Yeah! It’s been 40 years since 1983 and this enduring sci-fi classic is still going strong. It was the very first I ever saw and now I share my memories with you guys. Hello, and be welcome to my new movie post of this 2023.
“Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it.” – George Lucas
Charming and thrilling, imaginative and powerful, the sixth episode of the Star Wars saga and the third and final movie of the original trilogy, Return of the Jedi, was released in 1983 with good reviews and great box office success.
In this post I will share with you first my history with the Star Wars original trilogy, a summary of Return of the Jedi, my thoughts, a little trivia about the movie, the 1982 trailer and a bonus I hope you like.
So, may the Force be with you and let’s begin:
My Memories of the Original Star Wars Trilogy
It was the third and last installment of the original (and the best) Star Wars trilogy, but it was the very first I saw as a kid.
It was 1983 and my father took me to a movie theater to see a movie I didn’t even know what was about. But it totally blew my little boy mind. It had space ships, monsters, robots, various planets, an old master, a beautiful princess, a cool pirate turned general, and a young and amazing hero. Sure, the space ships, the light sabers, the explosions were great, but the movie had also depth, a good story, a conflict between a father and a son and the evil schemes of a ruthless emperor.
And I was just mesmerized by what I saw after coming out of that theater. I remember I couldn’t concentrate in the classroom and even started to draw images of the movie instead of paying attention to what the teacher, a young sweet woman, had to say.
Then, I started collecting all the action figures and insisted my parents to but me more of them. I also collected the comic books, a coloring book and even received a Star Wars book as a gift the next year of 1984.
It was in 1986 when I finally could watch for the first Star Wars movie of 1977; I remember thinking back then it was the best movie I ever saw in my life. A year later, I borrowed from a cousin of mine a copy of The Empire Strikes Back, and then, in 1988 I could finally get the original copies of the three movies in Betamax.
Those three movies, along with other imaginative and very cool movies of the 1980s (Indiana Jones, The Goonies, Back to the Future, Explorers, Ghostbusters), became my favorite movies ever.
In 1997, I went to see at my local movie theater all the three movies again with the changes director/creator George Lucas had made for the 20th anniversary of the first one. I was excited at first, like many others, but as the years went by I started to dislike them; that idea about Greedo shooting first? What the hell was Lucas thinking!
In the early 2000s my local video store put on sale all of their VHS movies because they were getting all their movies now in DVD. And, to my surprise, the Star Wars original trilogy was on sale; it was the last edition of the original trilogy released in 1995 and includes a special interview with George Lucas by Leonard Maltin.
I immediately bought those three movies, they’re the ones I always watch and, as far as I’m concerned, so much better than the ones with the stupid changes.
Now, as an adult, I consider the first one of 1977, now called A New Hope, to be the best of the three; Empire is regarded by many critics and fans alike as the best Star Wars movie ever made; buy my favorite was and still is Return of the Jedi, the first one I ever saw as a kid.
Now, that you know my history with Star Wars, let’s dig more into Return of the Jedi, the one this post is about.
A Summary of Return of the Jedi
One year after escaping the cloud city of Bespin and discovering the sinister Lord Darth Vader is his real father, the young Jedi apprentice Luke Skywalker returns to his home planter of Tatooine. He rescues his friends Han Solo and Princess Leia. He then goes to the planet of Dagobah, where his Jedi masters Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi tell him he must face Darth Vader again, only then he would become a Jedi Knight. Luke also learns a secret that was hidden from him.
Meanwhile, the evil emperor Palpatine has ordered the construction of a new Death Star. The Rebel Alliance has regrouped and plans a secret attack to this new formidable space station. A group of rebels travel to the planet of Endor where they received a surprising help from some furry little creatures. The favorites Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2 will also come along in this new great adventure.
Various amazing battles will ensue while the young hero Luke Skywalker faces Darth Vader with the hopes of defeating the forces of evil and restore balance and peace to the galaxy.
My Thoughts
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, Return of the Jedi was directed by Richard Marquand (1937–1987) with a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas, with Lucas himself taking charge of the whole production. The great James Earl Jones once again provided the voice for the sinister Darth Vader and John Williams created once more a score that is emotional, dramatic and triumphant at the same time.
Return of the Jedi was fairly well received back then and was the highest grossing film of 1983. It won the Oscar for Special Achievement in Visual Effects.
