20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

17. The Original Editor Was Fired During Post-Production

Star Wars' post-production process was a well-noted nightmare, to the extent that original editor John Jympson - who had worked on films such as Zulu, A Hard Day's Night, and Frenzy - was even fired during the cutting process.

Jympson, who wasn't Lucas first choice to edit the film, cut Star Wars for its first work-in-progress screening, which was a reportedly disastrous mess due to poor pacing, an incoherent narrative, and an excess of expository dialogue.

Lucas responded by firing Jympson and instead asking his wife Marcia to re-shape the film, with the help of co-editors Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew.

The trio worked hard to whittle away the bloat and deliver the comparatively lean 121-minute product that went into cinemas, not only ensuring the film's popularity with audiences but also netting the team Best Film Editing Oscars.