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The 2 Ewok Films - 'Caravan Of Courage' (aka 'The Ewok Adventure'), & 'Battle For Endor' — Page 2

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Something I thought interesting is that "Battle for Endor" is the only movie to have handguns that shoot blue laserbolts.

Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side

Emperor Jar-Jar
“Back when we made Star Wars, we just couldn’t make Palpatine as evil as we intended. Now, thanks to the miracles of technology, it is finally possible. Finally, I’ve created the movies that I originally imagined.” -George Lucas on the 2007 Extra Extra Special HD-DVD Edition

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We recently Rented these two movies from Alamo Drafthouse and I thought I’d give my thoughts on them. Before watching them, I was expecting something only slightly better than the Holiday Special, and the first part of Caravan of Courage confirmed some of these fears, but they ended up being decent kids movies which I would have loved fifteen or twenty years ago.

Caravan of Courage is definitely slow and hamstrung by a low budget, but it still works as a fantasy adventure, though perhaps not really in the Star Wars universe. I was surprisingly engaged by the characters, especially Mace.

The Battle for Endor opens with a genuinely shocking series of events, considering the kid-friendly nature of the movies. The editing is snappy and it really moves. They clearly had more money and apart from the fantasy elements that could have been taken out of Flash Gordon or a Power Rangers episode it feels like a small-scale companion to Return of the Jedi.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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 (Edited)

Battle For Endor is definitely the Alien 3 of the franchise.

In my head canon, Mace survived, and now is the Col. Kurtz-like leader of the Duloks. 😉

It’s interesting no foreign 35mm prints have ever popped up.

Alamo rents movies?

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Where were you in '77?

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The one near us allows members to check out up to two movies at a time, and they have a huge selection from across space and time. It’s like having DVD rental from Netflix again, but free. It’s wonderful.

Just some random observations from the movies:
-Logray is clearly strong with the Force, raising some interesting implications with the Ewok’s effectiveness against the Empire.
-The beasts crashing through the forest is a trial run for a certain scene in TPM.
-Wilford Brimley says ‘power oscillator’ at some point, which I like to think inspired ‘thermal oscillator’ in TFA.
-George is already obsessed with the final scene of ET based on how he handles the spaceship launch.
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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 (Edited)

Wow, really? Where have those been broadcast? And are they the theatrical versions?

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Where were you in '77?

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NeverarGreat said:

The one near us allows members to check out up to two movies at a time, and they have a huge selection from across space and time. It’s like having DVD rental from Netflix again, but free. It’s wonderful.

Just some random observations from the movies:
-Logray is clearly strong with the Force, raising some interesting implications with the Ewok’s effectiveness against the Empire.
-The beasts crashing through the forest is a trial run for a certain scene in TPM.
-Wilford Brimley says ‘power oscillator’ at some point, which I like to think inspired ‘thermal oscillator’ in TFA.
-George is already obsessed with the final scene of ET based on how he handles the spaceship launch.
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Ouch!

I did get a little misty eyed when Chukha-Trok bought the farm. 😉

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

Wow, really? Where have those been broadcast? And are they the theatrical versions?

I have them both, not sure on versions tho as have not seen them since cinema/vhs

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 (Edited)

Just had a hunt for some, found some german versions with german audio. 720p 16:9, is this what you have?

Edit: They are pillarboxed, but they do seem Highish quality.

Edit2: On closer inspection, they look to come from the same SD masters as the DVD and dont have much more detail.

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Chewielewis said:

Just had a hunt for some, found some german versions with german audio. 720p 16:9, is this what you have?

Edit: They are pillarboxed, but they do seem Highish quality.

Edit2: On closer inspection, they look to come from the same SD masters as the DVD and dont have much more detail.

They have English audio, I can cap later if needed?

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I’d be very interested in HDTV versions of these.

dvdmike said:

Chewielewis said:

Just had a hunt for some, found some german versions with german audio. 720p 16:9, is this what you have?

Edit: They are pillarboxed, but they do seem Highish quality.