Contrary to its predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back of 1980, that has a very accelerating narrative, Return of the Jedi is more slow-paced and inclines more into the dramatic side with conflicts between its characters. It also has the best special effects of the original trilogy, innovative new vehicles and more fantastic creatures. And it closes the story in a great triumphant way.
It has been labeled as the weakest of the original trilogy and an infantile movie, only made with the sole purpose of selling toys.
But it is also imaginative, dramatic, fun, exiting and has the best ending of the three movies. It gives a great conclusion to the hero’s journey of Luke Skywalker; it gives both characters of Lando Calrissian and Darth Vader a chance to redeem themselves. It presents well-narrated conflicts about father and son and a brother and a sister. And it’s inspiring the way how a small group of rebels face a giant evil empire and never surrender despite the difficulties.
All actors did a nice job in their respective roles, but for me the one that steals the show is Ian McDiarmid as the evil Emperor Palpatine; his presence elevated this movie and it wouldn’t have been the same without his voice, facial expressions and sarcastic remarks.
One thing that has always bothered me is that the character of Han Solo seems diminished in this movie. But at least you see him in his usual ways when he is joined by the furry creatures of Endor, then, he accomplishes the mission he was tasked for and ends up with the beautiful Princess Leia.
And this is the movie where you see the hero Luke Skywalker in at his most baddass. He rescues his friends and, with the help of Darth Vader, defeats the Empire, proving there was still good in his father.
And the redemption arc of Darth Vader is the greatest redemption arc in cinema’s history.
A great finale for the greatest space opera ever in film history.
A Little Trivia about Return of the Jedi
1 - It was almost called Revenge of the Jedi, but George Lucas felt that the word "revenge" wasn't appropriate to apply to a Jedi.
2 - First appearance of the green lightsaber. Luke’s lightsaber was still going to be blue, but it was changed due to the blade clashing with the blue sky above during the opening Tatooine sequence.
3 - Director Richard Marquand made very harsh critics against the work of director Irvin Keshner in The Empire Strikes Back. He also clashed with George Lucas throughout filming.
4 - Director Richard Marquand had a brief cameo in Return of the Jedi as the pilot of the AT-ST in the battle of Endor. The pilot and his co-pilot, played by the film's co-producer Robert Watts, are soon wiped out by Chewbacca and the Ewoks.
5 - The Jabba the Hutt puppet cost $500,000 and weighed 900 kilograms approx. (2,000 pounds) and required three operators to function.
6 - The Jabba the Hutt's death was inspired by henchman Luca Brasi’s murder in The Godfather (1972).
7 - George Lucas fired producer Gary Kurtz before production started. Apparently Kurtz thought Lucas was focusing too much on the merchandise sales instead of the story.
8 - Oscar winner actor Ben Kingsley was considered for the role of Emperor Palpatine.
9 - Steven Spielberg, David Lynch and David Cronenberg were considered to direct this movie.
10 - The Endor scenes were filmed in a forest near Crescent City, California.
11 -Yoda is the only Jedi to die of natural causes in the three movies.
12- Although they became extremely popular, even to the point of having their own movie, the Ewoks are never mentioned by name in the movie. But at least they are mentioned in the end credits.
13 - The speeder chase in Endor was inspired by the Ben-Hur (1959) chariot race.
14 - This is the only movie where Darth Vader doesn't unleash a Force choke.
15 – The entire original trilogy is preserved in the National Film Registry. Return of the Jedi was added to the National Film Registry in 2021, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back were already inducted in 1989 and 2010 respectively.
Trailer
Check the original trailer released in 1982.
Return of the Jedi: Theatrical Trailer 1982
Bonus
My own VHS copies of the Star Wars original trilogy. These are the ones I always watch when a need a little dose of Star Wars.
So, there you have it my friends, an awesome movie that is still going strong 40 years after its release. I hope you have liked this post, and tell me what you think. Which one is your favorite Star Wars movie? Leave your thoughts in the comment section, I’ll be waiting for your answer. Follow my blog for more content like this one.
Now, check another sci-fi post I wrote in 2021 right here:
@thereadingman/blade-runner-deckard-is-not
(Image at the beginning via starwars.com)
The Force is Forever!
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Until next time
Take care
Orlando.