You know what? I’m going to go out on a limb and say 2004, because of the prequelisms. The argument that the 1997 cut is superior because it doesn’t have the PT references doesn’t really work for me, because if you’re trying to ignore the PT, you should just watch the OUT, because they’re just better movies. The only thing the SE can really claim to bring to the table is smoother visual continuity with the subsequent installments of the saga, and in that regard the 1997 version is kind of obsolete.
This is a refreshing read. Great points!