A close up image of Mercury

Polaroid was once one of the most trusted brand names on any film set — in the years before affordable digital cameras Polaroid instant film was a primary tool for prop people, the wardrobe department, and most importantly the script supervisor. That’s often the hardest-working person on set, and the one who is the person most responsible for maintaining continuity from scene to scene, and who creates a rough guide to get editors started on their work. Most of these Polaroids were trashed after a film’s completion, or kept and never made public. Decades later it is these continuity Polaroids that give us a unique look into the production of Return of the Jedi. These Polaroids show costumes, background extras and aliens, rarely seen props and details of the sets and glimpses of deleted scenes that we never got to experience on the big screen. Enjoy this gallery of Return of the Jedi Polaroids and step back to the production of a little sci-fi movie shot in 1982.

Polaroid was once one of the most trusted brand names on any film set — in the years before affordable digital cameras Polaroid instant film was a primary tool for prop people, the wardrobe department, and most importantly the script supervisor. That’s often the hardest-working person on set, and the one who is the person most responsible for maintaining continuity from scene to scene, and who creates a rough guide to get editors started on their work. Most of these Polaroids were trashed after a film’s completion, or kept and never made public. Decades later it is these continuity Polaroids that give us a unique look into the production of Return of the Jedi. These Polaroids show costumes, background extras and aliens, rarely seen props and details of the sets and glimpses of deleted scenes that we never got to experience on the big screen. Enjoy this gallery of Return of the Jedi Polaroids and step back to the production of a little sci-fi movie shot in 1982.