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Marcia Lucas, Oscar-Winning ‘Star Wars’ Editor, Dies at 80

TLJ: Battle of Crait by Andy Fairhurst

Official theatrical poster by Matt Ferguson

The queue outside Leicester Square Cinema, London, for Star Wars’ UK premiere on 27th December 1977. Edit: So why was Star Wars premiering in December '77, a whole 7 months after the USA. Well, back in the day movies were distributed and projected using 35mm film prints. Each movie was contained in several large film reels kept in big metal cans. These film prints were costly to produce. Not many new prints were made after the initial run so there was always a huge gap in movie releases between the USA and Europe, then the rest of the World. Also these hand-me-down prints were pretty well worn by the time we got them so there were often visible scratches and dust on screen. For the UK the rollout was slowed further by the film premiering first in London, sometimes exclusively in the West End (Leicester Square), then rolling out to the wider city and country over some weeks. So most folks, including me, didn't see it till 1978. Digital projection really was revolutionary. Another innovation pioneered by George Lucas.

Will Htay's concept art for Luthen's Fondor Haulcraft