Episode 755: Return of the Jedi (1983)

The Projection Booth Podcast

The Projection Booth

Film Reviews, Film Interviews, Film History, Tv & Film

4.8 • 686 Ratings

🗓️ 28 July 2025

⏱️ 163 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sci-Fi July wraps up with Return of the Jedi (1983), the final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy—directed by Richard Marquand, guided by George Lucas, and packed with new creatures, recycled plot beats, and merchandising gold. Joining Mike to explore the film's legacy and limitations are Jamie Benning (Filmumentaries) and Stephen Scarlata (Best Movies Never Made), along with special guest Jim Bloom, associate producer on Empire and Jedi.

From Jabba's palace to yet another Death Star, Jedi tries to close the saga with spectacle and sentiment—but not without creative compromises. We dig into the behind-the-scenes drama, the tonal whiplash between Ewoks and existential stakes, and how Jedi served as both a climax and a commercial pivot point for the franchise. Was it a fitting finale or just a soft landing pad for action figures? Strap into your speeder bike, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hold your ears, folks. It's showtime.
0:08.6	People pay good money to see this movie.
0:10.9	When they go out to a theater, they want cold sodas, hot popcorn, and no monsters in the projection booth.
0:17.3	Everyone pretend podcasting isn't boring.
0:20.2	Shut it off.
0:25.2	Turn it off.
0:45.6	Return it off. Return for the climactic clash between the forces of good and evil.
0:50.4	Return to a galaxy far, far away. Return of the Jedi. The Jedi. way.
0:57.0	Return of the Jedi.
1:08.0	The next chapter in the continuing Star Wars saga.
1:11.6	The battle for freedom Rages are. The heart of a hero, the heart of a hero, the courage of a rebel.
1:32.3	The strength of a leader.
1:36.3	The loyalty of comrades.
1:41.3	The power of the force. The cunning of the force.
1:47.1	The cunning of the enemy.
1:54.5	The destiny revealed.
1:56.3	Is Daphate to my father?
1:58.6	A legend fulfilled.
2:08.6	An epic of heroes, villains, and aliens from a thousand worlds. It's a crap!
2:11.6	The quest continues.
2:16.6	The circle closes.
2:22.9	The saga lives on.
	...

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