After an extensive number of viewings of the original trilogy, “Return of the Jedi” definitely feels, by far, to be the weakest film of the three (and no, I don’t think it is because of the ewoks). I don’t think the film is bad by any means; it has some of the best moments in the entire saga: Vader’s redemption (without the added “Noooo!”), the finale space battle, anything Luke, Vader, or the Emperor do, and the introduction of many iconic characters, such as Admiral Ackbar, Nien Numb, Mon Mothma, Jabba the Hutt (before 1997), Wicket, and Bib Fortuna. However, the film suffers from pacing issues, character issues (especially with Han Solo), and many horrible special edition additions. In a way, “Return of the Jedi” tries to do what “A New Hope” did successfully but fails at it. The best example is the Tatooine sequences in both films. “A New Hope” manages to take what would be a very boring sequence and make it interesting, while “Return of the Jedi” gets very repetitive and boring. The movie does get better in the second act, but compared to the Death Star rescue in “A New Hope” and the separate journeys of the heroes in “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” feels lackluster. Despite this, I will give credit to “Return of the Jedi” for its third act, which is by far the best part of the movie. With all that in mind, these are proposed edits for “Return of the Jedi,” while still keeping the story manageable to be edited and not rewritten.
OVERALL
- Redid the subtitles.
- Complete color correction on sets and characters.
- Added atmospheres to all the planets and moons.
- Added a sun to Endor.
- Replaced the image of Endor.
- Enhanced the TIE Fighters.
- Made the Aurebesh whenever it appears actually legible.
- Gave Endicott the rank insignia plaque of a lieutenant.
- Gave Imperials different rank insignia plaques.
- Added a force field effect to the multiple entrances to the Death Star hangar.
- Enhanced the lighting in the Death Star hangar.
- Corrected Moff Jerjerrod and Admiral Piett’s rank insignia plaques.
- Gave Moff Jerjerrod four code cylinders and Admiral Piett three.
- Recolored the desert scenes to resemble how they appeared in “Star Wars: Battlefront.”
- Enhanced the red/blue and yellow/green switching light on R2-D2.
- Made R2-D2’s beeps match the other films.
- Redid all blaster bolts.
- Redid all lightsabers.
- Gave the Falcon’s engine a bluish hue.
- Enhanced how the entering and exiting of hyperspace looks.
- Made Shuttle Tydirium a Zeta-class Heavy Cargo Shuttle.
- Made Endor more closely resemble how it looked in “The Rise of Skywalker.”
- Fixed the Ewok’s eyes.
- Enhanced the Emperor’s eyes.
- Redubbed Lieutenant Endicott so that his voice matches how it was in the first scene.
- Removed the instances where Vader’s helmet is dusty and has finger marks on it.
OPENING CRAWL
- Changed the crawl.
Luke Skywalker has returned to his home
planet of Tatooine in an attempt to rescue
his friend Han Solo from the clutches of
the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt.
Little does Luke know that the
GALACTIC EMPIRE has secretly begun
construction on a new armored space
station even more powerful than the
first dreaded Death Star.
When completed, this ultimate weapon will
spell certain doom for the brave Rebel Alliance
struggling to restore freedom to the galaxy…
OPENING SCENE
- Replaced the opening Star Destroyer with the Executor.
- Per the last edit, changed the underbelly of the Star Destroyer to that of the Executor’s.
- When the docking bay officer presses a button, made his hand gloved like in other shots.
- Lowered Vader’s Lambda-class shuttle as it enters said Death Star hangar.
- Changed Endicott’s lie to, “Inform the commander that shuttle has arrived.”
- Removed the docking bay officer’s line, “Sir.”
- Per the last edit, used the shot with the removed line to cover up the cut part of Endicott’s line.
- Fixed the shots where Vader’s helmet is out of focus.
- Made Jerjerrod’s lip stagnant when Vader says, “…motivate them.”
- Enhanced the shot of Vader and Moff Jerjerrod parting ways.
