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Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Star Wars - Anchorhead: The Lost Scenes, Missing Footage and Outtakes

Written By Ken Hulsey

From the Monster Island News Archives - Originally Posted in 2000. Revised in 2008 & 2021.

Many years ago, I wrote an article for the original Monster Island News about the infamous deleted scenes from "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope." At the time, the footage that had ended up on the cutting room floor was rarely seen, and mysteriously absent from both DVD and VHS releases of the original Star Wars trilogy. Similarly, content from "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" had also been left out, including scenes like Biggs talking with Luke in Anchorhead, Wampas running amok in the Rebel Base on Hoth, and a Tatooine sandstorm in Jedi.

Regarding the "Tosche Station" footage from A New Hope, which was supposed to be placed between the opening space battle and the droids landing on Tatooine, it never made it into any release of the film. Lucas was never fond of the sequence, feeling it didn't fit the flow of the story. Though an urban legend persisted that some had seen an early version with this footage, Lucasfilm always denied anyone had. Puzzlingly, the scene was described in detail and accompanied by four photos in the 1978 "The Star Wars Storybook," suggesting the author had access to the footage.

Even more perplexing was the fact that cut Biggs footage in the hangar bay on Yavin 4 was later added to "The Star Wars Special Edition." This explained why Luke was so visibly upset when Biggs died, but raised the question of how Luke knew this character, given the limited prior mention. As a fan, I felt this was a "bone" thrown our way, though I'm not convinced the added footage fully integrated with the story.

The scene opens with a close-up on Luke as he leaps from his landspeeder and climbs the stairs to the power station. Once inside, we get our first glimpse of Luke's friends. Fixer is seated behind a table with Camie sleeping on his lap. Luke tosses something at them to wake them up, and Camie sits up with an annoyed attitude. Luke then spots his old friend Biggs, who has returned, and walks past Fixer and Camie. Biggs is playing a sort of mechanically-assisted pool game with fellow farm boys Deek and Windy. Remembering the battle he just witnessed, Luke urges the group to come outside, but Deek and Windy are reluctant to leave their game.

Deek: Not again, forget it!
Windy: (angry at Biggs) Will you come back here and play the game?
Fixer: (Still waking up) What's all the noise about?
Camie: Looks like Wormie's caught too much sun.

The group exits the station and climbs to the platform surrounding the generator room. They all begin scanning the sky. Biggs soon decides there's nothing worth seeing. Camie grabs the binoculars from Luke to investigate for herself, prompting Luke to protest. Fixer tries to intervene and protect Camie. As Camie searches the sky, Biggs offers Luke some advice.

Biggs: I tell you Luke, the Rebellion's a long way away from here. This planet? A big hunk of nothing.
Fixer: (not really caring about the space battle and not being able to take his eyes off Camie) I doubt the Empire would Evan fight to save the system.
They all head back into the station and Camie carelessly tosses Luke back his binoculars causing him to almost drop them.
Luke: Hey! Will you watch it?"
The scene ends with Luke alone outside looking at the sky as if he really saw anything.

The final sequence of the lost footage features a conversation between Biggs and Luke as they exit the power station. The two are holding cups of what is referred to as "Malt Brew." At this point, Biggs reveals to Luke his secret plan to leave the Academy and join the Rebellion. Luke is overwhelmed by this news and left almost speechless. He admits that he has canceled his application to the Academy in order to help his Uncle Owen on the farm. It's easy to see why Luke looks up to Biggs, who is living the adventurous life that Luke can only dream of. The two part with a handshake, and Biggs departs to pursue his destiny, while Luke can only watch and yearn for a life of excitement.

Here are some of the scenes cut out of Star Wars: