Mos Eisley Cantina
Encyclopedia
The Chalmun's Cantina (often called the Mos Eisley Cantina, the Star Wars Cantina) is a fictional bar (cantina
) of the Star Wars
universe located in the "pirate city" of Mos Eisley
on the planet Tatooine
. It is the haunt of freight pilots and other dangerous characters of various alien races and contains booths, a bar counter, and some free-standing tables, and sometimes a band of musicians named Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes
.
The establishment is extremely rough in nature; but the clientele and the management give incidents of deadly violence no more than a moment's attention. Droids are not allowed inside; a droid detector near the front door alerts the management of any entering droid.
The exterior scene was initially filmed in 1976 at the little town of Ajim
, which is a fishing port on the Isle of Djerba, Tunisia in North Africa. The film crew added some false frontage to the structure, giving it a more dramatic appearance. The building has seen no refurbishment since 1976. The interior set was constructed and filmed on Stage 6, Elstree Studios
in London. In early 1977, Lucas added several alien close-ups at Hollywood Center Studios, because he was dissatisfied with both the make-up and the limited coverage he had from the Tunisia footage. The new material was seamlessly cut into the film by Lucas' editors, including then-wife Marcia Lucas
.
. The following events occurred in the cantina in A New Hope:
Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
, edited by Kevin J. Anderson
, explores the cantina and its clientele further. The book also explores the reasons for the cantina's ban on droids: the bartender Wuher claims to dislike everyone, but lashes out at droids because they are the only thing that will not try to fight back; the proprietor, a Wookiee
named SterReidum, does not tolerate droids because they do not drink, and therefore occupy valuable space.
Apparently, patrons are not allowed to use blasters inside the premises; this is apparently largely ignored, as Solo, Greedo, and Ponda Baba all carried blasters.
' jazz
instrumentals, featured on the soundtrack album as "Cantina Band" and "Cantina Band #2". The score reflects Williams' interest in jazz from the 1950s; the composer later cited his intention to invoke kind of a "1940s feel" for the scene, sounding "both alien and yet familiar at the same time."
Drinking-dining establishments were featured twice in the prequel Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The cantina scene is referenced in the movie Team America: World Police
where the protagonists are at a bar in Cairo
, Egypt
. The music played in this scene is a blend of stereotypically Middle East
ern music and the music played during the original cantina scene in A New Hope.
Kevin Smith
, well known for Star Wars references in his films, refers to the cantina in the movie Dogma
. When Jay and Silent Bob discuss joining forces with Bethany, Jay chimes in: "I feel like I'm Han Solo, and you're Chewie, and she's Ben Kenobi, and we're in that fucked up bar!"
The Country Teasers
' 2006 album The Empire Strikes Back
features a song titled "Mos Eisley
". The opening lyrics satire those critical of the growing multiculturalism in Europe: "The world is much more like Star Wars than it used to be. But the world is no more like Star Wars than it should be. There is nothing wrong with a world a bit like Star Wars. I like Star Wars. London is a lot like Mos Eisley. It's a lot more like Mos Eisley than it used to be. For instance, in the fifties and the seventies, it was like the Death Star
."
The indie rock band Silver Jews
has an instrumental song named after the scene on their first EP The Arizona Record.
The rock band Eisley
was originally named Moss Eisley, but ultimately shortened their name in order to avoid any possible litigation.
In 1998, the "Cantina Band" music was used as background music for a sketch on the Alvin and the Chipmunks
album The A-Files: Alien Songs
.
The band Blink-182
references the cantina in their song "A New Hope", with the lyrics "But when you were available, I was drinking Colt 45s with Lando. I was hanging out in the cantina on Mos Eisley".
Barney Stinson, from the show How I Met Your Mother
, said that he was "one drink away from the cantina scene from Star Wars" while he was looking for girls in the bar.
The band Mr Bungle has included the music of John Williams
in their live shows. With a medley of "Cantina Band", "Imperial March" and "Main Theme".
The band Brave Combo
includes a bar of the cantina music in their polka rendition of the William Tell Overture
, on their album "Box of Ghosts".
Musician Voltaire
makes many humorous references to characters of the Star Wars
series on his song "Cantina".
The 2011 science fiction comedy film Paul
features a scene in which the main characters walk into an American bar and the band is playing the "Cantina Band" song.
, made a parody song of Barry Manilow's
"Copacabana
", called "Star Wars Cantina," released in 1996. Davis used the melody of that song; his lyrics are a rough outline of Star Wars
Episodes 4 through 6. The song received significant radio airplay, along with "Weird Al" Yankovic
's song "Yoda
", in the run-up to the 1997 release of the Star Wars Special Edition VHS box set and the 1999 release of The Phantom Menace. "Star Wars Cantina" is often erroneously attributed to Yankovic. The song was not released on CD due to copyright complications.
The musician Voltaire also did a parody on his album Ooky Spooky.
Cantina
Cantina is a word that can refer to various places and establishments. It is similar in etymology to "canteen", and is derived from the Italian word for a cellar, winery, or vault.Cantinas are found in many towns of Italy...
