[9]

Compared to the previous two episodes in the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi comes up a bit short in character and drama. Richard Marquand’s direction isn’t as elegant or purposeful as Irvin Kershner’s (who directed The Empire Strikes Back so gorgeously). But the third film wraps up story threads more than adequately and gives us quite a few spectacular action set pieces, from the assault on Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge to the final showdown in the stars over Endor. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has his final showdown with dear old daddy Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) while the evil Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) threatens to unleash a new Death Star on the galaxy.

More than anything, I love how exotic the movie is. I know many people loathe the number of puppets and critters that run rampant throughout the film, but I think it enriches the story’s universe and the movie’s atmosphere. Jedi is a rarity for the sheer volume of alien creatures on display, all of which are tangible — not CGI. George Lucas utilizes everything in the cinematic arsenal — actors in prosthetics, a wide variety of puppets, and of course, little people in teddy bear suits to fully realize a cogent and diverse galaxy far, far away. It was the last time we’d ever see these techniques used on a scale so grand, and for that reason, Jedi is precious to me. Bolstered by brilliant film editing, another exciting John Williams score, and Ben Burtt’s inventive sound design, Return of the Jedi is still one of the mack-daddies of escapist summer movie fare.

Academy Award: Special Achievement in Visual Effects

Oscar Nominations: Best Score, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing