I don’t have a clear enough memory of the film release of RoTJ (either original or special edition), so I’m hoping someone here might have such a memory or, alternately, have a prior video release.
At the end of Return of the Jedi on DVD, after the rebels blow up the Death Star, before we see the Ewok celebration on Endor, there are a few scenes of jubilation on various planets across the galaxy. I could swear that some of those locales look like Naboo and Coruscant from the prequel trilogy. Are those scenes (or at least some of them) new inserts for the post-prequels DVD release? Or were they all there in the original or special-edition theatrical releases, and the similarities are just coincidence/my imagination?
You’re correct - they added them in for the DVD. The Special Edition changed the ending slightly to a less “Yub Yub” celebration to scenes from planets, but no Naboo. (There may have been a Coruscant in there, though.)
So, just to break it down for anyone who cares for as much detail:
-The original release featured a local-only celebration in Ewok village with an “Ewok” song.
-The 1997 “Special Edition” featured a multi-planet celebration and a new “pan pipe” type song.
-The 2004 DVD release features an extra added celebration on Naboo, inserted into the already added scenes on other planets, and keeps the dumb pan pipe song.
FTR, in the newest DVD release The hologram of the smiling Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker has been redone using Hayden Christiansen, who plays Anakin in Episodes 2 & 3 instead of the fat bald guy who played Anakin when unmasked in ROTJ..
I just loved the original Ewok yub-yub celebration song, and detest that panflute piece of crap.
I can understand for several updates but why did George “Satan” Lucas have to do this.
I am telling you : he does it on purpose just to piss off his last few fans. :wally
I just think the scenes with the celebration on other planets amazingly dumb. Yes, I know, suspension of disbelief and all of that. Still, I’d like to see the scene a half hour later on Coruscant when the Imperial garrison there shows up in riot gear and starts knocking out peoples’ teeth with their rifle butts…
Interesting fact - they added extra stuff into the Coruscant scene at the end. Now, you can see the Jedi Temple (the building with five tall towers) and the Senate Building (the large domed edifice) in the distance.
Yep, that was another change from the original theatrical version. I loved the original funky number sung by the singer with the fat squat body, long proboscis, and big human-like lipstick-red lips, but the newer song with the Muppet sideman was comparatively lame.
I kind of liked old tube mouth. She was sexy in kind of a mutant, alien, freaky mud bug kind of way. I guess it just shows that American men are conditioned to be aroused by red lipstick. Well… **** you! At lest I’m not a furry!
I think it’s clear that Lucas doen’t respect the millions of fans who made his movie an groundbreaking success as he’s publicly stated that he doesn’t care that people have been asking for the original theatrical release on DVD. He says they can get it on VHS if they want. VHS is not acceptable and cropped to 4:3 just adds insult to injury. He doesn’t seem to understand that it wasn’t the quality of the special effects that made Star Wars a hit even as much as it contributed to the movie. Most “director’s cuts” add elements to the story that drive the characters. Lucas often adds what amounts to pointless second unit crap. “Boy, the movie was terrible until they added an establishing shot showing the rooftops of Mos Eisley.”
Whi knows what is in store for the final episode. Brunching Shuttlecocks put it better than I can.