Rare Star Wars Cut to Screen in London

Think you've seen the 1977 classic Star Wars? Think again. What you've likely encountered are the altered versions released after its initial theatrical run, tweaked by George Lucas and later bundled into the "special editions" of the iconic saga. But there's a new hope on the horizon: fans now have the opportunity to experience the original, untouched cut of the film that Lucas left behind all those years ago.

This June, the British Film Institute will kick off their Film on Film Festival with a rare screening of one of the few surviving Technicolor prints from Star Wars' initial release. According to The Telegraph, this print hasn't been shown publicly since December 1978, though it was available on VHS in the past. George Lucas began modifying the film with its first theatrical re-release in 1981, and since then, Lucasfilm has only permitted the screening of these "special editions." The print set to be screened at the festival has been meticulously preserved at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the past forty years, ensuring a near-perfect viewing experience.

Historically, Lucas has been resolute in his opposition to screening the original cut of what we now call Episode IV: A New Hope. In a 2004 interview with the Associated Press, he stated, "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. 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 has had a change of heart regarding this screening, but fans are certainly not complaining about the chance to see the original Star Wars as it was first intended.