“You must face Darth Vader again”: Returning to “Return of the Jedi”…

“Help me take this mask off.” A few years ago, I wrote a somewhat snarky, old guy-perspective of “Return of the Jedi,” and while I still stand by most of my criticisms of the movie (unoriginal story beats, a second Death Star, etc), I think what I needed now was to see the movie again…

Remembering Dave Prowse, the ‘force’ behind Darth Vader (1935-2020)…

The summer of 1977 was my first introduction to actor Dave Prowse. Not in person, of course, but when he (in character) boarded a captured Rebel starship in the opening scenes of “Star Wars” (pre-New Hope). I can never forget Prowse’s embodiment of that awesome black-clad villain. What an entrance! In fact, I still remember…

So be it, Jedi: “Return of the Jedi”, 35 years later…

Time flies like the Millennium Falcon through hyperspace. Looking back 35 years (gasp!), I still tend to regard “Return of the Jedi” as the first genuine misstep of cinematic Star Wars (the runt of the original trilogy litter).   I realize it  is a favorite for some, and I’m not trying to challenge or argue anyone else’s opinion…