) of 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...
universe located in the "pirate city" of Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley is a setting in the fictional Star Wars universe. It is introduced as a spaceport town on the planet Tatooine. In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi describes Mos Eisley as a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." It is the home of the Mos Eisley Cantina and Figrin D'an...
on the planet Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
. It is the haunt of freight pilots and other dangerous characters of various alien races and contains booths, a bar counter, and some free-standing tables, and sometimes a band of musicians named Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes
Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes
Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes is a fictional band from George Lucas's science fiction saga Star Wars. The group first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and were depicted as bald aliens with dome-shaped heads and round, black eyes, a race called Biths. They are seen in the...
.
The establishment is extremely rough in nature; but the clientele and the management give incidents of deadly violence no more than a moment's attention. Droids are not allowed inside; a droid detector near the front door alerts the management of any entering droid.
The exterior scene was initially filmed in 1976 at the little town of Ajim
Ajim
Ajim is a commune and port located on the Island of Djerba off the west coast of Tunisia. It is Djerba's main fishing port and the closest city to the African continent. It had a population of 24,166 at the 2004 census. The city and surrounding areas were used as a filming location for Star Wars...
, which is a fishing port on the Isle of Djerba, Tunisia in North Africa. The film crew added some false frontage to the structure, giving it a more dramatic appearance. The building has seen no refurbishment since 1976. The interior set was constructed and filmed on Stage 6, Elstree Studios
Elstree Studios
"Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, since film production begun in 1927.-Name:...
in London. In early 1977, Lucas added several alien close-ups at Hollywood Center Studios, because he was dissatisfied with both the make-up and the limited coverage he had from the Tunisia footage. The new material was seamlessly cut into the film by Lucas' editors, including then-wife Marcia Lucas
Marcia Lucas
Marcia Lucas is an American film editor.In 1974, Lucas and Verna Fields were nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing for their work on American Graffiti...
.
A New Hope
The cantina is first introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New HopeStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
. The following events occurred in the cantina in A New Hope:
- An Aqualish named Ponda Baba attempts to pick a fight with Luke SkywalkerLuke SkywalkerLuke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
, only to have Obi-Wan KenobiObi-Wan KenobiObi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
slice off his arm with his lightsaberLightsaberA lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
. - Luke and Kenobi first meet Han SoloHan SoloHan Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
and ChewbaccaChewbaccaChewbacca, also known as Chewie, is a character in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed by Peter Mayhew. In the series' narrative chronology, he appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, hiring them to transport them off Tatooine to Alderaan. - Solo and bounty hunter Greedo have a controversialHan shot first"Han shot first" is a phrase used by Star Wars fans to refer to a controversial change made to a scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. In the scene, Han Solo meets the bounty hunter Greedo at the Mos Eisley Cantina...
blaster face-off at one of the tables.
Tales from Mos Eisley Cantina
The anthology of intertwined short storiesShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
Tales From the Mos Eisley Cantina
Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina is an anthology of short stories set in the fictional Star Wars universe. The book is edited by Kevin J. Anderson.- Contents :- External links :**...
, edited by Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...
, explores the cantina and its clientele further. The book also explores the reasons for the cantina's ban on droids: the bartender Wuher claims to dislike everyone, but lashes out at droids because they are the only thing that will not try to fight back; the proprietor, a Wookiee
Wookiee
Wookiees are a species of bipeds in the Star Wars universe. The most notable Wookiee is Chewbacca, a companion to Han Solo.-Inspiration:...
named SterReidum, does not tolerate droids because they do not drink, and therefore occupy valuable space.
Apparently, patrons are not allowed to use blasters inside the premises; this is apparently largely ignored, as Solo, Greedo, and Ponda Baba all carried blasters.
In popular culture
The Cantina segment was enhanced by composer John WilliamsJohn Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
' jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
instrumentals, featured on the soundtrack album as "Cantina Band" and "Cantina Band #2". The score reflects Williams' interest in jazz from the 1950s; the composer later cited his intention to invoke kind of a "1940s feel" for the scene, sounding "both alien and yet familiar at the same time."
Drinking-dining establishments were featured twice in the prequel Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The cantina scene is referenced in the movie Team America: World Police
Team America: World Police
Team America: World Police, often referred to as simply Team America, is a 2004 action comedy film written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Pam Brady and directed by Parker, all of whom are also known for the popular animated television series South Park...
where the protagonists are at a bar in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The music played in this scene is a blend of stereotypically Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern music and the music played during the original cantina scene in A New Hope.
Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
, well known for Star Wars references in his films, refers to the cantina in the movie Dogma
Dogma (film)
Dogma is a 1999 American adventure fantasy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, George Carlin, Janeane Garofalo,...
. When Jay and Silent Bob discuss joining forces with Bethany, Jay chimes in: "I feel like I'm Han Solo, and you're Chewie, and she's Ben Kenobi, and we're in that fucked up bar!"
The Country Teasers
Country Teasers
Country Teasers is a Scottish art punk band formed in 1993.Early Country Teasers albums were characterised by illiterate, scathingly satirical lyrics and discordant, repetitive sound – like William S...
