Depending on how you clock these things, it’s been almost half a century since Star Wars was shown in its original theatrical form. Within a few years, George Lucas began tinkering with the movie. By 1981, for example, Lucas had altered the opening crawl to add the phrase “EPISODE IV — A NEW HOPE” denoting his larger plans for the franchise and the idea that the first film was actually the fourth story in a massive ongoing saga.

Further minor alterations happened throughout the 1980s and ’90s but then far more drastic changes occurred in 1997 with the debut of the “Special Editions” that added new special effects and new scenes. And since then, the old school Star Wars has largely been unavailable at George Lucas’ behest. (Maclunkey.)

The Special Editions were made for Star

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