wentieth Century Fox spices up original film with enhanced effects, new scenes
n 1977, freshman computer science ma
jor Stephanie Smith was not yet born,
but she still remembers growing up with
tar Wars.
“I remember playing with the dolls when
was a kid,” she said. “I used to beat my
cousin over the head with Princess Leia.”
Tonight a new generation of little
cousins may be dodging the blows of the
bludgeoning princess because, after earn
ing $323 million in ticket sales and launch
ing a merchandising empire worth more
than $4 billion, Star Wars is back.
To celebrate the original film’s 20th an
niversary, it is being re-released by 20th
Century Fox and dubbed “Star Wars Trilogy
Special Edition.”
This trilogy of films contains chapters
four, five, and six of a nine-part series. The
films are also being re-released as a re
fresher course in the saga before the 1999
release of chapter one.
The chapter one movie is slated to take
place 40 years before the original Star
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Some may think the re-release of Star
Wars and the hubbub surrounding it are
nothing more than another attempt by
Hollywood and 20th Century Fox to fatten
their wallets.
But “Special Edition” producer Rick Mc-
Callum implied the reasoning behind the
re-release may be more respectable: be
cause people want it.
“Originally, we were only going to do a
limited release — 25 to 50 prints, tops,” he
said. “Then the trailer [tacked on to Inde
pendence Day] drew applause from the
fans. We said, ‘Let’s do it for them.’”
Director George Lucas even told
Newsweek he "wanted to fix the little things
that have bugged [him] for 20 years.”
“There were various things, especially in
the original film, that I was not satisfied
with,” Lucas said. ’’Special effects shots that
never were really finished, scenes that I’d
wanted to include that couldn’t be includ
ed for some reason, mostly money and
time. I really wanted to fix the films and
have them be complete.”
In fact, calling this a “re-issue” or “re-re-
lease” may actually be a
misnomer.
20th Century Fox has spent $15 million
on restored 35mm prints, digital stereo
sound, and some new computer-generat
ed surprises.
There will be a new scene between a
computer-generated Jabba the Hutt and
Han Solo that was cut from the original Star
Above: jabba the Hut appears in the re
vamped Star Wars. Jabba was added by
computer to a scene that was originally
filmed for but dropped from the movie.
Below: Star Wars toys have become hot
items again since 20th Century Fox an
nounced it was re-releasing the movie.
Wars. Also, in the background of this scene,
the ominous bounty hunter Boba Fett
makes one of his infamous cameos so he
now appears in each of the three movies.
The dewbacks on the dunes of Tatooine
move now as well.
More droids, vehicles and beasties have
been added in the Mos Eisley to give it the
feel of the dark, dangerous and bustling city
it was supposed to be.
What were once squadrons of storm
troopers are now battalions, and fleets of
star fighters now really look like fleets.
All in all, the deteriorating prints have
been restored to the cartoonish brilliance
they began with to give the movie an en
tirely new look, even though less than five
minutes of film has actually been changed
from its original format.
Classic movies like Gone With the Wind,
Lawrence of Arabia and Citizen Kane tradi
tionally only receive limited bookings and
virtually no advertising when they are re
shown at theaters.
But Fox is treating Star Wars like a first-
run movie. It will be
shown in 1,800 theaters nationwide, in
cluding two screens at College Station’s
Hollywood 16.
San Jose Mercury News reporter Glenn
Lovell wrote of Fox’s big plans.
“It’s looking to mine a whole new audi
ence — the 7-to-12-year-olds who have
amassed Star Wars Micro-Machines, col
lected Star Wars cards and rented Star Wars
videos, but who have never seen the films
as they were intended to be seen — on the
big screen.”
Smith said the filmmakers know older
viewers will attend.
“They're aiming to grab a new, young
audience,” she said.
Junior environmental design major Troy
Tompkins said the movie appeals to children.
“There is a simplicity to Star Wars that
allows kids to really get into it,” he said. “I
remember when I was a kid. The first time
I saw Uncle Owen and Aunt Veru incinerat
ed I was just — I was speechless. I was in
shock. I was just a kid. When I see it I know
there’s more out there.
“It’s like modern-day Shakespeare.
They give the audience exactly what they
want. The novelty just never
wears off.”
figures courtesy Chris Hobson