Rare Star Wars Cut to Screen in London

Think you’ve seen 1977’s Star Wars? Think again. What you’ve most likely seen are altered versions, tweaked by George Lucas, that became the “special editions” of this beloved epic. But now, fans have a new hope — the chance to see the original cut of the film that Lucas left behind decades ago.

This June, the British Film Institute’s Film on Film Festival will kick off with a screening of one of the few remaining intact Technicolor prints from Star Wars’ initial run, as reported by The Telegraph. This marks the first public screening of this print since December 1978, although it has been available on VHS in the past.

Lucas began making changes to the film with its first theatrical re-release in 1981, and since then, Lucasfilm has only allowed these “special editions” to be screened. Fans are in for a treat at the upcoming festival; the print has been stored at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the last forty years to preserve its quality, promising a near impeccable viewing experience.

In the past, Lucas has been firm about not screening the original cut of what we now know as Episode IV: A New Hope, and he has publicly discussed his stance over the years.

“The Special Edition, that’s the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it’s on VHS, if anybody wants it. I’m not going to spend the — we’re talking millions of dollars here — the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn’t really exist anymore,” he told the Associated Press in 2004. “It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw a half-completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it. I’m the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they’re going to throw rocks at me, they’re going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.”

It's unclear why Lucas is allowing this screening, but fans certainly aren’t complaining.