Spencer Draper
Stunt Coordinator
It only took me seventeen years to finally see the 2000 restoration print. I read all about the restoration when I was 10 years old...and it never came anywhere near in theaters. So all these years I've wondered what the Tech IB prints looked like.
My question now is, if the studio didn't want to spend money and needed a new element for HD/DCPs: Why in the world can't they scan this at 4K and call it a day? Why the need for tinkering away on this and Vertigo, while leaving the other films in decent to awful state in HD?
Background: This was shown at an art museum without the best space for films, but this aside they bring over the local arthouse facilities manager (a friend of mine) for occasional showings-and thank goodness the staff booker always tries for 35mm. They have great projectors despite the less than stellar auditorium.
So for some time it looked as if the studio was going to back out of sending a print forcing the BD to be used until lo and behold some cans showed up. (The museum's last movie was Funny Face, and if you know how bad that BD is...imagine it in an art museum because Paramount apparently ships nothing these days.)
The print came up, hard matted with soft frame edges to something like 1.66 but my friend said the manufacture date looked like 2011. So I think to myself maybe they stuck a print of the BD master.
...and then it opened with the correct late 90's Uni logo...and...
It was the 2000 print. Later on he found the IB markers on the heads and tails.
The colors are perfectly realized and not somewhat garish like the BD nor slightly paler like the 2005 and 2008 DVDs. (This is how it has always seemed to me at home-just my own two cents) I revisited my copies before the show for reference. And the whole film is grainy to an extent-but properly and organically so. Not some here and there and not merely video noise peeking through.
While I was waiting to see if the print showed up, I saw RW listed in this year's TCM festival as DCP. My friend mentioned he knew someone who was working the festival and said he could ask what the resolution was. It's 2K.
I never knew the colors, blacks or textures could look that rich. It really is a gorgeous experience, particularly for devotees of the Master who have seen this film ad nauseam. My thanks to Mr. Harris and the restoration team for such dedication to L.B. Jefferies' neighborhood curiosity.
My question now is, if the studio didn't want to spend money and needed a new element for HD/DCPs: Why in the world can't they scan this at 4K and call it a day? Why the need for tinkering away on this and Vertigo, while leaving the other films in decent to awful state in HD?
Background: This was shown at an art museum without the best space for films, but this aside they bring over the local arthouse facilities manager (a friend of mine) for occasional showings-and thank goodness the staff booker always tries for 35mm. They have great projectors despite the less than stellar auditorium.
So for some time it looked as if the studio was going to back out of sending a print forcing the BD to be used until lo and behold some cans showed up. (The museum's last movie was Funny Face, and if you know how bad that BD is...imagine it in an art museum because Paramount apparently ships nothing these days.)
The print came up, hard matted with soft frame edges to something like 1.66 but my friend said the manufacture date looked like 2011. So I think to myself maybe they stuck a print of the BD master.
...and then it opened with the correct late 90's Uni logo...and...
It was the 2000 print. Later on he found the IB markers on the heads and tails.
The colors are perfectly realized and not somewhat garish like the BD nor slightly paler like the 2005 and 2008 DVDs. (This is how it has always seemed to me at home-just my own two cents) I revisited my copies before the show for reference. And the whole film is grainy to an extent-but properly and organically so. Not some here and there and not merely video noise peeking through.
While I was waiting to see if the print showed up, I saw RW listed in this year's TCM festival as DCP. My friend mentioned he knew someone who was working the festival and said he could ask what the resolution was. It's 2K.
I never knew the colors, blacks or textures could look that rich. It really is a gorgeous experience, particularly for devotees of the Master who have seen this film ad nauseam. My thanks to Mr. Harris and the restoration team for such dedication to L.B. Jefferies' neighborhood curiosity.
