For changes to consider:
TATOOINE:
The OT version was pretty fine with me, though I can definitely see Boba Fett’s scenes taken out (as he did was he was hired to do) or if he has to stay (and die), reconfiguring his death to at least “go out with a bang”… hmm… maybe when Luke hits him with the lightsabre, redo the FX so his rocket pack starts to catch on fire (as Luke ruptured it). It explodes, sending a flaming Boba Fett into the Barge, exploding and starting the fire that Luke eventually finishes with the laser cannon. Maybe you could rework the scene of Neville Sinclair’s demise from THE ROCKETEER (replacing Timothy Dalton with someone in a Boba Fett costume) as he rushes towards one of the window spectators in the Sail Barge. Give Boba a proper bad guy scream, as I always hated how undignified and STUPID Boba’s death was. He is still a cool character, so give him a cool death.
Maybe when Leia chokes Jabba to death, add a slight bass sound FX to imply Leia is using her own force power to “force choke” Jabba along with the chain (as I never believed a 100 pound woman could physically choke to death a gigantic slug with a 6 foot neck).
DAGOBAH:
I would see about possibly editing out mentions of Leia as Luke’s sister. Maybe keep the reveal, but save it for LUKE to reveal it to Leia on Endor. Thus, rather than Obi Wan or Yoda spelling it out, it gives Luke some credibility in that he figures it out on his own. I would still take out Leia’s “Yes… I think I’ve always known” Keep her silent, as if she’s a bit “shell shocked” and thinking about what Luke is saying.
EWOKS:
I know someone a few years ago suggested an almost APOCALYPSE NOW vibe, with screen shots of the forest on fire. I would not know how you could achieve this, short of taking scenes from other films involving forest fires and implying the destruction being done on a large scale than essentially a football field.
Regardless, I always felt that if the ewoks were substitutes for the VC/North Vietnamese, why not film a few scenes showing them digging tunnels via very sharp claws (ala THE MOLE PEOPLE) and add some sharp teeth? Delete the more ludicrous scenes (the AT-STs getting smashed by logs, as the pilots would have either seen it via their technology or the armor would have withstood an impact from “logs”) and rework others (instead of the AT-ST tripping over logs [derp], have it step into holes created by the ewoks). Film a few scenes with stormtroopers being sucked/pulled under the ground, with maybe a bit of blood (or bloody stormtrooper arm and/or leg bits) to indicate the ewoks are pulling them underground and tearing them apart. Hence all of the stormtrooper helmets we keep seeing at the ewok village (they’re eating them)… which would also tie into Han and Luke almost getting eaten themselves.
EXECUTOR DESTRUCTION:
Again, don’t know how to do it (short of taking shots of the actor who played Piett and dubbing in lines with a sound alike without literally seeing the actor speak), but I wish Piett sacrificed himself by ramming the Executor into the Death Star’s laser dish after the Emperor fired the beam through both the Imperial and Rebel fleet, destroying any ship caught in the swath of the beam’s path (this is a laser beam capable of destroying an entire planet in one hit - if the Death Star is firing at something much smaller than a planet, it would either go straight through or it would be used to far greater effect to cut across an entire fleet than just “hit” one ship at a time).
Due to the madness of the Emperor (as he assembled a fleet with those he thought were traitors, thus to kill ALL rebels within the Empire), Piett pilots the Executor into the dish, destroying the weapon. This would allow a scene at the end (in the ewok village) for cosplayers to film an Imperial high officer with a Rebel high officer shaking hands to indicate that both sides are done with the fighting.
Killing the Emperor would not kill the Empire, unless those in the Empire (like those Nazi officers in the film VALKRYIE) saw the Emperor as a threat to everyone. If there was something to bring the Imperials and Rebels together, it truly would bring about a new alliance, not simply an end to the Empire.
LOCATION OF THE EMPERORS TOWER:
Having the tower in some non descript place on the Death Star felt out of place in JEDI. If the man is going to create a “high tower” to gloat over his enemies, I would imagine he would pick a place where he could not only see the battle with the most clarity, but also a place that would be highly protected. What if the Emperor’s tower was at the center of the laser dish array? Imagine the panic on Luke’s face (and our own) if you could see either the beams or even just the green of the beams outside the Emperor’s window as Luke fought Vader (so he/we are constantly reminded of the short amount of time Luke has to stop the Emperor).
THE FINALE:
I would consider not even showing the “force ghosts”. I get it: the Empire is defeated (possibly joining with the Rebels to form a new Alliance) and there is at least a celebration on Endor. Why not show Luke with the Ewoks, look forlorn… THEN go to his father, set the pyre and end the movie panning into the sky with the X-wings and fireworks, thus giving a happy but melancholy ending?
