BFI to Screen Original 'Star Wars' for First Time in Almost Fifty Years

We had the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS in my house. My brother was gifted them on Christmas in 1995 (or maybe 1996). So, I have seen the original versions. But I was born in 1989. When the trilogy was re-released in theaters in 1997, albeit a bit more… special, I was primed, excited, and at every movie with bells on. I was the exact right age for everything about that moment in Star Wars history, and was hyped that the films would be getting an “upgrade” and I could see them on the big screen. There was a commercial where a theater usher fought Darth Vader, and even that was exciting.

It wasn’t until High School that I learned how unpopular the special editions were, specifically when they were made fun of on South Park. I tried to find a clip from that episode, but searching “South Park mocks Star Wars special editions” led me to a barrage of manbabies crying about Kathleen Kennedy. Now, I’m well-versed in George Lucas’s continued desire to tinker with his most beloved films. Hell, I even respect it. The man sold it all off to Disney for four billion dollars and still got them to add Greedo saying “Maclunkey.”

Think about that! One of the biggest complaints against the special editions is that George changed it to make Greedo shoot first in his classic scene with smuggler Han Solo. Fans complained this changed Han’s motivation and made his later change of heart less meaningful. Then, years later, George makes another change to the scene, generating all the headlines you could imagine, and what does he do? He gives Greedo a silly alien word to say as he’s blasted. That’s King S***.

Because they weren’t the ones I was really raised on, I have no special affection for the original versions of the original trilogy. I love Star Wars and would happily watch whatever version I can get my hands on. If the one I grab includes some poorly rendered and unnecessary CG, so be it. The core will still be there, and the adventure will still be the same. There are people, however, who are… way more upset about the original versions not being available, and they may soon have a chance to watch one of them on the big screen.

The British Film Institute will screen an original print of Star Wars to open its Film on Film Festival in June. It will be the first time this version of the film has screened since 1978, as Lucas started making changes by the next rerelease in 1981 (something I honestly had no idea about). The copy has been stored at very cold temperatures for over forty years to preserve the quality, and the screening will be pretty monumental. That being said, if you don’t live across the pond, it won’t be ideal.

However, this could open the door to many possibilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucas had specific wording added to his sale of the films that insisted the original versions would never see any kind of wide release, but maybe not. Disney could see the public reception to the print being screened and mount a Disney+ campaign that returns the original versions to screens. I doubt the company that allowed a man to add alien gibberish for no reason would do something he would be vehemently against, but stranger things have happened.