I disagree about the Tosche Station scene. I always found it sad that it was left out. Sure, it could have been shortened, but not completely left out. For one thing, it's great world-building, showing us the relationship between the Empire and Alliance. We also get to know Luke better. I think we actually get a clearer picture of how isolated he is, plus he's kind of the whiny geek of the gang lol. This increases the contrast when he's the one who ends up having the biggest adventure, and not his dashing friend. And he's just so childish! I mean, compare this kid to the Luke we see in Return of the Jedi, or even ESB... What an arc he goes through! And this gives us a clearer sense of that arc.
Agree, the Biggs/Toschi Station extended scene seems worth keeping. It sets up three important things we see in the finished film: 1. Luke witnessing the opening battle we just observed, and clearly excited 2. The robot malfunction sets up the fact Uncle Owen will be in the market for a new droid. 3. Biggs Darklighter's relation with Luke and his connection to the Rebellion. Right now, both come out of thin air in the last minutes of the finished film. Another thing about the scene is a chance to check out Koo Stark, who calls Luke "Wormie" and was later linked to Britain's Prince Andrew. It was a big story for a few weeks in the summer of 1982.
TOSCHE STATION SCENE=I agree...I wish they'd put this into the 1997 special edition. Without this scene Luke always gave the impression of being a loner without any friends. I also like this scene because it showed a bit of what social life is like for young people in the SW universe outside of the political scene...something we don't really see in any other SW film. Also the friendship between LSkywalker and Biggs makes a nice subplot about how Biggs like Obi Wan convince Luke to join the rebellion.
I think the deleted scene with Biggs on Tatooine is actually really great. It sets up Luke as a more playful character and makes his whining seem a lot more justified. His friends are all gone or leaving and he's just got too much spirit for the lifeless hunk of desert he's in. It's more or less spelled out in the final cut anyway, but you really get a feel for it with that scene.
I have mixed feelings on the Biggs scenes. On one hand, the Tosche Station would butcher the pace of the film had it been left in, and the Yavin scene with Biggs is sort of too little too late to establish him beyond just being another pilot in the attack. On the other hand, references to Biggs being Luke's friend are still left in the theatrical cut. Luke says "Biggs is right. I'm never gonna get out of here!" in the scene where he's cleaning R2 and 3PO, and when they're preparing their attack in the trench he says "It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home" to Biggs. So the added scene on Yavin does add a little bit to better establish that Luke and Biggs know each other. The lack of any Biggs scenes from Tatooine still makes it strange though.
TimmySmidge I whole-heartedly agree, but Biggs telling Luke that he's joining the Rebellion (and Luke's reaction to it) are genuinely fantastic. On the other hand, it definitely makes Luke feel like he isn't an isolated farm-boy with little-to-no future (and high hopes of joining the academy ONE DAY). I'm glad that it's a deleted scene so that we can see it without it breaking the flow of the film.
TimmySmidge I think it would have been a good scene if Biggs is trying to tell Luke about something, but never mentions the Rebellion. He gets anxiouse and Luke gets irritated that he can't tell everything. Maybe even get's pissed off at his friend for saying something like "I... can't tell you." or "Um... it's classified."
TimmySmidge I think the scene in the Yavin hangar works very well. We see Luke growing into a more independent young man over the course of the film, and running into Biggs on Yavin, even if we've never met him, reminds us that he wasn't that long ago just wanting to get away from the farm to hang out with his friends. That perspective of never knowing Biggs, but hearing the name, is really where 3P0 and R2 stand as well, and they really do serve as passive narrators for the heroic half of the film's story arcs as they move to converge. The scene on Tattooine is slow, but shows some of the less contrary (or just plain less whiny) side of Luke, and arguably some of Hamill's better use of body language in his performance. It's a shame, for that, that it had to go, but it just doesn't work. The two other characters were cold and boring, and it comes across as uncomfortable compared to the interaction with Biggs, as if they'd rather not be there, or rather Luke not be there.
I agree. A short version of the first scene, including the end where Biggs tells him he's going to join the rebellion, would have fit. We know Luke has friends that have all left and Biggs is one of them based on the Theatrical cut. It also give you this feeling that the Rebellion isn't just no obvious thing when Luke talks about how hard they are to find. I'm glad the scene as it was filmed got cut, but a slightly re-done version could have added to the story.
Lol, can you imagine how ticked the actor who played Biggs would have been? You're an actor, you finally get a job, you're excited, you film your scene, do a good job... And wind up in a deleted scene never to be known to the public. But then, years later, the Special Additions come out! They added you back into the movie! ...as a bit character who gets a brief introduction and then is almost immediately killed by Vader.
Imagine you're a struggling actor that's shot a scene in Star Wars. The film's released, the world goes crazy and...your scene's been cut! Sitting in bars telling people, "I swear! I was in Star Wars!" Yeah, right.
Why the hell did they take the Biggs scene? That is incredibly important and makes it less confusing as to why they suddenly accept Luke into the X-Wing force and also as to why Luke was so eager to fight the Empire.
It creates tension with the droids later, we have no idea if there's people on tatooine, or if it's safe. Lucas also needed to speed up the pacing of the movie as the video states.
16:20 Keep in mind, very few people know that Anakin is Vader. It's reasonable to think that this guy wouldn't know that Anakin survived. I wonder if C3P0 ever learned that every time he said, "Thank the maker" that he was thanking Darth Vader.
Eric Taylor loll, I like the thank the maker point. On the other hand, through you do bring up a good point about many people not knowing what happened to Anakin you're forgetting that the only time Anakin ever fought was during the Clone Wars and everyone there were Jedi and... clones.
sivad parks Are you sure that it was only Jedi and clones? It was a big war. I think there is a very good chance that there were other military personnel involved. The Republic very likely had a standing army, but that army would have been to small to fight the war that came. The clones were meant as an emergency supplement to the army, not a replacement of it.
Eric Taylor I see your point, but the Jedi fought along side the Clones and most of the military captains concerted to the empire like Tarkin. You could be right but I find it hard to believe that an ordinary citizen would have fought with him
The X-Wing Commander - "I met your father once when I was just a boy.. If you have half the skill he had, you will do all right. " So much inspiration and back history in one simple line. 1) The X Wing Commander witnessed the Clone Wars and saw Anakin in action. 2) The X-Wing Commander knew Anakin when he was a Jedi Knight. 3) The X-Wing Commander knows Anakin broke the rules of the Jedi and had kid. 4) The X-Wing Commander knows about Order 66. 5) The X Wing Commander may of been inspired to fight the Empire seeing what happen to the Jedi Order. 6) The X Wing Commander gives Luke a chance based on Anakin's merit. 7) The X Wing Commander counts on Luke to do the attack run on the Death Star after his own attack run fails. Hoping the son of Anakin can pull off a miracle like his father once did during a battle in the Clone Wars that he eye witnessed when he was a boy. 8) The X Wing Commander is killed by the very person (Anakin, now Darth Vader) that inspired him as a boy, and is now counting on Anakin's son to stop him, and the Empire. So much power and character development of the X Wing Commander in one simple line. Should of never deleted the scene. D-:
The biggest issue with the prequels and the 🤮 sequels is they try too hard to jerk off over the same things already established, I'd like to see the spin off movie about the X wing Commander
Actually Lucas didn’t decide to make Vader Luke’s dad until he wrote V. This was back when Vader and Anakin were two different ppl before Lucas created the greatest plot twist ever
I thought the second Biggs scene was useful enough to be put back in. Biggs is a lot like that guy in Episode V who was Luke's tail gunner. He was someone Luke talked to, someone who was given just enough humanity for us to be sad when he died. Plus, especially in A New Hope, we don't really get much time with the Rebels; it's good to have at least one scene where Luke is just being buddies with one of them, so that we know these guys are all right.
DaaaahWhoosh The second sheared scene being edited back in isn't the only appearance of the actor, he is seen in X-Wing cockpit shots. The decision to put it back in explains Luke's emotion when Biggs is shot down and killed, which _is_ in the original theatrical release.
The Biggs scene actually makes the whole movie make sense . When I was a kid seeing the old version for the first time A New Hope really like it was just running from scene to scene with almost no lore.
First time I'm seeing the Tosche Station footage and I saw Star Wars in theaters when I was 8. Totally awesome to see brand new, but not really new, footage! :)
Agreed. I think they should gave cit the beginning of the scene however and just showed Luke with Biggs at least it might have cut the pace as much as it did
Daf lastname That is the EXACT same thing I was thinking. Plus, it shows that the Empire has a cause and people do draft for it and support it, they aren't just evil for the sake of being evil.
shaunzyyyy27 It also shows the Rebels as being way more mysterious and secretive than the rest of the movies let on, how Luke tells Biggs that he would be wandering around forever trying to find them.
*your father wanted you to have this...when you were old enough* Episode IV *I HATE YOU* Episode III those 2 lines demonstrates how Lucas had no idea what he was doing. George can't do story arcs, especially retro.
Teh goat And another thing (here's something that I've never heard anyone mention before): Luke: "He [referring to R2D2] claims to be the property of 'OBI-WAN Kenobi.' Is he a relative of yours? Do you know what he's talking about?" Ben: "Obi-Wan Kenobi... now that is a name I have not heard in a long time. A long time." Luke: "I think my uncle knows him. He said he was dead." Ben: "No, he's not dead. Not yet." Luke: "You know him?" Ben: "Well, of course I know him. He's me... I HAVEN'T GONE BY THE NAME OF 'OBI-WAN' SINCE, OH, BEFORE YOU WERE BORN." Not once in the entire prequel trilogy do I recall anyone addressing or referring to Obi-Wan as "Ben." And the way he said that in that bit of dialogue there gives me the impression that "Ben" was a name he was going by for at least a few years before Luke was born.
Spar10Leonidas Good points, I never picked up on the "before you were born" line. I wonder if GL even bothered to re watch the original trilogy and make a few notes before writing the prequels. Probably not.
Teh goat I'd guess probably not. In fact, this reminds me of a funny joke that IGN told: Greg Miller: "George Lucas recently stated that in the famous Cantina scene, Han never actually shot first. So that's why the prequels suck so much. George Lucas has never seen Star Wars!"
The editing in "Star Wars" is possibly the biggest inspirational aspect that has crept its way into post-production blockbuster filmmaking. Go back and watch movies prior and a lot of them (not all) but a lot of them have awkward lulls that feel pointless and slow scenes down, usually giving off the impression they simply took what had been shot and cut it all together in a very standard orderly fashion. I can imagine most filmmakers didn't want to waste money on shots that were never used by the end. But "Star Wars" was done with such great care in the edit (mainly because the cut beforehand needed it), and it really shows. Now there's rhythm to it, it clicks along at a great pace, it always feels like it's going somewhere. I think I heard the editors on some behind-the-scenes clip say it was dictated mostly by the actions of the characters. It's interesting to look back on these deleted scenes and think about what could have been. While I love the Toshie station scenes as DELETED scenes, Luke's introduction in the original movie is so seamless and quick that it feels adding that stuff back in would have really made the movie seem overly long. Mark Hamill is great at the "listen how quiet I am" gag though. It's a great scene, just one I'd never re-edit back in.
