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Return of the Jedi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the film. For other uses, seeReturn of the Jedi (disambiguation).
"The Battle for Endor" redirects here. For the television film, seeEwoks: The Battle for Endor.

Return of the Jedi
. This poster shows a montage of characters from the movie. In the background, Darth Vader stands tall and dark in front of a reconstructed Death Star; before him stands Luke Skywalker wielding a lightsaber, Han Solo aiming a blaster, and Princess Leia wearing a slave outfit. To the right are an Ewok and Lando Calrissian, while miscellaneous villains fill out the left.
Theatrical release poster by Kazuhiko Sano
Directed byRichard Marquand
Screenplay by
Story byGeorge Lucas
Produced byHoward Kazan gian
Starring
CinematographyAlan Hume
Edited by
Music byJohn Williams
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century-Fox
Release date
  • May 25, 1983(1983-05-25)
Running time
132 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$32.5–42.7 million[2][3]
Box office$482 million[4][5]

Return of the Jedi(also known asStar Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi)is a 1983 Americanepicspace operafilm that is a sequel toStar Wars(1977)[a]andThe Empire Strikes Back(1980). It is the third installment in theoriginalStar Warstrilogyand the sixth chronological film in the "Skywalker Saga".It is directed byRichard Marquandbased on a screenplay byLawrence KasdanandGeorge Lucasfrom a story by Lucas, who was also the executive producer. The film follows the ongoing struggle between the malevolentGalactic Empireand the freedom fighters of theRebel Alliance.As the Rebels attempt to destroy the Empire'ssecond Death Star,Luke Skywalkertries to bring his father,Darth Vader,back from the dark side ofthe Force.The film starsMark Hamill,Harrison Ford,Carrie Fisher,Billy Dee Williams,Anthony Daniels,David Prowse,Kenny Baker,Peter MayhewandFrank Oz.

Steven Spielberg,David LynchandDavid Cronenbergwere considered to direct the film before Marquand signed on as director. The production team relied on Lucas's storyboards during pre-production. While writing the shooting script, Lucas, Kasdan, Marquand, and producerHoward Kazan gianspent two weeks in conference discussing ideas to construct it. Kazan gian 's schedule pushed shooting to begin a few weeks early to allowIndustrial Light & Magicmore time to work on the film's effects in post-production. Filming took place in England, California, and Arizona from January to May 1982(1982-05).

The film was released in theaters on May 25, 1983. It grossed $374 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run, becoming thehighest-grossing film of 1983.The film was well received by critics, with strong praise going to the performances of the actors, John Williams's score, the special effects and the action sequences. Despite overall positive reviews, Return of the Jedi is often cited as the weakest entry in the original trilogy. Several re-releases andrevisionsto the film have followed over the decades, which have brought its total gross to $482 million. The United StatesLibrary of Congressselected it for preservation in theNational Film Registryin 2021.

Plot

[edit]

A year afterHan Solo's capture and imprisonment in carbonite,[b]C-3POandR2-D2enter the palace of the crime lordJabba the HuttonTatooine.They were sent as a goodwill gift by Luke Skywalker, who hopes to negotiate with Jabba for Han's release. Disguised as abounty hunter,Princess Leiainfiltrates the palace under the pretense of having capturedChewbacca.She releases Han from the carbonite, but is caught by Jabba and enslaved. Luke arrives to bargain for the release of his friends, but Jabba drops him through a trapdoor to be eaten by arancor.After Luke kills the beast, Jabba decrees that he, Han, and Chewbacca will be fed to aSarlacc,[7][8]a deadly ground-dwelling creature. Luke retrieves his newlightsaberfromR2-D2,and the group of friends battle Jabba's thugs aboard his sail barge. During the chaos,Boba Fettfalls into the Sarlacc's pit and Leia strangles Jabba to death with her chains. The group escapes as Jabba’s sail barge is destroyed.

As the others rendezvous with the Rebel Alliance, Luke returns toDagobahto complete hisJeditraining withYoda,who is dying when he arrives. Before Yoda dies, he confirms that Darth Vader is Luke's father, the former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. He also informs Luke that there is another Skywalker. Soon after,Obi-Wan Kenobi'sForce spirittells Luke that Leia is his twin sister, and that he must face Vader again to finish his training and defeat the Empire.

