This is more of an O-OT complaint than a Special Edition complaint. It's been fixed up for the DVD release and since I don't own a bootleg of the O-OT on DVD, this screen cap from the Special Edition will do. Witihin the original film and still in the SE, this fall always made me go "what the hell just happened?" I still don't get the purpose of this scene (and no doubt some of you will try and put it in perspective for me) and the fall always looked too phony....I can't help it purists but this is one O-OT thing I think was silly. Takes me out of the moment for a second but we're good again once he does get inside the tube although still...wait.....is he just trying to get away from Vader or is he trying to end it all and when he finally gets to the bottom he has a change of heart? heh...anyways.
For me, this scene was when Luke truly becomes a Jedi. Rather than join Vader, he chooses apparent death. He's faced his greatest fears in Vader, lost the battle, but won the war because he stayed true to his path. It's awesome...without the SE scream, of course.