Copy Of Star Wars Original Script Unearthed In UNB Library
It is almost like a crossover between two Harrison Ford universes. A nondescript librarian, employed for a menial task, stumbles across a long forgotten manuscript revealed to be the very faithful recreation of an original plot for a story of epic proportions. That scene is probably not far from the mind of Kristian Brown when he came across, purely by accident, on a copy of the original script for Star Wars. Now the University of New Brunswick in Saint John in Canada will have to make sure they never again forget that they hold a piece of pop culture history.
To be clear, this is not the original Fourth Revision script, which is probably safeguarded by the minions of Lucasfilm. It was, however, confirmed to be a "fan-made" replica of that script, dated March 15, 1976, a good year before the first Star Wars film premiered. It was the kind of script that got sold at conventions but are still regarded with extremely high value, monetary or otherwise.
Despite being labeled as just a replica, Brown was not disheartened. He was, after all, more interested in the content rather than the theoretical price tag. The script, for example, held insight into the names, scenes, and vision that never made it to the big screen. If they did, Luke would have a somewhat cheesy surname of Starkiller, Han Solo would be a "shoot first, ask questions later" trigger happy trader, Episode IV would have be Saga I, and, perhaps most importantly, Star Wars might never have become the cult classic that it is today.
How the script got to UNB in the first place is perhaps a mystery better left for Indiana Jones instead. Speculation is that the previous librarian might have procured it back in the 90s but, given Star Wars' hiatus back then, it's not hard to imagine how it could have gotten lost and forgotten behind the other science fiction magazines of the period.
It's discovery, however, is almost fated. Star Wars is on the rise again, after the terrible flop of the prequels. The pop culture and entertainment world braces for the theatrical release of Episode VII, not Saga IV. And the university definitely learned its lesson and will put the replica up for display beside other rare items.
SOURCE: CBC News