The Alliance learns that the Empire has been constructing a second Death Star under the supervision ofthe Emperor.The station is protected by an energy shield on the forest moon ofEndor.To destroy its generator, Han leads a strike team which includes Luke, Leia and Chewbacca. Once on the moon, the team gains the trust of a tribe ofEwoksafter an initial conflict. Later, Luke tells Leia that she is his sister, and that Vader is their father. Luke surrenders to Imperial troops and is brought before Vader, but fails to convince him to reject the dark side of the Force.

Luke is brought to the Emperor, who intends to turn him to the dark side. He also reveals that Luke's friends on Endor and the Rebel fleet are heading into a trap. On the forest moon, Han's team is captured by Imperial forces, but a counterattack by the Ewoks allows the Rebels to infiltrate the shield generator. Meanwhile,Lando CalrissianandAdmiral Ackbarlead the Rebel assault on the Death Star, finding its shield still active and the Imperial fleet waiting for them.

The Emperor reveals to Luke that the Death Star is fully operational and orders the firing of its massive laser, which destroys a Rebel starship. He invites Luke to give in to his anger and embrace the dark side of the Force. Luke attacks him, but Vader intervenes and the two engage in a lightsaber duel. Vader senses that Luke has a sister and threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not join him. Enraged, Luke attacks Vader and severs hisprosthetichand. The Emperor orders Luke to kill his father, but Luke refuses. In response, the Emperor tortures Luke withForce lightning.Unwilling to let his son die, Vader throws the Emperor down a shaft to his demise. Vader is fatally wounded and asks Luke to remove his mask in a moment of reconciliation before he dies.

After the Rebel strike team destroys the shield generator, Lando leads fighter ships into the Death Star's core. While the Rebel fleet destroys the Imperial command ship, Lando andX-wingpilotWedgedestroy the Death Star's main reactor and escape before the station explodes. Luke brings his father's body to Endor and burns it on a pyre before reuniting with his friends. As the Rebels celebrate their victory, Luke notices the Force spirits ofObi-Wan,Yoda, and Anakin standing nearby.

Cast

[edit]
See also:List of Star Wars charactersandList of Star Wars cast members
A photograph of Mark Hamill
A photograph of Harrison Ford
A photograph of Carrie Fisher
Left to right:Mark Hamill(pictured in 2019),Harrison Ford(2017), andCarrie Fisher(2013)

The cast also includesMichael PenningtonasMoff Jerjerrod,Kenneth ColleyasAdmiral Piett,Michael CarterasBib Fortuna(voiced byErik Bauersfeld,who was uncredited),[30]Denis LawsonasWedge,Tim RoseasAdmiral Ackbar(also voiced by Bauersfeld, again uncredited),[30]Dermot Crowleyas General Madine,Caroline BlakistonasMon Mothma,Warwick DavisasWicket,Jeremy BullochasBoba Fett,Femi Tayloras Oola, Annie Arbogast as Sy Snootles,[d]Claire Davenportas Fat Dancer,Jack Purvisas Teebo,Mike Edmondsas Logray, Jane Busby as Chief Chirpa,Malcom Dixonand Mike Cottrell as Ewok Warriors, and Nicki Reade as Nicki. Additional Imperial officers are portrayed by Adam Bareham (Stardestroyer Controller #1), Jonathan Oliver (Stardestroyer Controller #2), Pip Miller (Stardestroyer Captain #1), andTom Mannion(Stardestroyer Captain #2).[32]

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

Following discussions betweenStar Warscreator George Lucas and producerHoward Kazan gian,a sequel toThe Empire Strikes Backwas swiftly put into production.[33]As with the previous film, Lucas personally financedReturn of the Jedi.Lucas also chose not to direct the film himself, and started searching for a director.[34]Irvin Kershner,who previously directedThe Empire Strikes Back,declined to direct after spending two years working on the previous film.[35]Although Lucas's first choice wasSteven Spielberg,their separate feuds with theDirector's Guildled to him being banned from directing the film.[36]Lucas approachedDavid Lynch,who had recently been nominated for theAcademy Award for Best DirectorforThe Elephant Manin 1980, to helmReturn of the Jedi,but Lynch declined, saying that he had "next door to zero interest".[37][38]

A photograph of George Lucas
George Lucas (pictured in 1986)

