I've got 4 prints of this running @ my theatre, and I have to say that they look about 10 times better than the theatrical prints of AOTC. Whoever took care of the prints must have had a chat with Robert Rodriguez' people; they are nice and sharp, with about as much grain as a film interpositive. Well done, and I'm sorry to hear that others' experiences have not been the same.

As to differences b/w AOTC and AOTC: The IMAX Experience...about 20 minutes worth (romantic subplot downplayed and the film was tightened up overall). At the time, IMAX platters were only capable of holding 120 minutes of film (YOU try lifting an IMAX print: it's 15 perf 70mm, and the average 120 minute film weighs in @ ~500 lbs), but they made changes to their platter system in early 2003 and increased the capacity to 150 minutes. The same was true of Apollo 13:TIE.