One might think that with a Disney+ subscription, there’s no reason to watch Star Wars: A New Hope in theaters. The streamer provides every Star Wars movie in order, or at least a version of every movie. There is a “banned” cut of the first movie that hasn’t been seen in a theater in decades, but that’s changing soon.
The Telegraph reported the British Film Institute’s Film on Film Festival will kick off in June with one of the few remaining Technicolor prints of the original theatrical release of Star Wars: A New Hope (via THR). This will be the first public screening of the version since 1978, and the back-to-back screening was only possible after negotiations between Disney and Lucasfilm to make it happen. Honestly, I’m considering buying a ticket, especially since it’ll scrub the Han and Jabba scene I can’t stand from the movie.
What Is The “Banned” Cut Of Star Wars: A New Hope?
George Lucas does not see it as the superior cut of the movie. The special edition, or version that most people can commonly see and purchase, has additional scenes that the director couldn’t include at the time, as well as some alterations to key moments in the movie. This includes the infamous change to making Greedo shoot at Han first, as well as a scene that makes me cringe just about every time I see it.
I’d Make A Trip To See Star Wars: A New Hope Without Jabba And Han’s Meeting
I can look past many of the changes in the current cut of Star Wars: A New Hope, but nothing drives me up a wall more than seeing Han Solo interact with Jabba the Hutt when he visits the Millennium Falcon. In their interaction, Jabba, with Boba Fett at his side, reminds Han that he owes him a lot of money. Han is unfazed by this, is condescending to the intergalactic gangster, and even stomps his tail for good measure.
This scene is so unbelievably out of character for everyone involved, including Han Solo. Sure, he’s a cocky smart mouth, but he’s not an idiot. Jabba the Hutt is one of the most powerful crime lords in the Outer Rim, and he has the most famous bounty hunter in the galaxy as a bodyguard. In a hypothetical situation where this actually happened, Jabba would’ve forgotten the money and had Han taken care of right there, or at least searching the galaxy for his money with one less appendage or two.
The scene makes Jabba look weak, and we see that by the time Return Of The Jedi rolls around, he is certainly not. He has Han Solo frozen in carbonite, C-3PO as a translator, and gets to kiss Leia in a scene that is somehow less gross than her kissing Luke. It’s bugged me for the longest time, so much so that I’m considering a trip to the UK just to see the movie without it included.
Readers who attend the exclusive screenings should definitely check in and share their thoughts on the experience, while all others can just be grateful we don’t have special editions of the Sequel Trilogy. I guess there’s still time for that to happen, so maybe it’s best not to give J.J. Abrams any ideas.