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Views on "Return of the Jedi" 22 years later

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Hi all:

I'm trying to write a short book on the making of "Return of the Jedi." Not really a book, more of an compendium. Just a self published type thing for other fans enjoyment. I want to include a section about the fans views on "Jedi" 22 years after it's release. Based on the IMDB message boards and SW fansites.

Just curious:
"What was your original reaction to "Return of the Jedi" when you first saw it, how ever many years ago? (Whenever it was: 1983, 1995, 1997 or 2004)."

"What's your gut reaction to the film upon seeing it again now?

"How do you feel about the changes made to 'Jed' in 1997 and 2004. Have they changed your overall impression of the film?"

"Have the prequels changed how you feel about "Jedi?"

"And finally, sort of a long question but... Do you see "Jedi" as being a kids film (as Mark Hamill called it) meant for the age 12 and under crowd? And do you think children "get" ROTJ more than any of the original films?"

Thanks for the feedback. I'll post links to the book as soon as I get it assembled.

I'll start with my two cents:
"What was your original reaction to "Return of the Jedi" when you first saw it, how ever many years ago? (Whenever it was: 1983, 1995, 1997 or 2004)."
I originally saw it in 1983 when I was 11. My original reaction was that it moved too slow and took too long to answer the unresolved questions brought up in "Empire." I felt the pace should have been faster. I remember being blown away by the opening sequence with the Star Destroyer and Death Star. I was bored by 3PO and R2 on Tatooine. I thought Jabba the Hutt was disgusting. I felt odd and tingly inside seeing Princess Leia in the slave girl's outfit! I felt the whole rescue of Han took too long.

I thought the action sequence outside the Sarlaac Pit was too fast. I couldn't keep track of what was going on. I found the Emperor to be fascinating but wished Darth Vader was in the film more. I thought Han Solo seemed really weird and "not himself." I thought the Ewoks were funny at first, then they became totally annoying. The entire ending of the film was unsatfisying to me. I wanted to see more of the space battle and Luke/Vader confrontation. I felt like the destruction of the shield generator on Endor took forever. And after seeing the final few minutes of the film, I asked myself "That's it?" It's not that the film was bad. I just thought something was missing. That it could have been so much better. I didn't really want to see the film again and again like with the first Star Wars film. And didn't have the sense of awe and wonderment I had after viewing "Empire."










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Just curious:
"What was your original reaction to "Return of the Jedi" when you first saw it, how ever many years ago? (Whenever it was: 1983, 1995, 1997 or 2004)."

Saw in 1983 at ten years old, and loved it. As I got older, I started to notice the kiddy stuff in it, and went from my favoite to my least favorite. As I got older, ESB catapulted to the top of the list.

"What's your gut reaction to the film upon seeing it again now?

Still love the ending with Vader/Luke/Emperor, you just can't beat that whole sequence. Still the love the space battle, not as good as ANH, but pretty damn entertaining. The first 40 minutes with Jabba are too long, they could have cut that scene in half and it would have been just as good. The ewoks are just too kiddy, and once I found out Lucas originally visioned a wookie planet, I still go nuts thinking why he didn't go with that idea.

"How do you feel about the changes made to 'Jed' in 1997 and 2004. Have they changed your overall impression of the film?"

I hate the changes to ROTJ the most for the special editions. The song in Jabbas palace is made for 4 year olds, and totally makes the whole sequence uncool. Hayden Christenson next to Alec Guinness and Yoda at the end is the worse than Greedo shooting first!

"Have the prequels changed how you feel about "Jedi?"

They have definitely helped the Vader/Luke scenes. You kind of understand Vaders motivations, and makes him a more human person. Unfortunately, I don't look at him as the badass anymore. But The Emperor is alot cooler now, because all he was, was a simple politician, who rose to become Emperor just like Hitler.

"And finally, sort of a long question but... Do you see "Jedi" as being a kids film (as Mark Hamill called it) meant for the age 12 and under crowd? And do you think children "get" ROTJ more than any of the original films?"

I think it is the most kiddie of the originals, and that is a shame. Lucas could have made that a darker movie than it was, and still had a happy ending. The ewoks just make the movie sort of uncool to a person as they get older. I just feel that Lucas was going through the motions just to get this movie made. No Kershner, no Gary Kurtz, not that they were gods, but their input to the previous two movies help make them classics, and to me, ANH & ESB are the only truly great Star Wars films. But the ending still makes it a very good movie. I find that more kids like ROTJ more than ANH & ESB because it is a simpler movie. But as I said, as you get older, ROTJ drops and ESB gains.

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