Lucas also offeredDavid Cronenbergthe chance to direct, but he declined the offer as he did not want to work on material written by others.[39][40]Lamont Johnson,director ofThe Last American Hero(1973), was also considered.[41]Lucas eventually choseRichard Marquand.Lucas operated the second camera on set a few times.[e]Lucas has admitted to being on the set frequently because of Marquand's relative inexperience with special effects.[34]Lucas praised Marquand as a "very nice person who worked well with actors".[43]Marquand did note that Lucas kept a conspicuous presence on set, joking, "It is rather like trying to directKing Lear– withShakespearein the next room! "[44]

The screenplay was written byLawrence Kasdanand Lucas (with uncredited contributions byDavid Peoplesand Marquand), based on Lucas's story. Kasdan claims he told Lucas thatReturn of the Jediwas "a weak title".[34]Kazan gian said the same, and the title was changed toRevenge of the Jedione or two days later.[45][46]The screenplay itself was not finished until rather late inpre-production,well after aproduction scheduleand budget had been created by Kazan gian and Marquand had been hired, which was unusual for a film. Instead, theproduction teamrelied on Lucas's story and rough draft in order to commence work with the art department. When it came time to formally write ashooting script,Lucas, Kasdan, Marquand and Kazan gian spent two weeks in conference discussing ideas; Kasdan used tape transcripts of these meetings to then construct the script.[47]

The question of whether Ford would return for the final film arose during pre-production. Unlike Hamill and Fisher, Ford had not contracted to do two sequels, andRaiders of the Lost Arkhad made him an even bigger star. Kazan gian said that Han was frozen in carbonite inEmpirebecause the filmmakers were unsure whether the character would return. He also claimed that Lucas did not expect Ford to return, and that Han was initially not in the script. However, Kazan gian —who also producedRaiders of the Lost Ark—convinced Ford to return.[48]

Ford felt that Han should die through self-sacrifice in the third film.[49]Kasdan agreed, and said it should occur near the beginning of thethird act,to make the audience wonder whether the other protagonists will survive.[34]Gary Kurtz,who producedStar WarsandEmpirebut was replaced by Kazan gian forJedi,said that Han died in an early version of the script. Kurtz has suggested that one reason Lucas may have rejected the idea of Han dying was that it would not be good for merchandising.[50]Kurtz also has claimed that an early script ended with the Rebel forces in tatters, Leia grappling with her new duties as queen, and Luke walking off alone "likeClint Eastwoodin thespaghetti Westerns".[51]

Yoda was originally not meant to appear in the film, but Marquand strongly felt that returning to Dagobah was essential to resolve the dilemma raised by the previous film.[47]The inclusion led Lucas to insert a scene in which Yoda confirms that Darth Vader is Luke's father because, after a discussion with a children's psychologist, he did not want younger moviegoers to dismiss Vader's claim as a lie.[43]Many ideas from the original script were left out or changed. For instance, the Ewoks were going to be Wookiees[52]and theMillennium Falconwas going to land on Endor. Following the defeat of the Emperor, the film was originally intended to end with Obi-Wan and Yoda returning to life from their spectral existence in the Force, along with Anakin Skywalker, thanks to Yoda being able to prevent him from becoming one with the Force. They would then join the rest of the characters in their celebration on Endor.[53]

Casting

[edit]
A photograph of Ian McDiarmid
A photograph of Warwick Davis
New cast members include Ian McDiarmid (left, pictured in 2020) as the Emperor, and Warwick Davis (in 2023) as Wicket the Ewok.

Alan Webbwas originally cast as the Emperor, but dropped out due to illness.[54]Lindsay Andersonwas offered the role, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts.Ben KingsleyandDavid Suchetwere also considered.[55][56]Alan Rickmanauditioned for the role of Moff Jerjerrod, but Michael Pennington was cast instead.[56]Marquand initially wanted a famous actor such asLaurence OlivierorJohn Gielgudto play the unmasked Vader, but Lucas was concerned that such an actor would be distracting for audiences.[57]Kenny Baker was originally cast as Wicket the Ewok, but he fell ill with food poisoning on the day of the shoot. He was replaced by Warwick Davis, who had no film acting experience.[34]

Filming

[edit]

