Rare Star Wars Cut to Screen in London

Think you've seen the original 1977 'Star Wars'? Think again. What you've likely seen are the altered versions released after the film's initial theatrical run, tweaked by George Lucas himself, culminating in several "special editions" of the iconic saga. But now, there's a new hope for fans — the opportunity to view the untouched original cut that Lucas left behind so long ago.

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

Lucas began altering the film with its first theatrical re-release in 1981, and since then, Lucasfilm has only permitted various "special editions" to be screened. Fans are in for a real treat with the print at the upcoming festival; it has been preserved at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the last forty years, promising a near-flawless viewing experience.

In the past, Lucas has been firm about not screening the original cut of what is now known as 'Episode IV: A New Hope', and has publicly discussed this decision.

“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 what prompted Lucas to allow this screening, but fans certainly aren't complaining.