Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Official Collector's Edition

Purchased this instead of the DVD on accident for hubby but he loves it and wasn't going to let me return. lol

I got it fairly quickly. It surprises me at how much focus to detail the director did for the movie.

Nice look at the film.

J.J. Abrams, director of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” claims that this saga is “about finding your own strength and finding connections with people you wouldn't anticipate knowing,” among other things. Abrams had a monumental task ahead of him when the decision was made to go ahead with the film. It would be the seventh in a series of blockbusters, but how could he put together a new cast, scenery, and storyline to welcome yet another generation into the Star Wars family? Nothing would be easy, but selecting new blood to join an inimitable cast of characters would be a key factor to enthuse that generation. Just who would they be and what qualities could they bring to the big screen?Naturally for any actor or actress, any role in a “Star Wars” film would be a dream come true as the films had been an integral part of their childhoods. Abrams felt there had to be some new blood and, as Pablo Hidalgo put it, it would be "difficult to bring new characters and a new generation of heroes into the fold.” It would all begin with the search for Rey, a “young, bold and independent” scavenger on the planet Jakku. It would be a tall order to find a beautiful kick butt young woman to fill the part, but soon Daisy Ridley was on board, putting in a four-hour, four-day training week.In this book there are a series of Character Profiles, profiles that introduce the new members of the Star Wars family and re-introduce the old. Each one is interviewed and the answered questions give young readers a privileged insight into the life of several characters, including Chewie and C-3PO. Did you know that C-3PO is “fluent in more than six million forms of communication?” He is, but if you're a Star Wars fan you probably already knew that! The profiles delve into the roles and lives of Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Adam Driver (Kyle Ren), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), and the cast on BB-8.The heroes and the villains are all here, but even before introducing them, we get a fabulous look via a timeline that tracks “the major events that led to ‘The Force Awakens.’” It's a fabulous recap of each episode, one that will refresh one’s memory, rekindling the excitement of the adventure. Star Wars fans probably don't need many reminders, but even some of the actors didn't remember everything about those sets. You'll find out just who they were and what they forgot about when you read this book. Do you remember the Battle of Naboo? How about Cloud City? If you do, you just may be a true Star Wars fan.In addition to those Character Profiles, we also hear from Simon Pegg, a fanboy and “actor who brings Unkarr Pluto to life.” Then we hear more from J.J. Abrams himself and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. Of course it's great fun to take a look at the construction of the Millenium Falcon, “one of the fastest ships in the galaxy,” and the costume designer. Of course there's so much more to read about just everything in this book. There's even a sidebar that outlines the modifications the ‘Falcon’ has undergone. For example, in case you didn't know, “The ‘Falcon’ sports military-grade armor, quad-laser cannons, and many other illegal and customized hot-rod components.”This is a fabulous behind the scenes look at the production of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” that fans will love. Of course this is a special Collector’s Edition and one doesn't have to be young to enjoy it. The layout is simply amazing, popping with a wide array of stunning, full color photographs and drawings. It's difficult to say whether the interviews or the layout contribute more to the book, but probably the combination cements the fact that it's awe-inspiring. Mind you, I'm no fan from way back when, but I loved reading this book. There are numerous informative sidebars that add to the book. For example, we are privy to “Leia’s Style Guide,” one that shows how she looked in three different episodes. In a nutshell, this is one Collectors Edition that can't be missed!This book courtesy of the publisher.

This 100 page insider's guide contains interviews with cast and crew members including an introduction by director J.J. Abrams. It also includes some great behind-the-scenes photos. All pages are glossy and high quality. This guide is for both casual and serious Star Wars fans that I highly recommend. I paid $10 for it and see that at the time of this review, it is 3 times as much at ~$30. Shop around and get your hands on it ASAP.

Excellent readings

Most excellent indeed. Thank you very much Amazon Team.