Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Quick Review

804 minutes. That's how long it takes to watch all of the Star Wars films. We've been at it since 6:00am, and now we have finished. Megan fell asleep in the last film, but Katie hung in there with me.

As I was watching ROTJ, I remembered that George, Allen and I watched this for my birthday 23 years ago at the Bush River Mall Cinemas (it was still a four plex at the time). Strange that I find myself watching it again on my birthday all these years later. I also remember that Jay and I ditched school in 1986 when it came out on VHS (back then, it took a while for films to get released to tape).

The other thing that I wanted to note was about the use of puppets versus cg. Although the puppet Yoda was terrible in TPM, he was awesome in TESB and ROTJ. In addition, none of the Jabbas ever looked right except for the puppet in ROTJ. Could it be that the real actors had something to interact with? Could it be that the puppets have a weight in the real world that CG just can't duplicate. CG Yoda was well done in AOTC and ROTS, but something was missing...I think it was the life that only the puppeteer brings to the performance. The same with the CG clones versus the actors in the Stormtrooper outfits. I read on IMDB that all the clones in ROTS where CG, and they while they move convincingly, there is something not quite right about them.

It really is difficult comparing the films of the original trilogy to each other. I think they all stand well on there own, or as part of the story arc. You either love or hate the Ewoks, and I definitely never hated them. The Jabba palace scene is an evolution of the Cantina from ANH. I can remember countless times trying to duplicate Luke's flip of the skiff with a diving board (it never worked, and I really messed my finger tips up). It is absolutely amazing to see the Space battle at the end and realize that it is all models and blue screen.

My major peeve with the DVD is the 1997 additions. This includes the new song routine in Jabba's palace as well as a new "Celebration" song at the end. When the DVD was released, Lucas replaced Sebastion Shaw (Anakin) with Hayden Christensen. I am looking forward to my September version when I can get Lapti Nek, Yub Nub and Sebastion Shaw reinstated.