Filming began on January 11, 1982, and lasted through May 20, 1982, a schedule six weeks shorter thanEmpire.Kazan gian 's schedule pushed shooting as early as possible in order to giveIndustrial Light & Magic(ILM) as much time as possible to work on effects, and left some crew members dubious of their ability to be fully prepared for the shoot.[58]Working on a budget of $32.5 million,[59]Lucas was determined to avoid going over budget as had happened withEmpire.Kazan gian estimated that using ILM (owned wholly by Lucasfilm) for special effects saved the production approximately $18 million.[59]However, the fact that Lucasfilm was a non-union company made acquiring shooting locations more difficult and more expensive, even thoughStar WarsandEmpirehad been big hits.[34]The project was given the working titleBlue Harvestwith a tagline of "Horror Beyond Imagination." This disguised what the production crew was really filming from fans and the press, and also preventedprice gougingby service providers.[34]

The first stage of production started with 78 days atElstree Studiosin England,[58]where the film occupied all nine stages. The shoot commenced with a scene later deleted from the finished film where the heroes get caught in a sandstorm as they leave Tatooine.[44](This was the only major sequence cut from the film during editing.)[47]For the rancor, Lucas wanted to use astunt performer in a suitin the style of theTohoGodzillafilms. The production team made several attempts, but were unable to create an adequate result. Lucas eventually relented and decided to film the rancor as a high-speed puppet.[34]

In April, the crew moved to Arizona'sYuma Desertfor two weeks of Tatooine exteriors.[44]Production then moved to the redwood forests of northern California.[60]Forested private land nearSmith Riverand at the Chetham Grove section ofGrizzly Creek Redwoods State Park[61]were used for the forests of Endor. The crew spent two weeks shooting the Endor forest exteriors, and then concluded at ILM inSan Rafael,California, for about ten days ofbluescreenshots. One of two "skeletal" post-production units shooting background matte plates spent a day inDeath Valley.[58]The other was a specialSteadicamunit shooting forest backgrounds from June 15 to June 17, 1982, for the speeder chase near the middle of the film.[62]Steadicam inventorGarrett Brownpersonally filmed these shots at less than oneframe per second.By walking at about 5 mph (8 km/h) and projecting the footage at 24 frame/s, the motion seen in the film appeared as if it were moving at around 120 mph (190 km/h).[34]Vader's funeral was filmed atSkywalker Ranch.

Marquand and Anthony Daniels clashed somewhat, leading to the latter recording hisADR(dialogue overdubs) with Lucas instead.[63]Carrie Fisher disliked working with Marquand, too; he often yelled at her, and on one occasion, this caused her to burst into tears, which ruined her makeup and required an hour-long redo.[64]

Post-production

[edit]

Lucasfilm encountered problems when it tested the film in a commercial theater. Lucas and his employees could not hear many of the sound effects they had mixed. To make matters worse, the background noise in the theater muffled the majority of the film's sound, which played through the theater's normal commercial sound system. Many theaters at the time had poor room acoustics with mono sound. Lucas would solve the problem by creating a new cinema audio company,THX,and ensuring that all theaters playing his movies would use the new system.[65]

Meanwhile, special effects work at ILM quickly stretched the company to its operational limits. While the R&D work and experience gained from the previous two films in the trilogy allowed for increased efficiency, this was offset by the desire to have the closing film raise the bar set by each of these films.[59]A compounding factor was the intention of several departments of ILM to either take on other film work or decrease staff during slow cycles. Instead, as soon as production began, the entire company found it necessary to remain running 20 hours a day on six-day weeks in order to meet their goals by April 1, 1983. Of about 900 special effects shots,[58]allVistaVisionoptical effectsremained in-house, since ILM was the only company capable of using the format, while about 4004-perfopticals were subcontracted to outside effects houses.[66]Progress on the opticals was severely delayed for a time when ILM rejected about 30,000 metres (100,000 ft) of film when thefilm perforationsfailed image registration and steadiness tests.[58]

Music

[edit]
Main article:Return of the Jedi (soundtrack)

John Williamscomposed the film's musical score and performed it with theLondon Symphony Orchestra.Orchestration credits also includeThomas Newman.[67]The initial release of the film's soundtrack was on theRSO Recordslabel in the United States.Sony Classical Recordsacquired the rights to the classic trilogy scores in 2004 after gaining the rights to release the second trilogy soundtracks (The Phantom MenaceandAttack of the Clones). In the same year, Sony Classical re-pressed the 1997 RCA Victor release ofReturn of the Jedialong with the other two films in the trilogy. The set was released with the new artwork mirroring the first DVD release of the film. Despite the Sony digital re-mastering, which minimally improved the sound heard only on high-end stereos, this 2004 release is essentially the same as the 1997 RCA Victor release.[68]