Edit2: On closer inspection, they look to come from the same SD masters as the DVD and dont have much more detail.

They have English audio, I can cap later if needed?

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Chewielewis said:

Just had a hunt for some, found some german versions with german audio. 720p 16:9, is this what you have?

Edit: They are pillarboxed, but they do seem Highish quality.

Edit2: On closer inspection, they look to come from the same SD masters as the DVD and dont have much more detail.

Is the detail an improvement on the DVD or just a different encode, so to speak?

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

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BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

Well maybe not Ric Olié. 😉

More seriously, it’s not that the Ewok movie characters are more realistically portrayed or well acted (they aren’t), but rather that there is some ineffable sense of energy and earnestness in their writing and direction that has been wrung out of the prequel characters. Just look at the behind the scenes materials for Episode 2 for the sort of energy that all but disappeared when George was done editing.

I think that feeling of earnestness is the essential component in a Star Wars movie, which is why the sequel trilogy has worked so much better than the prequel trilogy in my opinion.

You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)

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 (Edited)

NeverarGreat said:

BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

Well maybe not Ric Olié. 😉

More seriously, it’s not that the Ewok movie characters are more realistically portrayed or well acted (they aren’t), but rather that there is some ineffable sense of energy and earnestness in their writing and direction that has been wrung out of the prequel characters. Just look at the behind the scenes materials for Episode 2 for the sort of energy that all but disappeared when George was done editing.

I think that feeling of earnestness is the essential component in a Star Wars movie, which is why the sequel trilogy has worked so much better than the prequel trilogy in my opinion.

Wow, I can’t believe that you hold that opinion. Earnestness is all well and good, but it can’t save bad characters. By the end of TFA, I felt like JJ had not done the work to get me to like Rey, but rather took shortcuts like having Leia and Han be too eager to help/like her. For example, when Leia walks past to Chewie to hug Rey, and THEN sends Rey out of all the Rebels to be the one to find Luke, their only hope.
I don’t feel that GL took those same shortcuts with PT characters. I think he knew that aging up Anakin in TPM would have pleased more of the audience, but he didn’t do it for reasons he saw as logical (Leaving his mother at 9 instead of 13 is going to do more damage, 9 year olds are more innocent than filthy teenagers, etc.)
Also, TPM Anakin is plenty “earnest”.

So yeah, i’d say that earnestness is way down on the list of what makes a good character, since the main character of the ST sucks, despite being more earnest than PT characters (according to you).
I’m also not above speculating that JJ counted on her gender making it easier for him to take investment shortcuts and still get good audience and critic reviews.
Take Rey vs Ahsoka. It takes Anakin 3 whole seasons to stop trying to hold Ahsoka back. Filoni did not count on Ahsoka’s gender/is not a lazy enough filmmaker to essentially try to “force the meme”.

And don’t even get me started on how Kylo Ren is about ten years older than AotC/RotS Anakin and is STILL more of a whiny petulant baby than Anakin ever was, despite coming from a loving household (barring TLJ Luke style OT3 character assassinations.)

And finally, I think what people don’t like about the PT is that it’s actually TOO earnest. It doesn’t get more earnest than Anakin’s fireside monologue, or the Tusken confession.

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BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:

BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

Well maybe not Ric Olié. 😉

More seriously, it’s not that the Ewok movie characters are more realistically portrayed or well acted (they aren’t), but rather that there is some ineffable sense of energy and earnestness in their writing and direction that has been wrung out of the prequel characters. Just look at the behind the scenes materials for Episode 2 for the sort of energy that all but disappeared when George was done editing.

I think that feeling of earnestness is the essential component in a Star Wars movie, which is why the sequel trilogy has worked so much better than the prequel trilogy in my opinion.

