"Rare Star Wars Cut to Screen in London"

If you think you've seen the original 1977 Star Wars, think again. What you've likely experienced is one of the many altered versions distributed after its initial theatrical run. These versions, tweaked by George Lucas, form part of the film's "special editions." But there's a new hope for fans: an opportunity to see the untouched original cut that Lucas left behind decades ago.

This June, the British Film Institute will kick off their Film on Film Festival with a rare screening of one of the few remaining Technicolor prints from Star Wars' first run. According to The Telegraph, this print hasn't been shown publicly since December 1978, although it was available on VHS in the past.

Lucas began altering the film with its first re-release in 1981, and since then, Lucasfilm has only permitted screenings of various "special editions." The print to be showcased at the festival has been meticulously preserved at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the last forty years, ensuring an almost flawless viewing experience for attendees.

Historically, Lucas has been firm in his stance against screening the original cut of what we now call Episode IV: A New Hope. He expressed his views to the Associated Press in 2004, stating, “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 what prompted Lucas's apparent change of heart regarding this screening, but fans are certainly not complaining about the chance to see the film as it was originally intended.