I am close to having all three OT films color corrected. I completely redid ANH and have done two tweaking passes. I am comparing it to both the 2006 GOUT and the G’Kar/TB merged version I did for myself. I am working with multiple tracks to do more than just a master color correction. But it is contingent on having a good color correction to start with because everything goes from there. I decided that the first priority was to de-magenta what I could. I was not able to return to the colors of the original, but they are close. The different color channels are clipped differently and the film was scanned in some strange way that really ruins it in so many ways. Most of the film can use the base color correction, but some of the C-3PO/R2-D2 shots that start the film have been fiddled with. Most of the film is consistent between the 2006 GOUT, the 97 SE broadcasts, and the BR. But a great many of the scenes have been done differently. I suspect that they took a shortcut and did not follow the full color grading when they scanned the negative. Why I can’t imagine, but with a very consistent pattern of shots from one angle always matching each other but not necessarily matching the rest of the scene, it seems like something was done wrong.
I have only identified two shots in the middle of the movie, but many during the lightsaber duel and the Death Star battle and a huge number from the first part of the film. And, of course, I can’t help but replace the shots of R2-D2 and the damned rock. But it is on a different track that I can turn off or on as needed. I think I am close, but every other time I have thought that I have had to go back and try again. But this time I have conquered more issues than ever before, so I have hopes this is the one. The last one I posted was so close… just not close enough. I’m rendering it right now to view and determine what else I need to do. If I’m satisfied, the next step is to compare the OT to be sure they are tuned to the same color palet. My early test shows they are close. In particular the reused shots of firing the Death Star weapon in ANH and ROTJ and the Death Star corridor shots.
I’m making one editorial change. I’m taking the intro from TESB and using it on ANH and ROTJ. That updates the music for ANH (again, a change I can use or not use at will) and the pacing for ROTJ. I’m going to use it for the prequels when I get back to them. I’m also going to change the fade-out between the droid auction and the repair shop to match the 2006 GOUT, the 97 SE G’Kar, and the DVD. It’s only a few frames that were trimmed out, but it creates a needless difference between the versions. But that will be the last thing I do because I want to keep the track intact until I am truly finished.