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"The Alamo"s Status? (9 Viewers)

sonomatom1

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Oops! So, aftering the screenshot, it appears that RAH had nothing to do with the LD restoration -- time to update my postings. Thanks.
 

sonomatom1

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For those Forum members who did not have a chance to read Robert A Harris's excellent article from 2009 detailing his then restoration of "The Alamo", I'm pasting it here (removing the stills from the film that were included in the article). That restoration project has been abandoned.

However, his article is an object lesson for all current and future archivists, as well as recording, motion picture, visual and print historians and curators, and corporate heads -- the burden of saving a nation's art artifacts, current and decades past, is a huge one, but an absolutely critcal one if we are to hand down to succeeding generations the fruit of our artistic labors.

Irrespective of your opinion about the film itself, we'll never see the likes of it again - like nearly all of the "epics" from the 60s that utilized actors, extras, scale reconstruction, and matte painting to recreate a far-away world giving those films a depth and jaw-dropping reality (think of Cleopatra's Entrance into Rome from "Cleopatra") that CGI can never duplicate, and budgets will never tolerate.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The Reconstruction and Restoration of John Wayne's "The Alamo"
Written by: Robert A. Harris & The Digital Bits. Reprinted with permission
"THE ALAMO is the greatest picture I've ever seen. It will last forever, run forever, for all peoples, all families everywhere."

- Legendary filmmaker, John Ford, 1960.

"The Alamo" was produced as a large format 70mm (5 perf) motion picture, with an original running time of approximately 192 minutes plus Overture, Entr'acte and Exit music. It was a "special event" film distributed via Roadshow with advance ticket sales. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning for Best Sound.

Soon after its initial release in 1960, a situation arose based primarily on local transportation problems. In smaller cities, where bus service from the outlying areas was the main means of transit, the last busses were leaving before the film ended. As a result at least 30 minutes was cut from the film.

As John Wayne was shooting "Hatari!" in Africa, the actual cutting was performed by Michael Wayne (John's son) and the film's editor, Stuart Gilmore. Because the 6 track audio could only be either cut or slightly remixed, a detailed fine cut was not an option. Those involved in the cut were led to believe that the extant 70mm prints would be trimmed and resounded, and new printing matrices produced for the 35mm release in the shorter form – but that the original negative would not be harmed or modified.

That is not what occurred. The original negative and all protection elements, inclusive of the 65mm separation masters, were cut to conform to the new 161-minute length; the trims and deletions were destroyed.

For over thirty years, the original Roadshow version of the film was feared lost, until in 1991 a lone surviving 70mm print was found in remarkably good condition in a film exchange in Toronto.

Todd-AO credit from original 70mm Main Title sequence

For the uninitiated, something about film elements needs to be fully understood.

That print was used as the basis of what was called the Roadshow for release on laser disc. Unfortunately, it is now totally faded and suffering from vinegar syndrome, which literally turns the base of the film stock into a hard, sticky mess, rendering it unusable.

While modern Eastman elements are robust with a long life expectancy, this is simply not the case for films made before the creation of Eastman 5250 color negative stock in 1961. All Eastman color stocks created before that point fade. Some more, some less, dependent upon a number of technical and storage factors, but the absolute is – they fade.

On top of that, any film with an acetate base has a tendency to go "vinegar" as a result of Vinegar Syndrome (VS), another naturally occurring fact of safety film longevity. Magnetic tracks are extremely susceptible. And there is very little that a studio can do about it. It occurs even when elements are properly vaulted.

What the studios do to preserve their assets is to create black & white separation masters of color negative productions. These were created of the long version, but are now cut, and after almost half a century these consummate protection elements are also showing the classic signs of early VS.

The bottom line is that the condition of the original elements for this film, created in 1959-60 (the most problematic for Eastman color film stock), is a totally normal function of the dyes, chemistry and film bases involved.

Original 65mm negative - Intermission

The simple truth is that all of the extant elements have hit the end of their useful lives at the same time, and in order to preserve the film for future generations, it must be restored. The good news is that we finally have the digital mechanism that will allow us to properly restore the film to an extremely high quality end result.

