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BBC News
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Star Wars: Original 1977 release to be screened in London by BFI
The original 1977 cinematic release of Star Wars will be shown on the big screen this summer in London, marking its first public screening in original version of the sci-fi blockbuster will be shown as part of the British Film Institute (BFI)'s Film on Film festival on 12 BFI said this version of the film is rarely publicly screened since George Lucas' produced special editions were released in the 1990s, altering some plot points and adding other CGI only the updated versions are available on official streaming platforms and Blu-ray, making screenings of the film's original cut rare. Senior curator of fiction at the BFI National Archive, James Bell, said the festival was a "true showcase" of the national collection."Every print in the programme is a unique object, with its own life story, and they all bear their scars with pride," he said."They put us at touching distance to the past, and we can't wait for audiences to experience them all."We're grateful for the generous support from philanthropic champions who have helped us deliver a rich and exciting programme that keeps Film on Film alive."Lucas's changes to key plot points, including the addition of Jabba the Hutt and other special effects upgrades, have long divided fans. The most controversial revision was the scene where Harrison Ford's Han Solo shoots dead bounty hunter the original version, Solo shoots first. However, the 1997 re-release changed the scene to show Ford's character responding in scene underwent further edits, with other versions of the film showing the pair firing at the same the festival's other highlights is an original screening of the original US pilot of Twin Peaks, presented by the show's star Kyle Film on Film Festival will take place at BFI Southbank and BFI Imax from 12-15 June.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Star Wars original cut to be screened for the first time in decades
The original 1977 theatrical release of Star Wars will be shown on the big screen this summer in London, marking its first public screening in decades. The original version of the sci-fi blockbuster will be shown as part of the British Film Institute (BFI)'s Film on Film festival on June 12. The BFI said this version of the film is rarely publicly screened since George Lucas's produced special editions were released in the 1990s, altering some plot points and adding other CGI characters. Today, only the updated versions are available on official streaming platforms and Blu-ray, making screenings of the film's original cut rare. Senior curator of fiction at the BFI National Archive, James Bell, said the festival was a 'true showcase' of the national collection. The BFI Film on Film Festival is back! Find out more about the line-up, including screenings of Star Wars, Twin Peaks and more… — BFI (@BFI) April 8, 2025 'Every print in the programme is a unique object, with its own life story, and they all bear their scars with pride,' he said. 'They put us at touching distance to the past, and we can't wait for audiences to experience them all. 'We're grateful for the generous support from philanthropic champions who have helped us deliver a rich and exciting programme that keeps Film on Film alive.' Lucas's changes to key plot points, including the addition of Jabba the Hutt and other special effects upgrades, have long divided fans. The most controversial revision was changes to the scene where Harrison Ford's Han Solo shoots bounty hunter Greedo dead. In the original version, Solo shoots first. However, the 1997 re-release changed the scene to show Ford's character responding in self-defence. The scene underwent further edits, with other versions of the film showing the pair firing at the same time. Among the festival's other highlights is an original screening of the original US pilot of Twin Peaks, presented by the show's star Kyle MacLachlan. BFI's Film on Film Festival will take place at BFI Southbank and BFI Imax from June 12-15.
The Guardian
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Star Wars original cut to be screened this summer in London
The force is finally with Star Wars fans long frustrated by director George's Lucas's alterations to the iconic space opera, with a rare screening of the original cut of the film in London this summer. The 1977 theatrical version of the film, in which Han Solo shot first and Jabba the Hutt was only mentioned by name, will be shown twice on the opening night of the British Film Institute's Film on Film festival on 12 June. This version of the film, which launched a multibillion dollar franchise, has rarely been shown in public since Lucas produced special editions of the original Star Wars trilogy in the 1990s, complete with new CGI characters and other controversial revisions. The prospect of seeing the 1977 cut on the big screen has become a holy grail for fans, especially among those who saw it in cinemas decades ago, with numerous fan-made edits, attempting to restore the film back to its original state, circulating online. Anyone wanting to see the theatrical cut by legitimate means must choose between an out-of-print VHS release and a low-res DVD bonus feature from 2006. In 2004, Lucas told the Associated Press that he was 'sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it, but I want it to be the way I want it to be.'. Perhaps his most maligned alteration to the film is the scene in which Harrison Ford's Han Solo originally shot the bounty hunter Greedo dead in the Mos Eisley cantina on Tatooine. The 1997 special edition version was edited so that Greedo fires first – to give Solo more justification for acting in self-defence. But the scene has undergone further revisions with the two firing at nearly the same time, then finally at the exact same time. Another unpopular change was the CGI addition of the giant slug-like Jabba the Hutt, who originally was not seen on screen until the final film in the original trilogy, 1983's Return of the Jedi. In the added sequence, based on a deleted clip featuring a human actor, the vile gangster yelps as Solo steps on his tail. James Bell, senior curator of fiction, BFI National Archive and programme director, BFI Film on Film Festival, said: 'This original 1977 35mm British release print is preserved at the BFI National Archive, in its world class preservation conditions. The festival screening is a unique opportunity to present the film to audiences in exactly the same form as they would have watched it in 1977.'
