R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
Encyclopedia
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome is a 2001 American mockumentary
short, directed by Don Bies and Spencer Susser, starring Kenny Baker as R2-D2
in a fictionalized life story of the robot from the Star Wars
film series. The film, which was made as a fun project by the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
, features celebrity interviews, fake archive photos, film clips, and behind the scenes footage.
style, giving the ups and downs of Artoo's life, from his humble upbringings in England
to his successful life as an actor. The mockumentary achieves this by using interviews by those who "know" him, such as: George Lucas
, Ewan McGregor
, Francis Ford Coppola
, Richard Dreyfuss
(who believes Artoo to be "a schmuck"), Samuel L. Jackson
, Natalie Portman
, Hayden Christensen
, Bitsie Tulloch
and more.
It introduces his human "family," complete with a brother and a sister. His birth name, "Reginald Dillingham," was changed for show biz. Lucas met R2 attending college at the University of Arizona
working as an ash can. As it is revealed, Star Wars wasn’t his first role, as he had had many leading parts in plays and movies throughout the 1960s. R2 was originally invisioned by Coppola to play Michael Corleone
in the 1972 film The Godfather
, however the studio didn't see it and the part went to Al Pacino
. He is shown to be quite the ladies man, with plenty of bikini clad women riding in his limo. R2 is said to have a human girlfriend who fears she might be pregnant. After the success of Return of the Jedi, the shortage of new work sends him into a depression in the 1980s. He goes so far down the spiral, and in an attempt to prove his worthiness, he bungee jumps and is nearly killed when the cord breaks. In 1998, his career then is reinvigorated when asked by George Lucas to do Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
.
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome continues in the footsteps of Return of the Ewok
, a similar fun film made by the cast and crew during the filming of Return of the Jedi
in 1982.
and Musicland
stores, which includes Suncoast Motion Picture Company
, Media Play
and Sam Goody
outlets.
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
short, directed by Don Bies and Spencer Susser, starring Kenny Baker as R2-D2
R2-D2
R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
in a fictionalized life story of the robot from the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
film series. The film, which was made as a fun project by the cast and crew of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
, features celebrity interviews, fake archive photos, film clips, and behind the scenes footage.
Story
The film is narrated in a tongue-in-cheek E! True Hollywood StoryE! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
style, giving the ups and downs of Artoo's life, from his humble upbringings in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to his successful life as an actor. The mockumentary achieves this by using interviews by those who "know" him, such as: George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
, Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
, Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
, Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
(who believes Artoo to be "a schmuck"), Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
, Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
, Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden...
, Bitsie Tulloch
Bitsie Tulloch
Elizabeth Tulloch is an American actress.-Early life and education:Tulloch was born in San Diego, California but grew up in Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina. Bitsie isn't a contraction of Tulloch's birthname, Elizabeth, but an homage to her unusually-nicknamed grandfather, a WWII bomber pilot...
and more.
It introduces his human "family," complete with a brother and a sister. His birth name, "Reginald Dillingham," was changed for show biz. Lucas met R2 attending college at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
working as an ash can. As it is revealed, Star Wars wasn’t his first role, as he had had many leading parts in plays and movies throughout the 1960s. R2 was originally invisioned by Coppola to play Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone
Michael Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novels, The Godfather and The Sicilian. He is also the main character of the Godfather film trilogy that was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, in which he was portrayed by Al Pacino, who was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his...
in the 1972 film The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
, however the studio didn't see it and the part went to Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
. He is shown to be quite the ladies man, with plenty of bikini clad women riding in his limo. R2 is said to have a human girlfriend who fears she might be pregnant. After the success of Return of the Jedi, the shortage of new work sends him into a depression in the 1980s. He goes so far down the spiral, and in an attempt to prove his worthiness, he bungee jumps and is nearly killed when the cord breaks. In 1998, his career then is reinvigorated when asked by George Lucas to do Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
.
