Star Wars: Ewok Adventures (1984 – 1985)
Directed by: John Korty, Jim Wheat, & Ken Wheat
Premise: Two made-for-TV films about the adventures of the Ewoks of Return of the Jedi. Caravan of Courage introduces a human family to the planet and the Ewoks aid the children (Erik Walker and Aubree Miller) in freeing their parents from a giant that has kidnapped them. In The Battle for Endor, the Ewoks fight off an attack on their planet by a group of intergalactic pirates.
What Works: The films capture the spirit of the Star Wars films and are fun. Caravan of Courage is geared towards children and as a children’s film it works well. The Battle for Endor, while still a family movie, is decidedly darker and more violent but also better acted and directed and ultimately more dramatically satisfying.
What Doesn’t: The films were made for television on a lower budget. As a result the special effects have not aged very well, especially in Caravan of Courage. For the DVD release, Lucasfilm surprisingly did not take advantage of the quality control opportunities of digital and so the sound and picture are not always optimal.
DVD extras: There are no extras.
Bottom Line: The Ewok Adventures are fun films that are intended for children and for that audience the films work. For adults, they will be appreciated by Star Wars completists and fans of Willow.
Episode: #53 (May 22, 2005)