"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 the altered versions that George Lucas released after the film’s original theatrical run. These versions, known as “special editions,” have been the only ones available for viewing for years. But there's a new hope for fans: this June, the British Film Institute’s Film on Film Festival will screen one of the few remaining Technicolor prints from Star Wars’ initial run. This marks the first public screening of this print since December 1978, although it was previously available on VHS.

According to The Telegraph, the print has been preserved at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the last forty years, promising an impeccable viewing experience. Lucas began tweaking the film with its first theatrical re-release in 1981, and since then, only the “special editions” have been screened. This rare opportunity to see the original cut is a treat for fans, given Lucas’s firm stance against showing it.

In 2004, Lucas told the Associated Press, “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.”

While it's unclear why Lucas has allowed this screening, fans are thrilled at the chance to experience the original Star Wars as it was first intended.