Regrading will be tough due to researching transfers etc.

From what I've pieced together:

All the Embassy/Pre-Criterion copies on VHS, LD etc. use that same transfer of the early LD. The Criterion uses a similar looking 2.35 print. All of these are very colorful but full of a contrasty look and to be honest it doesn't seem quite accurate to the film's composition. Plus they are very soft, and the Criterion noticeably so. They seem video-ish.

The Director's Cut was of course based off of the 70mm blowup of the Workprint that surfaced in 1990/1991 (supposedly due to Steve Hoffman and other unearthing it in some vaults) at the NuArt and other places AND the 1982 US theatrical release. Because it was a rush job and Scott not being available to supervise...I think it is actually a very good reference to how the film was shot and processed.

The 1997 DVD is terrible and has color that is not accurate-the full CAV LD actually bests it in terms of image and sound. All it requires for completion is the reintegration of the International cut snippets.

I have the DVD and BD sets and have never been fully pleased with the way the archival versions look. They seem a bit dead looking. Has anyone compared them to the limited 2006 DVD reissue of the DC? Or is it thye same?

The Final Cut looked far better in 35mm. The colors seemed more subjective and far less jumping out.

I think the best balance is somewhere between the deep saturation of the 80's era transfers (from release prints) and the colder look of the DC on Laserdisc/archival version DVD/BD.

God, WB really needs to redo these masters. BADLY!