JABBA’S PALACE
- Altered the background during the wide shot of C-3PO and R2-D2 walking in the desert.
- Added a new exterior image of Jabba’s palace when C-3PO and R2-D2 walk towards it.
- Removed the Special Edition’s zoom on Jabba’s palace’s gate.
- Made the creature that growls at C-3PO’s mouth move when it growls.
- Enhanced Luke’s hologram.
- Removed the shaky cam when the camera tilts from Jabba onto Salacious Crumb.
- In the same shot, made the bubbles in Jabba’s hookah pipe go upward like in other shots.
- Removed C-3PO’s line, “R2, look! Captain Solo, and he’s still frozen in carbonite.”
- Per the last edit, removed the corresponding shots of C-3PO and R2-D2.
- Made it so the flaming hot poker actually hits the GNK droid’s feet.
- Removed C-3PO’s squeal as he is taken away by the Gamorreans.
- Removed Dengar and Bossk.
- Restored Lapti Nek.
- Per the last edit, some shots during Lapti Nek have been moved around and reorganized. For example, the shot of Jabba dancing is moved for continuity reasons and replaced by another shot.
- Kept the shots of Oola in the rancor pit.
- Removed the subtitles for Boush a.k.a. Leia and Jabba during the scene when they haggle for the bounty on Chewie so that the audience can only comprehend the situation based off of C-3PO.
- Altered the exaggerated gasps when Boush a.k.a. Leia pulls out the thermal denotator.
- Per the last edit, removed the shot of Max Rebo cowering in fright.
- Removed the instances where we see Boba Fett flirt.
- Fixed the mirrored shots of Boba Fett.
- Removed the snippet where Lando follows Chewie, then pulls down his mask.
- Removed the frogish creature outside Jabba’s palace.
- During the same shot, replaced the image of Jabba’s palace.
- Removed the shots of Han’s hands being unfrozen and him subsequently keeling over.
- Made it be Boba Fett who holds C-3PO’s mouth shot when Jabba confronts Han and Leia.
- Per the last edit, removed Boba Fett from the throng of thugs behind the captured pair.
- Altered the laughs the thugs make as they mock Han.
- Removed the scene where Han and Chewie reunite…in their joint cell.
SARLACC PIT
- Removed the CGI Dug that was added in the Special Edition.
- Removed the subtitles on Bib Fortuna’s line, “He must be allowed to speak.”
- Made the Gamorrean’s fall into the rancor pit more realistic.
- Enhanced the sparks that go off after Luke throws the skull at the control panel which closes the gate on top of Pateesa, killing him.
- Removed Maliki, the rancor keeper, and his scene.
- Removed the banthas shot.
- Added sun flares around the Khetanna.
- Enhanced the lightning under the skiffs and Khetanna.
- Removed Luke and Han’s conversation while on the skiff.
- Restored the original 1983 sarlaac.
- Made Han call Jabba a “slimly son of a bitch” instead of “piece of worm-ridden filth.”
- Per the last edit, removed Han’s “Right?” line, as well as Chewie’s reaction to it.
- During the “Luke stares at everyone” shots, inserted Boba Fett running up onto the Khetanna
deck, which replaces the reaction shot of Han staring around, eyes flinched, as if he were lost.
- Per the last edit, added Boba Fett in shots accordingly so as not to have continuity errors.
- Sped up when R2-D2 launches Luke’s lightsaber and when Luke catches it.
- In the same shot, added blaster bolts, as if Boba Fett were trying to shoot the lightsaber.
- Made it so Luke’s lightsaber actually hits the thugs it slashes.
- Per the last edit, added burn marks to the thugs Luke’s lightsaber slashes.
- Removed Luke’s line, “Easy, Chewie.”
- Removed the black gloves Lando wears in some shots.
- Enhanced Boba Fett using his jetpack.
- Altered Boba Fett’s voice whenever he grunts or speaks to better match Jason Wingreen’s voice.
