The Birth of the Lightsaber

(YouTube link)

Let's discuss “…chivalry and honor and that sort of thing.” George Lucas tells the story of how the light saber was invented for the Star Wars saga. It was a more civilized way of cutting your enemy in two. Or, as the Star Wars YouTube account said when posting this featurette, “the single coolest weapon in the history of the galaxy.” There’s the concept, and then there’s the nuts-and-bolts problem of bringing this fictional wonder to the screen in the mid-'70s. Lucas tells the story (along with Mark Hamill and Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt), but there are also plenty of movie and behind-the-scenes clips to enjoy. -via Boing Boing