https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crlddw64x5jo I think this is really cool and they should do this more often - especially as streaming/disney only have the special editions onwards. (apologies if this has been posted somewhere else)
I'm hoping this is a sign that Disney may be more tolerant of the original films than Lucas was. Lucas has been a major hypocrite about film preservation when it comes to his own films. The OT were chosen to be part of the National Film Registry however Lucas only provided the SE. Since the Library of Congress has no enforcement arm they had to accept the modified films. Supposedly Lucas had written into a contract with Fox that any film prints of the originals were to be confiscated & destroyed. The best news is that this print has been restored. It has been rumored that the original prints were badly degraded and that no restoration was possible. Couple that with Lucas' obstinance that the SEs are the "official" version and any stray copies out in the wild were most likely fading due to time. With any luck this is the first step that the originals can be seen once again.
Speaking as somebody who not only loves all of the Special Edition changes, but who also fully supports a creator's right to alter their own work ad infinitum, no matter what cultural or historical significance it may carry... I actually think this is great, and appreciate it being an option for those with a preference for the original. I hope it's a hit, and that everybody who wants to go see it is able to.
I want a finished workprint with the deleted scenes put back in. It doesn't matter whether it slows the story down or not, it's about seeing what GL was originally visualising as he shot the film in it's longest possible form. I think it would be a massive help to film students too, giving them both versions to judge against each other.
Movie houses and private owners keep their info on the down low for fear of losing their prints of the film. A theater in LA wanted to show an original version for some type of event, Lucasfilm got wind of it and dispatched lawyers so the screening never happened and nobody lets on that they have an original version. Nobody knows what the status is now that Disney are the owners.
It's a pretty straightforward process today to see the original releases if one chooses. They're typically restorations made from scanned film reels, but there are also kit bashed versions made by combining multiple post-'97 remasters.
