at Williams-Sonoma decided to discontinue the Poop Jawa — not because it looks like a poop, but because, who the hell wants a Jawa cookie cutter anyway?

There is one link on Amazon for a Star Wars Press-and-Stamp Cookie Cutters, Set of 4 Droids and Aliens: R2-D2, C-3PO, Jawa and Chewbacca. Unfortunately, it has no pictures, and it's not available anyway. Read the rest

"Revvin' up your engine, listen to her howlin' roar. Metal under tension, beggin' you to touch and go."

Next up, a deepfake with Tom Cruise as Luke Skywalker?

(Thanks, Emmett K!) Read the rest

“I'm my own best friend,” she says. Read the rest

Twenty Thousand Hertz is a very cool podcast hosted and created by Dallas Taylor that explores the stories behind iconic sounds — from cartoon voices to tape reel mastering to the backmasking tactics of the "Satanic Panic." And just in time for May the 4th, they've just released a teaser for their upcoming episode that focuses on the sound design behind the Star Wars universe.

Because everyone's familiar with the mod specs on Han Solo's coveted BlasTech DL-44 blaster pistol. But the actual real-world origins of that iconic pkew pkew sound are less well-known. Check it out.

As it turns out, sound designer Ben Burtt quite literally stumbled onto the tone by accident while he was out hiking. After his backpack got caught on a guy-wire in the Poconos, he knew that the twang of elasticity was right — he just had to find a way to replicate and perfect it. Along the way, he also found the sound of a Y-Wing engine.

The full episode will be available on May 13th, with Burtt and host Dallas Taylor going even more in-depth into the physical and material voices that brought the Star Wars galaxy to life. But for now, this little clip is a nice snack for May the 4th.

Twenty Thousand Hertz Podcast

Image: Jon McCormack / 2ok Hz. Used with permission. Read the rest

This is the way. Or some way, anyway. Read the rest

Lovely Tattoine style Star Wars tech, this LEGO Pod racer memorializes one of Star Wars most scorned movies, The Phantom Menace.

...but this is podracing.

The kit comes with a Padme and lil' Anakin minifig.

LEGO Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Anakin’s Podracer – 20th Anniversary Edition 75258 Building Kit (279 Pieces) via Amazon Read the rest

Fans have pined away for the Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Collin Trevorrow was set to direct. This animated version show just how much better it would have been... Read the rest

Why couldn't the rest of the movie have been like this?

The Death of Palpatine... but with Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name of" pic.twitter.com/IGySw9IkMY

— Adam Lance Garcia (@AdamLanceGarcia) April 1, 2020

Adam Garcia also applied the same treatment to the scene in Snoke's throne room from The Last Jedi, but that scene is already perfect in every way.

Image: Scott Penner / Flickr (CC 2.0) and Wikimedia Commons Read the rest

It started with the 'Yub Nub Mug' at Oga's Cantina, and now I am collecting Sci-fi themed tiki mugs (I got mine at Disneyland for a whole lot less than the $5k the linked eBay seller thinks it's worth!)

Tikiland Trading is offering a pre-sale price on this darling-to-be Baby Yo tiki mug.

I ordered one.

Tiki tOny's Keiki Bob Tiki Mug Pre-Sale - includes US shipping

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Peter Stults is a New York-based graphic designer and illustrator who has used his quarantine productively: by designing movie posters for an imagined Lando Calrissian spin-off trilogy.

During quarantine I imagined we lived in a world where we had a Lando Calrissian spin-off series pic.twitter.com/6MDe7hrXYX

— Peter Stults (@Stultsified) March 29, 2020

These are beautiful and delightful retro-chic. But my favorite detail is on the third poster, where Jean-Claude Van Damme gets special billing for his role as Darth Maul.

A better world is possible, folks. Check out Stults' Twitter feed for a bunch of other awesome throwback movie poster re-designs.

Peter Stults via Twitter Read the rest

The Auralnauts are a comedy troupe that does video overdubs — most prolifically (and, in my opinion, hilariously) of Star Wars videos. Their latest masterpiece is this coronavirus rap performed by "Creepio" and "Fartoo," which digs deep into the Star Wars footage archives, even going as far as getting the Muppets involved in their hilarious but surprisingly helpful public service announcement. Read the rest

The LEGO Mandalorian Battle Pack comes with 4 Mandalorian shock trooper minifigs!

The speeder bike is cool, but 4 Mando minifigs for this price is a steal.

LEGO Star Wars Mandalorian Battle Pack 75267 Mandalorian Shock Troopers and Speeder Bike Building Kit; Great Gift Idea for Any Fan of Star Wars: The Mandalorian TV Series, New 2020 (102 Pieces) via Amazon Read the rest

After having a computer study the speech patterns of an American President famed for his public speaking one naturally has it recite Palpatine?

Alan Watts would be more fun. Read the rest

Disney is seeking an Admiral for their Galactic Starcruiser, Halcyon. That means there's an open position for general manager of the Star Wars theme hotel at Walt Disney World, Florida. From the Job Summary:

Are you ready to command a Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon, where you will take passengers on an adventure to a galaxy far, far, away? Be the first Admiral (GM) to manage this fully immersive, luxury resort, where guests and crew are part of a Star Wars story, including encounters between Resistance forces and the First Order.

We are seeking a seasoned hotelier with extensive senior leadership hospitality experience on land or at sea to serve as Resort Manager / Hotel Director. He/she will drive and execute a unique immersive “cruise-like experience” aligned with our Star Wars franchise. This experience will operate as a two-night journey and be the world’s first multi-day immersive adventure. The ideal candidate will have a passion for bringing ideas to life, creativity, value a non-traditional work environment, and balance a traditional hotel experience with immersive entertainment.

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Assembling LEGO's official Star Destroyer kit [Amazon] is no mean feat: it has nearly 4,800 pieces and retails for $700. But Matt Benner, aka TheBrickWiz, went 30,000 better, constructing a collossal Star Wars spaceship to put the fear of Vader into any rebel fool enough to fall into its gravity well. He even made the interior – check out the conference room (below)! Read the rest