- When Luke jumps skiff to skiff, made his lightsaber be on and look like it does in other shots.
- Made it so Han only says, “Boba Fett?” once, removing “Where?”
- Removed the shot where Boba Fett misses his shot awfully.
- Made it seem like Han actually intended to hit Boba Fett by shortening the shot in which he hits Boba Fett’s jetpack so as to remove Han’s weird reaction which tells the hit was not intentional.
- Replaced Boba Fett’s scream with a sudden grunt.
- Altered the “force-kick” Luke does into an actual kick.
- Removed the slapstick burp the Sarlacc gives after Boba Fett’s “death.”
- Removed Lando’s “Eeyah!” scream.
- Restored Han’s line, “It’s all right. Trust me.”
- Removed the second time Luke says, “Point it at the deck!”
- Removed Luke’s line, “Come one,” since his lips stay still.
- Replaced Tatooine when Luke’s X-wing and the Falcon depart.
- Added “Luke’s theme” from “A New Hope” while he talks to Han and Leia.
DAGOBAH
- Added a new music track (“The Old Death Star” from “The Rise of Skywalker”.)
- Fixed the continuity errors of the Imperial lineup as Vader and the Emperor talk.
- Enhanced the wide shot when the Emperor starts to laugh.
- During that same shot, recolored Jerjerrod’s shoes to be black.
- Enhanced the opening shots of Luke’s x-wing on Dagobah.
- Recolored Dagobah to resemble more closely “The Empire Strikes Back.”
- Enhanced Ben’s force ghost to match Qui-Gon’s more closely in “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
- Added Sullust to the opening shots of the Alliance fleet.
- Enhanced the holograms of Endor and the Death Star.
- Per the last edit, relit the sets and characters based off the hologram.
- Fixed the weird lines above Ackbar when he stands in front of the hologram.
- Added some ships outside of the window when Luke says, “I’m with you too.”
- Added a force field around the Home One hangar.
- Made the matte painting of the Falcon less obvious.
- Fixed the shots where Lando’s rank insignia plaque is on his right side.
- Fixed the shots where Lando’s shoulder holster strap switches sides.
- Removed Lando walking toward the matte painting of the Falcon.
- Removed Leia’s line, “Hey, you awake?”
- Removed Han’s line, “Yeah. I just got a funny feeling, like I’m going to see her again.”
- Added a new music track (“Goodbye Old Friend” from “Revenge of the Sith.”)
- Added more ships to the Alliance fleet.
ENDOR
- Made it so Shuttle Tydirium exits hyperspace as it approaches the Executor.
- Altered the size of the Star Destroyers in comparison to Shuttle Tydirium’s window.
- Added Endor outside of the Executor’s bridge window.
- Per the last edit, added the Death Star outside the Executor’s bridge in shots where missing.
- Made it so the sound of Han’s line, “Fly casual,” begins at the same time he moves his lips.
- Made Han nods to Chewie before the Wookie responds with a growl.
- Per the last edit, altered how the scout troopers catch Han and Chewie. Rather than it being Han
stepping on a branch, it is Chewie’s response that alerts the trooper, who then proceeds to hit Han.
- Removed Han calling out to Luke and Leia, “Hey, wait!” and him flipping the scout trooper.
- Enhanced the lighting during the speeder bike chase.
- Enhanced the explosion when the scout trooper shoots Luke’s speeder bike.
- Made Luke’s lips move accordingly when he says, “Keep on that one. I’ll take these two.”
- Enhanced the explosion when the scout trooper shoots Leia’s speeder bike.
- Removed the scene in which Leia meets Wicket.
- Changed Vader’s line, “As you wish,” to “As you wish, my master.”
- Made the appearance of the dead animal consistent from one shot to another.
- Made it so you see C-3PO and R2-D2 fall along with Luke, Han, and Chewie.
- Removed the multiple times an ewok says, “Jabba, Jabba, Jabba.”
- Made it so when C-3PO says, “But, Master Luke, what magic?”, R2-D2 is still tied up.
