"Secret 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 its initial theatrical run, known as the "special editions," tweaked by George Lucas himself. But now, fans have a new hope: the chance to see the untouched original cut of the film that Lucas left behind so long ago.

This June, the British Film Institute’s Film on Film Festival will kick off with a screening of one of the few remaining Technicolor prints from "Star Wars'" initial run. According to The Telegraph, this print hasn't been shown publicly since December 1978, though it was previously available on VHS. The print has been meticulously preserved at 23 degrees Fahrenheit for the past forty years, promising a near-flawless viewing experience for attendees.

George Lucas began altering the film with its first theatrical re-release in 1981, and since then, Lucasfilm has only allowed "special editions" to be screened. Lucas has been firm about not showing the original cut of what is now known as "Episode IV: A New Hope," even expressing his views to the Associated Press in 2004:

“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 might be having a change of heart with this screening, but fans are certainly not complaining about the opportunity to experience the original vision of this iconic film.