Reviewed By: Jason LockardIn 1983 Star Wars fans were treated to a new creature. While most creatures in the Star Wars universe were slimy or icky. Vicious or dangerous. This new creature was cute and cuddly. It was the Ewok. Dwelling on the forest moon on Endor. These hunter-gatherers resembled teddy bears and live in huts.
They seemed like to cute to fight, but these plucky little creature used a lot of ingenuity to keep safe from Storm Troopers, witches, creatures and other threats. People so loved the Ewoks that George Lucas decided to produce TV movies featuring the popular little bears. Let's take a look at these two films.
Our Rating System:
**** = Don’t Miss it!
*** = Worth a look.
** = An OK way to spend an evening.
* = You haven’t missed anything.
Caravan of Courage (1984): The Towani family star cruiser crashes on the forest moon of Endor. Stranded there soon children Mace and Cindel find themselves alone as their parents have been captured by the Gorax. Befriended by the Ewoks Mace and Cindel set out to rescue their parents with the help of the brave little Ewok warriors. ***
The Battle for Endor (1985): Six months after the events of the first film. The Towani family's star cruiser is fixed. While preparing to leave, the Ewok village is attacked by a group of Marauders The Towani's and many Ewoks are killed. Cindel and Wicket escape and meet Teek and Noa Briqualon who take them in and take care of them. **
Caravan of Courage has a great narration featuring the talents of the legendary Burl Ives. Than we see Wilford Brimley in Battle for Endor as the cranky hermit Noa. The creatures are just as imaginative and sometimes terrifying in these two films as they are in the movie series.
The special effects in these films are great, very believable. The actions is good. I have to be honest the Caravan of Courage is a better film. In my opinion killing off Cindel's family was a bad decision. But, I enjoy both these films. There is a lot a heart and emotion, which is what Star Wars is all about!
The DVD release is a hard to find one in stores. It has long since been discontinued. And when you do find it online it is very expensive! The films are presented in full screen format and in 2.0 stereo surround sound. They look and sound very good.Though this disc is a two sided a film on each side, which I hate.
I wish that these two films would be re-released on blu-ray format. But I have to admit I think that is just a pipe dream. For now we can just hope. You can get a DVD of these two films at Amazon.com.
Moral Rating: violence
Audience: teens and adults, some scenes may be too intense for small children
Genre: Adventure / Scifi
Length: 190 minutes
DVD Released: 2004
DVD Rating: B
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