Star Wars Returning to Jedi

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9.6 (4)
 
9.7 (16)
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Star Wars Returning to Jedi
Faneditor Name:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1983
Original Running Time:
135 minutes
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
147 minutes
Synopsis:
In the follow up project to “Building Empire” Jambe Davdar presents Star Wars: Returning to Jedi, charting an in depth view intro, and around the story of SW6.
Intention:
This is a ‘commentary documentary’, combining all of the know behind the scenes footage with audio commentary and text facts.
Other Sources:

- 2004 DVD Supplemental Material
- 2006 OT DVD
- Laserdisc Supplementals
- Classic Creatures
- From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
- Other official DVD extras (if you know of any specific ROTJ footage let me know)
- Teasers Trailers
- Photos of Sand storm deleted scene (anyone got hi-res versions)
- Comic Adaptations
- Radio Drama
- Skywalker (BBC Radio 1 Programme)
- NPR Richard Marquand Audio Interview
- Return of the Ewok
- Horizon, How to Film the Impossible
- ROTJ Soundtrack (previously unreleased music)
- BBC Interview — Jeremy Bulloch
- Ocpmovie’s Classic Edition
- Original and Special Editions
- Annotated Screenplays Book
- Wonder Column in Space CD
- When Star Wars Ruled the World
- Rarities 1
- Lucasfilm Archives book
- Art of ROTJ Book
- Star Wars Chronicles book
- Empire Building book
Release Information:
  • DVD
  • DVD
Special Features:
- ‘Ugly as Sin’ Teaser Trailer
- Trailer
- Revenge of the Jedi crawl
- Alternate Sail Barge music sequence
- Speederbike Storyboard comparison
- Easter Egg
Editing Details:
DVD Details:
- PAL DUAL LAYER 2hr 27min main doco (total 2hrs 38 inc extras)
- 16:9 Anamorphic
- AC3 Audio

NTSC single layer version of this, lower in quality than the PAL dual layer, but still very much enjoyable.
Star Wars - Returning to Jedi

JD_RTJ_cover2_barge_web
ReturnLabel
sky_discwhiteui4
returntojedicoverrv0_by_blueharvest82
JD_RTJ_cover2_boba_web
returninto4fz8_by_darth_solo
JD_RTJ_cover2_emp_web
ReturninTo2
JD_RTJ_cover_web
Returning To Jedi NTSC
Returning_Label
Returning To Jedi
emirediskdp1_darthsolo
deleteddiskwl0_darthsolo
MO - 1 Deleted Magic
MO - 2 Building Empire
MO - 3 Returning to Jedi
returnlabel29xu_darthsolo
sky_discwhiteui4
sky_discbrownjn6
returnofthejedidvdcoverig8_by_sky_uk
sky_discredpj9
starwarsdocu4ol
starwarsdocu27fb
Faneditor Name:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1983
Original Running Time:
135 minutes
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
147 minutes
Synopsis:
In the follow up project to “Building Empire” Jambe Davdar presents Star Wars: Returning to Jedi, charting an in depth view intro, and around the story of SW6.
Intention:
This is a ‘commentary documentary’, combining all of the know behind the scenes footage with audio commentary and text facts.
Other Sources:

- 2004 DVD Supplemental Material
- 2006 OT DVD
- Laserdisc Supplementals
- Classic Creatures
- From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
- Other official DVD extras (if you know of any specific ROTJ footage let me know)
- Teasers Trailers
- Photos of Sand storm deleted scene (anyone got hi-res versions)
- Comic Adaptations
- Radio Drama
- Skywalker (BBC Radio 1 Programme)
- NPR Richard Marquand Audio Interview
- Return of the Ewok
- Horizon, How to Film the Impossible
- ROTJ Soundtrack (previously unreleased music)
- BBC Interview — Jeremy Bulloch
- Ocpmovie’s Classic Edition
- Original and Special Editions
- Annotated Screenplays Book
- Wonder Column in Space CD
- When Star Wars Ruled the World
- Rarities 1
- Lucasfilm Archives book
- Art of ROTJ Book
- Star Wars Chronicles book
- Empire Building book
Release Information:
  • DVD
  • DVD
Special Features:
- ‘Ugly as Sin’ Teaser Trailer
- Trailer
- Revenge of the Jedi crawl
- Alternate Sail Barge music sequence
- Speederbike Storyboard comparison
- Easter Egg
Editing Details:
DVD Details:
- PAL DUAL LAYER 2hr 27min main doco (total 2hrs 38 inc extras)
- 16:9 Anamorphic
- AC3 Audio

NTSC single layer version of this, lower in quality than the PAL dual layer, but still very much enjoyable.
Cover art by Sluggo (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Jambe Davdar (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Jambe Davdar (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Jambe Davdar (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Jambe Davdar (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by BlueHarvest82 (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Darth Solo (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Darth Solo (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Complete Documentary Art Set (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Sky_UK (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by Sky_UK (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image

Cover art by AvP (DOWNLOAD HERE)
image
Star Wars - Returning to Jedi

Trusted Reviewer reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.3(4)
Audio Editing
 
9.8(4)
Visual Editing
 
9.8(4)
Narrative
 
9.8(4)
Enjoyment
 
9.5(4)
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
In 2007, Jambe Davdar made this sequel documentary to his "Building Empire", released the year before. It uses the same style of running commentary as I described in my review for that work: https://ifdb.fanedit.org/building-empire/reviews/?user=34747
This time, the editor covers The Return of the Jedi, which offers a nice contrast in terms of the tone of the interviews. He includes material which reflects on them coming back, now confidant that the success of these films was not a one-off, now free from the pressure of having to follow-up one of the biggest smash films of all time. They're really having FUN on set, and they're also genuinely committed to their characters and the material.

