STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION
RETURN OF THE JEDI
NAME: Star Wars Special Editions - Return of the Jedi
YEAR: 1997
DIMENSIONS: 27"x40", 30"x40" British Quad, Mini Sheet, Standee
VARIATIONS: Foriegn variations as well as some with two dates (see below)
DOUBLE OR SINGLE SIDED: Single and Double Sided
FAKES: No
REPRINTS: Yes, there is a German Zig Zag reprint, a commercial 24"x36" size, and other reprints.
INFORMATION:
Painted by Drew Struzan, this poster is the last in a unique trilogy by the artist. If you line up the posters for all three films, they make up one large image (as seen below). The special edition was originally scheduled to run on March 7, 1997, but theaters complained that there wasn't enough time between its release and the release of the ESBSE, so it was pushed back to March 14th. So one version has March 7th on it (see above) and another with March 14th (see below). The foriegn versions generally don't have the date.
Drew Struzan had the following to say about the set in an interview with TheForce.Net:
TF.N - Your Special Edition set of posters is a favorite of mine. What was the creative process there? Is it true that it was really a last minute job?
drew - The worst deadline ever! I was called one week before the poster was due to be printed in time to be in the theatres. I say "the" poster as when I was asked if I would or if I could, they only wanted one poster for all three of the films. We were on the telephone with a conference call between myself and about six others at Lucasfilm. I asked why one poster for three films? Why not one poster for each and let's not miss this great opportunity. When would there ever be another opportunity to do a tryptic, three posters that would work together as one? I put my foot in it! OK, now do three posters, a week apiece. Now that's a rush schedule. It took 20 years to get to this point and now I had three weeks to sum up the most successful trio of films of all time. There's pressure for you. Oh yeah, and this was during the holidays. I worked for three weeks, day and night, with no week ends to rest. I was exhausted, but hey... it prepared me for Episode 1, a breeze compared to this training.
OTHER IMAGES:
Special Edition Trilogy together
ROTJ SE British Quad - 30"x40"
ROTJ SE French
ROTJ SE French - 61"x45"
ROTJ SE Polish
ROTJ SE Thai
ROTJ SE Japanese
ROTJ SE Italy