danny_boy said:

Ahhh---- and this is the catch----what is/was the original or former condition of Star Wars(as seen by audiences between 1977 to 85)?

I saw the film myself twice theatrically(1981 and 1983) but I will not dare to hazard a guess in 2012 as to whether what I saw 30 years ago was grainy or clean or had punchy colours or was pink shifted or had dirt and scratches or was free from such blemishes.

So you have now shifted gears from "the film was restored in '95" to "some prints were grainy, dirty and beaten up and faded when seen by audiences back in the '70's and the '80's." So, what does all of this have to do with George Lucas refusal to let it be restored and preserved? Or do you still count the Special Edition as a restoration of the original film? The National Film Registry certainly didn't... it's now 15 years later and still no plans to restore it, just bad excuses whenever it is brought up. Film enthusiasts and fans have since lost their patience.

George Lucas - "the filmmaker who care deeply about his fans" did however say that he was sorry that fans had fell in love with a half finished film in 2004. How noble of him...