Sams ChanneI I remember watching one of the OT documentaries on RUclips, and with ANH they mentioned that Lucas had to fire his first editor John Jympson because the pacing was so terrible. Lucas ended up replacing him with Paul Hirsh and Richard Chew working at a feverish pace up until the deadline. It's such an amazing detail in my book when you consider what a shinning example A New Hope's pacing curve is to the story-telling industry.
Yes! I read about Marcia's contribution in "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls". But it sounds like these two volumes you suggest go into much greater detail. Must check them out!
That scene with Biggs is some of the best directing I've seen from Lucas. Great character work, fine acting, and a charming alternative introduction for the characters.
I will say that, seeing as they reinserted the later Biggs scene before the attack on the Death Star, it probably would've made more sense to include the earlier scene as well. Without that, he's just introduced out of nowhere only to get killed off during the final battle. Therefore, his death didn't really mean much other than Luke having lost a friend.
Toshe Station scene should have stayed in. It could be edited down a bit, but it's a great scene that adds some great atmosphere and character to the overall movie. As for pacing, I think this scene helps that a bit by handing out just a little more story that would help further draw in the viewer.
+Shawn Wesley I think the audience's relation to Luke would have been very different as it was cemented in the 70's when it was released, but i would like to see it as you present it on the re-release, which already has Biggs's second scene edited in
+Shawn Wesley Agreed. Having read the novel as a kid, I always liked Biggs as a big brother type character. The scene underscores Luke's yearning for adventure, held back by his sense of familial responsibility.
What a great handful of scenes, rich with character development and lots of necessary backstory. We learn a lot about Luke and why he wants to fight the Empire, and how impossible it is for them to even contact the Rebels with their needed secrecy.
I've heard of some of these scenes since the original movie came out and seen several stills. But this is the very first time I've actually gotten to see them. THANKS for posting them!
As far as 15:56 and the commentary afterwards about having known Luke's farther and whether the trilogy was pre-written; it was not. At the start of shooting A New Hope Anakin and Vader were two different people like Kenobi said. At the time he says it, it's not "from a certain point of view," that was made up later. It was meant literally at that time. That's how the rebel pilot is referencing Anakin here. Leia didn't become Luke's sister and Vader's daughter until production of Return of the Jedi, that's why they have the two making out in the first two movies. Lucas also claimed he had the backstory to the originals written before filming the first movie, but this is clearly a lie as the prequels are incongruent with originals. He didn't come up with those back stories until the 90s. Also it should be noted that the original trilogy stories were fettered out due to collaboration with the novelization writer, producers, directors of the Episodes 5 and 6, his wife editing the movie in her spare time from her paid editing job, and others involved in making the film. Then once Lucas was a billionaire and was left on his own where he had no one to hold him accountable, and would not accept any peer input; well, we got the story mess in the prequels. Good base ideal for a story, bad actual story lines riddled with plot holes and poor plot devices.
Adding Luke's reunion with Biggs in the hangar before the Battle of Yavin was my favorite change made when the special editions came out. It made Biggs' death and Luke's reaction to it a lot more impactful, especially for those of us who read the novel. "We're a couple of shooting stars, Biggs, he whispered huskily, and we'll never be stopped.”
8 лет назад+66
I think removing mustache guy was bigg fat mistake.
Eh... I really like the Toshe station scene for the insight it gives us into how the average Joe's life is affected by the Empire, even on the outermost fringes of the galaxy, which is something I LOVE about Star Wars Rebels and would've liked to see in A New Hope.
I was nine when I cut class, jumped a subway uptown, and stayed all day in the theater until dark. I watched it 47 times over the next few days. I made a few friends between shows as my fellow all day viewers discovered each other and shared a passion. The film was perfect just as it was and for me the changes are strictly profit motivated.
The camaraderie between Biggs and Luke is identical to how Finn and Poe act in VII. Of course, in 2015, people assume two men that get along are gay, instead of just good friends.
+Jeremy Ralphael This is true. I see too many people piece Rey and Finn together, but Rey is clearly uninterested in romance and she is intended to defy the "female lead is love interest" stereotype. That's why Finn asks if she has a boyfriend. He wants, but by the end, he should realize he can't.
Well, even in the original cut, Biggs featured in the Battle of Yavin. We see him flying his X-Wing, and Luke seems real sad when he gets blown up. Even with the scenes deleted, Luke mentions Biggs twice. "Oh, Biggs is right; I'm never gonna get out of here." "That's just what you said when Biggs and (Tank?) left." So I think it would have been good to flesh-out the Luke-Biggs relationship a bit more. Not to mentiont he Toschi Station scene gives a little more exposition about the whole Empire/Rebel deal.
seeing these deleted scenes makes me realize George didn't suddenly become kind of a wacky director when the prequels came around, the editors just did a much better job back then by getting rid of stupid shit.
It's true - apparently George's original (MUCH different) cut of the movie is unwatchable crap. Everyone who saw it at the time thought the movie would tank if he put it out that way.
Man in Magenta -it would have tanked. The only reason the prequels had ANY success was because George got a free pass with the prior success of the franchise. If not for Spielberg's (plus a few others) suggestions, and Maria Luca's magic editing skills, this movie would likely have been total garbage.
George - don't forget that Lucas did not direct ep 5. He was mainly doing marketing at the time. This might not have been his idea, but Kirshner's, and ultimately he cut it out. Hard to say.
I think the first Biggs scene could have worked if done a bit differently. After the dinner with have Luke go to the Toshie station after he was done cleaning the droids, leave out the binocular stuff and keep the conversation about Biggs planned defection. Then Luke drives back home and looks at the sunset.
***** Maybe both George and the editor. I think the editor knows the pacing and maybe he offered it to Lucas. Maybe Lucas said it to the editor. I don't know. But, the editor edited the scenes.
Mihajlo Todorović Michael Tod It's not their job to tell Lucas what would look best, they have other people for that like screenplay directors and so on. They simple get a task and execute it. But after all, it is the Director that makes the final call on what he wants to do with his movie.
The long scene where Luke is watching the battle in space through his binoculars was in the comic book. I always found it a bit odd- but I guess it was intended to be in the film. Face it, that floppy sun hat looks goofy as hell!
Lol about that sun hat, too true. Funny thing is, I can't recall where I knew it from, but I knew that there was some point at which Luke was watching a space battle with binoculars while working on the farm. I always thought the idea was pretty cool - it lended an air to his existence on the farm like "Here I am stuck in this life while out there is a whole galaxy of exciting adventure, and there's nothing I can do about it..."
The entire Anchorhead sequence was in the original Marvel Comics adaptation, novelization, and the NPR SW radio drama. Still photos of Luke and Biggs outside of Toshi(SP?) station were also in the SW storybook. Hasbro even produced action figures of Biggs in his Anchorhead outfit(30th anniversary collection), Camie, and Fixer(comic 2 pack).
It's no wonder half the actors thought Star Wars was a B rated movie when it was being filmed. Without the editing, special effects, and the sound track Star Wars: A New Hope could be collecting dust next to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Beedee beedee beedee, It's Buck!
I like the biggs story. Yeah it's a big lull in the film, but it puts luke into perspective. he's just another teen, stuck in a boring life but dreaming about bigger things. It also humanizes the rebellion. I don't know why, but no one ever talks about the rebellion, as if they don't know about it and I always wished we saw more people talking about what should be a majorly controversial topic. Sort of like the civil war was in America.
I thought it was common knowledge that the trilogy wasn't thought through during the filming of the first movie. This is why Ben says Vader "killed" Luke's father, this is why he calls Vader "Darth" as if it was his first name, and all that stuff. Vader being Luke's father is something thought up later - there is absolutely nothing in TNH to suggest Vader is Anakin.
KilljoyDefinitely. Also if Obi-wan were really hiding out, why would he just change his first name? You also get the impression that Owen knew Luke's father a lot better than having just met him once. Before the prequels I had assumed that Anakin was Aunt Beru's brother and her maiden name was Skywalker (either that or Tatooine culture did matriarchal marriages). Also it seemed that originally Tarkin outranked Vader, though the way they have gradually retconned the way he spoke to Vader in the movie over the years is pretty cool, too.
Killjoy Something is off about all that. But here's a crazy theory: What if Anakin Skywalker had been CLONED, and it was the CLONE running around as Vader? Anakin could still be alive!
Killjoy I thought Lucas and that other guy who also worked on the script admitted this. "Darth" was just his name. It later became a title AFTER the entire trilogy when the universe was being fleshed out more. Even at RotJ "Darth" was just a fake name Anakin took on. There were no darths. There was no Darth Sidious. Just "The Emperor". Tarkin, as a Grand Moff, definitely outranked Vader originally who was just The Emperor's attack dog.
Fuller Mac I thought of Darth Vader in ANH as being a high-ranking political official (he gets referred to as "Lord Vader" by some Imperial personnel). Vader might have outranked Tarkin politically, but Tarkin outranked Vader militarily. Taking an example from another source, the 1970s movie "The Towering Inferno" had this dialogue between two of the main characters: Duncan: The mayor is here. You want me to pull rank on you? Chief O'Hallorhan: When there's a fire, I outrank everyone in this building. Even though the mayor technically outranks the fire chief politically, the chief can still tell the mayor what to do because he calls the shots during a fire. Just as Tarkin calls the shots during a war, and has control over Vader.
9:00 - The one thing it does add to the original cut is it enhances the thoughts and motivations behind the conversation with the droids when it's revealed that they actually belong to an agent of the Rebellion - not only is Luke seeking adventure, possible romance, but he wants to be there for his old friend from his home world. However, you make a lot of good points as to why it was ultimately left on the cutting room. 16:07 - George Lucas never had everything planned out, he had ideas and notes, but he waxed and waned on what became movie canon and what wasn't. You can create a story of what happens without really writing any of it yourself.
I actually dug the Biggs scene before the final battle. I was 7 when Star Wars came out originally and in 1978 I got a Star Wars Story Book with pictures of Biggs in it from the deleted scenes. I was a confused 3rd grader then... but upon watching the movie multiple times in the 80's I recognized Biggs in the X-Wing and understood more why Luke had the lump in the throat after the death of his best friend.
