mverta said:
Certainly in theory, especially because -1's primary (?) print is/was the same Kodak LPP I first had scanned years ago in 4K. I almost never use anything from it, but if you're really dedicated, there's quite a lot of stuff in there.
They do not have my 4k scans of the LPP. They scanned it themselves on a home scanner at 2k, with plans to do it at 4K. As to the quality of the scans, I can say this: there's a reason the Scanity costs what it does. I also know -1 got parts of some of my Tech IB scans from a print. I also sent them part of a scene they were missing.
I helped Harmy with reel-by-reel reference images of a Tech. and other guidance along the way. I do what I can, when I can. Despite the absolutely insane, delusional, narcissistic arrogance of people who claim to be "saving Star Wars," (we're not, we're keeping it on life support at BEST), I still like to think we're all in this together.
I've had some of the -1 LPP print scanned at 4K on a Lasergraphics Director, which does a noticeably better job on prints that the Scanity does. I agree that there is indeed 'quite a lot of stuff in there'.
Definitely a worthwhile source, even though it is pretty beat up in places. (I do not have the -1 print currently, just organised a section to be scanned, I am not a part of the -1 team, and don't foresee utilising their print in the future, just for the record)
I also agree that having a great source (of which there are not many) does not a restoration make. I have multiple IB prints here in Oz, and restoration is a s-l-o-w and tedious business. It is good having the prints on hand and a screening room to be able to keep going back to the actual prints to look at colour and grain and the projected image, and not relying on the scans themselves.
We all do this for our own reasons, mine are different to Mike's and different to the -1 teams, and probably different to Harmy's and Adywan's and everyone else's motivations. But we all love this stupid film, and spend insane amounts of time and money on it. I sometimes have no idea why, but then I remember sitting in that cinema in 1977 and just being removed from this world for 2 hours, and it all makes sense to me again, and I go back to my control surface and get on with things.