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Post #1339887

Author
CatBus
Parent topic
Info Wanted: The DIFFERENT STAR WARS versions - which is best?
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1339887/action/topic#1339887
Date created
2-May-2020, 12:51 PM

So, in terms of color, I’d rank it:

  1. 4K83 1.6
  2. 97SE
  3. Despecialized 2.5
  4. Earlier non-DrDre 4K83 releases
  5. GOUT
  6. Other Special Editions

All Special Editions later than the 97SE have huge color shifts and aren’t close at all. Harmy’s only so high on the list because he did such a good job undoing the damage of the 2011SE, but the colors on the Blu-rays were trash and there’s only so much you can correct. The only benefits of the OCN for Harmy was that it gave Despecialized much more fine detail and better contrast than any print-based preservation could ever have – but that fine detail and contrast did come at a cost.

I personally still prefer DeEd due to the detail and contrast that gives it the look of a modern respectful HD home video release. But that’s not how it was in theatres. Boosted contrast and lost fine detail came with the optical duplication process that produced projection prints, and that’s just how it looked. 4K83 reproduces that look, if that’s what you’re after (although the contrast boost in 4K83 isn’t bad at all, due to the special unicorn print they found, and ROTJ likely had more boosted contrast theatrically).

Basing things on the OCN is great for home video, especially when people don’t muck up the colors as badly as they did with Star Wars, but it’s not faithful to that projection print look. IMO it’s better, but that’s a matter of taste.