THE RETURN OF THE JEDI

US, 1983, 131 minutes, Colour.
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Billy Dee Williams, Ian Mc Diarmid Sebastian Shaw, Voice of James Earl Jones.
Directed by Richard Marquand.

The Return of the Jedi is considered one of the best of the six Star Wars films. While Star Wars made an extraordinary impact in 1977, it continued with The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. Audience expectations were high, George Lucas promoted his series very strongly, not only the films, but toys and other merchandise in association with the film. Audiences were not disappointed in 1983 with The Return of the Jedi.

When Lucas made his second Trilogy starting with The Phantom Menace in 1999, The Attack of the Clones in 2002 and The Revenge of the Sith in 2005, it emerged that The Return of the Jedi was, in fact, the climax of the whole six films.

The film was directed by Richard Marquand, who directed a number of interesting films in a career cut short by his death. They include The Birth of the Beatles as well as The Legacy and the Glenn Close- Jeff Bridges thriller, Jagged Edge.

The rest of the cast are all present in this film – they had established their characters strongly in the first film and were able to sustain audience interest in them throughout the series: Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. C 3pio and R2 -D2 were also very popular. It is interesting, in the light of the second trilogy, that Ian McDiarmid? sustained his role as the evil emperor throughout the six films. Alec Guinness appears as Obi Wan Kenobi and Frank Oz continues as Yoda, a character established in The Empire Strikes Back.

The Ewoks were also introduced in this film – and led to a series of their own (which were more than a touch childish!).

While the action is very strong, Darth Vader establishing a new Dark Star, the emperor extending his empire, Obi Wan Kenobi advising Luke Skywalker, there are action sequences, the rescue of Han Solo, the confrontation with Chewbacca.

Of more lasting influence is the final confrontation between Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) and Luke Skywalker, the possibility that his son could persuade Darth Vader to come over from the Dark Side. The emperor is present urging on Darth Vader- which leads to the emperor’s destruction as well. In the light of The Revenge of the Sith, it is interesting to see the confrontation between Darth Vader and Luke. At the end of The Revenge of the Sith, there is the transition from Anakin into Darth Vader. The cycle has come full turn.

The films can be seen now in order of drama – with The Phantom Menace being the weakest of the six and The Return of the Jedi being one of the strongest.

1. Entertainment value? Continuing enjoyment of the Star Wars saga? The completion of the trilogy? The technical and thematic achievement?

2. The popularity of the film? world-wide box office? The nature of the appeal? The appeal of inter-galactic wars, comic strip heroes and heroines, galactic adventures? Elaborate multi-million dollar technology?

3. The quality of the technical production: the stars and their continuing roles? The robots and their continued success? The familiar score with its variety of themes? The re-creation of the galaxies? The development of interplanetary vehicles? The war and battles? The death stars and the stations? The planet of Jabba? The wide and eerie range of creatures? The monstrous dragon? The cruel and menacing creatures? The charm of the Ewoks? The forest of Endor? The chases, the siege? The presence of the Yoda? Of Obi Wan Kenobi? The battle between Luke and Darth Vader? The Emperor and his attendants? The continued pleasure in seeing the characters situations?

4. The film as episode 6 in the projected 9 films? The opening with the information and the Saturday matinee serial effect? Audience expectations and hopes? Audience knowledge and feel for the situations? The expectations in the title?

5. The focus on the Emperor and his power? Evil figure? Satanic figure? The Death Star. his search for power in the galaxies? His arms, planes? The deflector shield? A creature of hatred? His legions and their uniforms, abilities human yet robot-like? His plans, spies, information and anticipation of the attack? Darth Vader as his henchman? His power over him? The desire for Luke to be taken by the Dark Side of the Force? His plans for Luke and his gloating? The confrontation between Luke and his father and the Emperor's goading? The goading to hatred and succumbing to evil and the Dark Side? His almost being successful? Darth Vader's turning on him? The Emperor's failure and hurtling down the well? The dramatisation of evil - appearance, eyes, voice? The power of malice?

