UHD Review Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Finest Film Restoration Effort of 2022 (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I meant to make it look as good as it would from that period without using DNR and possibly losing information (and in fact bringing out anything still lacking). Also, is there any realistic software you would find useful that you wish might be developed to aid in restoration ?

Possibly something based upon AI.

 

[ABaglivi]

All That Money Can Buy: I hope they have corrected the severe noise gaiting, present on all video issues domestic and foreign, that obscures the softer sections of Herrmann's Academy Award winning score.

 

[cinemel1]

There are 2 films that I would like to see restored in 2023: Raintree County and The Alamo. From all I’ve read on these pages, they both need lots of work and funding is also an issue. So lets hope that at least one of these is on the list one year from today.

 

[Robert Harris]

There are 2 films that I would like to see restored in 2023: Raintree County and The Alamo. From all I’ve read on these pages, they both need lots of work and funding is also an issue. So lets hope that at least one of these is on the list one year from today.

Permission is the issue with Alamo. Tests have been performed, and we’re ready to move forward. I believe funding would not be a huge problem.

 

[Strohmaier]

WOW – I gotta have this film in my collection!

Reading about all the restoration trouble they had on “Out of The Blue” I just ordered my copy.

I kept thinking that another group had many more crazy problems than Tom March and I had on our “Project Grimm” or for that matter on any of the former 3-panel Cinerama projects. Don’t get me started on “Windjammer” and “Seven Wonders” Talk about hundreds of tape splices and missing frames, oh boy!

I got to meet Dennis briefly after a screening of “The Last Movie” when he ran his workprint at my film school class at the University of Iowa back early in 1971. He seemed to indicate the film was having problems with the studio, I think it was Universal making some cuts that they wanted. We thought the film was fine as is.

However, I found this below quote from John Alan Simon, maybe it was an easier job after all?
“Neither Dennis Hopper nor Leonard Yakir ever had access to the negative and no one ever hacked away at it. Least of all either of them! (Or we couldn't have produced the IP!) So the negative was already in good shape from the work in 2008 when we scanned it and worked on it in 2019 at Roundabout Entertainment”

Dave

 

[RobertMG]

Permission is the issue with Alamo. Tests have been performed, and we’re ready to move forward. I believe funding would not be a huge problem.

What would be the elements used to restore the Alamo? We know wikipedia might not always be correct but it claims the 70mm print that was pristine is toast are the negs in okay condition?

 

[haineshisway]

Thanks Dave. I was about to ask who on earth would have taken an ax to a negative.

 

[Robert Harris]

WOW – I gotta have this film in my collection!

Reading about all the restoration trouble they had on “Out of The Blue” I just ordered my copy.

I kept thinking that another group had many more crazy problems than Tom March and I had on our “Project Grimm” or for that matter on any of the former 3-panel Cinerama projects. Don’t get me started on “Windjammer” and “Seven Wonders” Talk about hundreds of tape splices and missing frames, oh boy!

I got to meet Dennis briefly after a screening of “The Last Movie” when he ran his workprint at my film school class at the University of Iowa back early in 1971. He seemed to indicate the film was having problems with the studio, I think it was Universal making some cuts that they wanted. We thought the film was fine as is.

However, I found this below quote from John Alan Simon, maybe it was an easier job after all?
“Neither Dennis Hopper nor Leonard Yakir ever had access to the negative and no one ever hacked away at it. Least of all either of them! (Or we couldn't have produced the IP!) So the negative was already in good shape from the work in 2008 when we scanned it and worked on it in 2019 at Roundabout Entertainment”

Dave

The neg could not have been in good shape, or it would not have necessitated a full-blown restoration.

 

[MUFC]

Mr Harris, this thread makes me curious - certain films we are told have been restored as much as they can with what exists. My favorite movie, King Kong (1933) still looks somewhat overly grainy because no OCN exists anymore. Could more thoughtful work have been done on it to make it better but it was a money issue ? Are there any new digital software tools in development that you are aware of that could lead to new breakthroughs in film restoration ?

The vast majority of digital restoration work at Roundabout is done on Digital Vision’s Phoenix software (still on version 2018.2).
DV tools are mostly all one needs, however some tidying up is occasionally also done on MTI (which has been around forever and not much has changed on that system for years. Quite archaic to me but gets the job done). A lot comes down to experience and the order in which one does things. I don’t see any new ground-breaking software coming along.

 

[DarkVader]

I've never heard of the film. That being said, I am a little confused by the original post RAH wrote. He states that their was an IP and a print dupe struck from the OCN. He then goes on to say that the OCN was severely damaged by cuts, splices, etc. Was the OCN damaged before or after the IP and print dupe were struck or before?

