LUCAS STOPS VIEWING OF ORIGINAL VERSION- Associated Press, November 13, 2003

Los Angeles, CA.- While often garnering flack for their self proclaimed exclusivity of film authority, AFI, the American Film Institute spent the week screening thier "History of American Blockbuster Cinema" to critical success.

Program director Gerald Healy chose to begin with the Last Picture Show in Texas, which was the first feature film to create such a pre-hype that movie crowds were lining up hours in advance. This was followed closely by Apocolypse Now and The Deer Hunter which became culturally significant for being the first films to portray the Vietnam War.

The TRUE blockbuster however was birthed with the release of Jaws and a short time later, Star Wars. With their unprecidented ticket sales, these cinematic juggernauts became the inspiration of every studio. Soon, ever summer movie season would birth a bevy of "tent-pole" features that studios hoped would earn enough money to keep their other features in production without a loss of funds.

AFI's trouble began when Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox were contacted to acquire a print of Star Wars to screen. The film they received, now known as Episode 4: A New Hope, was not the same film released in 1977. This print, was created in 1997 for the theatrical re-release of the Star Wars trilogy, under the "Special Edition" heading; a title that has since been dropped.

It would appear the Lucasfilm no longer wishes to support the original cut of the film, and has gone so far as to pull it from shelves in larger video chains such as Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. When AFI contacted Lucasfilm and described to situation, and their wish to show the original version in its historical setting they were told that the only prints still in existence were color match proofs in the Lucasfilm archives. All others had been destroyed by 20th Century Fox, as per Lucasfilm's request.

"It's an absolute travesty," said Healy. "In the grand scheme of things, it isn't that big of a deal. But that original version is a wonderful example of breakthrough effects work. Nobody did that sort of thing before Lucas. I understand the need to update these effects over time, especially if these films are going to be represented as part of a series with his newer Star Wars film. I understand the need for continuity. But to try and stop us from acknowledging the historical significance of those original effects is a blow to film historians."

AFI screened the "Special Editions" despite boos and hisses from the audience. One attendee stood up during the Q & A afterwards to voice his opinion. "Han shoots first, motherfu¨ker!!!" He was escorted from the auditorium, but kept vigil in the parking lot.

As the screenings ended for the evening, Seamus Finn personally invited the entire audience to return to his home in Glendale to watch his laserdisc of the original, un-altered Star Wars.

With 104 AFI members cramped into his studio apartment, Seamus had just pressed play on his laserdisc, when George Lucas himself crawled through the window, knife clenched in his teeth.

Says one witness: "It was freaking horrifying, man. He crawled in and took Seamus by knife point. He kicked the laserdisc player and kept shouting at us It never happened! It never happened!!I actually soiled myself. Then he drug Seamus out the window."

George Lucas has been seen going home to home ever since, demanding people give them their copies of the unaltered Star Wars Trology. He has killed 47, but thus far the only people that care seem to be members of internet message boards.