6. The them of the Force and its power? The Force with its mythological overtones - both at popular level and mystical level? The strength of the Force? Obi Wan Kenobi and his appearances? The Guardian of the Force? Yoda, the father-figure and the teacher of the Force? Luke and his power, the revelation of Leia as his twin sister and her having the Force? The Force as a spiritual heritage for the Jedi? The Force associated with chivalry and nobility? Yet the Dark Side of the Force - and Luke's vulnerability, the nature of the temptation, the interior struggle? Darth Vader and his having succumbed and become a machine? Luke and his capacity for hatred? His almost succumbing? His control? The Emperor trying to kill him and his torture? His success and the return of the Jedi? The Force as a power in the galaxies?

7. The evil planet of Jabba the Hutt? The monstrous and giant toad with his cruelty, devouring preachers, laughing and mocking in cruelty? His power over Han Solo? Capturing Luke? Capturing Leia and holding her by the throat? (And the irony of her choking him to death)? The range of bizarre creatures? The bar, the dance floor, the music? The darkness of the planet and the palace? Han Solo frozen? The infiltration by Lando and Leia? Luke and his being captured? The monsters below the trapdoor? The gigantic dragon and Luke's chivalric fight, tricking the dragon and killing it? The pit with the omnivore? Leia killing Jabba? The battle over the precipices and the soldiers dying? The gymnastics with Luke rescuing Han and Lando?

8. The Yoda and Luke's visit? Yoda as the wise one, the ageing father-figure? His revelation about the Force and about Leia? His death? Obi Wan Kenobi and his continuing presence? The importance of the Force with its male and female counterparts? - The touch of '80s feminism? Yet the Jungian psychology and the complementarity of male and female? The bond between brother and sister?

9. Han as hero? The romance with Lela? The jealousy of Luke? The happy resolution? Happy family and happy marriage?

10. Han and his being unfrozen, his blindness? The fight over the precipice? The meeting with the Rebel Alliance and the woman leader? The mission and the deflector shield? The flight? Chewbacca and his presence, assistance - with the comic touch? General Lando and his place in the attack? The attack of the Death Star? The siege of the central powerhouse? The problem with the shield? The irony that the Emperor knew of the attack and was warding it off? The Star Wars?

11. The Forest of Endor: the Ewoks and their cuddly gentleness! Their attack? The koala bear overtones? Their reacting like primitive tribes - the reaction to See Threepio and the worship of him, the magic? Their becoming guerrilla warfare experts and Robin Hood-type bandits? Their help, enjoyment of their victories? The deaths? Their destruction of the Empire vehicles? The comic touches to the battles? Their being heroic? Their participation in the final joyful celebrations - with the musical comedy song and dance routines!

12. The Forest of Endor and the Empire soldiers, the space vehicles, the exhilaration of the chases through the forest, speed, crashes? Leia and Luke and their heroism? The Ewoks? The siege and the various devices, the dangers, the opening of the door, strategies and success?

13. The Empire and its minions and soldiers, the officers and their plans, the myriad soldiers, the chases, the battles and the planes? The skills of the Rebel forces and their soldiery?

14. The focus on Darth Vader: his musical theme and its repetition even in piano key after his conversion and death? His presence on the Death Star, his orders, power? Machine-like? James Earl Jones' deep voice and resonance? Relationship with the Emperor? Seeking his son and sensing his presence? The confrontation? The laser-fights? The Emperor's goading Luke? The deep feelings of tenderness for his son? The good and evil within him? The good overcoming the evil? Sympathy? The news of Leia? The killing of the Emperor? His fight to the death? His returning to his initial Skywalker identity? Lake's reverence in his death and Viking pyre? His reappearance with the Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi?

15. Luke and his being older, his heroism, destiny, the evil and good within him, his saving Leia and Han, fighting his father, the revelation and the emotional stress, faith in his father's goodness? The Emperor torturing him? His passion and death - to a new life? Risen with the Force? The final court -and the heavenly visitors?

16. The robots and their perennial humour? The machines like human beings with eccentric touches?

17. The use of Jungian psychology as background for this popular mythology? The reliance on the old chivalry? The chivalry transferred to the technology of a mythological past, present and future?

18. A satisfying resolution for the Star Wars trilogy?