Release

[edit]
Revenge of the Jediteaser poster

Return of the Jediwas released on May 25, 1983. It was originally slated to open on May 27, but was subsequently changed to coincide with the date of the 1977 release of the originalStar Warsfilm.[59]With a massive worldwide marketing campaign, illustrator Tim Reamer created the image for the movie poster and other advertising. At the time of its release, the film was advertised on posters and merchandise as simplyStar Wars: Return of the Jedi,despite its on-screen "Episode VI" distinction. The film was re-released in 1985.[69][70]

Title change

[edit]

The originalteaser trailerfor the film carried the nameRevenge of the Jedi.[71]In December 1982, Lucas decided that "Revenge" was not appropriate as a 'true Jedi should never seek revenge' and returned to his original title. By that time thousands of "Revenge" teaser posters (with artwork byDrew Struzan) had been printed and distributed. Lucasfilm stopped the shipping of the posters and sold the remaining stock of 6,800 posters toStar Warsfan club members for $9.50.[72]In 2005,Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,released as part of the prequel trilogy, alluded to the dismissed titleRevenge of the Jedi.[73]

Box office

[edit]
Return of the Jedishowing at the University Theatre in Toronto; the marquee reads, "The Smash of 83".

Return of the Jedigrossed $314.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $166 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $480 million, against a production budget of about $32.5 million.[4][5]

The film made $23 million from 1,002 theaters in its opening weekend and grossed a record $45.3 million in its opening week.[74]It set a new domestic opening weekend record, surpassing the $14 million opening ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.[75]Its $22,973 per theatre average would stand as a record for a nationwide release on an inflation-adjusted basis for 36 years until it was surpassed byAvengers: Endgamein 2019.[76]It finished first at the box office for six of its first seven weeks of release, only coming in second once behindSuperman IIIin its fourth weekend.[5]Box Office Mojoestimates that the film sold over 80 million tickets in the US in its initial theatrical run.[77]When it was re-released in 1985, it made $11.2 million,[78]which totaled its initial theatrical gross to $385.8 million worldwide.[78]During its re-release in 1997, the film grossed $16.29 million in its opening weekend.[79]When it was re-released in 2023, for its 40th anniversary, the film grossed $5.1 million to place #4 in the weekend box office.[80]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Film criticRoger Ebertgave the film four out of four stars, calling it "a complete entertainment, a feast for the eyes and a delight for the fancy. It's a little amazing how Lucas and his associates keep topping themselves."[81]Gene Siskelof theChicago Tribunealso gave the film four stars out of four and wrote, "From the moment that the familiarStar Warsintroductory words begin to crawl up the screen,Return of the Jediis a childlike delight. It's the best video game around. And for the professional moviegoers, it is particularly enjoyable to watch every facet of filmmaking at its best. "[82]

James Harwood ofVarietycalled the film "a visual treat throughout," but thought that "Hamill is not enough of a dramatic actor to carry the plot load here" and Harrison Ford "is present more in body than in spirit this time, given little to do but react to special effects. And it can't be said that either Carrie Fisher or Billy Dee Williams rise to previous efforts. But Lucas and director Richard Marquand have overwhelmed these performer flaws with a truly amazing array of creatures, old and new, plus the familiar space hardware."[83]Sheila Bensonof theLos Angeles Timeswrote that the film "is fully satisfying, it gives honest value to all the hopes of its believers. With this last of the centralStar Warscycle, there is the sense of the closing of a circle, of leaving behind real friends. It is accomplished with a weight and a new maturity that seem entirely fitting, yet the movie has lost none of its sense of fun; it bursts with new inventiveness. "[84]

Gary Arnold ofThe Washington Postsaid, "Return of the Jedi,a feat of mass enchantment, puts the happy finishing touches on George Lucas'sStar Warssaga. It was worth the wait, and the work is now an imposing landmark in contemporary popular culture—a three-part, 6¼-hour science-fiction epic of unabashed heroic proclivities. "[85]The film was also featured on the May 23, 1983,Timemagazine cover issue (where it was labeled "Star Wars III" ),[86]where the reviewer Gerald Clarke said that while it was not as exciting as the firstStar Warsfilm, it was "better and more satisfying" thanThe Empire Strikes Back,now considered by many as the best of the original trilogy.[87]

