New Hope footage that was going to open the film and Luke
- Thread starter Flying Spaghetti Monster
- Start date
You're welcome!
I think the main reaosn it was cut was because Lucas wss inspired by Kurisawa and wanted to tell the peasant's story, so to speak, with the droids. At the time, Lucas had the talent to pull it off.
I havbe been trying to find the sandstorm scene from Return of the Jedi. Only one or two seconds of it can be seen on youtube, but in the Star Wars role playing game book, there is a pretty clear phto. I'd like to see the scene.. or any additional footabe that has Leia in her slave outfit
I think the main reaosn it was cut was because Lucas wss inspired by Kurisawa and wanted to tell the peasant's story, so to speak, with the droids. At the time, Lucas had the talent to pull it off.
I havbe been trying to find the sandstorm scene from Return of the Jedi. Only one or two seconds of it can be seen on youtube, but in the Star Wars role playing game book, there is a pretty clear phto. I'd like to see the scene.. or any additional footabe that has Leia in her slave outfit
It may strike you as that, but you'd be wrong; the Rand Ecliptic was a warship, and has been depicted as such in multiple sources (perhaps most importantly, Empire: Darklighter).
One thing this enlightened me on was "The Academy". I had just always assumed when Luke was whining about going to the Academy it was for the Imperial Star Fleet and he wanted to put on a big ugly mask and fly TIE fighters?
Yeah, that's what I always thought, too. I've always thought Luke wanted to be a storm trooper or a Tie pilot, and I still prefer it that way. It added some irony to think that if only the Storm Troopers hadn't killed Luke's aunt and uncle, he'd have been fighting FOR the Empire instead of against it.
I'd like to think that's one reason they cut this scene.
I think some of the EU stuff explains that the Academy, while being run by the Empire is where the best pilots go. Some pilots leave before graduation and join the Rebellion, that's what Biggs did. Also the Academy is where a young Han Solo saw Chewbacca getting abused and rescued him.
There's one reason I like this. Biggs. The Death Star scene kinda indicates he's supposed to have a big significance, but the audience doesn't understand that (unless you read the background info or someone tells you). The scene has too much exposition, but I would consider having that. Not the first scene, though. The movie needs to start the way it does, imo.
MeanJoePhaser
Admiral
None of this explains why he wears a cape with a jacket.
The first time I knew any of those scenes had been filmed was the "Star Wars Storybook" which had a still of Luke and Biggs talking outside, and in the Making of Star Wars TV special you could see them filming the scene with Luke, Biggs, and Red Leader ["I knew your father, kid."] in the foreground of a long shot of the hangar set on Yavin's moon. I remember bemusing my parents by yelling and running over to look at the bottom of the screen. 
You're welcome! It was in the script, and I knew that the studio wanted it that way, but Lucas never wanted it in the film!
Maybe it's like wearing a belt with suspenders - you can never be too careful.
Or he saw a pic of Lando in Galactic Quarterly.
Yes, and he wanted a little suspense with the viewer not knowing if there was any civilization on the world the droids were escaping to. Marcia Lucas fought to have the early Tatooine scenes left in, but George decided to cut them and I agree, he was right. Dropping Luke's hat was good, too.
Many Star Wars fans who were around when the original came out have encountered people who insist that they saw these scenes in the movie in 1977. Sometimes they can be quite insistent about it!
It may have been later, but "first mate" and "freighter" have always been civilian terms, and the original impression in the Star Wars novel leaned strongly toward Biggs entering the merchant service after the Academy.
--Justin
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