Princess Leia rescues Han Solo from carbonite prison without considering her hairstyle, yet its simple utilitarian look became one of Star Wars’ most emulated looks. Carrie Fisher’s portrayal of Alderaan rebel leader Carrie Fisher is widely celebrated, thanks in large part to her iconic twisted buns designed by George Lucas.
But what inspired this particular hairdo design? Cloud City was located in the Anoat sector of Outer Rim Territories on Bespin. Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian operated it until he betrayed Han Solo and Princess Leia. The floating territory was a hub of activity where wealthy residents and tourists enjoyed their riches by touring mining operations and purchasing rare implants such as custom-made hands and oculars or organ systems for various creatures.
Ralph McQuarrie’s original designs for Bespin City were jagged and rough; however, as the story progressed, Ralph revised its appearance to depict better its role in rebelling against the Empire – creating a sleeker and more inviting appearance that continues today in Bespin.
Hoth is an isolated system located far beyond our solar system that features snowy planets with predatory creatures like the Wampa and the Rebel Alliance’s Echo Base. Princess Leia Organa also wears her trademark saucer-shaped buns on this icy planet to project an authoritative presence befitting her status and leadership position in the Resistance movement. After Carrie Fisher’s untimely passing, many fans turned their thoughts towards her iconic double buns and iconic role as an expression of grief. According to Kitbashed’s Michael Heilemann, some speculate it may have been inspired by traditional Native American Hopi stylings worn by women within this tribe.
Fisher had several hairstyles to try in the film, but she ultimately settled on Leia’s iconic coiled buns as she fled Darth Vader. Though impractical for speeding smugglers running Darth Vader, these buns helped establish Leia as an empowered female character and found her a strong yet independent female character.
Attack of the Clones, George Lucas’ second prequel film in his Star Wars prequel trilogy, begins the Clone Wars on Geonosis with an epic battle scene and familiar themes: continual discovery, personal aspirations, heroism, and duty. It also introduces forbidden love and the notion of a Jedi being seduced by evil forces. Though imperfect, it remains enjoyable viewing and may even be considered the best installment in the prequel trilogy. As with The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones marked the first major motion picture shot entirely digitally. Ben Burtt played an integral part in shaping how sound and image work together by serving both as director of audio and picture editor; his efforts contributed significantly to launching Lucas and Dave Filoni’s highly popular animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series.
Return of the Jedi brought an epic trilogy arc to an exciting conclusion in 1983, shattering all expectations and garnering critical acclaim with its galactic thrills and emotional punch. However, there were also a few minor flaws within its narrative. Carrie Fisher became widely recognized for the two hours it took her each morning on set to style her doughnut-like buns, much to Lucas’ displeasure. Regardless, he decided to keep this style and began its reign of terror on film sets everywhere. Some historians believe Leia’s coiled style was inspired by soldaderas – female revolutionaries from Mexico during its Revolution who wore their long braids beneath shawls – while others think she may have taken inspiration from Native American women known for having long, twisted locks.
Return of the Jedi was updated several times, including an extended version of Mos Eisley Cantina’s song “Jedi Rocks” and additional scenes featuring a rancor pit. These changes remained relatively the same overall feel and impact.