Nice summation. I love the *concept* of the Biggs scenes; it establishes how the tenacious reach of the Empire goes out even to small backwater systems like Tatooine, and provides poignancy to his death in the final battle. But there's just no way to shoehorn it in. As you say, "pacing". The only way I can imagine it working is having it be the opening scene to the entire movie (with the connecting scene of Luke saying where he is going), but that renders the orbital battle less dramatic - which is what we all remember about it; that opening battle. I don't know why the additional footage of Vader discussing the situation on the planet was cut; it could have easily stayed in. It lends a bit of continuity to the story, especially - again, pacing - to an already slow part of the film. I can only imagine it was for "time" reasons - remember, this was the era of 2:30 songs on the radio, period... and no movie could last longer than 2 hours or it was presumed to be "death" in revenue. Now we are all used to 3.5 hour mega-productions like the "Lord of the Rings" movies, but back then it was heavily frowned upon by the studio executives. I also think this was actually Jones speaking; just in a "rough cut" audio for editing purposes with intention to overdub it later (that obviously never happened). The rest of the scenes could be taken or left; they don't really matter either way. But I always find it interesting to see how "finished" a clip is, which gives some indication to how seriously the production crew took it before it hit the editing room floor. Thanks for the clips!!! :-)
Okay. Let's be fair: ALL of the other scenes really didn't carry that much weight. HOWEVER.... I openly admit that I really, REALLY like the whole Tosche Station sequence. Seeing Luke and Biggs together here would have definitely made his death scene on the Death Star carry more weight and emotion. It's the perfect bookend scene to the 'Chapter 44: Luke and Biggs' scene in the 2004 Special Edition DVD of A New Hope. I'm sure others will just side with the majority and think it would have slowed the pacing down, but I personally think that this sequence - despite being long, would have been worth it. If it had been left in, the film would still be shorter than the theatrical cuts of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. Case and Point: One of Peter Jackson's main reasons for extending The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was to deepen the character relationships, and have the audience spend more time with them. I just think Luke and Biggs' friendship makes the scene work. I'm under the impression that this scene takes place just before C-3PO says "Thank the maker!". It also neatly parallels that scene in The Phantom Menace where Anakin's other friends belittle his Podracer - parallel that with the little squabble over the electrobinoculars. Biggs is clearly similar to the way Kitster was with Anakin. Like Anakin, Luke had other pals, but Biggs was definitely the closest. Lastly, as a player of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II & III, I have to admit that the Tatooine Training (dawn, day, dusk, night) stages do a shrewd job of making Biggs, Wedge, and Tosche Station that type of thing you never forget. Let's face it: I've bet I've heard over a dozen passionate Star Wars fans quote Luke: "But I was going to go to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" - even in non-Star Wars settings. Yup... Tosche Station is the stuff of Star Wars lore! Anyway... I thoroughly enjoyed the scene, and I wouldn't mind if it was inserted in some future limited-anniversary-special-deluxe edition DVD or whatever. What's more, I even met the actor that played Biggs, Garrick Hagon, briefly in the Autograph Hall at Star Wars Celebration IV, and I even have an OfficialPix movie still of that scene in my home collection.
Vader is around 41 at this time and the Rebel pilot doesn't seem to be a young man as well so it could be possible he served in the republic navy and met young Anakin at some ocassion while the Luke's father connection doesn't make any sence of course xD
I was always curious about the logic behind "hiding" Luke and, to a lesser extent, Leia. Maybe "she'll be safe being adopted by the senator from Alderaan" makes a little sense. But if you assume the first 6 movies as canon, the plans for Luke are, "let's take him to Anakin's home planet where he'll be raised by Anakin's half-brother. Oh, and let's not change his last name or anything." And unless "Kenobi" is a really common last name in the galaxy, maybe Obi-wan could have come up with a better plan than "move nearby and change first name to Ben."
I remember the first scene of Luke looking at the battle in space and his meeting with Biggs from when I was a kid....not sure if it was on the film or was part of one of those picture books, but I do recall this before any of the special editions came out - this would have been back in the late 70's. Nice to see it again after all these years.
BIGGS was cool! This scene was included in a short-version storybook I read in1983. This side-story made Biggs death during the attack on the Death Star more tragic (@ least 4 Luke), but in the final product, Biggs was just another rebel shot down by Tie- fighters
The Biggs/binocular scene (just the four friends outside the bar) WAS in the 1st StarWars movie I saw. It was gone the next time (two months later) I saw StarWars.
+Bojo Mojo Sorry, but no you don't, I worked at Lucasfilm from '76 to '79, and was in charge of getting the answer prints done from the OCN, we never made a release print with the scene in it, we never even made one with final sound tha had any of those scenes. Memory is completely fallible, the more vividly you remember it, the less likely it is real. abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98195
+ERIC BRAMMER Laser Man is right, that scene was never included in any of the original prints of the movie. It's possible you saw it somewhere else, like in a making of special, or on the Behind the Scenes CD-ROM they released in the 90s, but you never saw it in the theater.
I feel the 2nd half of the toshe station scene should have been left in it specifically states why the Empire is bad to the every day person which was rarely or ever expressed in the trilogy it tells the audience and dies the right thing in not just saying, duh their evil.
Daf lastname Urg...It´s hard to decide really...The scene is good and very well done...but...it also drags down if it had been not cut...Those scenes would have been great for a Mini-series next to the movie or something...canon but not in the movie itself...
Terrorkekx The movies have nothing like that, though if they cut it down and did it right it would have done a good job in showing important parts of the world. It answers several important questions. Why is the Empire actually bad? Because they force people into service, override government checks and because they want to control central aspects of a citizens life. Where does the empire get soldiers and are they all willing? Many are not according to Biggs. And Is even talking about the Rebellion a serious crime? Yes. It may have not been done as well as it could have been but they should have redid or heavily edited this scene because of its importance to the audience understanding the plight of Luke and the Rebellion.
Suiseiseki Desu That was kept pretty secret and was a specific act of tyranny, the more soft all encompassing not just effecting one people tyranny is a different and important beast.
Daf lastname Keeping the disappearance of a whole planet secret would be a difficult thing to do. But I'm quite sure they wouldn't even try it. The point of the death star was to keep people in fear by letting them know that if they go against the empire, their planet is going to be destroyed.
Among all the exposition in the Tosche station dialogue is buried 'I doubt if the emperor would even fight to save the system'. Save it from what? And there's other gems. That whole deleted sequence starts slow (there'd be a quicker way to show the battle) but is packed with ???... Luke's life, character, friendships, values, aspirations, responsibilities... and hints at the events outside Tatooine, thumbnail sketches of other characters and politics... brilliant writing, frankly.
I *really* like the Star Destroyer bit. I don't know why it's so cool to me, it's just that we never see the Destroyers as these distant, gleaming shapes at any other time. They somehow seem more awe-inspiring from this vantage point than when they're filling the screen overhead at the start of the movie.
The Tosche Station scene actually got written into an EU Luke Skywalker bio. It's called A New Hope: The Legend of Luke Skywalker. It's a very nice read, might I add.
Dude, the Toshi Station scene could have been a cool addition; we get to see a little more of Luke in his natural, relaxed state. Not just when he is at home, at work or fretting about his future. Course, it could have used some editing down. The Biggs-Luke reunion in the Rebel Hangar didn't bother me, since I thought it was cool to see a little bit of Luke's backstory. I think things like that clue you in to the fact that these characters have their own story; their own history. We may not have known who Biggs was before that scene, but Luke did.
I like the Biggs part. I always wondered why Luke kept on saying, "blasted Biggs" all the time and never understood until I read the novel book. Then I got it and was happy to see it in the movie. And it was quick and simple.
Very interesting channel. I think that in this picture almost every deleted scene could have been in the final cut (except the hunchback and the assback scene). The scene of Biggs seems most important. It introduces Luke, explains why the conflict with his uncle in the following scene, explains why Luke is interested in the rebellion, and why he takes so little time to think of travelling with Obi Wan to Mos Eisley. And a further detail. I think it is the only scene in the first trilogy where we see a woman pilot (or at least it is suggested). Best
I would have fit a shorter edit of the Biggs scenes to buld the character. It would have explained why he was considering Obi-wans proposal and why he cares when he dies in the death star, making the movie more powerful. Losing a bit of pace at the beginning is ok.
The trilogy was not always as solidified as George Lucas said it was. Darth Vader was NOT Luke's father in ANH and Leia was not the "other Yoda spoke of" until ROTJ.
+Ryan England He knew Vader was going to be Luke's father. Watch ANH again, there's a few little moments. Before Obi Wan tells Luke his father was killed, he takes an obvious pause and glance away as though he's lying. It's unmistakable.
I liked the scenes with biggs in them, he is a cool character in my opinion and it shows a little bit more why luke doesn't really want to work another season with his uncle.
That last restored scene with Bigs ties in with the scene with his aunt and uncle "most of his friends are gone, he's just not a farmer" and Luke wanting to leave home and join the academy. So it's important to the story on Luke's behalf. The part about him seeing the battle, the droid burning up and leaving it behind, and going to Tashi station and talking to Bigs was in the original book, or at least I remember reading it in some publication, and back then I only saw the movie once in the theater, so I was able to connect the He didn't mention the battle to anybody else because Bigs already defused his anxiousness to tell somebody. Human nature. What I don't understand is if he was already at Tashi station, why didn't he pick up his power converters then??
OMG that Tache Station scene was so great I almost feel like somehow editing it into a copy of the movie somehow. And the reason it never came up again is because they deleted it. It did wonders for character development and context.
Regarding the comment, "I knew your father when I was just a boy. He was a great pilot," and whether that means Lucas hadn't really thought the story all the way through: I think it's probably true that Lucas didn't have all the details worked out. But there are two lines in ANH that make me think Lucas definitely had Anakin = Vader planned out. First, Beru says to Owen, "Luke's just not a farmer. He has too much of his father in him," and Owen says, "I know. That's what I'm afraid of." This distinctly foreshadows the Big Reveal at the end of ESB. Second, Obi Wan tells Luke that Owen is lying about who Luke's father really is (i.e., a Jedi, not a navigator on a spice freighter). This implies there was a reason to lie about it. And the pilot's line on Yavin adds an interesting new dimension: Maybe the average imperial subject never knew that Darth Vader was Anakin. As far as they knew, Anakin died in the Great Jedi Purge along with the others. I also think the scene from Tosche station could have stayed in. Biggs' death in the Battle of Yavin is pretty meaningless without establishing the friendship. And it establishes why the empire is a menace, and that the Rebellion is a mysterious rumor. Even more, it establishes Luke's loneliness better than him wandering around alone, especially if they had edited out the other two random people. Luke has one real friend in the world, and he's leaving to join the mysterious Rebellion. Luke is now completely alone in the world, and wants more than ever to get off Tatooine and fight the good fight with his friends.
Yes we did know Biggs. Luke mentions him by name in the scene where he is playing with the little model ship. And yes, actually that WAS David Prowes. He didn't know his voice was being replaced and was trying to sound vicious
Wow, I had never before seen the Toshi-station scene but I knew it was in the script. Amazing. A bit long and dragged out, but I wish they'd kept parts of it at least.
I would like to see them release Star Wars with all of the deleted scenes, put into their original context. Frankly, Star Wars has been re-released so many times, it's kind of getting old. I love Star Wars, and with this much footage left out, and I would bet there is more too, I think it would make a very interesting version of the original movie, and would end up being almost a totally new original Star Wars movie.
I wish Lucasfilm and Disney would release the original cut of Star Wars, including the unaltered Han Solo and Jabba scene. Where's that petition? I'll sign it.
I like the Bigg's scene from Tattoine. Now that I see it I kinda wish it made the movie. I like that you see Luke seeing the battle( tho' I agree it's never mentioned again). Its kinda cool to see Luke's friends. I feel that every other scene tho was unnecessary. You can kinda see that Tosche station is maybe an escape from the farm for Luke
pepppery That's my favorite of all of them, and I feel terrible that it's not included. There's so much missing from the New Hope that is explained here. Without it, we remember Luke as something of a loner with no real friends.
pepppery Would've liked it better if Biggs had stopped by the skywalker ranch instead. That would've kept it shorter but still establish a friendship between Luke and Biggs, specially since Biggs would've gone there specfically to tell Luke that he was leaving.
I really like the scene with Luke and Biggs, really gives some character development to Garrick Hagon's character. I kinda want to see the one with the human Jabba. Also would like to see Jay Benedict's deleted scenes (poor guy gets booted from both this and Aliens)...