Now that we've had a lesson on film elements, we go to the facts. The original negative is faded, missing over 90% of its yellow layer, which controls blue and contrast, therefore yielding no true blacks and Crustacean-like facial highlights. Any attempt to pump color back into a print turns the skies a muddy green, as yellow is added. The negative also has additional damage due to improperly prepared black leader used in negative cutting, which has chemically attacked the emulsion through the two outermost dye layers. The original negative is unusable to make either prints or preservation elements.

A frame of the original 70mm print as it exists today.

The original 65mm separation masters, which would normally have served as an ultimate backup, were improperly produced and have focus issues.

"The Alamo" audio, which had an Academy Award winning 6-track discreet mix, is not an overriding problem, although original elements have an extremely high level of vinegar syndrome. It is doubtful that the original tracks will survive through the year.

The time has come for a complete restoration and overhaul – a massive undertaking.

MGM and a number of vendors have been very supportive in the effort to save this epic film, and are making generous contributions. Still, in order to expedite a full and proper restoration we are seeking financial support from outside sources, both corporate and private, for the remaining 1.4 million dollars.

The work involved will take about 10 to 12 months. The final result will be two versions of the film – The original Roadshow and the General Release, both with Overture, Intermission, Entr'acte and Exit Music.

70mm frame supplied by Schauburg Kino, Karlsruhe, Germany

The most important would be the theatrical event projected fully restored in 70mm or Digital Cinema in 2K or 4K. The running time would be approximately 172 minutes, replicating the visual and aural splendor of "The Alamo" as it originally premiered in San Antonio on October 24, 1960, albeit in the General Release cut of the film. While the General Release cut would be available for DVD and Blu-ray, the Roadshow version of the film is intended solely for the DVD and Blu-ray home video audience.

The restoration via all new Eastman film materials would guarantee that the film would survive in perpetuity.

Once completed, MGM would make a restored digital cinema element or 70mm print available for special charity screenings. The print, provided in the names of major donors, with all proceeds going toward the charities involved, would include end credits containing the names of major donors, both corporate and private, which would be seen on screen and later on home video and other uses of the work, linked forever with John Wayne's "The Alamo".

Currently, there is no way to create a 70mm print of this film. The extant production elements are a fading 35mm interpositive and a dupe negative derived from that source – neither representing the heroic work that went into this film by John Wayne and his co-creators.

One of the most important ways people know of the extraordinary gift of freedom given to Texas and our nation by those who defended The Alamo is by virtue of this film. Although an imperfect representation historically, John Wayne's work brilliantly portrays that larger than life tale, capturing the hearts and creating lasting memories for all who experience this great film. We are attempting to pull this important film back from the very brink of extinction and preserve it for generations to come.

We are hopeful that once we are officially in step with the appropriate charitable organization and are able to accept contributions, that support can be found to save Mr. Wayne's epic.

Our goal is to premiere a fully restored 70mm print of the film to play in San Antonio, Dallas and other major cities on or about March 6, 2010 to benefit the continued preservation and memory of The Alamo.
 

John Hermes

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I remember reading RAH's The Alamo article when it came out and thought how cool it was going to be to see a restored version. Talk about a nightmare scenario regarding the elements. Just about everything that could go wrong did. I almost get sick thinking about what has transpired over these five years also. I have transferred home movie film for almost thirty years and have seen more than my share of vinegared film. Beautiful B&W 16mm film from the 1930s, and in later years, Kodachrome, which I've had to just throw away. Right now my garage is reeking of vinegar for a regular 8mm transfer which I will start Wednesday. While prepping it, I've already thrown away a couple hundred feet from the beginning of reels (where it is the worst). All those memories lost forever.
Back the The Alamo, how could they not check to see if the seps were in focus?!! Geeze. Thinking about throwing away the trims (and seps) from the roadshow version makes me ill. I love film and have probably handled millions of feet. I've seen everything from pristine lab prints to vinegared film so bad it has petrified into a solid block which I have to chip off the reel with a screwdriver and hammer. How could these so-called professionals allow this to happen to The Alamo?
RAH, are the existing elements at least being kept under cold storage? My experience with film is color fading and VS can be pretty much arrested by freezing the film or keeping it near freezing. Nothing will make it like it was, but at least this helps.
 

