The Editing of STAR WARS: How Cutting Created a Classic

Editing as the Key to Narrative Success.

In our post, On Film Editing According to Edward Dmytryk, we stressed the importance of the editing process in Filmmaking.

There’s always been the story around that Star Wars was saved in the editing process. Like all stories that just fly around, we shouldn’t just jump on it. But maybe there’s something to learn from it. The book The Editing of STAR WARS: How Cutting Created a Classic by Linton Davies, is a very short piece (83 pages), cheap to buy on Kindle, that proves very effectively the importance of editing in films through the example of how things went in “Star Wars”, maybe the most successful film ever.

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It’s a known fact that George Lucas‘ strong point was never the writing nor directing his actors. He always saw himself as an editor. Those years he was sharing his life with Marcia Lucas, a top editor herself. No doubt that Marcia, plus editors Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch, became key to the success of the movie.

Here is a video that puts the same concept forward in a very visual way:

MORE ON “STAR WARS” IN THE FOLLOWING POSTS: The Essential STAR WARS in 5 1/2 Books, Fantastic Material from the Original STAR WARS + Great Parody Stuff, Protagonist Vs Point of View, Coincidence Vs Causality and Best “Making Of” Books: EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS.

More on Editing in our posts ON FILM EDITING According to Edward Dmytryk.

More on Fantasy Films? Please check our posts SHOCK VALUE, the Essential Book about America’s 70s New Horror Films, King Vs Kubrick: From THE SHINING to DOCTOR SLEEP, All About STAR TREK, Best “Making Of” Books: THE JAWS LOG and All DUNES before DUNE (TV and Movies, from Jodorowky’s to Villeneuve’s) amongst many others!

More on Making Movies? Check our posts Andrew Kevin Walker on SE7EN and 8MM, Film Blocking, What is it?, The 5 Best Books on Making Movies, by Darren Aronofsky, Best “Making Of” Books: EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS, , First Assistant Directors: Who Are They? and Best Screenwriting Books: ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE, amongst many others!