Star Wars: A New Hope
by Laurent Bouzereau

Published by Del Ray

Scott's Rating:   4 out of 4

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This book contains the screenplays to all three movies, plus additions from the Special Editions. But wait! There's more! The book also compares the final screenplays to their earlier incarnations. Find out how Luke was originally Annikin Starkiller, etc etc. And as an added bonus, George Lucas, Ralph McQuarrie, Lawrence Kasdan, Joe Johnston, Irvin Kershner and others all add their own comments on the development of the film.

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Scott:

    This is a GREAT book! I loved it! It is one of the best ways to buy the screenplays and a must for Star Wars superfreaks. Even the most devoted fan will find things that they did not know. I particularly gained a new respect for Irvin Kershner. It turns out that some of my favorite moments, he was responsible for. Remember Chewy howling in mourning for Han on Hoth? The tool box falling on Han's head? R2 standing on his toes to see in Yoda's hut? That was all his little touches. One of the coolest things is finding out how the screenplays changed from Lucas' original ideas to the movies we know and love. Plus the price was extremely reasonable at $12.99. Give a big round of applause to Del Rey for coming up with a winner!

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Scott:

    The only way I would have changed the book would be to print the rough drafts and early drafts in their entirety. The numerous references to them became a bit confusing when they were jumbled together. However, I don't see Lucas doing this having actually read the early drafts myself. For example, in the rough draft Anakin is caught in the closet with a palace servant with his pants down. He also repeatedly pinches chicks on the buttocks. Not exactly the child's fairy tale image he'd want known. So face it, Star Wars fans, this is as close as you'll ever get to an official publication of the drafts. Oh, and the book also left out the original scene between Biggs and Luke on Tatooine which is in the other published screenplays. What happened to it?

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Scott:

    Han Solo was almost a 'huge green-skinned guy with no nose and large gills'. Sounds like Kermit the Frog on steroids.

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