-First point: The original negative was never reconformed despite rumors saying otherwise, the original negative itself has always been conformed to the 1977 cut and always will be. The special editions from 1997 were finished likely on interpositives, since they had to create at least some type of film element for 35mm printing at the time. But thankfully, the original negative itself wasn’t reconformed (and even if it was, Lucasfilm would’ve saved everything anyway).
We know for a fact the negative for SW was reconformed to the 1997 cut, there are countless sources that state this. The production documents for the new restoration also confirm that the 97 inserts had to be removed from the negative to bring it back to it’s pre 1997 state. Where are you getting your information from that the SW negative was never reconformed to the 1997 edit?
It was discussed on blu-ray forums some time ago in the ANH 4K thread, unfortunately the posts are long buried now but someone kept insisting that the negative wasn’t reconformed and posted “evidence” about it. If you wanna try and search that cesspool of a thread by all means, but it’s what I remember being discussed there.
But where are these restoration notes at that you say you saw?
The notes were posted around the time of the leaks and were shared on here previously. The OCN was described as being “Reconfirmed in ‘97 for legacy output, selectively damaged.”
Another document further supported this, noting that during the new restoration the 1997 inserts were “not reintroduced into the OCN assembly”
So are they actually physically reconforming the negative for a third time to once again resemble the 1977 cut?