- Per the last edit, removed R2-D2 from any other shots where he would still be tied up.
- Removed R2-D2 electrocuting the Ewoks after they set him free.
- Removed Han being jealous of Luke and Leia’s “relationship.” After Luke leaves, Han appears,
he asks Leia what is going on, and Leia, after a beat, replies with “Hold me,” and the two embrace.
- Enhanced the shot of Vader’s Lambda-class shuttle landing on Endor.
- Made it so Vader’s helmet does not travel through the nose of the Lambda-class shuttle.
- Removed the circular platform next to the lift so as to match the exterior shot of the ramps.
- Made it be General Veers the Imperial officer who captures and brings Luke to Vader.
- Replaced Vader’s line, “Good work, Commander,” to “Good work, General.”
BATTLE OF ENDOR
- In the scene where Han, Leia, and Chewie spy on the landing platform, altered the visuals,
removing the Lambda-class shuttle taking off and adding scout and stormtroopers and walkers.
- Per the last edit, made the scene start out with Leia looking through macrobinoculars. Thus, her
lines are heard while she zooms in onto the landing platform and the aforementioned stuff as well.
- Per that edit, made Leia’s scanner macrobinoculars.
- Relit the engines of the Alliance fleet.
- Made it so Han’s lips move when he says, “We’ll take care of this.”
- Removed the Emperor’s line, “An entire legion of my best troopers await them.”
- Made it so the punch a background rebel gives a background Imperial actually hits him.
- Made it so Ben Burtt’s Imperial does not begin to fall until after the equipment hits him.
- Made said Imperial officer be given the rank insignia plaque of a colonel.
- Enhanced Endor as the Alliance fleet emerges from hyperspace.
- Made it so when the Alliance fleet emerges from hyperspace, is looks better.
- Added Endor to several shots during the space battle where it should be.
- Enhanced the Star Destroyers as they attack the Alliance fleet.
- Enhanced the TIE Fighters as they attack the Alliance fleet.
- Enhanced the explosions during the space battle.
- Made the Executor be at the front of the Star Destroyers in the view from the Emperor’s tower.
- Added General Veers outside the bunker when Han, Leia, and Chewie are escorted out of it.
- Removed the Imperial officer who says, “Bring those two down here.”
- Added burn marks to the AT-ST commander Leia shoots.
- Removed the moment when the Ewoks sling rocks at the stormtroopers.
- Replaced Red Three’s male voice with a female voice.
- In the shot where the Imperial officer tells Piett, “We’re in attack position now,” made
the background reflect how much said officer walked to get toward Piett and the other Imperial.
- Made the Death Star Overbridge view screen depict the Alliance fleet.
- Enhanced the explosion of the first rebel ship to be destroyed by the Death Star.
- Made it so the extra behind Nien Numb does not smile right at the camera.
- Reverted back to the 1983 version of R2-D2 short-circuiting.
- Added the “Jerjerrod’s Conflict” subplot to the final battle where it should be.
- Per the last edit, recolored the Death Star Overbridge during the “Jerjerrod’s Conflict”
deleted scenes to match how it looked in the earlier scene that came from the film itself.
- Enhanced the look of the Ewok who pokes his face into the AT-ST.
- Enhanced the aftermath of the explosion of the AT-ST Chewie blows up.
- Removed the burn marks on Leia’s poncho before she is shot.
- Removed a shadow Vader’s lightsaber blade casts when he says, “Obi-Wan has taught you well.”
- Made sparks go off whenever Vader hits something with his lightsaber.
- Per the last edit, added lightsaber marks whenever Vader hits something with his lightsaber.
- Removed Wedge’s line, “Good shot, Red 2.”
- Enhanced the image quality of the transmission Han sends to the Imperials.
- Added General Veers as the leader of the Imperial squad who go to the back door.
- Removed the instance where Vader holds two lightsabers, one in each one of his hands.
- Removed a shadow the lightsaber blades casts shortly before he cut’s Vader’s hand off.