Inspiration
The idea for this mockumentary was originally proposed by Don Bies, ILM Modelmaker and lead of the R2 production unit. George Lucas later gave the project his OK, as he has many times proclaimed that R2 is his favorite character, and he knew the fans could appreciate the joke.R2-D2: Beneath the Dome continues in the footsteps of Return of the Ewok
Return of the Ewok
Return of the Ewok is a 1982 American mockumentary short, written, produced and directed by David Tomblin, first assistant director of Return of the Jedi, starring Warwick Davis as himself in a fictionalized account of how he got the role of Wicket W. Warrick...
, a similar fun film made by the cast and crew during the filming of Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth in terms of the series' internal chronology...
in 1982.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Other notes |
| Bob Hesse | Narrator (voice) | |
| Kenny Baker Kenny Baker Kenneth George "Kenny" Baker is a British actor and musician, best known as the man inside R2-D2 in the popular Star Wars film series.- Career :... |
R2-D2 | Credited as himself |
| Robbie Edwards | Robbie Dillingham | |
| Jennifer Weil | Claudia Dillingham-West | |
| Bitsie Tulloch Bitsie Tulloch Elizabeth Tulloch is an American actress.-Early life and education:Tulloch was born in San Diego, California but grew up in Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina. Bitsie isn't a contraction of Tulloch's birthname, Elizabeth, but an homage to her unusually-nicknamed grandfather, a WWII bomber pilot... |
Bitsie Tullock | Credited as herself |
| Dave Murphy | Artoo's Buddy (at age 45) | |
| Morgan Hamilton-Lee | Artoo's Buddy (at age 10) | |
| Bernie Hamilton-Lee | School Principal | |
| Mary Jo Hamilton-Lee | School Teacher | |
| Cecilia Hamilton-Lee | School Kid | |
| Phyllis Eblan | School Mom | |
| Brittany Eblan | School Kid | |
| Benjamin Bies | Cute Kid | |
| Anna Bies | Emergency Room Technician | |
| Kara Glieden | Emergency Room Technician | |
| Wendi Thomas | Emergency Room Technician | |
| Mark Havens | Emergency Room Technician | |
| Kathy Fischer | Emergency Room Technician | |
| Nelson Hall | Artoo's Trainer | |
| Grant Imahara Grant Imahara Grant Masaru Imahara is a Japanese American electronics and radio control expert, best known for his work on the American television show MythBusters.-Education and early work:... |
Artoo's Technician | |
| Fon Davis | Artoo's Technician | |
| Marilisa Lokna | R2's Girl | |
| Gina Rudometkin | R2's Babe | |
| Cheryl King | R2's Chick | |
| Zeynup Selcuk | Artoo's Bungee Assistant | |
| Justin Dix | Artoo's Bungee Assistant | |
| Trevor Tighe | Artoo's Bungee Assistant | |
| Barry Kite | Scrooge | |
| Brian Lockwood | Bob Cratchit | |
| Karen Kenepp | Mrs. Cratchit | |
| Alicia Peters | Cratchit's Daughter | |
| Steve Sansweet Steve Sansweet Stephen J. Sansweet is the Director of Content Management and Head of Fan Relations at Lucasfilm and the author of sixteen books, fourteen of them about Star Wars. He is also the owner of the world's largest private collection of Star Wars memorabilia... |
The Mayor | |
| Lauren Vogt | The Mayor's Wife | |
| Bob Canning | City Official | |
| Les David | City Official | |
| Andrea Biklian | Artoo Fan Club Member | |
| Paula Nederman | Artoo Fan Club Member | |
| Sarah Peacock | Artoo Fan Club Member | |
| Billy Brooks | Coffee Shop Patron | |
| Steve Gawley | Coffee Shop Patron | |
| Salvatore Belleci | Cop #1 (Starsky) | |
| James Cotner | Cop #2 (Hutch) | |
| Michael Murnane | Bad Guy | Credited as Michael P. Murnane |
| Ahmed Best Ahmed Best Ahmed Best is an American voice actor and musician. He has won the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production. He rose to prominence in the 2000s for providing the voice of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars franchise. He later turned to television, where he played Jar Jar... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Don Bies Don Bies Don Bies is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on the PGA Tour and the Senior PGA Tour .... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Ben Burtt Ben Burtt Benjamin "Ben" Burtt, Jr. is an American sound designer who has worked on various films including: the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film series, Invasion of the Body Snatchers , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and WALL-E... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Hayden Christensen Hayden Christensen Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor. He appeared in Canadian television programs when he was young, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. He moved on to minor acting roles before being praised for his role of Sam in Life as a House, for which he was nominated for a Golden... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Candy Clark Candy Clark Candace June "Candy" Clark is an American film and television actress, well known for her role as Debbie Dunham in the 1973 film American Graffiti, which garnered her an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress, a character she reprised in 1979 for the sequel More American Graffiti... |
