- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,272
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
A digital reclamation of Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will, has been ongoing for nearly two years.
Digital work has been spearheaded by Greg Kimble, who has been working with multiple computers, and sets of software to massage the best image from the decades old 35mm duplicate fine grain master.
Working at a pace of a shot or two a day, except for longer sequences, which can take a week or more, he and I have learned a great deal about how the film was shot, how effects were produced, and how the myriad of cameras, optics, and daily drift in processing and prints all came together.
One of the things that we acknowledged from day one, was that the release can never be pristine -- that light damage, fine scratches, and other occasional detritus would always be evident, if the project were to come to fruition.
Every time I receive a shot, and question grain structure, the look of a dupe, an odd camera movement lending to stability problems, I receive Mr. Kimble's forensics.
In Reel 8, there is a long sequence, with Hitler making a speech on a raised platform. Intercut with very long shots, long shots, medium shots and close ups, the image varies widely in quality. In order to get things under control, it needed to be determined which shots were dupes, field enlargements, long lenses, etc.
Just for fun, I'm posting today's forensic image, delineating camera positions in an attempt to explain why shots look as they do.
Also, and just for fun, here's an example of what Albert Speer's Sea of Flag's might have looked like, had it used Handschiegl. The thousands of flags on parade probably would have been impossible, but for a steady shot...
The new Blu-ray (and an updated DVD) will be released by Synapse, with a release date forthcoming shortly.
RAH
Digital work has been spearheaded by Greg Kimble, who has been working with multiple computers, and sets of software to massage the best image from the decades old 35mm duplicate fine grain master.
Working at a pace of a shot or two a day, except for longer sequences, which can take a week or more, he and I have learned a great deal about how the film was shot, how effects were produced, and how the myriad of cameras, optics, and daily drift in processing and prints all came together.
One of the things that we acknowledged from day one, was that the release can never be pristine -- that light damage, fine scratches, and other occasional detritus would always be evident, if the project were to come to fruition.
Every time I receive a shot, and question grain structure, the look of a dupe, an odd camera movement lending to stability problems, I receive Mr. Kimble's forensics.
In Reel 8, there is a long sequence, with Hitler making a speech on a raised platform. Intercut with very long shots, long shots, medium shots and close ups, the image varies widely in quality. In order to get things under control, it needed to be determined which shots were dupes, field enlargements, long lenses, etc.
Just for fun, I'm posting today's forensic image, delineating camera positions in an attempt to explain why shots look as they do.
Also, and just for fun, here's an example of what Albert Speer's Sea of Flag's might have looked like, had it used Handschiegl. The thousands of flags on parade probably would have been impossible, but for a steady shot...
The new Blu-ray (and an updated DVD) will be released by Synapse, with a release date forthcoming shortly.
RAH