Star Wars: 10 Secrets Behind X-Wings You Need To Know
8. Real Dog Fight Footage Was Used For Inspiration
Star Wars may have become one of the most influential films of all time but that doesn't change the fact the production was beyond chaotic. The script for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope kept changing, sandstorms delayed production, actors were falling ill, and many of the props malfunctioned.
When George Lucas got to film scenes, he was very unimpressed by what he saw. When he looked at what little footage he had of the X-Wings flying through space, he found their movements unconvincing and janky. Because problems like this caused production to fall way behind schedule, the director realised he had to take drastic measures to get back on track.
In the end, the editors decided to watch World War II footage of planes dogfighting and then, emulate the vehicles' motions for the X-Wings. This may have been a desperate move but it totally paid off since the X-Wings' movements looked more sharp and dynamic. Considering the original Star Wars concludes with a massive dogfight, copying footage of real dogfights saved the climax from looking amateurish and tacky.