Harmy said:
OMG, that would be so terrible if an eventual official release was a despecialized edition! It would make me so unbelievably angry, if they just replaced the obvious changes and kept the rest from the SE. They should scan an original print - or several and combine them - so that there isn't even a hint of anything Special Edition.
Hmm. That would be preferable. It's certainly possible!
From http://secrethistoryofstarwars.com/savingstarwars.html :
[For the Special Editions,] ILM was working on many dozens of new shots. When these were completed, they apparently were printed onto film and re-cut into the negative, replacing the original negs, which were undoubtedly put back into storage. As a result, the negative for Star Wars is filled with CGI-laden modern alterations.
Of course, it would be very easy to simply put the original pieces back and conform it to the original version, or use the separation masters and IPs, or simply scan the old pieces for a digital restoration. But this is problematic due to handling issues (and losing more frames). When Robert Harris restored Godfather last year, he had to do it entirely digitally, saying that if any pin-registered mechanism were to touch the negative it would crumble. In Star Wars' case, using scans of the separation masters is perfectly viable, and though IPs and Technicolor prints are not ideal for masters they could be usable if cleaned up digitally.
Perhaps the easiest option would be to simply follow the 1997 restoration pattern but in the digital realm: scan the negative in 8K, then scan the stored pre-SE shots or re-comp them, and fill in any damaged areas with IPs or separation masters, reconstructing the original cut, then digitally remove dirt and damage, and finally use a Technicolor print as a color reference for the Digital Intermediate created. Such a product would be theatrically viable, as pristine as when it had been shot, and 100% faithful in image and color to the original release.
The pricetag of doing a project like this would likely be under a million dollars. One day, I predict this process will happen, but that day does not seem to be anywhere in the near future.
It will remain to be seen if the negative to Star Wars is in a salvageable state by the time this happens or if it has become a brittle relic, faded to black and white.
- Michael Kaminski