Vincent CanbyofThe New York TimescalledReturn of the Jedi"by far the dimmest adventure of the lot"[88]and stated, "The joys of watching space battles as envisioned by wizards in studios and laboratories are not inexhaustible."[89]Pauline KaelofThe New Yorkerstated, "Some of the trick effects might seem miraculous if the imagery had any lustre, butReturn of the Jediis an impersonal and rather junky piece of moviemaking. "[90]

Christopher John reviewedThe Return of the JediinAresmagazine #15 and commented that "Star Warsmay not be dead, butReturn of the Jediis a failure, and is a cheap and tarnished crown for the series which shook the world of film when it started out... a long time ago, in that galaxy far, far away. "[91]

Colin GreenlandreviewedReturn of the JediforImaginemagazine, and stated that "You would think a series likeStar Wars,fuelled by public adoration, coasting along on the hyperdrive of its own hyperboles, would get inexorably worse. It is not. It is getting better. "[92]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Organization Award Result
Academy Awards [93] Best Art Direction Norman Reynolds,Fred Hole,James L. SchoppeandMichael D. Ford Nominated
Best Original Score John Williams Nominated
Best Sound Effects Editing Ben Burtt Nominated
Best Sound Ben Burtt,Gary Summers,Randy ThomandTony Dawe Nominated
Special Achievement Academy Awardfor Visual Effects Richard Edlund,Dennis Muren,Ken RalstonandPhil Tippett Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Makeup and Hair Phil Tippett andStuart Freeborn Nominated
Best Production Design Norman Reynolds Nominated
Best Sound Ben Burtt, Gary Summers and Tony Dawe Nominated
Best Special Visual Effects Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston andKit West Won
Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special John Williams Nominated
Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Richard Marquand, Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas Won
Saturn Awards Best Science Fiction Film Howard Kazan gian Won
Best Director Richard Marquand Nominated
Best Actor Mark Hamill Won
Best Actress Carrie Fisher Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Billy Dee Williams Nominated
Best Writing Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas Nominated
Best Costume Design Aggie Guerard RodgersandNilo Rodis-Jamero Won
Best Make-up Phil Tippett and Stuart Freeborn Won
Best Music John Williams Nominated
Best Special Effects Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren and Ken Ralston Won

In 2021, the film was selected for preservation in the United StatesNational Film Registryby theLibrary of Congressfor being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[94][95]

Post-release

[edit]

Re-releases

[edit]

In 1997, for the 20th anniversary of the release ofStar Wars(re-titledEpisode IV: A New Hope), Lucas released theStar Wars Trilogy: Special Edition.Along with the two other films in the original trilogy,Return of the Jediwas rereleased on March 14, 1997 (moved up one week from its original announced release date of March 7 due to the box office success ofThe Empire Strikes Backthe month prior), with a number ofchanges and additions,including the insertion of several alien band members and a different song in Jabba's throne room, the modification of the sarlacc to include a beak, the replacement of music at the closing scene, and a montage of different alien worlds celebrating the fall of the Empire.[96]The runtime of the 1997 Special Edition of the film and all subsequent releases is approximately five minutes longer than the original theatrical version.

The film was re-released theatrically by20th Century Studioson April 28, 2023, to commemorate the film's 40th anniversary.[97][98]

Home media

[edit]

The 1997 theatrical release poster of theSpecial Editionversion of the film (art byDrew Struzan)

The original theatrical version ofReturn of the Jediwas released onVHSandLaserdiscseveral times between 1986 and 1995,[99]followed by releases of the Special Edition in the same formats between 1997 and 2000. Some of these releases contained featurettes; some were individual releases of just this film, while others were boxed sets of all three original films.