Herself | Uncredited |
| Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels is an English actor. He is best known for his role as the droid C-3PO in the Star Wars series of films made between 1977 and 2005.-Early life:... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Richard Dreyfuss Richard Dreyfuss Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Carrie Fisher Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her... |
Herself | Uncredited |
| Harrison Ford Harrison Ford Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Nick Gillard | Himself | Uncredited |
| Alec Guinness Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai... |
Himself (Archive footage) | Uncredited |
| Robin Gurland | Herself | Uncredited |
| Mark Hamill Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord... |
Himself (Archive footage) | Uncredited |
| Samuel L. Jackson Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Christopher Lee Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| George Lucas George Lucas George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Rick McCallum Rick McCallum Richard "Rick" McCallum is a German-born American film producer mostly known for his work on the The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as well as the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition and prequel trilogy... |
Himself (Archive footage) | Uncredited |
| Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Dennis Muren Dennis Muren Dennis Muren, A.S.C. is an American film special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and George Lucas. He has won eight Oscars for Best Visual Effects.-Early life:... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Natalie Portman Natalie Portman Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel... |
Herself | Uncredited |
| Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an... |
Himself | Uncredited |
| Leeanna Walsman Leeanna Walsman Leeanna Walsman is an Australian actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Zam Wesell in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones , for playing Carly Bishop in the Australian film Looking For Alibrandi and for her starring role in the mini-series Jessica.She has been nominated for two... |
Herself (Archive Footage) | Uncredited |
Original release
This mockumentary was originally made available, beginning on November 25, 2001 in the US on FOX. Internationally, it was released on the same day on starwars.com as three web featurettes as part of the lead up to the release of Episode II. It debuted first as a trailer accompanying the Thanksgiving television airing of Episode I, and then in three weekly installments on US TV and through the Internet. It is still currently available under the Episode II section on the website. A trailer was released for it on the FOX channel not long before its premier on US TV and on the site. This trailer was later put as a special feature on the Episode II DVD to in turn promote the low-profile release of the mockumentary itself on DVD.DVD Release
The film was released as a Region 1 DVD on December 26, 2002, containing all three segments that were originally aired on US TV and on Starwars.com, plus the ending credits and an easter egg of photos of Artoo. The DVD was a low-profile, non-advertised release. It was made available exclusively at Best BuyBest Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
and Musicland
Musicland
The Musicland Group, Inc. was an entertainment company which ran Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company and the Media Play Superstore Chain. Musicland filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in January 2006. Trans World Entertainment which runs FYE, and sells CDs, DVDs, and video games, purchased...
stores, which includes Suncoast Motion Picture Company
Suncoast Motion Picture Company
Suncoast Motion Picture Company is an American chain of retail stores specializing in recorded videos, particularly movies but also carried television series. The stores have sold them in the VHS, Laser Disk, DVD, HD, and Blu-ray formats. The stores also carry various other items, including...
, Media Play
Media Play
Media Play was a chain of retail stores founded in 1992 by Musicland that sold movies on video, DVDs, music, Electronics, video games, books, and games in the United States. Each store essentially contained a book store, a movie store, a music store, and a video game store under one roof. At...
and Sam Goody
Sam Goody
Sam Goody was a music and entertainment retailer in the United States and United Kingdom, and was owned and operated by Trans World Entertainment which also runs FYE, Saturday Matinee, and Suncoast Motion Picture Company. It specialized in music, video, and video game sales...
outlets.