Star Wars -1977 Original Version- ~upd~ [90% Tested]

The 1997 revision added Jabba the Hutt (a shoddy CGI test, by today’s standards) to a scene originally cut for pacing. It inserted a bizarre musical number in Jabba’s palace. And in the most infamous change of all, it altered the Mos Eisley Cantina shootout: Greedo now fires first, missing Han from point-blank range. Han then dodges and returns fire. Lucas argued this made Han a self-defender, not a cold-blooded killer.

While Lucas viewed these as the "definitive" versions, many film historians and fans argued that the 1977 original was a landmark of practical effects that deserved preservation. The original won seven Academy Awards for its craft; those specific award-winning frames are what many feel should be archived. The Quest for Preservation Star Wars -1977 Original Version-

: Produced on a relatively low budget of approximately $11 million, the film was rejected by multiple major studios before being backed by 20th Century Fox. The 1997 revision added Jabba the Hutt (a

The brilliance of the 1977 version lies in its "used universe" aesthetic. Eschewing the sterile, gleaming futures of 1950s sci-fi, Lucas presented a galaxy that felt lived-in, greasy, and crumbling. From the rusted plating of the Sandcrawlers to the grime on Luke’s landspeeder, the film felt tangible. This realism was grounded by John Williams’ iconic score, which utilized a nineteenth-century romantic style to make the alien landscapes feel emotionally familiar. Han then dodges and returns fire

In the 1997 Special Edition, a CGI Ronto might wander through the foreground of Mos Eisley. A musical number erupts in Jabba’s palace. But in this original cut, the blast from a stormtrooper’s rifle hits a metal railing. And sparks fly. Real sparks. Dangerous, copper-colored, fourth-of-July sparks that seem to land too close to the actors’ faces.