Return Of The Jedi

Return of the Jedi (1983)

We all know the details already.

Yep, I saw this last night... and it was the original film in good quality in widescreen. Nevermind how but I did. I was quite happy I was able to. I talk about it in my Letterboxd review below:

As it's only about a week and a half before The Force Awakens comes out on the big screen, I figured it would be time to start wrapping up my rewatching of the Star Wars films by checking this out. After this I only have one more to go. Like with Episodes IV and V, I was able to watch the original theatrical version in widescreen and in good quality... nevermind how but I did. I don't want to do such things but when those versions aren't officially available... I saw all three of those movies many times as a youth but as an adult, it's less so. I mean, I've never seen the “Special Edition” of this film, which I know it's a good thing as I have-unfortunately-witnessed the clip where Hayden Christiansen is a ghost instead of Sebastian Shaw, and I know that bit with the disco song (yeah, let's be honest, it's a disco tune) Lapti Nek in Jabba's palace was replaced by some horrible CGI thing... how could you do that to the Max Rebo band?

Anyhow, while this isn't as great as the first two, it's still pretty great and it does a swell job of finishing off the trilogy. The beginning is the band getting back together and dealing with the awesome practical effect that is the slimy Jabba the Hutt. They then have to take down the new and improved Death Star (I guess the Death Star II; at least that's what I'll call it), soon to be completed. While it won't be easy for Luke to deal with trying to convert his dad and deal with the emperor, the forces on the forest moon of Endor to take out the Death Star II shields or the attack led by Lando on the DSII itself, this is classical storytelling so you know what the outcome will be... and yet it's still awesome. You don't need swerves or nonsensical crap for it to be interesting or fun.

As a kid I always enjoyed this like I did the other two. Even the Ewoks were fine with me, and viewing it again I still feel the same way, but I realize how nicely done the arc with Luke, Vader and the Emperor was, and how like with the prequels, Ian McDiarmid did a swell job as the guy formerly known as Palpatine. As for the Ewoks, like with Yoda it is nice that you can't underestimate them despite their appearance and how they look like bipedal teddy bears.

This is grand entertainment, from the long first act at Jabba's palace to all the space battles, Vader's redemption to the action on Endor. It was awesome as a kid and I am thankful it is still awesome as an adult in his mid 30's like I am. I mean, the Speeder Bikes are still really rad to me. Like I said it ends a great trilogy and an epic story on a high note, and the viewer feels happy at how things turn out because all the heroes are happy and things are wrapped up with a bow. It was all filmed very well (who needs distracting CGI to “make it better”? It sure as hell did not do that in the Special Editions) and I was reminded of what a great composer John Williams is. Who knows what would have happened had Cronenberg or David Lynch had accepted the job as director, as they were actually offered it. I imagine Lynch after the fact wished he could have done that instead of Dune! Also, his version of Slave Girl Leia and the Freudian monster that was the Sarlacc would have likely been something else.

I have no idea how The Force Awakens will turn out as to be honest, I am not a J.J. Abrams fan and I do have reasons to be concerned. But I hope that it's awesome and it can make many young kids of today fall in love with it. Then again, I know that the young kids of today can enjoy the original movies. I have a pair of twin nephews, about to turn 3. In the past 6 months or so my sister showed them those films and they love them. I mean, they dressed up for Halloween as Darth Vader and Yoda. I wish they could see the OG versions and not the unfortunate lesser versions out there, but alas... I am still a proud & happy uncle that they are also fans as it reminds me of me as a child.