Now to Naboo

Villa del Balbianello

Location from Star Wars 'Attack of the Clones'

The Villa del Balbianello is obviously the highlight of your trip. It has guided tours, that are well worth your time. We spent over three hours there.

 

In September 2000, Lucasfilm spent four days at the Villa to conclude principal photography there of the Lake Retreat sequence.

 

The first thing that you'll notice, when approaching the Villa from the south, is that Lucasfilm changed the look somewhat. They digitally added the quintessential domes to give it the look of Naboo.

 

The lake retreat as seen in the movie, with the digitally added domes.

 

The Villa as it actually appears.

 

The Boat Dock

 

In the first, rather brief scene, the heroes arrive at the lake retreat in a little boat. The production crew had mounted their camera on the stone wall that surrounds the water. We were not allowed on that wall, so had to limit ourself to some shots from the villa.

 

 

The boat dock where the heroes arrive.

 

Same place in August 2009.

 

The steps leading up to the terrace and balcony.

 

The Terrace and Balcony

 

Next, Anakin and Padmé walk towards the balcony that overlooks the lake. Notice that the villages on the other side of the lake are digitally removed to give the retreat that remote look.

 

 

Top of the steps from the boat dock to the terrace.

 

 

Balcony overlooking the lake.

 

Wide shot from the movie, September 2000.

 

Same place in August 2009.

 

Then finally, the moment many fans have been waiting for. The kiss...




At least my girl didn't pull away...

In the final scene, when Anakin and Padmé get married in secret, they return to this balcony. The holy man that performs the wedding was actually a local dentist, who had the appropriate looks. I wonder how Mr Lucas came to that decision. Did he have a toothache during production, I wonder?




Again the village across the lake was digitally removed.

The Loggia

 

In a dramatic sequence, Anakin suffers a nightmare and gets up at dawn to meditate. When Padmé comes out, he claims 'Jedi don't have nightmares'. The conversation then turns to his mother on Tatooine and his need to go to her. These scenes were shot at the Loggia.

 

Since the Loggia is never seen in its full splendor in the movie, let's take a look at that building, before turning to the movieshots.

 

The Loggia with the three arches, used for this sequence.

 

 

Same place in August 2009.

 

 

Sofie didn't much care for the play act, but indulged me.

 

 

I'm clearly in a holiday mood. No Jedi business for me!

The Garden

 

The first deleted scene, in which Padmé discusses her relationship with Anakin to her sister and mother in the kitchen, there is a very brief shot of Anakin and Padmé's father in the garden, seen from the kitchen window.

 

 

This is the garden in August 2009.

 

Some movie magic was used for this shot, however, because there is no window in the Villa where this background can be seen from. Lucasfilm again constructed a platform in the garden to shoot it from higher ground.

 

This is the same garden, but not the same view.

 

Padmé's Room

 

The second deleted scenes is the sequence in Padmé's room. It begins with an external shot, again enhanced by digital technology.

 

 

Same place in August 2009.

 

Inside we see the senator and the Jedi talk about home and youth. The sequence slowed the movie down too much, according to George Lucas, and was therefor cut from the movie. It's well worth watching.

 

The location for this scene is the east room of the Loggia. A faux fireplace was installed and all the furniture was replaced. Must have been quite an operation.

 

 

The table was replaced with a bed for the movie.

 

 

A faux fireplace was installed au lieux of the book cabinet.

 

This scene too can be found in the deleted scenes section of the DVD.

 

And that concludes the locations at the Villa, but be sure to spend some time in the lovely garden before taking the water taxi back to Lenno.