16:00: Anakin was in alot of places and was a good pilot. and i dont think it was very widely known that he was darth vader (so anyone who knew him would think he was dead). its not that far fetched to say this guy could have been in a battle alongside Anakin. it would be kind of cool if he was one of the pilots from Naboo all these years later.
tmzissupergay Actually, the classic film was re-named "A New Hope" when it was released as a "special edition" with all the ridiculous re-edits (CGI, Greedo shooting first, changing Aunt Beru's voice, the Jabba scene, etc.). So yes, the quality between "A New Hope" and Star Wars (1977) is a lot different for "A New Hope" was improperly tampered with. Fool.
+Mary-Jane Watson ACTUALLY the film was called a new hope long before the 1997 special edition release. It was renamed in the 1980s and no this does not change the quality of the film moron. Next time before calling someone a fool on the Internet make sure you know what the fuck you're talking about.
Nice try, fool, but no. But also, it most certainly does change the quality of the film by tampering with the story line. character analysis and general visual picture. tmzissupergay
+Mary-Jane Watson [Directly from Wookieepedia the official Star Wars wiki] "When the original film was re-released on April 10, 1981, Episode IV: A New Hope was added above the original opening crawl.
The girl at 5;25 is Cammie, played by Koo Stark. Cammie was part of Luke's home life, and always nicknamed him "Wormie". Yet sadly, Koo Stark faded into Star Wars fandom history.
The Biggs reunion scene never really bothered me much, it gave me a more complete feeling of who Luke was back on Tatooine before we met him, but then again, I've only ever seen the re-release/altered versions. The line about this father being a great pilot was weird because wouldn't that man then know that his father is Darth Vader? Wouldn't tale of Anakin's betrayal have spread across the galaxy via the fighter pilots he used to work with? And not to bring in the comical prequel trilogy, but a lot of what was said about Luke's father in the original trilogy doesn't match up to the way the prequel's described him. We don't really see Anakin being a badass pilot much (Except for 20 min in Ep.1) because he's busy training to be a Jedi. We don't really see a close friendship between Obi Wan and Anakin because Anakin is too busy vying for Padme and Obi Wan is too busy with his own shit. I love star Wars, but I do really truly believe that Lucas was making this shit up as he went along because there is no way that his complete vision was that sloppy if he already had it mapped out in his head.
lol I love how Luke and Biggs meet in every scene like each of them thought the other one was dead and "omg biggs! omg luke! omg hug time!" Also every time they're talking they're within kissing distance of each-other :D
As a Biggs fan, his later scene was welcome. I really do wish they found a way to bring the first scene back too. It doesn't fit the way it was filmed now, but if was changed to be faster and fit better with the movie, it would've really added to Luke's wish to leave Tatooine, because his one friend left for the Rebellion.
Taking out all of the Biggs scenes reduced the tragedy of the death of Luke's best friend over the death star, which was left in the original movie. Otherwise it is just another x-wing fighter death. All of these scenes were in the original novelizations.
I really like the Biggs scene. it adds a lot to their relationship and would add more weight to his death. I like how the scene gives a little more background into what the empire is all about on a more administrative side. we hear about nationalizing moisture farms and drafting people out of the academy into the imperial fleet. I think it kills the pacing but definitely adds a lot to the movie.
As a 5 yr old kid I had one of the original Star Wars children books and I distinctly remember seeing pictures of Luke looking up with his binoculars and also talking to Biggs. Some yrs later and not saving that book ( hey, I was a kid who didn't know) I always tried telling people these scenes but they looked at me as if I was crazy. Thanks for the upload.
I also have concerns about the Biggs Darklighter scenes being left in or out of the original and/or remakes of the New Hope series. If you know anything about the original MARVEL comic book series, those scenes were left in the story arc and provide backstory to how Luke Skywalker's character is concerned for his fellow Tattooine friends going off and fighting in rebellion to the Empire's heavy-handedness speckled throughout the whole movie. Plus the statement that he shoots wamp-rats better than any other pilot in his system plays to the crescendo explosion of the Death Star in A New Hope.
Great video! Finally someone who can speak fluently and clearly lol. As for the deleted scenes, I agree with you on most of them. I like how they put Biggs back into the film at the end because while they cut the Toshi station scene with Biggs (and I agree it slowed the pace of the film), Luke still mentions Biggs twice early on in the film. Once to Uncle Owen and once to C-3PO. So seeing the friend Luke talks about early on is good for the flow of the film. On top of that Biggs was in the original cut of the film during the attack on the Death Star while flying his X-Wing. Since Luke mentions Biggs early in the film and then we see Biggs during the assault on the Death Star it was good for Lucas to add that quick scene of Luke and Biggs reconnecting and showing how strong their bond as friends was even if it was only for 20 seconds. Again, great video and interpretations! Look forward to more.
Some prints in 1977 had the extended Biggs scene. I remembered it was an unusual version and took notes at the theater because it was so amazing during my 13th viewing. Also in that print in Maine there was the Irish Jabba scene. I always wondered if it was a bootleg copy?
My girlfriend and I both call it "Star Wars." We don't even use the episode numbers, save for the Prequels, which she's never seen. We just know what each other is talking about.
+Han Solo pretty much. Adding the title of "A New Hope" and Episode IV to the crawl happened pretty early on when the movie was re-released in theaters leading up to Empire Strikes Back in 1981. This is one of the few changes that were made to the original films that actually makes sense and add to the flavor of the films and makes it feel like this story was part of an ongoing saga that we just jumped into the middle of
Breton Lynn Only reason i call it star wars is because that was the original name. But I think that both "Star Wars" and "A New Hope" are fitting titles, i just prefer "star wars"
I think the Tashe Station scene should've been left in or reinstated in the Special Edition re-release. To me, it brings more purpose as to why Luke was so upset for not being able to go back to "pick up some power converters" when his uncle told him he needed to stay to clean the droids. His uncle knew he would go there just to "fool around with his friends" so it makes their dynamic (Luke and Uncle Owen) feel more realistic and natural. Also, correct me if I'm wrong but, not ALL of Biggs scenes were deleted from the original cut. Biggs is still present in the Battle of Yavin. If anything, re-adding Biggs second scene in Yavin IV made Luke's pain more realistic when Biggs was shot down AND embodies the character because until the Battle, all we knew of Biggs was a reference by Luke when he was speaking to C-3PO about how "Biggs is right, I'm never gonna get out of here." (or something like that)
tbh I liked the Biggs conversation part of the scene. I always just assumed Biggs was some random extra, seeing him actually interact with Luke made him a real character to me
I think having the Biggs scene on Yavin IV was a good scene to put back into the movie. I think this because during the Battle of Yavin we hear Luke say, "Blasted Biggs, where are you?" Without that scene that shows them reuniting most people have no idea who Biggs is and why Luke is wondering where he is, or why he feels particularly upset when Biggs is killed.
It makes me happy to know that there was an entire scene with just Aunt Beru and the Blue Milk. Amazing.
takigan explains Luke liking/drinking blue milk in the Last Jedi
Mysmero425 it wasn’t blue.
Mysmero425 that was green milk in TLJ.
Im drinking bleu aquarius
Explains the meaning behind 'Blue Harvest'
I disagree about the Tosche Station scene. I always found it sad that it was left out. Sure, it could have been shortened, but not completely left out. For one thing, it's great world-building, showing us the relationship between the Empire and Alliance. We also get to know Luke better. I think we actually get a clearer picture of how isolated he is, plus he's kind of the whiny geek of the gang lol. This increases the contrast when he's the one who ends up having the biggest adventure, and not his dashing friend. And he's just so childish! I mean, compare this kid to the Luke we see in Return of the Jedi, or even ESB... What an arc he goes through! And this gives us a clearer sense of that arc.
Agree, the Biggs/Toschi Station extended scene seems worth keeping. It sets up three important things we see in the finished film:
1. Luke witnessing the opening battle we just observed, and clearly excited
2. The robot malfunction sets up the fact Uncle Owen will be in the market for a new droid.
3. Biggs Darklighter's relation with Luke and his connection to the Rebellion. Right now, both come out of thin air in the last minutes of the finished film.
Another thing about the scene is a chance to check out Koo Stark, who calls Luke "Wormie" and was later linked to Britain's Prince Andrew. It was a big story for a few weeks in the summer of 1982.
I remember that Koo Stark to do.
TOSCHE STATION SCENE=I agree...I wish they'd put this into the 1997 special edition. Without this scene Luke always gave the impression of being a loner without any friends. I also like this scene because it showed a bit of what social life is like for young people in the SW universe outside of the political scene...something we don't really see in any other SW film. Also the friendship between LSkywalker and Biggs makes a nice subplot about how Biggs like Obi Wan convince Luke to join the rebellion.
It cut into the action in the beginning movie. It is better scrapped.
the reason the Tosche Station was left out it George Lucas said it was to close like American Graffiti and wanted to stay away from that.
the biggs scene was in the book version kids bought in their scholastic book orders back in the 70s and 80s.
Shit was amazing when i read it. First way i experienced episode 4
The scene between Luke and Biggs is really great.
SYNTH WARRIOR FROM THE 80's it's drags too long for me, but I would it if they cut it down and added it to a newer special edition
Bigg's actor must have been pissed when he found out that nintey-percent of his footage got left on the cutting room floor.
and he got to keep the cape... and the mustache
Check out the documentary "Elstree 1976"- the actor talks about that very thing.
Still, he had a prominent role in the final battle which was left in. Well, he got shot down after losing his shit.
And his name in the credits.
Boring scene. Scrap.
I think the deleted scene with Biggs on Tatooine is actually really great. It sets up Luke as a more playful character and makes his whining seem a lot more justified. His friends are all gone or leaving and he's just got too much spirit for the lifeless hunk of desert he's in. It's more or less spelled out in the final cut anyway, but you really get a feel for it with that scene.
I have mixed feelings on the Biggs scenes. On one hand, the Tosche Station would butcher the pace of the film had it been left in, and the Yavin scene with Biggs is sort of too little too late to establish him beyond just being another pilot in the attack.
On the other hand, references to Biggs being Luke's friend are still left in the theatrical cut. Luke says "Biggs is right. I'm never gonna get out of here!" in the scene where he's cleaning R2 and 3PO, and when they're preparing their attack in the trench he says "It'll be just like Beggar's Canyon back home" to Biggs. So the added scene on Yavin does add a little bit to better establish that Luke and Biggs know each other. The lack of any Biggs scenes from Tatooine still makes it strange though.
TimmySmidge The scene from Tatooine should be left in but it should be shorter
TimmySmidge I whole-heartedly agree, but Biggs telling Luke that he's joining the Rebellion (and Luke's reaction to it) are genuinely fantastic. On the other hand, it definitely makes Luke feel like he isn't an isolated farm-boy with little-to-no future (and high hopes of joining the academy ONE DAY). I'm glad that it's a deleted scene so that we can see it without it breaking the flow of the film.
TimmySmidge I think it would have been a good scene if Biggs is trying to tell Luke about something, but never mentions the Rebellion. He gets anxiouse and Luke gets irritated that he can't tell everything. Maybe even get's pissed off at his friend for saying something like "I... can't tell you." or "Um... it's classified."