Wow, I can’t believe that you hold that opinion. Earnestness is all well and good, but it can’t save bad characters. By the end of TFA, I felt like JJ had not done the work to get me to like Rey, but rather took shortcuts like having Leia and Han be too eager to help/like her. For example, when Leia walks past to Chewie to hug Rey, and THEN sends Rey out of all the Rebels to be the one to find Luke, their only hope.
I don’t feel that GL took those same shortcuts with PT characters. I think he knew that aging up Anakin in TPM would have pleased more of the audience, but he didn’t do it for reasons he saw as logical (Leaving his mother at 9 instead of 13 is going to do more damage, 9 year olds are more innocent than filthy teenagers, etc.)
Also, TPM Anakin is plenty “earnest”.

So yeah, i’d say that earnestness is way down on the list of what makes a good character, since the main character of the ST sucks, despite being more earnest than PT characters (according to you).
I’m also not above speculating that JJ counted on her gender making it easier for him to take investment shortcuts and still get good audience and critic reviews.
Take Rey vs Ahsoka. It takes Anakin 3 whole seasons to stop trying to hold Ahsoka back. Filoni did not count on Ahsoka’s gender/is not a lazy enough filmmaker to essentially try to “force the meme”.

And don’t even get me started on how Kylo Ren is about ten years older than AotC/RotS Anakin and is STILL more of a whiny petulant baby than Anakin ever was, despite coming from a loving household (barring TLJ Luke style OT3 character assassinations.)

And finally, I think what people don’t like about the PT is that it’s actually TOO earnest. It doesn’t get more earnest than Anakin’s fireside monologue, or the Tusken confession.

suggestion, leave the TLJ and TFA bashing in the review threads for those movies.

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dahmage said:

BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:

BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

Well maybe not Ric Olié. 😉

More seriously, it’s not that the Ewok movie characters are more realistically portrayed or well acted (they aren’t), but rather that there is some ineffable sense of energy and earnestness in their writing and direction that has been wrung out of the prequel characters. Just look at the behind the scenes materials for Episode 2 for the sort of energy that all but disappeared when George was done editing.

I think that feeling of earnestness is the essential component in a Star Wars movie, which is why the sequel trilogy has worked so much better than the prequel trilogy in my opinion.

Wow, I can’t believe that you hold that opinion. Earnestness is all well and good, but it can’t save bad characters. By the end of TFA, I felt like JJ had not done the work to get me to like Rey, but rather took shortcuts like having Leia and Han be too eager to help/like her. For example, when Leia walks past to Chewie to hug Rey, and THEN sends Rey out of all the Rebels to be the one to find Luke, their only hope.
I don’t feel that GL took those same shortcuts with PT characters. I think he knew that aging up Anakin in TPM would have pleased more of the audience, but he didn’t do it for reasons he saw as logical (Leaving his mother at 9 instead of 13 is going to do more damage, 9 year olds are more innocent than filthy teenagers, etc.)
Also, TPM Anakin is plenty “earnest”.

So yeah, i’d say that earnestness is way down on the list of what makes a good character, since the main character of the ST sucks, despite being more earnest than PT characters (according to you).
I’m also not above speculating that JJ counted on her gender making it easier for him to take investment shortcuts and still get good audience and critic reviews.
Take Rey vs Ahsoka. It takes Anakin 3 whole seasons to stop trying to hold Ahsoka back. Filoni did not count on Ahsoka’s gender/is not a lazy enough filmmaker to essentially try to “force the meme”.

And don’t even get me started on how Kylo Ren is about ten years older than AotC/RotS Anakin and is STILL more of a whiny petulant baby than Anakin ever was, despite coming from a loving household (barring TLJ Luke style OT3 character assassinations.)

And finally, I think what people don’t like about the PT is that it’s actually TOO earnest. It doesn’t get more earnest than Anakin’s fireside monologue, or the Tusken confession.

suggestion, leave the TLJ and TFA bashing in the review threads for those movies.

I’ll take “intruding in a discussion only when you disagree with the opinions presented” for 2 dollars and fifty cents, Alex.

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BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:

BiggsFan44 said:

NeverarGreat said:
-Every character in these movies is more compelling than any character in the prequels.

Do you really believe that?

