From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
Encyclopedia
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga is a 1983 television documentary special that originally aired on PBS
. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the original Star Wars
trilogy, with particular emphasis on the final film, Return of the Jedi.
Narrated by actor Mark Hamill
, the documentary was written by Richard Schickel
who had written the previous television documentaries The Making of Star Wars
(1977) and SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
(1980).
who discusses his influences, his original plans, and the process of creating the saga.
The footage of the making of Return of the Jedi includes a look at the creation of the various alien creatures seen in the film (covered in more detail in the other 1983 documentary Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
), on location in Yuma Desert
in Arizona
for the sequence aboard Jabba's sailbarge, on location in the redwood forests of Northern California
for the Endor scenes, the filming of the speeder bike chase sequence, and the creation of the various alien languages and the songs "Lapti Nek" as performed by the character Sy Snootles and the Ewok celebration song at the end of the film.
It also includes the original deleted scene from the first Star Wars
film featuring Han Solo
's meeting with Jabba the Hutt
, who was then played by Irish actor Declan Mulholland
(the scene was later restored for the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars in which a CGI
Jabba was superimposed over Mulholland and his dialogue dubbed).
in the mid 1980s. It was also released on Laserdisc in Japan
. As yet, there are no high-definition releases of the documentary and unlike its predecessors, The Making of Star Wars and SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back, it was not included on the 2011 Star Wars Blu-ray boxset of all six episodes.
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the original Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
trilogy, with particular emphasis on the final film, Return of the Jedi.
Narrated by actor Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
, the documentary was written by Richard Schickel
Richard Schickel
Richard Warren Schickel is an American author, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. He is a film critic for Time magazine, having also written for Life magazine and the Los Angeles Times Book Review....
who had written the previous television documentaries The Making of Star Wars
The Making of Star Wars
The Making of Star Wars is a television special produced by 20th Century Fox, which aired on the ABC Television Network on September 16, 1977. It was written by Richard Schickel and directed and produced by Robert Guenette.-Synopsis:...
(1977) and SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back is a television documentary special which originally aired on CBS on September 22, 1980. Hosted by actor Mark Hamill, it is a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the special effects in the second Star Wars film, which was released that year...
(1980).
Synopsis
The documentary is primarily a look at the making of the film Return of the Jedi, which had been released that year. However it includes considerable material and behind-the-scenes footage from the two previous Star Wars films and an extensive interview with Star Wars creator George LucasGeorge Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
who discusses his influences, his original plans, and the process of creating the saga.
The footage of the making of Return of the Jedi includes a look at the creation of the various alien creatures seen in the film (covered in more detail in the other 1983 documentary Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi is a television documentary, first broadcast on PBS in 1983. It is a look behind-the-scenes of the creation of the various alien creatures from the third Star Wars film Return of the Jedi which was released that year...
), on location in Yuma Desert
Yuma Desert
The Yuma Desert is a lower-elevation section of the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and the northwest of Mexico. It is in the Salton basin. The desert contains areas of sparse vegetation and has notable areas of sand dunes. With an average rainfall less than 8 inches each...
in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
for the sequence aboard Jabba's sailbarge, on location in the redwood forests of Northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for the Endor scenes, the filming of the speeder bike chase sequence, and the creation of the various alien languages and the songs "Lapti Nek" as performed by the character Sy Snootles and the Ewok celebration song at the end of the film.
It also includes the original deleted scene from the first Star Wars
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
film featuring Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
's meeting with Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt is a fictional character in George Lucas's space opera film saga Star Wars. Designed as a large, slug-like alien, his appearance has been described by film critic Roger Ebert as "Dickensian," a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat....
, who was then played by Irish actor Declan Mulholland
Declan Mulholland
Thomas Declan Mulholland was a Northern Irish character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films....
(the scene was later restored for the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars in which a CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
Jabba was superimposed over Mulholland and his dialogue dubbed).
Home video release
The documentary was released on home video by 20th Century Fox20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
in the mid 1980s. It was also released on Laserdisc in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. As yet, there are no high-definition releases of the documentary and unlike its predecessors, The Making of Star Wars and SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back, it was not included on the 2011 Star Wars Blu-ray boxset of all six episodes.