Something Cult, Foreign-Language or Indie #64: DOUBLE FEATURE: Elstree 1976 (2015) / I Am Your Father (2016).

Star Wars is today a culture and a phenomenon unto itself. The movies are modern Hollywood touchstones, the Expanded Universe now includes literally hundreds of novels, SW memes and references infuse pop culture and the Net, and its merchandise covers everything from bed linen to car products. And many documentaries have now explored its origins and legacy.

One, from 2015, is Jon Spira's Elstree 1976. Focusing on numerous supporting stars of Episode IV and their experiences filming at London's Elstree Studios in '76 (where George Lucas and Steven Spielberg would later film the first three Indiana Jones films), Spira offers an empathetic treatment of these people whose acting careers sadly didn't quite take off even as the movie smashed box office records everywhere. It also proves to be a very clearsighted exploration of the creative and filmmaking process, and the result is unexpectedly emotional.

Then there's Toni Bestard and Marcos Cabota's 2016 effort I Am Your Father, which looks at the man inside Darth Vader's suit, David Prowse, and his troubled relationship with Lucasfilm. After several accusations of spoiling its predecessors in interviews, for Vader's climactic unmasking scene in Episode VI, Lucasfilm cast Sebastian Shaw over him. Bestard and Cabota's film sees them aiming to track him down to help them right that wrong Along the way we effectively learn how poorly Lucasfilm has treated him over the years, but we're not spared some of Prowse's contributions to the feud either.

Obviously, both these docos will appeal most to the most hardcore Star Wars fans like me (I have full Darth Vader and Chewbacca costumes at home, just for starters), but I promise: even if you're just a casual fan (or maybe even a Star Wars virgin), they'll strike a chord with you. May the Force be with them both.