BOOK REVIEW #32: I AM C-3PO: THE INSIDE STORY
There’s no one in the entire galaxy that knows the character of C-3PO aka See-Threepio as well as Anthony Daniels, the British actor who plays the protocol droid since the first Star Wars. Yes that includes its creator, George Lucas himself.
In I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story, Daniels provides an insight look into one of the more memorable non-human Star Wars character yet detailing a rather recognition-less man stuck inside the suit. Not that Daniels is a heartbroken man in reality but his contribution as C-3PO is mostly forgotten over the years partly because Fox wanted to create an impression of a “voice” rather than a human in the beginning.
Bearing no grudges against his more famous co-stars such as Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher, Daniels continues to don the suit in the years to come offering lots of amusing stories about constant technical difficulties he and his assistance faced such as his inability to hold things with his droid hands, suffering abrasions and unable to go peeing as he likes.
Always humorous and light, Daniels also shares stories about meeting the great Sir Alec Guiness, a surprising fact he is actually not on very friendly terms with his on-screen companion, R2-D2 played by Kenny Baker, his first awkward meeting with George Lucas and his first time producing a “celebration” event for fans.
But I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story is after all not a bares-all, tells-all kind of book. Daniels is too nice a guy to backstab or reveal any juicy bits happening behind-the-scenes. The man has nothing but praises for people he worked with including JJ (contributing a foreword here), Rian Johnson, music maestro John Williams and many of the crew members. Daniels has devoted majority of the book on the time he spent on the original trilogy so for those readers who are more into the prequels and the current instalments might feel slightly shortchanged.
Daniels is so nice that even his own personal story is neglected. Other than he is once a trained stage actor, readers probably knows nothing more than the man who spent his entire career playing the role of C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise. I’m sure a few short chapters devoted to it will be prefect. Still, I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story remains an awesome and entertaining memoir for long-time Star Wars fans if you are not the picky sort.
Book Rating:
Review by Linus Tee
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