REVIEW:  Under The Helmet - The Legacy Of Boba Fett

Aside from the relatively short running time of 22 minutes, Under the Helmet was everything I expected it to be. With one exception, there was nothing new that I learned, but that's understandable. It's hard to plow new snow on a subject that has been obsessed over by compulsive fans for four decades. If you recall the article I wrote HERE when the documentary was announced, I was hoping four things would be mentioned: The Holiday Special, the Boba Fett introduction reel with Ben Burtt, the Kenner rocket-firing Fett, and the Kenner commercials. Well, we did better than Meatloaf's standard of two out of three aint bad. We got three out of four of those.



The Ben Burtt introduction reel, which was created to show the British crew what Boba Fett would look like, is discussed in the documentary almost immediately. Joe Johnston, widely considered the father of Boba Fett, talks about the pressure of needing to top A New Hope, and how the design started out life as a "Super Stormtrooper." Lucas wanted to have 100 of them in the movie, but budgetary constraints precluded making that many sets of armor. The design was pivoted to a single bounty hunter, which we all know now as Boba Fett. Interestingly, Johnston doesn't recall whether it was he, Ralph McQuarrie, or George Lucas himself who suggested adding the iconic medieval "T-visor" to Fett's helmet.

Assistant editor, Duwayne Dunham, was the man in the suit for the intro reel. When George Lucas mentioned that Fett needed a cape, it was Dunham who suggested using the Star Wars towel in a nearby garage. That towel was immortalized on the Sideshow Toys Prototype Armor Boba Fett figure.



Joe Johnston performed the transformation of the white armor to the battle-worn multicolored ensemble we know today. Upon seeing it, Lucas knew they were cooking with gas. LFL didn't have much involvement with the infamous Holiday Special, but Lucas suggested that Fett make an appearance in a short feature. Thus, Fett's on-screen debut in animated form was born. Only this wasn't Fett's first public appearance.



The one and only Steve Sansweet points out that it was relatively recently realized that a month before the Holiday Special aired, Boba Fett was in a Marin County parade. It wasn't just a Boba Fett costume in the parade. It was the production Fett costume. So this would mark the bounty hunter's reveal to fans. From there it was into the movies, and Dave Filoni points out how much Fett draws inspiration from the gunfighters in Sergio Leone's westerns. During production, this western influence prompted Ben Burrt to jokingly question why Boba couldn't then wear spurs. Despite said in a half-joking manner, sound editor Bob Rutledge recorded the spurred foley footsteps we hear when Boba struts by on-screen. Filoni further comments that Jeremy Bulloch naturally assumes Clint Eastwood-esque stances and mannerisms once he donned the armor.



Under the Helmet thankfully links the mystique of Boba Fett to the toys when Steve Sansweet mentions the popularity of the legendary unreleased Kenner "rocket-firing" Boba Fett figure. I may be biased, but I always think the Kenner line is a big part of the Star Wars story.

Aside from the bit about Fett's public debut in the Marin County parade, I don't think I learned anything new from Under the Helmet, but that wasn't the point of it for me. It was more of a stroll down memory lane, and in that capacity, it exceeds. I just wish there was more of it.

Under the Helmet is currently streaming on the Disney+ streaming service.

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