- Made it seem less like Vader positioned himself to have his arm cut off.
- Fixed the odd stub Vader has after Luke cuts his hand off.
- Fixed the shot where Luke’s lightsaber goes through a rail.
- Added the missing clapping sound effect as the Emperor descends down towards Luke.
- In that same shot, removed the shadow of a crew member in the left corner of the screen.
- Added hints of the Force Theme when Luke says, “I’m a Jedi. Like my father before me.”
- Removed the Plexiglas reflection of Han as he cries out, “Move!”
- Removed the piece of the shield generator that bounces back after it blows up.
- Colored the black-and-white shot in the deleted “Jerjerrod’s Conflict” scene.
- Removed Vader’s line, “Nooo!”
- Recolored the Executor as it falls onto the Death Star surface.
- Enhanced the explosion of the Executor as it crashes onto the Death Star.
- Restored Anakin’s 1983 look.
- Added the chin part of Vader’s helmet in the shot that does not have it.
- Enhanced the terrible explosion of the reactor core.
- Made Ackbar’s lips move when he says, “Move the fleet away from the Death Star.”
- Made the Death Star hangar force field start to fail as the battle station falls apart.
EWOK CELEBRATION
- Removed Han’s lines about not getting involved in Leia and Luke’s “relationship.”
- Reverted back to the 1983 Ewok celebration.
CREDITS
- Changed “CARRIE FISHER as Princess Leia” to “CARRIE FISHER as Leia Organa”
- Added “KENNY BAKER as R2-D2” in front of “FRANK OZ performing Yoda.”
- Removed Kenny Baker as R2D2 during the “Supporting Cast” roll-up.
- Altered the “Supporting Cast” credit roll-up:
Moff Jerjerrod MICHAEL PENNINGTON
Admiral Piett KENNETH COLLEY
General Veers JULIAN GLOVER
Bib Fortuna MICHAEL CARTER
Bib Fortuna (voice) ERIK BAUSERFIELD
Wedge DENIS LAWSON
Nien Nunb MICHAEL QUINN
Nien Nunb (voice) KIPSANG ROTICH
Admiral Ackbar TIM ROSE
Admiral Ackbar (voice) ERIK BAUSERFIELD
Mon Mothma CAROLINE BLAKISTON
General Madine DERMONT CROWNLEY
Wicket WARWICK DAVIS
Paploo KENNY BAKER
Boba Fett JEREMY BULLOCK
Boush (voice) PAM WELSH
Oola FEMI TAYLOR
Max Rebo SIMON WILIAMSON
Sy Snootles ANNIE ARBOGAST
Fat Dancer CLAIRE DAVENPORT
EV-9D9 RICHARD MARQUAND
Droopy McCool DEEP ROY
Salacious Crumb TIME ROSE
Teebo JACK PURVIS
Logray MIKE EDMONDS
Chief Chirpa JANE BUSBY
Ewok Warrior 1 MALCOM DIXON
Ewok Warrior 2 MIKE COTTRELL
Nicki NICKI READE
Emperor’s advisers ANTHONY LANG, FRANIC BATSONI
Lieutenant Endicott GLYN BAKER
Executor Controller #1 ADAM BAREHAM
Executor Controller #2 JONATHAN OLIVER
Executor Captain Gherant PIP MILLER
Executor Captain #2 TOM MANNION
Colonel Dyer BEN BURTT
Commander #1 ANTHONY SMEE
ATST Captain #1 RICHARD MARQUAND
ATST Captain #2 ROBERT WATTS
Green Leader HILTON MCRAE
Red Three POPPY HANDS
Gold Four MICHAEL DREW
Red Five RONNY CUSH
Jabba Puppeteers TONY PHILBOT, MIKE EDMONDS, DAVID BARCLAY
Puppeteers MICHAEL McCOMRMICK, DEEP ROY, HUGH SPIGHT, SWIM LEE, RICHARD ROBINSON