On September 21, 2004, the originalStar Warstrilogy was released in a boxset onDVDwith digital restoration and additional alterations made by Lucas.[100][f] In this version ofReturn of the Jedi,Sebastian Shaw's portrayal of Anakin's spirit is replaced byHayden Christensen,who portrayed Anakin inAttack of the ClonesandRevenge of the Sith.[101]All three films of the trilogy were released individually on Limited Edition DVDs on September 12, 2006, with the original unaltered versions included as bonus features.[100]These were collected in a box set on November 4, 2008.[102]

ABlu-rayDisc version of the six-filmStar Warssaga was released by20th Century Fox Home Entertainmentin September 2011,[103]which incorporated more small changes toReturn of the Jedi,including making the Ewoks blink and having Vader yell "No!" as he throws the Emperor down the Death Star shaft; the latter change drew sharp negative criticism.[104][105][103]Several deleted scenes from the film were included as special features, including a completed scene in which Vader communicates with Luke via the Force as Luke assembles his new lightsaber before infiltrating Jabba's palace,[106]a sandstorm sequence following the sarlacc pit rescue,[103]and a scene featuring Moff Jerjerrod and Death Star officers during the Battle of Endor.

On April 7, 2015,Walt Disney Studios,20th Century Fox, and Lucasfilm jointly announced thedigital releasesof the six releasedStar Warsfilms.Return of the Jediwas released through theiTunes Store,Amazon Video,Vudu,Google Play,andDisney Movies Anywhereon April 10, 2015.[107]

Walt Disney Studios Home EntertainmentreissuedReturn of the Jedion Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download on September 22, 2019.[108]Additionally, all six films were available for4KHDRandDolby Atmosstreaming onDisney+upon the service's launch on November 12, 2019.[109]This version of the film was released by Disney on4K Ultra HD Blu-raybox set on March 31, 2020.[110]

Legacy

[edit]

According to thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,83% of critics have given the film a positive review with an average rating of 7.30/10, based on 103 reviews from critics. The site's critics consensus reads: "Though failing to reach the cinematic heights of its predecessors,Return of the Jediremains an entertaining sci-fi adventure and a fitting end to the classic trilogy. "[111]AtMetacritic,the film has a weighted average score of 58 out of 100 based on 24 reviews from mainstream critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[112]

In his review of the1997 Special Edition re-release,the film critic James Kendrick calledReturn of the Jedithe weakest of the three original films, saying it depended "too much on the slick commercialism" of the franchise but that it was still "a magnificent experience in its own right".[113]James Berardinellidescribed it as the least enjoyable and least innovative film of the trilogy. He opined that the Special Edition was not saved by the alterations, but that it was nevertheless a "must-see" for fans as the conclusion of the trilogy.[114]

While the sarlacc battle sequence, the speeder bike chase, the space battle, and Luke's duel against Vader are all well-regarded, the battle between Ewoks andstormtroopersremains controversial.[citation needed]Fans are divided on the likelihood of Ewoks (being a primitive race of small creatures) defeating an armed ground force comprising the Empire's "best troops". Lucas has defended the scenario, saying that the Ewoks' purpose was to distract the Imperial troops and they did not really win.[115]His inspiration for the Ewoks' victory came from theVietnam War,where theViet Congprevailed against the technologically superiorUnited States.[116][117]

Marketing

[edit]

Novelization

[edit]
Main article:Return of the Jedi (novel)

The novelization ofReturn of the Jediwas written byJames Kahnand was released on May 12, 1983, thirteen days before the film's release.[118]

Radio drama

[edit]
Main article:Star Wars (radio)

A three-hour radio drama adaptation of the film was written byBrian Daleywith additional material contributed byJohn Whitmanand was produced for and broadcast onNational Public Radioin 1996 (over a decade after the radio adaptations of the first twoStar Warsfilms). It was based on characters and situations created by George Lucas and on the screenplay by Kasdan and Lucas. Anthony Daniels reprised his role from the film as C-3PO, but Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams (who lent their voices to the previous radio adaptations) were replaced by newcomer Joshua Fardon and character actorArye Gross,respectively. Bernard Behrens andBrock Petersreprised their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, respectively.John Lithgowvoiced Yoda, and veteran character actorEd Begley, Jr.played Boba Fett.Ed Asnervoiced Jabba the Hutt, speaking only in grunts.[119]

Comic book adaptation

[edit]

