Classics Ewoks Movies: Caravan of Courage and The Battle for Endor

I saw both movies in the cinema when they came out in Australia. Heck, I think I may have seen Caravan of Courage twice. I loved both of them as a kid and was a huge Chukha-Trok fan. His heroic last stand really stayed with me.

 

Very glad to see there's still some love for Ewoks: Caravan of Courage/The Ewok Adventure 25 years after it's release. Even though I was a huge SW fan at the time (and still am), I missed this on TV when it first came out in Fall 1984, though I caught it on VHS a while later.

Though COC was slow-moving at times, I thought the stop-motion animation creatures (Gorax, giant Spider, etc.) were actually very good for the time period, especially since this was a made-for-TV movie.

However, I was much more impressed with the excellent follow-up TV movie, Ewoks: Battle for Endor that came out a year later in Fall 1985 (which I saw when it was released). This was truly a great movie, and started off very dramatically, with the death of Cindel's parents and brother - I remember being very surprised by this at the time. The rest of the movie flowed very well, with the capture of Cindel and the Ewoks by those monstrous creatures, the introduction of the old man (W.B.) & Teek, and the Battle at the end. I also really liked the main bad creature (can't remember his name), and the witch/sorceress who helped him. This film definitely had a very strong fantasy-like feel to it, and reminds me somewhat of '80's fantasy films like The Dark Crystal, Legend, etc.

Another interesting element re: these two tele-films is that they came out at a time when SW fandom was slowly losing it's spark - After ROTJ came out in 1983, with no new movies on the horizon, there wasn't a lot of new material out there. So, I would credit these two films with keeping the Saga alive on some level.

Though most fans already know this, these two tele-films are available on a double-sided DVD at a great price (I got this at Best Buy for $10 4-5 years ago).

Lastly, I wanted to mention that I hope Hasbro makes action figures from these films at some point. They never have (so far), and I would really like to see a Giant Gorax & Spider from COC. From Battle for Endor, I'd like to see figures of Teek, the creatures that capture the Ewoks, the leader of the creatures, and the sorceress. We'll see - I feel these characters really fit into the SW EU, even though these tele-films are very underrated/under-appreciated.

 

I wasn't alive when these came out, although I have them on DVD and think they are awsome pieces of nostalgia. Anyway, I thought thses were on TV, not theaters. And why did they air on Disney Channel?

 

It was a pretty big deal when they aired. You were able to turn on your stereo and turn to a radio station that was broadcasting the audio so you could have a "theatrical" experience at home.

 

I also wasn't alive when they came out either but I have both of them on DVD and I really do enjoy them both. The Ewoks have never bothered me like they do with some other fans and the Ewok Adventures made me like them even more.

 

I remembered when they aired on TV,actually I still have The Battle for Endor on VHS with ALL the commercials,man its a trip.
It aired on ABC so you have all the dynasty,moonlighting and sledgehammer promos.Plus all the great mcdonalds an levi jeans spots are fun to watch too.
Too bad my g-pa recorded over the first ewoks film with the 2nd ewoks film because I really would like to have both with all the commercials.

 

I have the Ewok films on DVD, and i really don't think they're that bad.

 

Yeah, I've ALWAYS been a HUGE Ewok fan; in fact, Wicket is easily my fifth favorite Star Wars character (after Luke, Jar Jar, Obi-Wan, and Vader, in that order), so these movies have always been something I watch every time I feel like a good, rousing adventure with everyone's favorite stormie-slaying teddy bears. In fact, it wasn't even six months ago I just finished a giant marathon of the Ewoks cartoon and both live-action films!

You just don't mess with Chukha-Trok and his axe o' DOOM- RIP, man, RIP (sniff)....

 

Jar Jar is your second favorite Star Wars character? That's cool. Seriously, I kinda like him too.
By the way, I luv yousa signature!

 

Wow...has it been 25 years? I remember watching both of these on TV when they came out. I feel old!

While I enjoy both of them (I have both on DVD and my brother has them on VHS), I enjoyed Caravan of Courage more. I would not be unhappy to see Lucasfilm make a few small films like these again.

 

I just recently bought this for upwards of $31 on amazon, only to check it more recently and see it's dropped about 10 bucks in less than two weeks' time! (grumbles)

Couldn't read the whole thread, as I still have to check out Battle for Endor and don't wanna stumble over any more spoilers. Heck, I can't even remember for sure if I watched this back in the day, but I'm almost bound to have. Suffice to say viewing it now will be very much like seeing it for the first time. I've got high hopes for it!

I did check out Caravan, and do have to concur that the Gorax scenes were well filmed. They were careful to shoot him at a high framerate in the best Toho tradition, which is probably the most effective "low tech" way to create a "giant" effect. The spider just didn't work for me, but the stop motion elements were extremely cool. Overall the movie is pretty decent. The acting is a little cringeworthy in places. The cutesy stuff doesn't bother me, as I certainly understand the primary market. Burl Ives was an unexpected treat. As with most films, beer made it all better!

 

I've been rereading Dark Apprentice and I discovered a Gorax reference.

 

I've got to say, I never really NOTICED the spider not being well done... but then again, given that it was only recently I got over my arachnophobia (which isn't to say I LIKE the dang things- it's just that I don't scream unless they're within two feet of me now ), I never really paid THAT close attention to it. I was usually cowering behind the couch, to tell the truth!

Once again, I have to ask- did anyone else cry when Chukha-Trok died? I always get teary-eyed at that point, because the dude was so AWESOME!

 

Okay, I don't know it this has ever been brought up before, and it it hasn't, I'm surprised, but what is the deal with Endor being enchanted?! Was that ever explained or retconned? I had always assumed it was just strong in the Force, but now that I have someplace to talk about this continuity stuff I would like to know if there are any other explanations.

 

Which is why, given the crazy stuff Logray pulls in the cartoon, I STILL sit there and shake my head at the retcon that says Ewoks lack the mental faculties to manipulate the Force.

Contradiction much?

 

Then again, Wicket sees the ghost of his great-grandfather in one of the episodes...

Anywho, this is a tad off-topic, isn't it?

 

these movies were pretty good, but i still had get over the young man's injured arm. when he pulls it out of the tree, i believe it was his RIGHT arm that was bitten, and later when he's healing its his LEFT. OMG

 

Wow! Battle for Endor was a definite step up. I was surprised to see the entire family get taken out. While not exactly graphic, they took it farther than I would have expected for this venue. Loved Wilford's character. The witch-chick had an Evil-lyn vibe going. The creature effects were abundant and well done! The castle sets were surprisingly expansive.

 

I'm wondering if they'll get proper releases (all 13 Droids episodes) and re-releases (the Ewoks Caravan/Battle DVD is quite valuable now), or even a remastered Holiday Special, now that Lucas won't be calling all Star Wars shots anymore.