Kathleen Kennedy Calls the Discovery of the First STAR WARS Print “Remarkable"; It’s a “Miracle” It Survived
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy made a rare and unexpected appearance at the BFI Film on Film Festival in London to help kick off the public screening of one of the most historically significant artifacts in sci-fi cinema… the very first print of George Lucas’ Star Wars from 1977.
This is the version of the film before it was labeled Episode IV: A New Hope in the opening crawl and before Greedo ever got the first shot off in the cantina.
The discovery of the original print was surprising, and it was exciting to hear that the BFI would be screening it during the festival. Long considered lost, or at the very least buried under layers of Lucas’ notorious edits and alterations, this version represents the raw, theatrical cut that launched the most influential space opera of all time.
Kennedy addressed the crowd directly, acknowledging the skepticism from fans who worried the print’s screening might go against George Lucas’ artistic intent.
“It’s incredible folklore. Even when I came into the company, there was endless conversation about where everything was, and what was in fact the first print? And it’s quite remarkable, what you’re going to see is in fact the first print, and I’m not even sure there’s another one quite like it. It’s that rare.”
She added:
“There’s so much tinkering that’s gone on over the years, and things that George [Lucas] decided, ‘I’m gonna change this, I’m gonna try that.’ And then, everybody kind of lost track of what it was.”
For decades, Lucas has stood by his edits, once telling the Associated Press:
“I’m 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.”
That statement, combined with years of “Special Edition” tweaks, led many to believe the original cut might never be seen again, at least not in public.
BFI chief executive Ben Roberts echoed the magnitude of the discovery, calling it nothing short of a “miracle” that the print was still in good enough condition to be shown to an audience.
Kennedy said her appearance was in part to “legitimize” the screening, and she made it clear that despite the changes over the years, this film, the original Star Wars, remains the template for all that followed.
“I would say this is the film everyone starts with when we start talking about story, George’s intent and what it is we’re trying to build off of.”
As the Star Wars franchise evolves with streaming hits like The Mandalorian and Andor and upcoming films like Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter with Ryan Gosling, and Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu. Kennedy sees this rediscovery as a foundation:
“I really think that now we’re in a position where it’s broadened the possibility of stories and filmmakers we can bring in to tell stories that mean something to them – it doesn’t necessarily have to connect to every little thing that’s been done in ‘Star Wars’; it can actually be a standalone story that then builds into many many other stories.”
I would love to see this version of Star Wars on the big screen! The version of Star Wars that sparked a cultural phenomenon.
Source: Variety