I just watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind for the first time. Better practical effects than the original Star Wars trilogy. There I said it.
It should it was done on 65mm negative. Star Wars was on Vistavision 35.
Most of SW effects budget was in building the motion control system. Camera’s/ building optical printers. From what i’ve read they spent all of the 2 million effects budget with one acceptable shot. Whereas Doug did the entire show on CE for 3 million.
I wonder how ILM finished SW, i assume Lucas asked for more money to finish the movie. I do know Lucas held Dykstra responsible.