Marvel Comicspublished a comic book adaptation of the film by writerArchie Goodwinand artistsAl Williamson,Carlos Garzon,Tom Palmer,andRon Frenz.The adaptation appeared inMarvel Super Special#27[120]and as a four-issuelimited series.[121][122]It was later reprinted in a mass market paperback,[123]as well as collections of Marvel'sself-titledStar Warsseries.Marvel Super Special #27 was mistakenly released in April 1983, a month before the film itself, giving away spoilers to the film's plot. Hamill is a comic book fan and while he was in a comic book store, he discovered that the comic book was on sale there and alerted Lucasfilm. According toCarol Kalishwho was Marvel's direct sales manager at the time, Marvel quicklyrecalled the bookupon learning this mistake though it did not stop the premature revelation of the secrets of the film's plot. Kalish kept her job, as did everyone else in the Sales Department, as the incident was apparently considered a simple mistake.[124][125]

Book-and-record set

[edit]

Lucasfilm adapted the story for a children'sbook-and-record set.Released in 1983, the 24-pageStar Wars: Return of the Jediread-along book was accompanied by a 33⅓ rpm 18-centimetre (7 in)gramophone record.Each page of the book contained a croppedframefrom the film with an abridged and condensed version of the story. The record was produced byBuena Vista Records.[126]

Prequels and sequels

[edit]
Main articles:List of Star Wars films,Star Wars prequel trilogy,andStar Wars sequel trilogy

16 years after the release ofReturn of the Jedi,Lucas wrote and directed the prequel trilogy, consisting of the filmsThe Phantom Menace,Attack of the Clones,andRevenge of the Sith.The films chronicle the history between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, and the latter's fall to the darkside and transformation into Darth Vader. The prequel trilogy was financially successful, and polarized critics and fans on their release for the storylines and some new characters.[127][128][129][130][131]

After Lucas sold theStar Warsfranchise tothe Walt Disney Companyin 2012, Disney developed a sequel trilogy, consisting ofThe Force Awakens,The Last Jedi,andThe Rise of Skywalker.[132][133][134][135][136]Original trilogy cast members including Ford, Hamill, and Fisher reprised their roles, alongside new characters portrayed byDaisy Ridley,John Boyega,Adam Driver,andOscar Isaac.[137]Standalone filmsandtelevision serieshave also been released, exploring adventures set around the main trilogy arcs.[138][139][140]Most relevantly, the Disney+ streaming showsThe Book of Boba Fett,Ahsoka,The Mandalorianand the latter's upcoming spin-offs are set a few years afterReturn of the Jedi,bridging the time period between that film andThe Force Awakens.[141][142]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^Later titledStar Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
  2. ^Han's imprisonment is depicted inThe Empire Strikes Back(1980).Empiremagazine reports that one year elapses between the plot events of that film andReturn of the Jedi.[6]
  3. ^In the original version ofReturn of the Jedi,Shaw portrays both the unmasked Anakin and the character's Force spirit. In the 2004 re-release of the film,Hayden Christensenreplaces Shaw as the spirit.
  4. ^The character Sy Snootles is portrayed by a puppet, with Arbogast providing the voice. In the Special Edition version of the film, the puppet is replaced with a computer-generated Sy Snootles.[31]
  5. ^Lucas may have directed some of thesecond unitwork as the shooting threatened to go over schedule, a function he had willingly performed on previous occasions when he had only officially been producing a film (e.g.More American Graffiti,Raiders of the Lost Ark).[42][page needed]
  6. ^The DVD features Dolby Digital 5.1 EX surround sound and commentaries by George Lucas,Ben Burtt,Dennis Muren,and Carrie Fisher. The bonus disc included documentaries includingEmpire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogyand several featurettes including "The Characters of Star Wars", "The Birth of the Lightsaber", and "The Legacy of Star Wars". Also included were teasers, trailers, TV spots, still galleries, and a demo forStar Wars: Battlefront.

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Works cited

[edit]

Books

  • Arnold, Alan (1980).Once Upon a Galaxy: A Journal of Making the Empire Strikes Back.London: Sphere Books.ISBN978-0-345-29075-5.
  • Hidalgo, Pablo; Sansweet, Stephen (2008).The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia.Vol. III (First ed.). New York: Del Rey.ISBN9780345477637.
  • Rinzler, J.W. (2013).The Making of Return of the Jedi.New York: Del Rey.ISBN978-0-345-51146-1.

Further reading

[edit]

Return of the Jedi archive review: George Lucas quits on top.Sight & Sound.December 18, 2019.

[edit]
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