The Good: Unique, Very collectible, Variety
The Bad: Comparatively poor investment, Less intriguing shot selection
The Basics: In 1996, Lucasfilm offered pieces of the original film prints from The Empire Strikes Back and the Jedi Training Film Cel was one of their less impressive ones.
Back when the Star Wars Special Edition films hit theaters, I was hugely excited. I was in college, working multiple jobs and I had a little allowance. So, when I had the opportunity to own what was literally a piece of The Empire Strikes Back (reviewed here!), I was thrilled. I hunted down an awesome film clip from the Imperial Attack Edition of film clips (reviewed here!) and was very happy. Shortly thereafter, my partner at the time gifted me a The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel.
I was not as impressed.
The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel is most analogous to a trading card. The fundamental differences are that the The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cels are encased in a permanent plastic block and no two are absolutely identical. Lucasfilm released several Editions of the collectible film cels from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi, each with several divisions of scenes so that collectors could try to get the part of the movie that was their favorite. The The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cels all feature film clips from the time spent on Dagobah embedded in them.
For those unfamiliar with the concept of collectible film cels, the manufacturer of the film cels (in this case, Lucasfilm) takes a movie that has a following, chops up a print of the film and embeds the individual film frames in a larger case so that fans may own a part of the movie they love. The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel is a 2 5/8” wide by 15/16” tall embedded in a plastic (maybe Lucite?) case that measures 7 ½” by 2 ¾” by 7/16”. The chamber that actually houses the film cel is (supposedly) filled with an inert gas to prevent the film cel from degrading. This is the industry equivalent to using deacified paper for trading cards to prevent yellowing. All film cels in the The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel collection feature the same case with Yoda and Luke Skywalker sitting facing one another, though many of the film clips (like the one I have) do not actually feature both characters in the shot. The plastic casing is sealed on all four corners with heavy screws.
In its way, each The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel is unique. In addition to having a film cel that could only be from a specific, individual frame of the movie, the film cels come with an individual number. So, for example, my The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel features a film cel of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker on Dagobah. The film cel I have is just a head shot of the Jedi in training and it is hardly a compelling image or collectible.
Like trading cards, there is little that one can truly do with the The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cels. You buy them, find a way to display them and (if you’re investing) hope that it appreciates in value. The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Film Cels were found at stores like Spencer’s back in the day and they were nowhere near as popular as Lucasfilm hoped they would be. As a result, most of them were clearance and could be found inexpensively for years. Even now, they have not significantly appreciated.
I have a The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cel because I love the movie and because someone once gave it to me and I haven’t been able to unload it for the last decade and a half. It is nowhere near as compelling or interesting as many other collectibles manufactured around the same time and unless one gets one of the The Empire Strikes Back Authentic 70mm Film Originals Jedi Training Edition Film Cels with Yoda in it, it is hard to imagine why anyone would truly get thrilled by this.
For other Star Wars collectibles, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Star Wars Premiere CCG
2012 Lego Stormtrooper Hallmark Ornament
Santa Yoda Super Deformed Plush
3/10
For reviews of trading cards, please be sure to visit my index page on the subject by clicking here!
© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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