When was Star Wars first broadcast? In cleaning out my closet, I found a videotape of the HBO broadcast, which I think was the first time it was televised, that I think is from 1984. I think it was 1984 because that’s when we got our first VCR, and IIRC, Star Wars was the first thing I taped on it.
I thought I read that “Episode IV: A New Hope” was not on the original theatrical release, but it is on this videotape. Was the subtitle on the original theatrical release? If not, when was it added? I’ll have to check my 20-minute super-8 reel one of these days to see if it’s on there. (I got the super-8 versions – actually 40 minutes total that I cut together – before we had a VCR, so it’s likely an earlier version c.1980.)
The original (limited) theatrical release did not have the “Episode IV” on it, but when it was given it’s full national release the episode number was added since the initial reaction to the movie guaranteed George Lucas a sequel or two (he aimed at a total of 9 to 12 movies in the series before finally settling on 6). All TV, cable, VHS, DVD, LaserDisk, etc. versions say “Episode IV”. You would have to have been at the right theater at the right time to not see it.
Don’t know about the original HBO showing. I think the broadcast first-showing was a little before The Empire Strikes Back was released to build up more demand for it. Around Christmastime 1979 maybe?
Aha. That would explain why I remember seeing the subtitle when I saw the film in the cinema back in 1977. I think there was a thread a year or two ago where I was adamant that the subtitle was there when it was released theatrically. So if it was in a thread that I read this, then I was right (the subtitle was there when I saw the theartical release) and the person who said it wasn’t there was right as well.