TimmySmidge I think the scene in the Yavin hangar works very well. We see Luke growing into a more independent young man over the course of the film, and running into Biggs on Yavin, even if we've never met him, reminds us that he wasn't that long ago just wanting to get away from the farm to hang out with his friends. That perspective of never knowing Biggs, but hearing the name, is really where 3P0 and R2 stand as well, and they really do serve as passive narrators for the heroic half of the film's story arcs as they move to converge.
The scene on Tattooine is slow, but shows some of the less contrary (or just plain less whiny) side of Luke, and arguably some of Hamill's better use of body language in his performance. It's a shame, for that, that it had to go, but it just doesn't work. The two other characters were cold and boring, and it comes across as uncomfortable compared to the interaction with Biggs, as if they'd rather not be there, or rather Luke not be there.
I agree. A short version of the first scene, including the end where Biggs tells him he's going to join the rebellion, would have fit. We know Luke has friends that have all left and Biggs is one of them based on the Theatrical cut. It also give you this feeling that the Rebellion isn't just no obvious thing when Luke talks about how hard they are to find. I'm glad the scene as it was filmed got cut, but a slightly re-done version could have added to the story.
Lol, can you imagine how ticked the actor who played Biggs would have been? You're an actor, you finally get a job, you're excited, you film your scene, do a good job...
And wind up in a deleted scene never to be known to the public. But then, years later, the Special Additions come out! They added you back into the movie!
...as a bit character who gets a brief introduction and then is almost immediately killed by Vader.
+SpadaccinoLuciano Very sad.
Biggs is later seen at the rebel base on Yavin, so he's not totally left out of the film
Jake Kokot He was added later on. He wasn't in the original screening.
Lmao
AzureSymbiote Yeah but in 1977 he wouldn't have known that.
Imagine you're a struggling actor that's shot a scene in Star Wars. The film's released, the world goes crazy and...your scene's been cut! Sitting in bars telling people, "I swear! I was in Star Wars!" Yeah, right.
Tokiofritz if you’re referencing Biggs, then he was still in the movie
@@Jb-ik3pq pretty sure they're talking about some of the extras in the Biggs scene
That’s pretty much exactly what Christopher Lee went through when they cut Saruman out of The Return of the King.
@@ferghalicious1480 I don't understand why Peter did that he was in the first 2 and it was only a few extra minutes.
Why the hell did they take the Biggs scene? That is incredibly important and makes it less confusing as to why they suddenly accept Luke into the X-Wing force and also as to why Luke was so eager to fight the Empire.
Just me - not only should it have been left in but Biggs should have survived the Death Star Attack.....just saying.
It creates tension with the droids later, we have no idea if there's people on tatooine, or if it's safe.
Lucas also needed to speed up the pacing of the movie as the video states.
The Biggs scene should have been kept in. His death would have had more weight if they did.
The Son of Suns
I agree
16:20 Keep in mind, very few people know that Anakin is Vader. It's reasonable to think that this guy wouldn't know that Anakin survived.
I wonder if C3P0 ever learned that every time he said, "Thank the maker" that he was thanking Darth Vader.
Eric Taylor loll, I like the thank the maker point. On the other hand, through you do bring up a good point about many people not knowing what happened to Anakin you're forgetting that the only time Anakin ever fought was during the Clone Wars and everyone there were Jedi and... clones.
sivad parks Are you sure that it was only Jedi and clones? It was a big war. I think there is a very good chance that there were other military personnel involved.
The Republic very likely had a standing army, but that army would have been to small to fight the war that came. The clones were meant as an emergency supplement to the army, not a replacement of it.
Eric Taylor I see your point, but the Jedi fought along side the Clones and most of the military captains concerted to the empire like Tarkin. You could be right but I find it hard to believe that an ordinary citizen would have fought with him
sivad parks But the guy wasn't an ordinary citizen. He was a fighter pilot.
He was a fighter pilot for the rebellion which is composed of ordinary citizens.
The X-Wing Commander - "I met your father once when I was just a boy.. If you have half the skill he had, you will do all right. "
So much inspiration and back history in one simple line.
1) The X Wing Commander witnessed the Clone Wars and saw Anakin in action.
2) The X-Wing Commander knew Anakin when he was a Jedi Knight.
3) The X-Wing Commander knows Anakin broke the rules of the Jedi and had kid.
4) The X-Wing Commander knows about Order 66.
5) The X Wing Commander may of been inspired to fight the Empire seeing what happen to the Jedi Order.
6) The X Wing Commander gives Luke a chance based on Anakin's merit.
7) The X Wing Commander counts on Luke to do the attack run on the Death Star after his own attack run fails. Hoping the son of Anakin can pull off a miracle like his father once did during a battle in the Clone Wars that he eye witnessed when he was a boy.
8) The X Wing Commander is killed by the very person (Anakin, now Darth Vader) that inspired him as a boy, and is now counting on Anakin's son to stop him, and the Empire.
So much power and character development of the X Wing Commander in one simple line.
Should of never deleted the scene. D-:
The X Wing Commander knows too much
The biggest issue with the prequels and the 🤮 sequels is they try too hard to jerk off over the same things already established, I'd like to see the spin off movie about the X wing Commander
Actually Lucas didn’t decide to make Vader Luke’s dad until he wrote V. This was back when Vader and Anakin were two different ppl before Lucas created the greatest plot twist ever
I thought the second Biggs scene was useful enough to be put back in. Biggs is a lot like that guy in Episode V who was Luke's tail gunner. He was someone Luke talked to, someone who was given just enough humanity for us to be sad when he died. Plus, especially in A New Hope, we don't really get much time with the Rebels; it's good to have at least one scene where Luke is just being buddies with one of them, so that we know these guys are all right.
DaaaahWhoosh The second sheared scene being edited back in isn't the only appearance of the actor, he is seen in X-Wing cockpit shots. The decision to put it back in explains Luke's emotion when Biggs is shot down and killed, which _is_ in the original theatrical release.
I agree, Biggs does a really good job of explaining why the rebels want to bring down the Empire.
The Biggs scene actually makes the whole movie make sense . When I was a kid seeing the old version for the first time A New Hope really like it was just running from scene to scene with almost no lore.
First time I'm seeing the Tosche Station footage and I saw Star Wars in theaters when I was 8. Totally awesome to see brand new, but not really new, footage! :)
That Biggs scene really gives us an insight into the empires recruiting and schemes. As well as the moves the rebels are making. It's a nice scene
Yeah it builds the world and puts things into the perspective of the every day person, wish they kept part of it.
Agreed. I think they should gave cit the beginning of the scene however and just showed Luke with Biggs at least it might have cut the pace as much as it did
Daf lastname That is the EXACT same thing I was thinking. Plus, it shows that the Empire has a cause and people do draft for it and support it, they aren't just evil for the sake of being evil.
shaunzyyyy27 It also shows the Rebels as being way more mysterious and secretive than the rest of the movies let on, how Luke tells Biggs that he would be wandering around forever trying to find them.
*your father wanted you to have this...when you were old enough* Episode IV
*I HATE YOU* Episode III
those 2 lines demonstrates how Lucas had no idea what he was doing.
George can't do story arcs, especially retro.
Teh goat And another thing (here's something that I've never heard anyone mention before):
Luke: "He [referring to R2D2] claims to be the property of 'OBI-WAN Kenobi.' Is he a relative of yours? Do you know what he's talking about?"
Ben: "Obi-Wan Kenobi... now that is a name I have not heard in a long time. A long time."
Luke: "I think my uncle knows him. He said he was dead."
Ben: "No, he's not dead. Not yet."
Luke: "You know him?"
Ben: "Well, of course I know him. He's me... I HAVEN'T GONE BY THE NAME OF 'OBI-WAN' SINCE, OH, BEFORE YOU WERE BORN."
Not once in the entire prequel trilogy do I recall anyone addressing or referring to Obi-Wan as "Ben." And the way he said that in that bit of dialogue there gives me the impression that "Ben" was a name he was going by for at least a few years before Luke was born.
Spar10Leonidas Good points, I never picked up on the "before you were born" line.
I wonder if GL even bothered to re watch the original trilogy and make a few notes before writing the prequels.
Probably not.
Teh goat I'd guess probably not. In fact, this reminds me of a funny joke that IGN told:
Greg Miller: "George Lucas recently stated that in the famous Cantina scene, Han never actually shot first. So that's why the prequels suck so much. George Lucas has never seen Star Wars!"
He had to lie to keep his fake backstoryreal
Spar10Leonidas Ben was an alias, Also Kenobi & Skywalker apparently r the Smith & Jones of the GFFA. so no need 2 change there surnames.
The editing in "Star Wars" is possibly the biggest inspirational aspect that has crept its way into post-production blockbuster filmmaking. Go back and watch movies prior and a lot of them (not all) but a lot of them have awkward lulls that feel pointless and slow scenes down, usually giving off the impression they simply took what had been shot and cut it all together in a very standard orderly fashion. I can imagine most filmmakers didn't want to waste money on shots that were never used by the end. But "Star Wars" was done with such great care in the edit (mainly because the cut beforehand needed it), and it really shows. Now there's rhythm to it, it clicks along at a great pace, it always feels like it's going somewhere. I think I heard the editors on some behind-the-scenes clip say it was dictated mostly by the actions of the characters. It's interesting to look back on these deleted scenes and think about what could have been.
While I love the Toshie station scenes as DELETED scenes, Luke's introduction in the original movie is so seamless and quick that it feels adding that stuff back in would have really made the movie seem overly long. Mark Hamill is great at the "listen how quiet I am" gag though. It's a great scene, just one I'd never re-edit back in.
Sams ChanneI I remember watching one of the OT documentaries on RUclips, and with ANH they mentioned that Lucas had to fire his first editor John Jympson because the pacing was so terrible. Lucas ended up replacing him with Paul Hirsh and Richard Chew working at a feverish pace up until the deadline.
It's such an amazing detail in my book when you consider what a shinning example A New Hope's pacing curve is to the story-telling industry.
Marcelo Zuniga Where can I find the article?
Babylonthegreat I had no idea DePalma and Scorsese were involved. Agreed, though, Marcia Lucas was key to the success of the film.
Yes! I read about Marcia's contribution in "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls". But it sounds like these two volumes you suggest go into much greater detail. Must check them out!
The scene with luke and his buddies, awesome!!!
That scene with Biggs is some of the best directing I've seen from Lucas. Great character work, fine acting, and a charming alternative introduction for the characters.
"Kid, you sure you can handle this shit?" LOL!
+Gordon Vick So I'm not the only one who heard that.
+Gordon Vick SHIT YEAH!!!
+Gordon Vick He says "ship"
I know. It just sounded like shit. I thought it was funny.
+Gordon Vick This is the internet. There is no place for humor.
I think the Biggs scenes should've all stayed in other than that I think we pretty much good.
I will say that, seeing as they reinserted the later Biggs scene before the attack on the Death Star, it probably would've made more sense to include the earlier scene as well. Without that, he's just introduced out of nowhere only to get killed off during the final battle. Therefore, his death didn't really mean much other than Luke having lost a friend.
Toshe Station scene should have stayed in. It could be edited down a bit, but it's a great scene that adds some great atmosphere and character to the overall movie. As for pacing, I think this scene helps that a bit by handing out just a little more story that would help further draw in the viewer.
