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$0 If you live in London, England and are fortunate to be around the BFI Film on Film Festival you were in for a special treat on 12th June as the festival had the first screening of the original cut of Star Wars, the first showing of this cut since 1978!
The movie was significantly changed in the Special Edition version of Star Wars in 1998 in the run up to the first prequel movie Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace in 1999.
This was a very rare treat for fans of the series as the Special Editions, especially of this movie, have caused controversy over the year, especially the now famous "Han Shoots First" scene.
A brief history of this print of the film as found in various sources on the internet:
The BFI (British Film Institute) found the print in their archives and after contacting Lucasfilm about doing a screening they agreed.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said she was surprise that the print existed, but agreed to the screening as she thinks it is a valuable artifact in historical cinema.
Kennedy presented the showing to prove it was a legal copy!
As explained by the BFI
"In these very special screenings, we present the film exactly as experienced by audiences on its original 1977 release. Screening from one of the precious handful of dye transfer IB Technicolor prints produced uniquely for the first British release, and preserved in the BFI National Archive"
Lets hope this sentiment to the original cut goes that bit further and, as the whole trilogy is owned by Disney since the buyout of Fox, it gets a 4K remastered home release, as well as Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Return of the Jedi.
More in fo can be found here.Released in the US this weekend, Friday, 19th July 2024, there are 6 new releases looking to take your attention and where available could hit your local cinema and try and replace Despicable Me 4 from the top of the North American box office.
Check out other new releases from around the world.
Here are this weeks new releasesCheck back on Monday to see what new movies made it onto the Weekend Box Office Chart.
With Despicable Me 4 currently at the top of the UK box office can this weeks new cinema releases challlenge it for the UK box office crown?
Check out other new releases from around the world.
Here are this weeks new releasesCheck back on Monday to see what new movies made it onto the Weekend Box Office Chart.
Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace gets rated by the BBFC once again ahead of its 25th anniversary release and its been given a PG age rating for moderate violence, mild threat
The movie which was first released in 1999 stars Liam Neeson who has since been seen in many movies including Taken and Men In Black: International, it also stars Ewan McGregor who has been seen in Son of a Gun and other Star Wars movies including Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
The movie was directed by George Lucas who has directed the likes of American Graffiti and THX 1138.
Movie Synopsis
A pair of Jedi warriors escape a planet amid failed trade negotiations and encounter a highly gifted enslaved boy in this 1999 sci-fi adventure prequel.
BBFC certificate breakdown.
Star Wars fans around the world have their opinion of what is the best lightsaber battle in the Star Wars Universe.
Here is a list of what is considered the best battles in the Star Wars Universe.
These battles are all unique and offer different elements, such as emotional stakes, intense action, and memorable choreography. Ultimately, the "best" lightsaber battle is subjective and varies depending on individual tastes and preferences, but on this Star Wars Day we present, for your pleasure, the Salty Popcorn best lightsaber battles (in reverse order).
There had been a Star Wars drought for a number of years (10) and with the buyout of Lucasfilms by Disney still fresh in everyones minds as well as the (at the time) a badly received prequel trilogy the fan base wanted a good Star Wars movie.
JJ Abrahams was put in charge of directing the film, a life long fan of the series, and he delivered in spades, bringing arguably the best Star Wars film to date.
We instantly took to the new characters of the Rebel Alliance with Rey and Finn and the First Order with Kylo Ren and the new Storm Troopers. Reys force powers were hinted at throughout the movie and a dual between the two was inevitable, and at the end of the film Abrahams delivered, set within a forest of the Star Killer Base while the planet explodes around them.
We knew Yoda was a Jedi Master and that he had fought in the Clone Wars that started during the second part of prequel trilogy, and George Lucas knew he had to deliver.
As Yoda walks into the hanger where Count Dooku was trying to board his ship you simply knew what was about to happen, and as he pulls across his robes to reveal a small lightsaber this was the moment, he force pulls his weapon to his hand and turns it on.
The battle doesn't last long, but seeing the small green Jedi Master who usually finds it hard to walk bouncing around the walls during the fight is a joy.
The original movie introduces us to the legendary weapon, something not really seen on the big screen before but through the stories Ben Kenobi tells Luke during the movie we know that the weapon is elegant and the Jedi are lethal with it.
We also believe at this time that Darth Vader is the arch enemy of Ben Kenobi, and by the end of the movie there has to be a meeting of the two, and while trying to escape the Death Star the two come face to face.
Despite the lack of technological abilities in special effects at the time this thrilled fans of a generation and when the inevitable happens at the end we are shocked at the loss of our new hero.
This battle comes as no surprise, we have seen Luke go through the training, and go off to rescue his friends, and we get the foreshadowing of things to come on Dagobah.
When Luke goes into the carbon freeze chamber and the two enemies ignite their Sabers in silhouette we get the almighty battle between the two enemies.
The style and technology used in this film is so much greater than that of the original Star Wars that it feels fresh and thrilling, and at the end of the battle we get one of cinemas greatest reveals, so good to this day it is celebrated as THE movie twist of all times.
The movie gets a lot of criticism, but over the last 20 years time has been kind and in the grander scheme of the saga the fan base is looking at this film more favourably, and it has the best lightsaber battle of all time.
It had been 16 years since we'd had any proper live action Star Wars to enjoy and despite the film not getting the critical reaction Lucas wanted the Dual Of Fates was spectacular.
The highlight is at the start of the battle as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face the Sith Lord Darth Maul, as the John Williams music 'Duel Of Fates' starts to get more intense Maul ignites a single blade on his lightsaber, then the money shot happens and another blade appears from the other side, every Star Wars Fan looked on in amazement as the incredible battle unfolds between the 3 warriors.
The only real shame is that, inevitably, Darth Maul dies at the end of the movie, although in quiet spectacular style, but with little screen time fans wanted more, although as seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story they have brought him back and who knows if he'll appear in another movie or not?