Well maybe not Ric Olié. 😉

More seriously, it’s not that the Ewok movie characters are more realistically portrayed or well acted (they aren’t), but rather that there is some ineffable sense of energy and earnestness in their writing and direction that has been wrung out of the prequel characters. Just look at the behind the scenes materials for Episode 2 for the sort of energy that all but disappeared when George was done editing.

I think that feeling of earnestness is the essential component in a Star Wars movie, which is why the sequel trilogy has worked so much better than the prequel trilogy in my opinion.

Wow, I can’t believe that you hold that opinion.

Might as well make that your signature, save you a lot of time from typing it up every time you post.

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 (Edited)

We have other threads for deep discussion of TFA and other films. Let’s not derail this one too much.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

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dvdmike said:

Chewielewis said:

Just had a hunt for some, found some german versions with german audio. 720p 16:9, is this what you have?

Edit: They are pillarboxed, but they do seem Highish quality.

Edit2: On closer inspection, they look to come from the same SD masters as the DVD and dont have much more detail.

They have English audio, I can cap later if needed?

Did anyone ever figure out what this was?

Ray’s Lounge
Biggs in ANH edit idea
ROTJ opening edit idea

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 (Edited)

According to https://on-this-day.com/cgi-bin/otd/starwarsotd.pl 25 35 years ago to the day as Z6PO point out below… 😃
 

1984 - ‘The Ewok Adventure’ (aka Caravan Of Courage) aired as The ABC Sunday Night Movie.

 

‘The Ewok Adventure trailer’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HenB3gt6SAY

A little patience goes a long way on this old-school Rebel base. If you are having issues finding what you are looking for, these will be of some help…

Welcome to the OriginalTrilogy.com | Introduce yourself in here | Useful info within : About : Help : Site Rules : Fan Project Rules : Announcements
How do I do this?’ on the OriginalTrilogy.com; some info & answers + FAQs - includes info on how to search for projects and threads on the OT•com

A Project Index for Star Wars Preservations (Harmy’s Despecialized & 4K77/80/83 etc) : A Project Index for Star Wars Fan Edits (adywan & Hal 9000 etc)

… and take your time to look around this site before posting - to get a feel for this place. Don’t just lazily make yet another thread asking for projects.

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35 years…

Han: Hey Lando! You kept your promise, right? Not a scratch?
Lando: Well, what’s left of her isn’t scratched. All the scratched parts got knocked off along the way.
Han (exasperated): Knocked off?!

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 (Edited)

Z6PO said:

35 years…

Damn… must be getting old 😉

 


 

Some of the poster artwork for these two Ewok films weren’t bad at all…
 

 
 

 


 

The blurb for both ‘Caravan Of Courage’ and ‘Battle For Endor’ (as taken from the official 2004 Double Feature DVD release)

Caravan Of Courage: ‘In Caravan Of Courage, the Towani family are separated when their shuttlecraft crashes on Endor. While the parents are soon captured by the giant known as Gorax, and Mace and Cindel, the son and daughter, are missing. When the Ewoks discover the missing Towani children in the remnants of the shuttlecraft, it becomes clear that the children must establish trust with them in order to embark on an adventure to rescue their parents.’

Battle For Endor: ‘In The Battle For Endor, an army of Marauders, led by King Terak and the witch Charal, attack the Ewok village. Cindel and Wicket escape into the forest, where they meet Teek and Noa. They must befriend Noa in order to team up to defeat the Marauders.’

 

 

A little patience goes a long way on this old-school Rebel base. If you are having issues finding what you are looking for, these will be of some help…

Welcome to the OriginalTrilogy.com | Introduce yourself in here | Useful info within : About : Help : Site Rules : Fan Project Rules : Announcements
How do I do this?’ on the OriginalTrilogy.com; some info & answers + FAQs - includes info on how to search for projects and threads on the OT•com

A Project Index for Star Wars Preservations (Harmy’s Despecialized & 4K77/80/83 etc) : A Project Index for Star Wars Fan Edits (adywan & Hal 9000 etc)

… and take your time to look around this site before posting - to get a feel for this place. Don’t just lazily make yet another thread asking for projects.