+Shawn Wesley I think the audience's relation to Luke would have been very different as it was cemented in the 70's when it was released, but i would like to see it as you present it on the re-release, which already has Biggs's second scene edited in
+Shawn Wesley it would've added more emotion to see biggs die. knowing him from the beginning
+Rob Morin definitely, since he is otherwise kind of an after thought.
+Shawn Wesley I think just the conversation with biggs should have stayed in, as well as the reunion.
+Shawn Wesley Agreed. Having read the novel as a kid, I always liked Biggs as a big brother type character. The scene underscores Luke's yearning for adventure, held back by his sense of familial responsibility.
What a great handful of scenes, rich with character development and lots of necessary backstory. We learn a lot about Luke and why he wants to fight the Empire, and how impossible it is for them to even contact the Rebels with their needed secrecy.
I've heard of some of these scenes since the original movie came out and seen several stills. But this is the very first time I've actually gotten to see them. THANKS for posting them!
As far as 15:56 and the commentary afterwards about having known Luke's farther and whether the trilogy was pre-written; it was not.
At the start of shooting A New Hope Anakin and Vader were two different people like Kenobi said. At the time he says it, it's not "from a certain point of view," that was made up later. It was meant literally at that time. That's how the rebel pilot is referencing Anakin here.
Leia didn't become Luke's sister and Vader's daughter until production of Return of the Jedi, that's why they have the two making out in the first two movies.
Lucas also claimed he had the backstory to the originals written before filming the first movie, but this is clearly a lie as the prequels are incongruent with originals. He didn't come up with those back stories until the 90s.
Also it should be noted that the original trilogy stories were fettered out due to collaboration with the novelization writer, producers, directors of the Episodes 5 and 6, his wife editing the movie in her spare time from her paid editing job, and others involved in making the film. Then once Lucas was a billionaire and was left on his own where he had no one to hold him accountable, and would not accept any peer input; well, we got the story mess in the prequels. Good base ideal for a story, bad actual story lines riddled with plot holes and poor plot devices.
Adding Luke's reunion with Biggs in the hangar before the Battle of Yavin was my favorite change made when the special editions came out. It made Biggs' death and Luke's reaction to it a lot more impactful, especially for those of us who read the novel. "We're a couple of shooting stars, Biggs, he whispered huskily, and we'll never be stopped.”
I think removing mustache guy was bigg fat mistake.
har har har
jar jar jar
He looks like uncle rico from Napoleon Dynamite. Good decision
Eh... I really like the Toshe station scene for the insight it gives us into how the average Joe's life is affected by the Empire, even on the outermost fringes of the galaxy, which is something I LOVE about Star Wars Rebels and would've liked to see in A New Hope.
I was nine when I cut class, jumped a subway uptown, and stayed all day in the theater until dark. I watched it 47 times over the next few days. I made a few friends between shows as my fellow all day viewers discovered each other and shared a passion. The film was perfect just as it was and for me the changes are strictly profit motivated.
The camaraderie between Biggs and Luke is identical to how Finn and Poe act in VII.
Of course, in 2015, people assume two men that get along are gay, instead of just good friends.
They do the same with a man and a woman too
+Jeremy Ralphael This is true. I see too many people piece Rey and Finn together, but Rey is clearly uninterested in romance and she is intended to defy the "female lead is love interest" stereotype. That's why Finn asks if she has a boyfriend. He wants, but by the end, he should realize he can't.
TheSuperSeanyo That's because she wants Kylo Ren to smash.
@@snellsworld2648 *Vader's Knob shiner
@@TheSuperSeanyo This aged great cough… cough… NOT
Well, even in the original cut, Biggs featured in the Battle of Yavin. We see him flying his X-Wing, and Luke seems real sad when he gets blown up. Even with the scenes deleted, Luke mentions Biggs twice. "Oh, Biggs is right; I'm never gonna get out of here." "That's just what you said when Biggs and (Tank?) left." So I think it would have been good to flesh-out the Luke-Biggs relationship a bit more. Not to mentiont he Toschi Station scene gives a little more exposition about the whole Empire/Rebel deal.
seeing these deleted scenes makes me realize George didn't suddenly become kind of a wacky director when the prequels came around, the editors just did a much better job back then by getting rid of stupid shit.
It's true - apparently George's original (MUCH different) cut of the movie is unwatchable crap. Everyone who saw it at the time thought the movie would tank if he put it out that way.
Agent Bill Wilson Especially the Wampa attack deleted scene in episode 5. Garbage.
Agent Bill Wilson exactly lol
Man in Magenta -it would have tanked. The only reason the prequels had ANY success was because George got a free pass with the prior success of the franchise. If not for Spielberg's (plus a few others) suggestions, and Maria Luca's magic editing skills, this movie would likely have been total garbage.
George - don't forget that Lucas did not direct ep 5. He was mainly doing marketing at the time. This might not have been his idea, but Kirshner's, and ultimately he cut it out. Hard to say.
07:29 "The sand people are getting crazy"
You got that right.
It's good that future generations will be able to look back and see how racists never change
Alex would beat the shit out of you . yuppie
I think the first Biggs scene could have worked if done a bit differently. After the dinner with have Luke go to the Toshie station after he was done cleaning the droids, leave out the binocular stuff and keep the conversation about Biggs planned defection. Then Luke drives back home and looks at the sunset.
The binocular chick was hot...
+Gordon Shumway I thought she looked familar... that was Koo Stark.
+johnmccnj Ditto!
+Gordon Shumway SMOKING :)
"That's not cricket. Rather"
+Gordon Shumway these deleted scenes show that there could have been at least TWO more females the movie
that was a well done video. I subscribed.
I feel bad for those actors that only appeared in the deleted scenes... it's like they missed their "biggest role".
FlyingTurtle yeah they prbly hate George to death now
Markus Kildemaa No, I think they hate the editor of the film more.
Mihajlo Todorović Michael Tod Who do you think made the call to not use the scenes?
***** Maybe both George and the editor. I think the editor knows the pacing and maybe he offered it to Lucas. Maybe Lucas said it to the editor. I don't know. But, the editor edited the scenes.
Mihajlo Todorović Michael Tod It's not their job to tell Lucas what would look best, they have other people for that like screenplay directors and so on. They simple get a task and execute it. But after all, it is the Director that makes the final call on what he wants to do with his movie.
that scene with biggs should have been left in
The long scene where Luke is watching the battle in space through his binoculars was in the comic book. I always found it a bit odd- but I guess it was intended to be in the film. Face it, that floppy sun hat looks goofy as hell!
Lol about that sun hat, too true. Funny thing is, I can't recall where I knew it from, but I knew that there was some point at which Luke was watching a space battle with binoculars while working on the farm. I always thought the idea was pretty cool - it lended an air to his existence on the farm like "Here I am stuck in this life while out there is a whole galaxy of exciting adventure, and there's nothing I can do about it..."
The entire Anchorhead sequence was in the original Marvel Comics adaptation, novelization, and the NPR SW radio drama. Still photos of Luke and Biggs outside of Toshi(SP?) station were also in the SW storybook. Hasbro even produced action figures of Biggs in his Anchorhead outfit(30th anniversary collection), Camie, and Fixer(comic 2 pack).
That tashi station scence, with Luke meeting biggs again. Should've stayed in.
It's no wonder half the actors thought Star Wars was a B rated movie when it was being filmed. Without the editing, special effects, and the sound track Star Wars: A New Hope could be collecting dust next to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Beedee beedee beedee, It's Buck!
John Norris The music and pacing of Star Wars is what made it a worldwide sensation.
John Norris In fairness, pretty much any movie scene looks banal without editing, music, ambient sounds, etc.
I like the biggs story. Yeah it's a big lull in the film, but it puts luke into perspective. he's just another teen, stuck in a boring life but dreaming about bigger things. It also humanizes the rebellion. I don't know why, but no one ever talks about the rebellion, as if they don't know about it and I always wished we saw more people talking about what should be a majorly controversial topic. Sort of like the civil war was in America.
I thought it was common knowledge that the trilogy wasn't thought through during the filming of the first movie. This is why Ben says Vader "killed" Luke's father, this is why he calls Vader "Darth" as if it was his first name, and all that stuff. Vader being Luke's father is something thought up later - there is absolutely nothing in TNH to suggest Vader is Anakin.
KilljoyDefinitely. Also if Obi-wan were really hiding out, why would he just change his first name? You also get the impression that Owen knew Luke's father a lot better than having just met him once. Before the prequels I had assumed that Anakin was Aunt Beru's brother and her maiden name was Skywalker (either that or Tatooine culture did matriarchal marriages).
Also it seemed that originally Tarkin outranked Vader, though the way they have gradually retconned the way he spoke to Vader in the movie over the years is pretty cool, too.
Killjoy Something is off about all that.
But here's a crazy theory: What if Anakin Skywalker had been CLONED, and it was the CLONE running around as Vader? Anakin could still be alive!
Killjoy I thought Lucas and that other guy who also worked on the script admitted this. "Darth" was just his name. It later became a title AFTER the entire trilogy when the universe was being fleshed out more. Even at RotJ "Darth" was just a fake name Anakin took on. There were no darths. There was no Darth Sidious. Just "The Emperor".
Tarkin, as a Grand Moff, definitely outranked Vader originally who was just The Emperor's attack dog.
Fuller Mac I thought of Darth Vader in ANH as being a high-ranking political official (he gets referred to as "Lord Vader" by some Imperial personnel). Vader might have outranked Tarkin politically, but Tarkin outranked Vader militarily.
Taking an example from another source, the 1970s movie "The Towering Inferno" had this dialogue between two of the main characters:
Duncan: The mayor is here. You want me to pull rank on you?
Chief O'Hallorhan: When there's a fire, I outrank everyone in this building.
Even though the mayor technically outranks the fire chief politically, the chief can still tell the mayor what to do because he calls the shots during a fire. Just as Tarkin calls the shots during a war, and has control over Vader.
9:00 - The one thing it does add to the original cut is it enhances the thoughts and motivations behind the conversation with the droids when it's revealed that they actually belong to an agent of the Rebellion - not only is Luke seeking adventure, possible romance, but he wants to be there for his old friend from his home world. However, you make a lot of good points as to why it was ultimately left on the cutting room.
16:07 - George Lucas never had everything planned out, he had ideas and notes, but he waxed and waned on what became movie canon and what wasn't. You can create a story of what happens without really writing any of it yourself.
I actually dug the Biggs scene before the final battle. I was 7 when Star Wars came out originally and in 1978 I got a Star Wars Story Book with pictures of Biggs in it from the deleted scenes. I was a confused 3rd grader then... but upon watching the movie multiple times in the 80's I recognized Biggs in the X-Wing and understood more why Luke had the lump in the throat after the death of his best friend.
Nice summation. I love the *concept* of the Biggs scenes; it establishes how the tenacious reach of the Empire goes out even to small backwater systems like Tatooine, and provides poignancy to his death in the final battle. But there's just no way to shoehorn it in. As you say, "pacing". The only way I can imagine it working is having it be the opening scene to the entire movie (with the connecting scene of Luke saying where he is going), but that renders the orbital battle less dramatic - which is what we all remember about it; that opening battle.
