So are we calling this one the 19SE yet? Dibs!
Let’s see, for Star Wars, ignoring some of the subtler differences (the cloudy composite/altered credits/natural home video variance between releases), we’ve got:
1977: original video (mono mix)
1977: original video (stereo mix)
1977: original video (six-channel mix)
1981 (3): “A New Hope” crawl and flyover, same three audio choices (crudely spliced onto 70mm reels, but still different)
1985: new audio mix, 1981 video
1993: new audio mix with alterations, 1981 video
1997SE: altered audio and video
2004SE: altered audio and video
GOUT: unique pairing of original video with 1993 audio
2011SE: altered audio and video
2019SE: altered audio and videoStar Wars is now weighing in at THIRTEEN distinct versions of the film. And that’s when you exclude the obscure ones!
Don’t forget that the first run had three different FX shots and different end credits. So there are 2 may 1977 versions and 2 or 3 later 1977 versions. And the pre Definitive Collection English video had the same 3 different FX shots with the later end credits and the 1981 crawl. The early releases used the 1977 stereo or mono audio. The 1985 cut used the same hybrid video. So far all the 35 mm prints (chemical and Technicolor) have been from the later 1977 run. Only Puggo and Moth3r’s bootleg have the full original May 1977 edit. The clue to the timing are the foreign language versions with all match the alter 1977 cut and were done at about the same time. And the GOUT is just the Definitive Collection version with the original crawl tacked on… video wise it matches the later 1977 release.