| media-assault.com |
Somehow, either through its heavily re-edited sequences of action or as a result of new music and some new scenes, this movie has been dramatically improved. Maybe it's because I had only seen this movie on the big screen once, in 1983. Subsequent viewings were all on video or during its many airings on the USA Network. Maybe I just never fully appreciated this movie in all of its big-screen splendor. Nevertheless, the movie is now the equal of its predecessors. Jedi resolves the loose ends of The Empire Strikes Back and pits the gang of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and the droids (Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker) against the evil Jabba the Hutt, who has the frozen body of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in his lair. After that, they turn their attention back to fighting the Empire's villainous Darth Vader (David Prowse) and the Emporer (Ian McDiarmid) himself. I won't spoil any of the plot, like you haven't seen it before. But, believe me, I know it sounds like a broken record that seeing this movie on the big screen is the only way to see it, but with this enhanced edition, it's almost like seeing a new movie. The editing has made some of the fight scenes, especially the battle on Jabba's sand skiff, much more exciting. The ending is more dramatic, even though the outcome is the same. Kudos to George Lucas for updating this fantastic series of films and for "finishing" them. Initially, I was skeptical that anything could be done to improve the series but, with Return of the Jedi becoming phenomenally improved, I am now a believer that this was the right thing to do. Trivia: When the movie was first filmed in 1982, the crew wore hats and t-shirts that read Blue Harvest: Horror Beyond Your Imagination to dissuade anyone from leaking details about the new Star Wars film. (Source: The Internet Movie Database) |
Contact Media-Assault.com