I don't know why the additional footage of Vader discussing the situation on the planet was cut; it could have easily stayed in. It lends a bit of continuity to the story, especially - again, pacing - to an already slow part of the film. I can only imagine it was for "time" reasons - remember, this was the era of 2:30 songs on the radio, period... and no movie could last longer than 2 hours or it was presumed to be "death" in revenue. Now we are all used to 3.5 hour mega-productions like the "Lord of the Rings" movies, but back then it was heavily frowned upon by the studio executives. I also think this was actually Jones speaking; just in a "rough cut" audio for editing purposes with intention to overdub it later (that obviously never happened).
The rest of the scenes could be taken or left; they don't really matter either way. But I always find it interesting to see how "finished" a clip is, which gives some indication to how seriously the production crew took it before it hit the editing room floor. Thanks for the clips!!! :-)
Okay. Let's be fair: ALL of the other scenes really didn't carry that much weight. HOWEVER.... I openly admit that I really, REALLY like the whole Tosche Station sequence. Seeing Luke and Biggs together here would have definitely made his death scene on the Death Star carry more weight and emotion. It's the perfect bookend scene to the 'Chapter 44: Luke and Biggs' scene in the 2004 Special Edition DVD of A New Hope.
I'm sure others will just side with the majority and think it would have slowed the pacing down, but I personally think that this sequence - despite being long, would have been worth it. If it had been left in, the film would still be shorter than the theatrical cuts of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.
Case and Point: One of Peter Jackson's main reasons for extending The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was to deepen the character relationships, and have the audience spend more time with them. I just think Luke and Biggs' friendship makes the scene work. I'm under the impression that this scene takes place just before C-3PO says "Thank the maker!". It also neatly parallels that scene in The Phantom Menace where Anakin's other friends belittle his Podracer - parallel that with the little squabble over the electrobinoculars. Biggs is clearly similar to the way Kitster was with Anakin. Like Anakin, Luke had other pals, but Biggs was definitely the closest.
Lastly, as a player of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II & III, I have to admit that the Tatooine Training (dawn, day, dusk, night) stages do a shrewd job of making Biggs, Wedge, and Tosche Station that type of thing you never forget. Let's face it: I've bet I've heard over a dozen passionate Star Wars fans quote Luke: "But I was going to go to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" - even in non-Star Wars settings. Yup... Tosche Station is the stuff of Star Wars lore!
Anyway... I thoroughly enjoyed the scene, and I wouldn't mind if it was inserted in some future limited-anniversary-special-deluxe edition DVD or whatever. What's more, I even met the actor that played Biggs, Garrick Hagon, briefly in the Autograph Hall at Star Wars Celebration IV, and I even have an OfficialPix movie still of that scene in my home collection.
'I met your father when I was just a boy, too bad he's Darth Vader now..kbye!!!'
Vader is around 41 at this time and the Rebel pilot doesn't seem to be a young man as well so it could be possible he served in the republic navy and met young Anakin at some ocassion while the Luke's father connection doesn't make any sence of course xD
Zaxio 005 Omg im not getting into this
I was always curious about the logic behind "hiding" Luke and, to a lesser extent, Leia. Maybe "she'll be safe being adopted by the senator from Alderaan" makes a little sense.
But if you assume the first 6 movies as canon, the plans for Luke are, "let's take him to Anakin's home planet where he'll be raised by Anakin's half-brother. Oh, and let's not change his last name or anything."
And unless "Kenobi" is a really common last name in the galaxy, maybe Obi-wan could have come up with a better plan than "move nearby and change first name to Ben."
darth vader be reading a Tatooin phone book... Ben Kenobi... hey i used to know an Obi-Wan Kenobi.. i wonder if they are related...Naw
@@Mr.HeisenbergTheCook Most likely. One thing to remember is that Garven Dries' Year of Birth isn't stated.
I remember the first scene of Luke looking at the battle in space and his meeting with Biggs from when I was a kid....not sure if it was on the film or was part of one of those picture books, but I do recall this before any of the special editions came out - this would have been back in the late 70's. Nice to see it again after all these years.
BIGGS was cool! This scene was included in a short-version storybook I read in1983. This side-story made Biggs death during the attack on the Death Star more tragic (@ least 4 Luke), but in the final product, Biggs was just another rebel shot down by Tie- fighters
The Biggs/binocular scene (just the four friends outside the bar) WAS in the 1st StarWars movie I saw. It was gone the next time (two months later) I saw StarWars.
+ERIC BRAMMER It really wasn't.
yes it was, i remember Luke watching the space battle vividly.
+Bojo Mojo
Sorry, but no you don't, I worked at Lucasfilm from '76 to '79, and was in charge of getting the answer prints done from the OCN, we never made a release print with the scene in it, we never even made one with final sound tha had any of those scenes.
Memory is completely fallible, the more vividly you remember it, the less likely it is real. abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98195
+ERIC BRAMMER Laser Man is right, that scene was never included in any of the original prints of the movie. It's possible you saw it somewhere else, like in a making of special, or on the Behind the Scenes CD-ROM they released in the 90s, but you never saw it in the theater.
+Laser Man. sure you did...
I feel the 2nd half of the toshe station scene should have been left in it specifically states why the Empire is bad to the every day person which was rarely or ever expressed in the trilogy it tells the audience and dies the right thing in not just saying, duh their evil.
Daf lastname Urg...It´s hard to decide really...The scene is good and very well done...but...it also drags down if it had been not cut...Those scenes would have been great for a Mini-series next to the movie or something...canon but not in the movie itself...
Terrorkekx The movies have nothing like that, though if they cut it down and did it right it would have done a good job in showing important parts of the world. It answers several important questions. Why is the Empire actually bad? Because they force people into service, override government checks and because they want to control central aspects of a citizens life. Where does the empire get soldiers and are they all willing? Many are not according to Biggs. And Is even talking about the Rebellion a serious crime? Yes. It may have not been done as well as it could have been but they should have redid or heavily edited this scene because of its importance to the audience understanding the plight of Luke and the Rebellion.
Daf lastname I think the destruction of Alderaan serves this purpose pretty well.
Suiseiseki Desu That was kept pretty secret and was a specific act of tyranny, the more soft all encompassing not just effecting one people tyranny is a different and important beast.
Daf lastname
Keeping the disappearance of a whole planet secret would be a difficult thing to do. But I'm quite sure they wouldn't even try it. The point of the death star was to keep people in fear by letting them know that if they go against the empire, their planet is going to be destroyed.
Blue milk scene was the best.
Animated Shaak Ti. Lol!
Among all the exposition in the Tosche station dialogue is buried 'I doubt if the emperor would even fight to save the system'. Save it from what? And there's other gems.
That whole deleted sequence starts slow (there'd be a quicker way to show the battle) but is packed with ???... Luke's life, character, friendships, values, aspirations, responsibilities... and hints at the events outside Tatooine, thumbnail sketches of other characters and politics... brilliant writing, frankly.
I *really* like the Star Destroyer bit. I don't know why it's so cool to me, it's just that we never see the Destroyers as these distant, gleaming shapes at any other time. They somehow seem more awe-inspiring from this vantage point than when they're filling the screen overhead at the start of the movie.
Damn, imagine how the actor for Biggs felt when it came out and he wasn't even in it..only the biggest movie of all time.
The Tosche Station scene actually got written into an EU Luke Skywalker bio. It's called A New Hope: The Legend of Luke Skywalker. It's a very nice read, might I add.
Dude, the Toshi Station scene could have been a cool addition; we get to see a little more of Luke in his natural, relaxed state. Not just when he is at home, at work or fretting about his future. Course, it could have used some editing down. The Biggs-Luke reunion in the Rebel Hangar didn't bother me, since I thought it was cool to see a little bit of Luke's backstory. I think things like that clue you in to the fact that these characters have their own story; their own history. We may not have known who Biggs was before that scene, but Luke did.
I like the Biggs part. I always wondered why Luke kept on saying, "blasted Biggs" all the time and never understood until I read the novel book. Then I got it and was happy to see it in the movie. And it was quick and simple.
Very interesting channel.
I think that in this picture almost every deleted scene could have been in the final cut (except the hunchback and the assback scene).
The scene of Biggs seems most important. It introduces Luke, explains why the conflict with his uncle in the following scene, explains why Luke is interested in the rebellion, and why he takes so little time to think of travelling with Obi Wan to Mos Eisley.
And a further detail. I think it is the only scene in the first trilogy where we see a woman pilot (or at least it is suggested).
Best
I would have fit a shorter edit of the Biggs scenes to buld the character. It would have explained why he was considering Obi-wans proposal and why he cares when he dies in the death star, making the movie more powerful. Losing a bit of pace at the beginning is ok.
The trilogy was not always as solidified as George Lucas said it was. Darth Vader was NOT Luke's father in ANH and Leia was not the "other Yoda spoke of" until ROTJ.
+Ryan England "Darth Vader was NOT Luke's father in ANH"
His name is Vader. *Vader*. Come on. I'll concede with Leia, but let's be real with Vader.
+Ryan England He knew Vader was going to be Luke's father. Watch ANH again, there's a few little moments. Before Obi Wan tells Luke his father was killed, he takes an obvious pause and glance away as though he's lying. It's unmistakable.
+Mezase Master I don't understand.
+Mezase Master No, he's right. I believe Vader was a shortened version of "invader."
Ryan England is 100% correct.
I liked the scenes with biggs in them, he is a cool character in my opinion and it shows a little bit more why luke doesn't really want to work another season with his uncle.
That last restored scene with Bigs ties in with the scene with his aunt and uncle "most of his friends are gone, he's just not a farmer" and Luke wanting to leave home and join the academy. So it's important to the story on Luke's behalf.
The part about him seeing the battle, the droid burning up and leaving it behind, and going to Tashi station and talking to Bigs was in the original book, or at least I remember reading it in some publication, and back then I only saw the movie once in the theater, so I was able to connect the He didn't mention the battle to anybody else because Bigs already defused his anxiousness to tell somebody. Human nature.
What I don't understand is if he was already at Tashi station, why didn't he pick up his power converters then??
OMG that Tache Station scene was so great I almost feel like somehow editing it into a copy of the movie somehow. And the reason it never came up again is because they deleted it. It did wonders for character development and context.
Loving the tan line of that watch.
Same!
Saw that too...I didn't know Stormtroopers were permitted to get married either due to their ridiculously low lifespan ;)
Zeasnik That's all I could concentrate on for the first 25 seconds
Michael Tacoronte Clone Troopers are the ones who have low lifespan. Stormtroopers are humans.
Okay thought they were all clones...I mean according to Episode II they're shown to be clones
Regarding the comment, "I knew your father when I was just a boy. He was a great pilot," and whether that means Lucas hadn't really thought the story all the way through: I think it's probably true that Lucas didn't have all the details worked out. But there are two lines in ANH that make me think Lucas definitely had Anakin = Vader planned out. First, Beru says to Owen, "Luke's just not a farmer. He has too much of his father in him," and Owen says, "I know. That's what I'm afraid of." This distinctly foreshadows the Big Reveal at the end of ESB. Second, Obi Wan tells Luke that Owen is lying about who Luke's father really is (i.e., a Jedi, not a navigator on a spice freighter). This implies there was a reason to lie about it. And the pilot's line on Yavin adds an interesting new dimension: Maybe the average imperial subject never knew that Darth Vader was Anakin. As far as they knew, Anakin died in the Great Jedi Purge along with the others.
