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RFR Q&A #113: ESB & ROTJ Special Edition Changes (Patreon)

Published:
2022-04-04 20:31:05
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Winter 1997 saw the return of STAR WARS to the cinema with the Special Edition releases featuring many revisions and updates to the well-know films. RFR V.I.P. Jeff Holland has a checklist of all the changes made to the Special Edition releases of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI and we go through them one-by-one and grade them "yay" or "nay". Plus, Jimmy Mac stories about Roger Ebert and more! 

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Comments

Kirk Leppert

As an SE era fan I was excited to hear the exciting conclusion of Jeff’s episode here. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe Ian McDiarmid wasn’t added to ESB until the 2004 dvd release.

Jeff Holland
>>81261665

Thanks! And yes you are correct about Ian being added in 2004. With these SE Q&As, we lumped in all the changes to the OT (‘97 SE, DVD release, Blu Ray release, etc.) together to make things easier to discuss. So while the title of these SE Q&As say special edition it’s really all the major changes to the OT from the ‘97 SE and on.

Peter Beisser

First time back in the office in more than two years for me this morning. A weird day for sure. But I had you guys along for the ride. Always great to hear Jeff on. Crazy to think more time has gone by since the special editions than the time that passed from the original releases and 1997.

Jeff Holland
>>81301219

Thanks Peter! Yeah, 25 years since the SEs. Doesn't seem that long ago to me. Man, we're getting old. LOL! I look forward to your next Q&A!

w. greg simmons

Good q&a! Still only in the middle of listening to it.... It's been forever since I watched the '97 special editions... In ESB, the Luke scream... I seem to recall they used the emperor scream (when he's thrown down by Vader I'm ROTJ) for Luke's scream in the ESB '97 special edition.... Maybe I'm wrong... However, I do remember thinking the Luke scream to be very odd

Rob Strecker

The special edition of the trilogy was my introduction to Star Wars about halfway through high school. Then I was hooked after not wanting to watch them to begin with, but my parents had the VHS tapes and watched so I was kinda stuck, but was into it by the end of the movie. Then I started devouring the EU starting with the Thrawn Trilogy.

Matt Rashid

Great show, Jeff! It's amazing how long we've lived with those changes. Some of them still feel new and some I've really grown accustomed.

GMo

These were my two favorite Q&A’s so far! Love the special edition breakdowns and the results. I have to say though I Love the scene with Vader leaving cloud city… the imperial shuttle is my favorite ship and seeing it on cloud city is beautiful. Even if it is landing in the Death Star hangar… hey Executor is a massive ship, as big as Manhattan, whose to say it would not have one of those Hangars?? I’ll always love it and the music goes so well with it.

Jeff Holland
>>81344691

Thanks Greg! Agree - first time hearing the Luke scream, I was like "what... the... f...?!?!?" Ha Ha!

Joe Dallas

Great show and very interesting!

Kurt Shimala

Overall, I’m still a fan of the original ‘97 special editions, everything changed since, not so much.

Todd “Suds” Sedlacek

Loved hearing this and the ANH discussion. Found myself agreeing with the yay/nay votes so great job IMHO.

Alex White

Enjoyed looking back on the progression of changes. Return of the Jedi is the film I most need to look back on. There’s details discussed in this q&a that I to this day haven’t picked up on. As for the change with Hayden, I was on the fence like Jimmy. However, if he had actually appeared in the sequels I would have been on board with it, because the connective tissue would be that much stronger.

Eric from Phoenix

Jeff, great job on this!! Random thoughts: 1)I loved the old Topps Widescreen cards. 2) I never understood why George didn't replace the shuttle used to transport Needa to Vader's ship where he's killed. The design is so basic and not really Star Warsy to me. 3) When you guys were talking about the Wampa it reminded me of the Making of Empire book (Rinzler). I love that Luke stumbling through snowdrifts after escaping the Wampa was filmed just yards outside of the crew hotel. 4) I couldn't agree more about Black Hole. Soooooo boring. 5) I never understood why George didn't fix the window behind Han and team when they meet Vader in the dinning room. In a previous scene the window had CG skyline added in the special edition but when they show the view from Vader it is back to the original frosted window. 6) I never realized R2 had extra gadgets added when he gets shot on Endor. 7) I don't know what got added for Wedge so I have to go back and compare the versions. Great show guys!

Joshua Mertz

Would love to see full show videos for the Q and A’s!!