Star Wars Return of the Jedi: Deleted Scene (Sandstorm Scene)

Star Wars Return of the Jedi: Deleted Scene (Sandstorm Scene)

Right after the SW heroes blow up Jabba’s barge, there was a sandstorm scene.

This is taken from IMDB page:

((David West Reynolds, an ILM employee, discovered missing footage and had stills shots from these scenes published in Star Wars Insider magazine. These include: A sand storm scene after the death of Jabba, the matte painting of which can be seen in the Industrial Light & Magic book. Han describes the hibernation as being awake and unable to move.))

Things to point out about the scene

~Lando and Han still have some tension between them over Lando’s betrayal. Han thanks him for his rescue. I really liked this interaction, because it tells us Han still hasn’t fully forgiven him for it, but knows he’s trying to make up for it.

~Luke puts on his black glove in this scene and mentions seeing an old friend (Yoda).

~Han talks about what it was like being frozen.

Now, the reason this scene doesn’t work, even though there are some nice character moments, it slows down the pace of the huge action scene that happened before it.

They re-shot it and kept the Yoda mention and the interaction between Han and Luke. It works better with the editing wipe from the hovercraft to outer space anyway. It’s more exciting to see the two ships break from the planet and go their separate ways.

But it is a shame we lost the Han/Lando stuff.

I also believe the scene was cut very early in the production because the score is edited to fit with the newer scene with the ships parting ways. Remember, music is one of the last things to be done on a film.

Anyway, here’s an even more detailed video into the deleted scene.

Here’s the script portion

4   EXT DUNE SEA - LANDING AREA

A ferocious sandstorm blocks our view. Then, through the ROAR, we HEAR 

THE VOICES of our heroes. They emerge slowly from the veil of sand, 

pressing on against the wind. First come Artoo and Threepio, followed 

by Leia guiding Han, then Luke and Lando come into view, each 

supporting one side of the towering Chewbacca, who hobbles from his 

wound.

Soon, they can make out some large vague shapes in the blowing sand. It 

is the Millennium Falcon and, parked beside it, Luke's trusty X-wing 

and a two-seated Y-wing. They must shout to be heard.

HAN

I don't know. All I can see is a lot of blowing sand!

LEIA

That's all any of us can see.

HAN      (blinking)

Then I guess I'm getting better.

As soon as the group huddles under the bulk of the Falcon, the wind 

dies down to something more describable as a severe weather condition. 

Threepio hits a switch, and the gang-plank lowers with a HUM.

HAN         (turning to Luke)

I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were pretty good out there.

LUKE     (shrugging it off)

I had a lot of help. Think nothing of it.

HAN

No, I'm thinking a lot about it. That carbon freeze was the closest 

thing to dead there is. And it wasn't just sleepin'. It was a big wide 

awake nothing!

Luke nods, as Chewie growls affectionately at the young Jedi warrior, 

mussing his hair like a proud uncle. And Leia warmly hugs him.

LUKE         (moving to his ship)

I'll see you back at the fleet.

HAN

Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?

LUKE

I have a promise I have to keep first... to an old friend.

Luke and Artoo take off in their spacecraft.

HAN         

(looking dubiously at Lando, obviously remembering his friend's 

betrayal and subsequent aide)

Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando.

LANDO

Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd just give me bad luck the 

rest of my life, so I might as well get you unfrozen sooner or later.

LEIA

He means "You're welcome."

LANDO

Come on, let's get off this miserable dust ball.

44A  EXT SPACE ABOVE TATOOINE 

The desolate yellow planet fills the screen, Luke's X-wing appears and 

peels off to the left. A moment later, the FALCON appears as a dot and 

grows huge, to roar directly over the CAMERA.