I also think the scene from Tosche station could have stayed in. Biggs' death in the Battle of Yavin is pretty meaningless without establishing the friendship. And it establishes why the empire is a menace, and that the Rebellion is a mysterious rumor. Even more, it establishes Luke's loneliness better than him wandering around alone, especially if they had edited out the other two random people. Luke has one real friend in the world, and he's leaving to join the mysterious Rebellion. Luke is now completely alone in the world, and wants more than ever to get off Tatooine and fight the good fight with his friends.
Yes we did know Biggs. Luke mentions him by name in the scene where he is playing with the little model ship. And yes, actually that WAS David Prowes. He didn't know his voice was being replaced and was trying to sound vicious
The scene of the aliens walking around before the Stormtroppers start going door to door was also included in the infamous SW Holiday Special.
Wow, I had never before seen the Toshi-station scene but I knew it was in the script. Amazing. A bit long and dragged out, but I wish they'd kept parts of it at least.
Are you saying the production design of this 1970s science fiction movie has a "...70s sci-fi vibe?"
Very insightful.
I would like to see them release Star Wars with all of the deleted scenes, put into their original context. Frankly, Star Wars has been re-released so many times, it's kind of getting old. I love Star Wars, and with this much footage left out, and I would bet there is more too, I think it would make a very interesting version of the original movie, and would end up being almost a totally new original Star Wars movie.
I wish Lucasfilm and Disney would release the original cut of Star Wars, including the unaltered Han Solo and Jabba scene. Where's that petition? I'll sign it.
I like the Bigg's scene from Tattoine. Now that I see it I kinda wish it made the movie. I like that you see Luke seeing the battle( tho' I agree it's never mentioned again). Its kinda cool to see Luke's friends. I feel that every other scene tho was unnecessary. You can kinda see that Tosche station is maybe an escape from the farm for Luke
pepppery That's my favorite of all of them, and I feel terrible that it's not included. There's so much missing from the New Hope that is explained here. Without it, we remember Luke as something of a loner with no real friends.
Albert Abramson Totally I like the scene, they could have edited it here and there, but I believe it's justifiable to the story line.
pepppery Would've liked it better if Biggs had stopped by the skywalker ranch instead. That would've kept it shorter but still establish a friendship between Luke and Biggs, specially since Biggs would've gone there specfically to tell Luke that he was leaving.
I really like the scene with Luke and Biggs, really gives some character development to Garrick Hagon's character.
I kinda want to see the one with the human Jabba. Also would like to see Jay Benedict's deleted scenes (poor guy gets booted from both this and Aliens)...
16:00: Anakin was in alot of places and was a good pilot. and i dont think it was very widely known that he was darth vader (so anyone who knew him would think he was dead). its not that far fetched to say this guy could have been in a battle alongside Anakin. it would be kind of cool if he was one of the pilots from Naboo all these years later.
Don't call it "A New Hope". IT'S "STAR WARS".
Just grow up.
The title of a movie doesn't change its quality
It could be called farmboyfindsprincessandstuff and it would still be the same movie
tmzissupergay
Actually, the classic film was re-named "A New Hope" when it was released as a "special edition" with all the ridiculous re-edits (CGI, Greedo shooting first, changing Aunt Beru's voice, the Jabba scene, etc.). So yes, the quality between "A New Hope" and Star Wars (1977) is a lot different for "A New Hope" was improperly tampered with. Fool.
+Mary-Jane Watson
ACTUALLY the film was called a new hope long before the 1997 special edition release. It was renamed in the 1980s and no this does not change the quality of the film moron.
Next time before calling someone a fool on the Internet make sure you know what the fuck you're talking about.
Nice try, fool, but no. But also, it most certainly does change the quality of the film by tampering with the story line. character analysis and general visual picture.
tmzissupergay
+Mary-Jane Watson
[Directly from Wookieepedia the official Star Wars wiki]
"When the original film was re-released on April 10, 1981, Episode IV: A New Hope was added above the original opening crawl.
The girl at 5;25 is Cammie, played by Koo Stark. Cammie was part of Luke's home life, and always nicknamed him "Wormie". Yet sadly, Koo Stark faded into Star Wars fandom history.
Thx for the info. But I can sorta see why no one cared about her.
The Biggs reunion scene never really bothered me much, it gave me a more complete feeling of who Luke was back on Tatooine before we met him, but then again, I've only ever seen the re-release/altered versions. The line about this father being a great pilot was weird because wouldn't that man then know that his father is Darth Vader? Wouldn't tale of Anakin's betrayal have spread across the galaxy via the fighter pilots he used to work with?
And not to bring in the comical prequel trilogy, but a lot of what was said about Luke's father in the original trilogy doesn't match up to the way the prequel's described him. We don't really see Anakin being a badass pilot much (Except for 20 min in Ep.1) because he's busy training to be a Jedi. We don't really see a close friendship between Obi Wan and Anakin because Anakin is too busy vying for Padme and Obi Wan is too busy with his own shit.
I love star Wars, but I do really truly believe that Lucas was making this shit up as he went along because there is no way that his complete vision was that sloppy if he already had it mapped out in his head.
lol I love how Luke and Biggs meet in every scene like each of them thought the other one was dead and "omg biggs! omg luke! omg hug time!"
Also every time they're talking they're within kissing distance of each-other :D
As a Biggs fan, his later scene was welcome. I really do wish they found a way to bring the first scene back too. It doesn't fit the way it was filmed now, but if was changed to be faster and fit better with the movie, it would've really added to Luke's wish to leave Tatooine, because his one friend left for the Rebellion.
If the Tochie Station scene had been properly edited, I think it could have stayed, at less than half its length.
Did anybody else notice that the droid at 4:22 is making whooping noises, straight out of The Three Stooges?
Taking out all of the Biggs scenes reduced the tragedy of the death of Luke's best friend over the death star, which was left in the original movie. Otherwise it is just another x-wing fighter death. All of these scenes were in the original novelizations.
+Myron Clements you are right
I really like the Biggs scene. it adds a lot to their relationship and would add more weight to his death. I like how the scene gives a little more background into what the empire is all about on a more administrative side. we hear about nationalizing moisture farms and drafting people out of the academy into the imperial fleet. I think it kills the pacing but definitely adds a lot to the movie.
As a 5 yr old kid I had one of the original Star Wars children books and I distinctly remember seeing pictures of Luke looking up with his binoculars and also talking to Biggs. Some yrs later and not saving that book ( hey, I was a kid who didn't know) I always tried telling people these scenes but they looked at me as if I was crazy. Thanks for the upload.
Don't you hate it when you give away or lose cool items as a kid, and then regret it as you get older?
Tosche station scene should had been kept in the movie
If you like it or not, these scenes happened in the star wars universe.
they didnt
+Jazumon in the canon
The footage is proof.
+Best Friends Forever but they are not in the movies
After you have watched the scenes, you can't get it out of your mind.
I also have concerns about the Biggs Darklighter scenes being left in or out of the original and/or remakes of the New Hope series. If you know anything about the original MARVEL comic book series, those scenes were left in the story arc and provide backstory to how Luke Skywalker's character is concerned for his fellow Tattooine friends going off and fighting in rebellion to the Empire's heavy-handedness speckled throughout the whole movie. Plus the statement that he shoots wamp-rats better than any other pilot in his system plays to the crescendo explosion of the Death Star in A New Hope.
Great video! Finally someone who can speak fluently and clearly lol.
As for the deleted scenes, I agree with you on most of them. I like how they put Biggs back into the film at the end because while they cut the Toshi station scene with Biggs (and I agree it slowed the pace of the film), Luke still mentions Biggs twice early on in the film. Once to Uncle Owen and once to C-3PO. So seeing the friend Luke talks about early on is good for the flow of the film. On top of that Biggs was in the original cut of the film during the attack on the Death Star while flying his X-Wing. Since Luke mentions Biggs early in the film and then we see Biggs during the assault on the Death Star it was good for Lucas to add that quick scene of Luke and Biggs reconnecting and showing how strong their bond as friends was even if it was only for 20 seconds.
Again, great video and interpretations! Look forward to more.
Some prints in 1977 had the extended Biggs scene. I remembered it was an unusual version and took notes at the theater because it was so amazing during my 13th viewing. Also in that print in Maine there was the Irish Jabba scene. I always wondered if it was a bootleg copy?
am i the ONLY one who calls a new hope just "star wars"?
My girlfriend and I both call it "Star Wars." We don't even use the episode numbers, save for the Prequels, which she's never seen. We just know what each other is talking about.
I say Star Wars ep 1 no the good one hay oh
+Han Solo I call it "Star Wars".
+Han Solo pretty much. Adding the title of "A New Hope" and Episode IV to the crawl happened pretty early on when the movie was re-released in theaters leading up to Empire Strikes Back in 1981. This is one of the few changes that were made to the original films that actually makes sense and add to the flavor of the films and makes it feel like this story was part of an ongoing saga that we just jumped into the middle of
Breton Lynn Only reason i call it star wars is because that was the original name. But I think that both "Star Wars" and "A New Hope" are fitting titles, i just prefer "star wars"
i love the biggs scenes...
They should have absolutely have kept the Luke talking to BIGGS scene. It makes no sense that it's not in the special edition.
I've never seen your channel and after watching this video I have to subscribe! Great insight into these deleted scenes
I love this scene with Biggs and Luke. It should have been in the movie. It provided a great backstory.
Deleted Scenes from A ''New Hope'' are way better than the top scenes of ''The Force Awakens'' lol
*****
See everyone ?
That's the kind of moron that liked The Force Awakens lol.
+KyroRG a film cannot be great if it's a copy of another film
No
Not true. But definitely better than prequels fo sure.
EsechavaHD rots wasn't THAT bad come on!
This scene with Biggs looks SO good and finished! Why, George Lucas?
I think the Tashe Station scene should've been left in or reinstated in the Special Edition re-release. To me, it brings more purpose as to why Luke was so upset for not being able to go back to "pick up some power converters" when his uncle told him he needed to stay to clean the droids. His uncle knew he would go there just to "fool around with his friends" so it makes their dynamic (Luke and Uncle Owen) feel more realistic and natural.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong but, not ALL of Biggs scenes were deleted from the original cut. Biggs is still present in the Battle of Yavin. If anything, re-adding Biggs second scene in Yavin IV made Luke's pain more realistic when Biggs was shot down AND embodies the character because until the Battle, all we knew of Biggs was a reference by Luke when he was speaking to C-3PO about how "Biggs is right, I'm never gonna get out of here." (or something like that)
But his uncle didn't want Luke to be a Jedi since he fears Luke might follow to path his dad did
Dan Man10 Gaming Yeah but with all due respect, what does that have to do with the Tashe Station scene being deleted?
gemi52273 I don't really know or care
tbh I liked the Biggs conversation part of the scene. I always just assumed Biggs was some random extra, seeing him actually interact with Luke made him a real character to me
I think having the Biggs scene on Yavin IV was a good scene to put back into the movie. I think this because during the Battle of Yavin we hear Luke say, "Blasted Biggs, where are you?" Without that scene that shows them reuniting most people have no idea who Biggs is and why Luke is wondering where he is, or why he feels particularly upset when Biggs is killed.