10 Things You Didn't Know About Iconic Movie Character Costumes
8. Jabba The Hutt Was Operated By Several People Squashed Together
Unable to avail of the complex, computer-generated visual effects available today, the original Star Wars films relied on an amazing wealth of practical effects, spearheaded by the Oscar-winning talent Phil Tippett. Considering this, it is clear that there is more to Jabba the Hutt than meets the eye - namely several people awkwardly squashed together inside of a giant puppet.
In the early days of Star Wars, the repulsive alien crime-lord was operated by a whole team of staff. His arms, mouth and tail were moved by three puppeteers who sat inside of him, while another person lay beneath him with a bellow, causing his sides to heave. Meanwhile, radio operators worked his eyes, altering their direction, levels of pupil dilation and eyelid width. He was also slathered with gel before filming to give him his traditional slimy sheen.
Modern visual depictions of Jabba the Hutt look nothing like the puppet version from the original movies. Although he appears more sleek and polished nowadays, there is something irrevocably charming about Jabba's practical incarnation.