I wrote more about how specifically this "film-umentary" (a phrase the editor now coined) deals with RotJ and what it reveals about it here: https://boxd.it/2OBosN For me, the big discovery/takeaway from this though was in a lost scene right after Jabba's palace that is pieced together here. It would've been a great inclusion, and seems almost necessary in retrospect. This doc does seem to go on asides like this a bit longer than the previous one, resulting in it being a much longer film. It's got a bit more information in it, too. While the editor still seems to favor the setup and early formation of the film and has less to add about the latter stages, there aren't quite as many spaces here where the film just plays as normal.

Overall, another great way to rewatch for a Star Wars fan!

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched
Digital
Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
9.7
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Initial doc from Jamie Benning’s Star Wars trilogy is, not surprisingly, the weakest.
From the menu design to long stretches with no extras.
This installment, while extremely interesting, pales next to Begins and Building Empire.

Video - Thoughtful layering of stills, sketches, models, as well as behind the scenes footage and deleted scenes. With so many sources, it is unfair to expect razor video quality throughout. Some of the extras are blurry, others are marred by rapid camera movement. Nevertheless, narrative coherence is maintained and nothing is too flawed. Indeed, some of the more damaged materials are the most interesting, and I am glad the editor included them.

Audio - Reads 5.1, but much of the original material is Dolby 2 or simple stereo. Everything and every one is discernable, though. As noted in another review, Harrison Ford has a tendency to mumble. More in the later (2004) commentaries than in the earlier (1984 >). Not a problem, just noticeable. No dialogue subs, only info subs.

Narrative - As noted, there are several stretches where this are no “documentary” elements. Only the movie rolling along. Difficult to gauge whether there was a lack of supplemental material for those sections or if this was editor neglect. One point becomes clear - Lucas did not have a clear vision for Jedi. Much of the time he seemed to be winging it, trusting in serendipity rather than a focused script.

Enjoyment - Extremely mixed bag here. I bitterly recall the disappointment viewing this theatrically. After the first two installments, after viewing the trailer for this, everyone was so pumped. Jedi was such a massive let down. I rewatched at the theater - hoping. Terrible. Latex characters, Boba Fett’s absurd demise, Luke’s inabilities. When I eventually bought the discs Jedi was worse than I remembered. It’s like Lucas dialed back the adult themes and delivered a kiddie film, complete with a teddy bear party.

Extras in this doc are minimal. Cause could stem from the fact that the Star Wars phenomenon had peaked. The mania had passed. I well remember how quickly the first two radio installments were released, and how Jedi came out a full decade later. (Note - To the best of my knowledge, the prequels never had a radio series, never boasted the plethora of behind the scenes footage, only lots of toy merchandising.)

Hearing the doc one soon realizes that producers knew Jedi might well displease. Expectations were skyhigh. Listening to comments, Lucas’s vision was second-guessed, the directions he went were not understood - then and now. This doc is informative, yet cringe-inducing, seeing error after error committed. Also, there is an “end of vacation” vibe from all narrators. “Loved doing this, but tired of it and wanna move along.”

No matter the failures of the original film, Benning’s documentary is whole heartedly recommended. This is a must for Star Wars fans. In so many ways, this is a better experience than the original. Thank you, Mr Bennng, for persevering with this and sharing with the world. Fans everywhere are in your debt.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched
DVD
Comments (1) | Was this review helpful? 0 1
Overall rating
 
9.5
Audio/Video Quality
 
8.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Pretty much everything I said in my Building Empire review stands here. The only difference is there were no video or audio glitches. Wonderful commentary/documentary on Return of the Jedi, and definitely a must see by any Star Wars fan.

User Review

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Yes
Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
(Updated: November 20, 2013)
Overall rating
 
9.3
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
9.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Review by ThrowgnCpr — November 4, 2008 @ 1:49 pm

An easy ten stars for this. An unmissable fan edit/doco…thing.

User Review

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Yes
Format Watched
DVD
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User reviews

16 reviews
 
94%
 
6%
5-7 stars
 
0%
3-5 stars
 
0%
1-3 stars
 
0%
Overall rating
 
9.7
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.3(3)
Audio Editing
 
10.0(3)
Visual Editing
 
9.7(3)
Narrative
 
9.7(3)
Enjoyment
 
9.8(16)
View all user reviews View most helpful
(Updated: November 10, 2022)
Overall rating
 
9.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
8.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
9.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
Once again, a great collection of flotsam and jetsum from the third movie in the saga and its creation.
Ineveitably, there are less revelatory items here and the path now feels a tad worn, it does however remain an essential piece of fan doco creation capturing and preserving many items that will be lost to the sands of time.
Still a must for all fans and one can only hope that more chapters for Eps 1-3 and 7-9 may emerge in time.

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Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Not as interesting as the other two in the trilogy, with some extended moments of no information given, but still essential viewing.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0
Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
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10.0
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10.0
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10.0
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10.0
Jambe Davdar's documentaries are a real pleasure to watch. A lot of care and effort went into this one like the others. I really appreciate how much of the material is gathered from sources other than George Lucas.

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Yes
Format Watched
Digital
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Overall rating
 
10.0
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N/A
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10.0
Review by Mr.Lovebucket — March 9, 2012 @ 1:38 am

*This rating was given before reviews were required*
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Overall rating
 
10.0
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10.0
Review by UnitGamers — June 6, 2011 @ 2:18 am

*This rating was given before reviews were required*
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