[do action=”sw-menu”]
This made-for-television movie was a classic example of what happens when you introduce “warm fuzzies” into an otherwise adult-level adventure story like the Star Wars (family) saga. Although officially named “The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage” it is sometimes known as “Ewoks” and other less flattering names. Fandom is divided in opinion on how good this movie is and whether it should count as “Star Wars Canon”. The least bad thing you can say about it is something like, “Thank God it isn’t the Holiday Special”.
As mid-1980s made-for-TV fantasy/science fiction movies go “The Ewok Adventure” rises above most of the competition. In fact it was far better than most of the theatrical movies supposedly in the genre that came out during that decade. It is about on par with, say, “Conan the Barbarian” (which anyone who was not a Robert E. Howard fan seemed to love).
The premise of the story is simple: a space-traveling family runs into trouble and crash-lands on the forest moon of Endor. The two young children, Mace and Cindel, are separated from their parents. Wicket the Ewok (played by Warwick Davis, who reprised his role from “The Return of the Jedi”) agrees to help the children in their quest.
Burl Ives narrated this film, which was shot in six weeks in Marin County near Skywalker Ranch.
One of the reasons why the production quality on this movie was so good was that Joe Johnston, who served as chief concept designer for “Star Wars” (“A New Hope”), was the production designer for “The Ewok Adventure”. George Lucas wrote the story although the script (teleplay) was written by Bob Carrau.
The movie was shown in theaters in both Germany and New Zealand.
Because children fell in love with the Ewoks in “The Return of the Jedi” someone with some pull somewhere decided that it would be a good idea to bring them to television. The movie was shown in prime time and received a decent enough audience that a sequel was commissioned.
Surprisingly little Aubrey Miller, who played Cindel, only appeared in these two productions. There was speculation at the time that she might somehow develop a career based on the popularity of these shows.
You could do worse than to sit down with your children (or grandchildren) and watch this show. You could watch the Holiday Special. Given a choice between the two you should always go with the Ewoks.
Trailer for “The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage”
[do action=”sw-amazon”]