Marquand was manifestly more interested in the furry creatures than he was in the Death Star, the battle in the sky or even the Emperor and extraordinary lackey Vader.
0h, and the romance between Solo and Princess Leia (Fisher) comes on strong. Business as usual.ĭespatched to a forest on a neighbouring planet to close down A Death Star's shield before a Rebellion attack clincher, the heroes come across some the cutesy Ewoks - who ruin this film for many purist Star far fans, but who nevertheless prove pivotal in destroying the Empire. Luke Skywalker (Hamill) has gone to Tattooine to rescue Han Solo (Ford) from evil crimelord and giant lump-of-lard Jabba The Hut, before the rebels regroup to launch an attack on the Empire's Death Star Mark II. In this final episode (of the middle trilogy at least), the evil Empire has managed to claw back power and get a substantial way through construction of a new and even more powerful Death Star - although Darth Vader (Dave Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) is not satisfied with progress and tries to chivy things along before the arrival of the awe-inspiring Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). Certainly, Marquand's 1983 take comes across as peculiarly anodyne after the broad sweeps of darkness and disturbing drama of Irvin Kershner's The Empire Strikes Back, and many cast members recall this as their least favourite of the trilogy.
Queen of spleen critic Pauline Kael called it "an impersonal and rather junky piece of moviemaking" while the rest of the world clearly thought otherwise (and so did the Oscar Academy, who gave it five nominations and one gong - for best special visual effects).