It reads like it was damaged after.

Edit to add: I've just read up on the history of the film, its production and the response it received when originally released. I am intrigued and will support this release sight unseen by making a purchase.

Thank you for bringing this film to my attention.

 

[Robert Harris]

I've never heard of the film. That being said, I am a little confused by the original post RAH wrote. He states that their was an IP and a print dupe struck from the OCN. He then goes on to say that the OCN was severely damaged by cuts, splices, etc. Was the OCN damaged before or after the IP and print dupe were struck or before?

It reads like it was damaged after.

Edit to add: I've just read up on the history of the film, its production and the response it received when originally released. I am intrigued and will support this release sight unseen by making a purchase.

Thank you for bringing this film to my attention.

For the record, this film is very dark, and not for everyone.

 

[lark144]

I’m told that things became so intense that power shortages were reported affecting the grid surrounding the post facility. During Blue’s restoration, lights were seen to being dimming all across that area of Burbank, and elective surgery was cancelled at a local hospital during one 72 hour period.

Mr. Harris, you make it sound more like an invasion of space aliens than a restoration.

I bought the Out of the Blue Blu on your initial recommendation, and yes, it's maginificent to look at, much more pristine than when I saw it in a theater. Can't remember where that was anymore. The St. Mark's? Bleecker Street? Who knows? I've always considered this Hopper's greatest film, his lasting legacy. Mostly though, I got it for Linda Mantz, as unique and irreplaceable a creative presence as I've ever encountered. Ms. Mantz grew up near the theater I managed on 58th & Third--at least that's what she told me--and she used to hang out there. A friend showed me the original script to Days of Heaven, and the language was flowery, like something out of Henry James, and the part that Ms. Mantz played had no real dialogue at all, so I asked her how her narration in the film came to be. She told me Terrence Malick put her in a screening room at Magno, told her which places he needed narration for, and she just talked. She said he didn't give her any real direction, just told her to say what came to mind, what the images suggested to her. She said she was surprised that when she saw the film, the stuff she recorded was more or less intact, just the way she did it.

 

[Wayne Klein]

I'd love to see an extensive restored version of Come A Horsemen. Given that the original negative and/or materials aren't in the best shape and no one seems to want to spend the money on it, I just don't see it happening in the immediate future. I'd be curious of if the Sandpiper is just a straight reissue of the Twilight Time or if it is the German Blu-ray master that was used (which improved on the TT from all comments about it).

 

[plektret]

Only english-language films?

 

[Robert Harris]

Mr. Harris, you make it sound more like an invasion of space aliens than a restoration.

I bought the Out of the Blue Blu on your initial recommendation, and yes, it's maginificent to look at, much more pristine than when I saw it in a theater. Can't remember where that was anymore. The St. Mark's? Bleecker Street? Who knows? I've always considered this Hopper's greatest film, his lasting legacy. Mostly though, I got it for Linda Mantz, as unique and irreplaceable a creative presence as I've ever encountered. Ms. Mantz grew up near the theater I managed on 58th & Third--at least that's what she told me--and she used to hang out there. A friend showed me the original script to Days of Heaven, and the language was flowery, like something out of Henry James, and the part that Ms. Mantz played had no real dialogue at all, so I asked her how her narration in the film came to be. She told me Terrence Malick put her in a screening room at Magno, told her which places he needed narration for, and she just talked. She said he didn't give her any real direction, just told her to say what came to mind, what the images suggested to her. She said she was surprised that when she saw the film, the stuff she recorded was more or less intact, just the way she did it.

Love that. Incredibly sad that when she passed away (way too young) that her funeral had to be funded. A horrible situation for her family to be in.

And yes, she’s wonderful in the film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Only english-language films?

We're open to recommendations?

 

[Robert Harris]

I'd love to see an extensive restored version of Come A Horsemen. Given that the original negative and/or materials aren't in the best shape and no one seems to want to spend the money on it, I just don't see it happening in the immediate future. I'd be curious of if the Sandpiper is just a straight reissue of the Twilight Time or if it is the German Blu-ray master that was used (which improved on the TT from all comments about it).

If it’s a UA film, neg could be with MGM. The element shouldn’t be problematic, although some blow-ups were struck. I have no information.

 

[Robert Harris]

Only english-language films?

Only that I’ve actually seen In the past 12 months.

 

[MUFC]

El Fantasma Del Convento and El Vampiro Negro were both particularly arduous. Both Argentinian I think.

 

[Robert Harris]

El Fantasma Del Convento and El Vampiro Negro were both particularly arduous. Both Argentinian I think.

As was Ecstasy.