Originally posted by: baby humThe version of ROTE available on Hyperspace is an edited version containing all of the relevant Star Wars scenes. The full version actually charts the story of Warwick getting the part of Wicket.
Unfortunately, the edit doesn't even contain all the relevant SW scenes. There's nothing after Wicket meets Vader, including the parts where he talks to Yoda (a highlight for sure!) and fights alongside the Ewoks in the forest.
As they say on the OS it is the best quality print that is available. There is a negative in existence probably in storage at the labs at which it was processed, but the cost to produce a new print would be very expensive. Not to mention the clean up involved.
Do you know for certain that there is a negative in existence? My understanding is that the film was completely lost, and the only remnant left of it was the VHS copy in Warwick's possession. Warwick said at C3 that he loaned the tape to Lucasfilm, who made a digital copy of it, and that's the best copy that is known at this point as well as being the source for the Hyperspace clip. I imagine they did a minimal amount of cleanup on that copy. I can also tell they altered the soundtrack--where there used to be Supertramp's "Take The Long Way Home" as temporary soundtrack, they've dropped in other incidental music (to avoid copyright clearance issues). Also, they seem to have tweaked the soundtrack in other places, and in at least one instance a line is missing (Wicket saying "Crikey, it's Lord Vader!" right near the end).
The film was shot between breaks in shooting ROTJ and were directed by David Tomblin, the first assistant director of ROTJ. And before any of you get too excited, the scene involving Wicket and Boba Fett on the Death Star was shot specifically for ROTE. It was one of the scenes I was lucky enough to see filmed.
You saw this scene filmed on-set? Do tell...!
I think there are only a couple of decent copies on VHS and they belong to the director and the star and possibly a few cast and crew. There is a bootleg doing the rounds but i've only seen it once at a convention.