CT Release of The Lost Cut

Although there've been quite a few cash grabs in the realm of Star Wars, but the integrity and presentation of the films seems to be something that's closely monitored, with minimal releases, and [controversially] only one version available. Even though it'd no doubt sell, we've yet to see an official release of the berated Holiday Special. So despite that, I'm proposing something that might seem unnecessary, but would nonetheless pique the interest of both fans and the general public alike - the Lost Cut of Star Wars.

This was the original edit of Star Wars by John Jympson that differs significantly from the final product. By all accounts, it's inferior to the final product (as one can guess), but I'm just curious to see how different a film we could have gotten from Lucas' footage. While it was more of a work in progress, it'd be neat to see it as a finished film (even though some scenes might require a lot of work).

For a possible release, I'd either buy it on its own, or as a combo with the theatrical cut of A New Hope. Director's/Alternate Cuts of movies seem to have grown in interest since DVDs, mainly with huge blockbusters. While usually it deals with films that received mixed reviews getting an overhaul, it would be the opposite in this case. What's everyone's thoughts on seeing this one day?

 

I'd love to see an earlier version that they shot.

 

I would like to see it, but it doesn't seem likely, considering they haven't even released the theatrical cut in decent quality.

 

I would wager that the Holiday Special will never be released, but since i've seen it once or twice I won't buy it. A lost cut would be of interest to me though.

 

From what I seen in numerous documentaries...no..I don't want to see it..it looked dreadful and Lucas is really lucky to have been blessed with the academy award winning editing team he got that gave the film more rhythm...now if it had deleted scenes...maybe

And the holiday special needs to be destroyed forever...except for the Boba Fett cartoon

 

Yeah...the Fett cartoon was the bright spot in that crap fest.

 

Reportedly, when the Jympson cut was found, it was in pretty bad shape. For example, the color had faded to point where it was now practically in black & white. If that's accurate, they'd need to do a lot of restoration work before it was releasable.

If they could do that, I might be interested in seeing it, at least once.

 

In all honesty, I'd take a release of the Lost Cut over the next trilogy of SW films. I think they were actually able to do some colour restoration on the cut for the OT deleted scenes in the 2011 Blu-Ray set - I'm not 100% sure whether all that material was from the Jympson cut, or later ones, or what was involved. The cantina scene was from the Lost Cut, but now it's in colour.
The early scene of Luke spotting the space battle above Tatooine, however, was different to the old B&W scene included on the 1998 Behind the Magic CD-ROM, which was definitely from the Lost Cut.

If it ever does get released I can't see it getting a standalone release, more likely it'll be a special feature, and I'd buy an entire new box set just for it.

 

I would love to see it

 

I don't believe it's degraded much, apparently the blueprint was just in black and white. This site claims it was silent, but that's probably not the case. The Lost Cut is still preserved in the archives, and is even shown once in a blue moon.

http://www.starwarz.com/tbone/the-lost-cut-of-star-wars/
I disagree with the site about Jympson's role, however. The site claims that he was only enlisted to assemble a rough cut, but in most other sources, he was indeed the first editor. I think the confusion might come from the fact that the film was in a such a primitive form by the time Jympson was fired.

Realistically, a release of the Lost Cut would best be presented as a reconstruction of the edit using a better quality source, but assemble it in the exact same manner. The deleted scenes for the BluRays suggest that everything's there.

 

The lost cut has a lot in common with the PT editing wise. I wonder what a better editor could have done to punch up Lucas' flat direction.

As for the Holiday Special, just release it. It has Bea Arthur in it.

 

No I don't think so, there are various cuts of a film and to release a work-in-progress of one (not to mention one the director didn't like) would frankly be looked down upon within the film business unless Lucas said it was okay (not to mention the original editor). That being said it would be cool to see it.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing an earlier version...

 

Some filmmakers feel (or used to feel) the same about deleted scenes, but now they've become almost mandatory as bonus features on home video releases. An entire working cut's another matter, but with a film as iconic and familiar as SW (not to mention one that's been tweaked so many times over the years), I think it'd be regarded as a bit of an exception.

Of course, GL would have to be OK with it - as Slashman pointed out above, there's a bit of contradiction between sources when it comes to just how this cut (and Jympson) fit in with the progress of the creation of the film, so I'm honestly not sure how he'd feel about it being released in its entirety. If he truly hated it, he mightn't want to dredge up such a remnant of such a stressful period of his life, but if it was really just another step in the process, even a backward step, GL might see some worth in releasing it for educational purposes.
(John Jympson passed away in 2003, BTW, not that a release would require his OK)

 

As I said, only if Lucas was okay with it. I also have a problem with releasing it because of Jympson - I mean this 'Lost Cut' will essentially be marketed as "look how bad this cut was", which is a disservice to his memory and frankly a bit mean.

 

i have no interest in that.

 

"Highlander Endgame" features a bonus disc on the Region One DVD which contains a work-in-progress version of the film, with a different edit of the film. So on that merit alone, it wouldn't be looked down upon. As to Lucas, he doesn't have say anymore, but if asked for permission, he could go either way. But really, it isn't going to be much different from the final film.

 

I think the Blade Runner box set was a good example with I think around 5 versions of the film, working cuts, theatrical releases, special editions etc. I'd love to see something along those lines for Star Wars.

 

I agree, but I'm not entirely sure how accurate it is that this was the real perception of Jympson's work - later cuts (edited by Richard Chew, Marcia Lucas, Paul Hirsch et al) were received just as badly and ridiculed by GL's friends and peers. The original article in SW Insider which revealed the existence of the Jympson cut to the public stressed that it was just an assembly, barely what could be labelled a 'rough cut'.

 

Having seen your avatar - it figures.

As for the Holiday Special... have a sense of humour - it was a hoot (if an unintentional one)!

 

no idea what my avatar has to do with wanting to see a roughcut

 

You like the PT and thus support the things that Lucas has done, like the SE's.

 

lol why would i want to see an 'inferior cut' as it was put. I've seen deleted scenes. I saw a really bad one where luke and C-3PO were in the landspeeder with scenery rolling by courtesy of one of those old rolling drums they used in the old days. why would i want to see that version .

 

OK, back on topic folks, no need for snide remarks about why anyone might hold a certain opinion. Thanks

 

One of the things that really intrigues me about the Lost Cut is Han's girlfriend in the cantina, Jenny (named for her actress).

Her excision from the film basically eliminates the original idea that, as GL put it in some early notes, Han "has a girl in every port."

Instead, the final cut opened up the possibility of Han being monogamous... and by the time of ESB, he was already meant to be the winner of Leia's hand.

It's probably not coincidence that this is the exact point where GL began to really concentrate on the lost-sister plotline with Luke, instead of having him end up with Leia as originally planned.

although.... *coughrichardwagnercough*