Han Shot First: BFI Screened a ‘Miracle’ Original ‘Star Wars’ Print — No Matter How George Lucas Might Feel About It

Indie Wire via Yahoo ^ | June 14, 2025 | Rance Collins

[grundle]

On June 12, a BFI Film on Film Festival audience in London sat down for a familiar favorite, but when the opening crawl announced it was taking them to a “galaxy far, far away,” something different happened. Instead of seeing the title “Episode IV: A New Hope,” the crowd was greeted with simply “Star Wars.”

The rare print was the original 1977 cut of the space opera, and BFI’s chief executive stressed it was a “miracle” the print was even screenable. On hand for the rare event was Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who made clear to the audience just how rare the viewing experience was — though she felt the need to clarify it was “not an illegal screening.”

“It’s incredible folklore. Even when I came into the company, there was endless conversation about where everything was, and what was in fact the first print? And it’s quite remarkable, what you’re going to see is in fact the first print, and I’m not even sure there’s another one quite like it. It’s that rare,” Kennedy said to the audience. “There’s so much tinkering that’s gone on over the years, and things that [writer/producer George Lucas] decided, ‘I’m gonna change this, I’m gonna try that.’ And then, everybody kind of lost track of what it was.”

“Star Wars” has been through quite a few incarnations in its various theatrical and home video releases. In addition to the title addendum, special effects were given CG updates, and one particular moment was infamously reedited. Originally, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) shoots the bounty hunter Greedo when he meets with him at the Mos Eisley cantina. In the re-edit, Greedo is shown to get a shot off before Han, making self-defense a clear motivation.

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[No.6]

That, the version I saw at midnight opening night, is Star Wars.

Yes Han but also the 1977-era model handling, the difficulties with lightsabers at certain angles, other minutiae.

Tinkering and improving make special editions or directors’ cuts or whatever but it was a poor decision to try and bury the original. That choice led to all the BS of later screwy changes to the “lore.” I also think it encouraged others to similarly botch up their own series from Matrix to John Wick and more.

That said it’s just entertainment and besides I long ago bought a DVD set that has this cut. Not 35mm pretty but better than an ancient scratchy Betamax tape…

[dfwgator]

"In my day we didn't need mooooovin' pitchures. There was just one show in town, and it was called STARE AT THE SUN! You'd sit in the middle of an open field and stare up at the sun until your eyeballs burst into flames! Soon your head was on fire, and people were roasting chickens over it!....And that's the way it was and we liked it!"

[discostu]

At this point it’s not really a George decision. Disney owns it. But I guess they’re following his wishes. It’s really interesting because there’s been way more changes to the movie than what gets talked about. The crawl was changed when a sequel got green lit. By the time the movie came out on VHS the siblings thing had happened, so some scenes got trimmed to remove now uncomfortable sexual tension between Luke and Leia. Then of course there’s all the changes for the 90s rerelease that are what people focus on. There is out on the internet in those corner you’re not supposed to hang around in a 4K restoration of the truly original, so it’s completely unavailable. But I do think Disney should put all the versions on +. It would be fun to have them all available, like the 5 Blade Runner version box set.

[escapefromboston]

I thought George made some deal with Disney to not release the original versions. It would be nice to see the movies again without Han dodging Greedo

[Rockingham]

Han shooting first was clear enough in the original film that some critics at the time saw it as a tacit endorsement of right-wing, NRA, Dirty Harry thinking about defensive gun use.

To appease the critics, Lucas did his best to make the issue disappear by removing the proof -- and thereby protected his immensely profitable Star Wars toy sales from boycotts by the gun control crowd and their allies in the news media.

Similarly, in later years, Spielberg expressed regret that in Raiders he had Indiana Jones pull out his gun and shoot a sword wielding adversary.

I am cynical enough to think that these adjustments and some cash to the gun control groups were negotiated behind the scenes.

[dfwgator]

Lucas said that he based the rebels in Star Wars on The Viet Cong.

[discostu]

I’m not sure. The distribution rights are hairy. Fox actually owned distribution in perpetuity, part of the initial funding deal to let George do whatever he wanted. Which is part of why Disney bought Fox (that and the Marvel pieces). So I’ve always been a little fuzzy why Fox even followed George’s wishes. Now Disney owns the whole bag. There might be a clause in that contract somewhere. I’m sure they could get out of it if they really wanted to though.

[Skooz]

A few years ago I managed to download the 1977 version. It resides on a back up drive.

Han fires first, just as I remember from seeing in on opening night a long time ago in a city far, far away.

[CraigEsq]

The original 1977 version was released on DVD. I have a copy that came in a set with the special edition.

[chaosagent]

Similarly, in later years, Spielberg expressed regret that in Raiders he had Indiana Jones pull out his gun and shoot a sword wielding adversary.

I always heard that the gun thing was because Harrison Ford was ill and just wanted to end the scene. And that originally he was supposed to fight the sword guy with his whip

[Rockingham]

As the whip versus sword scene was being planned on set, it was becoming too complicated and time consuming for a famously time and budget conscious production. Harrison Ford then suggested using his gun. Problem solved, to the relief of Ford and many others on the set suffering from dysentery.

[zeestephen]

I still clearly recall the original first scene when Jabba The Hutt confronts Han Solo about dumping a cargo of smuggled goods while being chased by Galactic Empire space craft.

Even in the 1970s, the original cut looked like Home Movie amateur hour.

The re-cut and modified scene never really fit, either, but the visuals were clearly improved.