Is the SE’s color timing worth leaning on in terms of other projects? What I specifically mean is if you choose to despecialize this SE scan using 4k77, would you retime the SE to match 4k77 or the other way around?
I think retiming 4k77 to the 97SE would work for despecialization, within limits. IMO every release of Star Wars after the theatrical 97SE is completely useless in terms of color, but the 97SE may be a usable reference with adjustments. It was supposedly timed to match 1977 Technicolor prints, and it certainly seems plausibly close overall. But there would certainly need to be adjustments for particular shots, if not overall.