Episode 30: Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary
Is RETURN OF THE JEDI the first prequel? The Brothers ponder this question during a roundtable discussion to mark the film’s 40th anniversary. They examine the themes of this final film in the STAR WARS Original Trilogy, explore how the film makes the saga about a family instead of an individual, celebrate the film’s technical achievements and performances, and dig into its remarkable editing. They also examine how it connects to the rest of the STAR WARS franchise and relitigate some of the film’s most notorious elements, including George Lucas’s Special Edition edits and the presence of Ewoks and other family-friend creatures.
0:00 - Intro
0:44 - Keynote
2:47 - Roundtable: “Return of the Jedi”
53:32 - Outro
Clips from:
- “Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest” (1995) Nintendo
- “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) 20th Century Fox
- “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) RKO Radio Pictures
- “Return of the Jedi” (1983) 20th Century Fox
- “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999) 20th Century Fox
- “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005) 20th Century Fox
- “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019) Walt Disney Studios
Aren’s review of RETURN OF THE JEDI for their 2019 STAR WARS Retrospective.
Read more of the 3 Brothers’ reviews, features, and roundtables.