Here is my analysis of the shots that have missing frames from a portion of Reel 2 of the German print of ESB.
GOUT Reference: Harmy’s ESB Despecialized Edition. MKV video, 23.975fps.
Additional Reference: Renegade Grindhouse ESB. M2ts video of release print scan, 23.975fps.
For each source of each shot, I’ll be using this format to describe position of the length of the video:
Time (mm:ss.ff) / Frames numbers,
Han Fixing Falcon
GOUT: 21:22.05/30743-30834, Number of Frames: 101
Renegade Grindhouse: 21:21.13/30727-30825, Number of Frames: 99 (missing frames from the head-end of this shot)
UK Print: 00:00.01/1-91, Number of Frames: 91
Comments: 10 missing of the GOUT from the head-end of this shot
Veers leaves Vader, upper half of Vader’s chamber lifts to reveal viewing screen
GOUT: 23:11.15/33366-33788, Number of Frames: 423
Renegade Grindhouse: 23:10.21/33348-33770, Number of Frames: 423
UK Print: 01:44.14/2614-3029, Number of Frames: 416
Comments: Missing 7 frames. To be honest, I can’t find where the skip-frame is in the UK print. The shot looks physically clean.
Vader’s Medium Shot
GOUT: 23:29.06/33789-33910, Number of Frames: 122
Renegade Grindhouse: 23:28.12/33771-33892, Number of Frames: 122
UK Print: 02:01.05/3030-3127, Number of Frames: 98
Comments: Missing 24 frames. I am taking a guess that the missing frames are from the tail-end of this shot because of the shot that follows…
Vader’s Viewing Screen: Ozzel gasps for air, Piett reacts
GOUT: 23:34.08/33911-34025, Number of Frames: 115
Renegade Grindhouse: 23:33.14/33893-34007, Number of Frames: 115
UK Print: 02:05.03/3128-3144, Number of Frames: 17
Comments: 98 frames missing from the the head-end of this shot.
Luke opens belly compartment of snowwalker with lightsaber
GOUT: 32:30.14/46768-46918, Number of Frames: 151
Renegade Grindhouse: 32:29.18/46748-46898, Number of Frames: 151
UK Print: 10:35.12/15887-16000, Number of Frames: 114
Comments: 37 missing from the tail-end of this shot.
Total Number of Missing Frames: 176, over 7 seconds of footage
What is impressive about this print is that even though I know where the skip-frame is in a shot, I see no evidence of where a frame may have been damaged-- dried-on adhesive markings, a torn frame that is poorly pieced together, etc. Either some digital enhancement has been applied to the frame to remove the said anomalies or the person maintained this print very well.
JEDIT:
UK Print… Of course, I meant the German print. I’m sorry for that