A joyful and reverential documentary chronicling the making of THE LAST JEDI
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Typically a behind the scenes look at a film is limited to a perfunctory featurette on a home video release. A 10 minute effort slapping together some footage of filming with brief interview with cast and crew. When done right, such an effort can deepen appreciation for its subject, and indeed the entire filmmaking industry in general. Such is the case with Anthony Wonke’s The Director and the Jedi, a joyously engaging look at the making of Star Wars the Last Jedi that highlights the passion and craft that went into every aspect of its production.
Brought on board by Episode VIII writer/director Rian Johnson, Wonke chronicles the entirety of the production. Mic’d up cast and crew go about their business, and he captures moments and uses them to give insight into the process and people involved. From the initial stages we glimpse pre-production work ranging from concept art to even Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley practicing their fight in the back garden of a house on the Pinewood lot. You’re taken to the dozens of locations across the US, the UK, Croatia, Ireland, and more, as well as the 120 sets built for the film. It’s expansive in terms of capturing what went into the film, but manages to balance that with personal insights too. Much of the film invests you in Johnson himself. Kathleen Kennedy (President of Lucasfilm) comments on hiring Johnson for his distinct vision as both a filmmaker and a storyteller, and the focus is certainly on his journey along with long time producer Ram Bergman. His relationship with the series, decisions behind casting decisions, and pre-existing characters he was excited to delve deeper into are all featured. What is conveyed most strongly is the bond he formed with the cast and crew. There is a sense of encouragement and deft guidance at all levels. You also gain more personal insights to his character: A hilarious look on his face when informed that George Lucas (“heard of him”) would like to meet. His making (timely) jokes about Russian internet trolls wanting to push the bad guy’s agenda (#HuxLive), or the joyous footage of him on a bouncy castle with kids during an on set birthday celebration. It’s an endearing portrait of a hell of a talent.
There are an astounding number of special effects in the film, twice that of The Force Awakens and Rogue One combined. Johnson’s instructions to the teams were to “blend the beauty and the grotesque,” and to go “practical where possible.” You see the construction of elaborate sets, from the Jedi Tree to Snoke’s throne room; the building of animatronic creatures such as Porgs and Sea Cows; and a plethora of props and prosthetics, the most memorable of which is the discovery of the original Yoda mold and its use to bring the Jedi Master back to life. The reaction of Mark Hamill to this, and the sight of Frank Oz slipping back into character, is simply wonderful to behold. A sizable chunk of time is afforded to the Canto Bight casino sequence and Johnson’s vision for it. auditioning a range of distinct people, attention to costumes and jewelry, as well as set design. It all serves to give a new level of appreciation for the craft of production, with insights and details that will make Star Wars fans giddy.
While all very interesting, there are little comparisons made between this feature and the smaller scale projects Johnson and Bergman have previously worked on. References are made to their roots as indie filmmakers, but aside from signs of stress and exhaustion and the scale of the project’s logistics, there seems little drama. It’s easy to assume things were smooth, just professionals getting on with the job, reflected in how well the film turned out. But it feels like a missed opportunity to speak to that gap between budget and scale when going from indie to blockbuster.
While joyous throughout, there is a segment where The Director and the Jedi pulls on the heartstrings, with time taken to pay tribute to the presence and contributions of Carrie Fisher. There’s a wonderful ribbing between her and Johnson, genuine affection and respect, albeit in a manner which you’d expect from Fisher. We see the director’s desire to give her a “hero shot” for her first appearance within the film, and the shooting of scenes with Mark Hamill and Laura Dern are deeply moving, as are smaller tender moments she shares with other cast members. Of course her blunt sense of humor once again steals the show, ensuring that even while shedding a tear you’re laughing heartily.
Much of the comedy in the film comes from the on set activities of Luke himself, Mr. Mark Hamill. From dad jokes to oodles of self-deprecation, he also regales the crew with stories about the original movies. His presence also stirs up the memories of others. In one instance an extra, face occluded by heavy prosthetics, adorably apologies for not recognizing Mark Hamill because of his limited eyesight before unloading his adoration for the man. Hamill sweetly thanks him, engages in conversation, and guides him by the arm back to set. His relationship with Rian Johnson has garnered plenty of coverage in the media, specifically his (much) publicized disagreement with Johnson’s take on Luke’s path since the original trilogy. Johnson meets Hamill, completely understanding of his hesitation and questions, and you sense a bond is forged between them. A conversation and understanding bridges them, and in my mind the bold move is refreshing, providing the series and Hamill himself with some its finest moments. As Hamill stated in the Q&A after the premiere, “It’s not my character to decide, it belongs to other people. They just rent it out to me.” It’s a sentiment that Johnson seems to share with his reverence for the film as a whole.
Toward the end of the film, you get a glimpse of some of the more pivotal scenes for Luke in the film. In one where Hamill commits to his character’s fate, Johnson takes the time to kneel alongside him in solidarity to this path they’re both taking the character down. Later still, there is a lovely moment where sat side by side, Johnson whispers the film’s as yet unannounced title to Hamill. The child-like delight with which Hamill expresses “that means me” encapsulates much of the wonder and joy that this documentary captures. It’s a love letter to Star Wars, but more than that, to those talented people at every level of production who are keeping the magic of movie making alive.
The Director and the Jedi is available on the digital and Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.