' 2006 album The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back (album)
-Side one:#"Spiderman in the Flesh" – 4:09#"Points of View" – 5:06#"Hitlers & Churchills" – 3:09#"Mos E17ley" – 4:43#"The Ship" – 4:15#"Raglan Top of Lonsdale Grey" – 5:26-Side two:#"Good Looking Boys or Women" – 3:23...
features a song titled "Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley is a setting in the fictional Star Wars universe. It is introduced as a spaceport town on the planet Tatooine. In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi describes Mos Eisley as a "wretched hive of scum and villainy." It is the home of the Mos Eisley Cantina and Figrin D'an...
". The opening lyrics satire those critical of the growing multiculturalism in Europe: "The world is much more like Star Wars than it used to be. But the world is no more like Star Wars than it should be. There is nothing wrong with a world a bit like Star Wars. I like Star Wars. London is a lot like Mos Eisley. It's a lot more like Mos Eisley than it used to be. For instance, in the fifties and the seventies, it was like the Death Star
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. It is capable of destroying a planet with a single destructive super charged energy beam.-Origin and design:...
."
The indie rock band Silver Jews
Silver Jews
Silver Jews was an indie rock band from New York City, formed in 1989 by David Berman along with Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich. Berman remained throughout and was the only constant member. During the last few albums, Cassie Berman became a regular member of the band...
has an instrumental song named after the scene on their first EP The Arizona Record.
The rock band Eisley
Eisley
Eisley is a rock band from Tyler, Texas, consisting of four siblings and their cousin , all of whom were born and live in Texas. Although the band's name translates to ice island in several Germanic languages, it was actually selected by the bandmates because of its link to the Star Wars saga...
was originally named Moss Eisley, but ultimately shortened their name in order to avoid any possible litigation.
In 1998, the "Cantina Band" music was used as background music for a sketch on the Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
album The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs
The A-Files: Alien Songs is a 1998 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. The album's concept parodied the 1993–2002 FOX series The X-Files.-Track listing:# "Purple People Eater" – 3:35# "Men in Black Movie Theme" – 3:46...
.
The band Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
references the cantina in their song "A New Hope", with the lyrics "But when you were available, I was drinking Colt 45s with Lando. I was hanging out in the cantina on Mos Eisley".
Barney Stinson, from the show How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, said that he was "one drink away from the cantina scene from Star Wars" while he was looking for girls in the bar.
The band Mr Bungle has included the music of John Williams
John Williams
John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T...
in their live shows. With a medley of "Cantina Band", "Imperial March" and "Main Theme".
The band Brave Combo
Brave Combo
Brave Combo is a polka/rock band based in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1979 by guitarist/keyboardist/accordionist Carl Finch, they have been a prominent fixture in the Texas music scene for more than twenty-five years...
includes a bar of the cantina music in their polka rendition of the William Tell Overture
William Tell Overture
The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, after which he went into semi-retirement, although he continued to compose cantatas, sacred music and secular vocal...
, on their album "Box of Ghosts".
Musician Voltaire
Voltaire (musician)
Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
makes many humorous references to characters of 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...
series on his song "Cantina".
The 2011 science fiction comedy film Paul
Paul (film)
Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
features a scene in which the main characters walk into an American bar and the band is playing the "Cantina Band" song.
Parody song
Mark Jonathan Davis, later of Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineRichard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine
Mark Jonathan Davis , known by his stage name Richard Cheese, is an American musician and comedian. He was born in New York...
, made a parody song of Barry Manilow's
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
"Copacabana
Copacabana (song)
"Copacabana", also known as "Copacabana ", is a 1978 song which was sung by Barry Manilow and written by Jack Feldman, Barry Manilow, and Bruce Sussman.-Song information:...
", called "Star Wars Cantina," released in 1996. Davis used the melody of that song; his lyrics are a rough outline of 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...
Episodes 4 through 6. The song received significant radio airplay, along with "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
's song "Yoda
Yoda (song)
"Yoda" is a song by "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the song "Lola" by The Kinks. Written and inspired by the events of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the song is told from the point of view of Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker, and concerns his dealings with Jedi Master Yoda on...
", in the run-up to the 1997 release of the Star Wars Special Edition VHS box set and the 1999 release of The Phantom Menace. "Star Wars Cantina" is often erroneously attributed to Yankovic. The song was not released on CD due to copyright complications.
The musician Voltaire also did a parody on his album Ooky Spooky.
See also
- Han shot firstHan shot first"Han shot first" is a phrase used by Star Wars fans to refer to a controversial change made to a scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. In the scene, Han Solo meets the bounty hunter Greedo at the Mos Eisley Cantina...
- AjimAjimAjim is a commune and port located on the Island of Djerba off the west coast of Tunisia. It is Djerba's main fishing port and the closest city to the African continent. It had a population of 24,166 at the 2004 census. The city and surrounding areas were used as a filming location for Star Wars...
, city where the cantina was filmed - Star Wars The Old Republic MMO, In the Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine using the Jukebox and selecting the song 'Mad About Me' plays the Cantina Band Music.