davidmatychuk

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Looking again at the Laserdisc box set, it seems clear to me that in 1992 MGM Home Video had a fairly good idea about what film aficionados wanted, not to mention a fairly good approach to making members of the general public into film aficionados. In less than fifteen years, the general public went from "Why on earth would you want to own a copy of a movie?" to "Watching movies at home is wonderful", but the studios don't seem to know how to do that anymore. Most people nowadays can easily afford HDTV's of a quality that would have been far beyond the television state of the art twenty years ago, and Blu-Ray players are likewise inexpensive and fantastically good. I think that the entire movie industry might want to refocus their efforts towards finding ways to show that they care about their home video products, because it's hard to get people to care if you don't care.
 

ljgranberry

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The sad thing is - these idiots at the studios don't care. It might prevent them from investing in some crappy superhero movie that will be forgotten within a couple of months. Only hope I see for "The Alamo" (and sounds like it's non-existent) and other classic films is for more non-profits like the AFI, Library of Congress, Film Foundation, etc. to step up to the plate to preserve what we have.
 

Robert Harris

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John Hermes said:
I remember reading RAH's The Alamo article when it came out and thought how cool it was going to be to see a restored version. Talk about a nightmare scenario regarding the elements. Just about everything that could go wrong did. I almost get sick thinking about what has transpired over these five years also. I have transferred home movie film for almost thirty years and have seen more than my share of vinegared film. Beautiful B&W 16mm film from the 1930s, and in later years, Kodachrome, which I've had to just throw away. Right now my garage is reeking of vinegar for a regular 8mm transfer which I will start Wednesday. While prepping it, I've already thrown away a couple hundred feet from the beginning of reels (where it is the worst). All those memories lost forever.Back the The Alamo, how could they not check to see if the seps were in focus?!! Geeze. Thinking about throwing away the trims (and seps) from the roadshow version makes me ill. I love film and have probably handled millions of feet. I've seen everything from pristine lab prints to vinegared film so bad it has petrified into a solid block which I have to chip off the reel with a screwdriver and hammer. How could these so-called professionals allow this to happen to The Alamo?RAH, are the existing elements at least being kept under cold storage? My experience with film is color fading and VS can be pretty much arrested by freezing the film or keeping it near freezing. Nothing will make it like it was, but at least this helps.
The main purpose of separation masters was not one of asset protection. It triggered an end to production insurance. Most were never examined or went through any QC.Cold storage slows problems. The Alamo is a special case, as the film is not chemically inert, and is being destroyed from within.RAH
 

atfree

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RAH,I read this thread and go from hopeful to hopeless in nanoseconds. Once and for all, put me (and others) out of our misery....on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being absolutely, positively no hope whatsoever, and 10 being, well, you know.....what are the realistic chances that we'll ever see this film saved (in whatever form that may be)?
 
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Robert Harris

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atfree said:
RAH,I read this thread and go from hopeful to hopeless in nanoseconds. Once and for all, put me (and others) out of our misery....on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being absolutely, positively no hope whatsoever, and 10 being, well, you know.....what are the realistic chances that we'll ever see this film saved (in whatever form that may be)?
No idea. Totally up to MGM. Probably not likely, as budget gets worse every time film is examined, as it's degrading rapidly. Five or six years ago, the film could have reached an 80% quality. Now 65 tops, with no holds barred budget.

RAH
 

atfree

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Robert Harris said:
No idea. Totally up to MGM. Probably not likely, as budget gets worse every time film is examined, as it's degrading rapidly. Five or six years ago, the film could have reached an 80% quality. Now 65 tops, with no holds barred budget.RAH
Thank you.
 

RichardSC

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For one who first saw The Alamo at the Rivoli in New York, the news about its present status is distressing. Does MGM have anyone who believes in film preservation?
 
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laser

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MGM were jerks in 1960, jerks in 1992, jerks in 2009, and are jerks now. And I'd prefer to use a stronger word than "jerks"...

Robert Harris said:
No idea. Totally up to MGM. Probably not likely, as budget gets worse every time film is examined, as it's degrading rapidly. Five or six years ago, the film could have reached an 80% quality. Now 65 tops, with no holds barred budget.

RAH
What do you estimate a no-holds-barred budget would be? And the minimum budget that would make it just barely watchable?

And is there anyone, anywhere, who could realistically influence and/or fund such a recovery operation?
 

Doug Bull

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Unfortunately I sold my Laserdisc before purchasing that butchered DVD.

The atrocious cut in the soundtrack at the DVD's missing intermission spot left me in a state of disbelief.
There's no way that a responsible professional carried out that ghastly amateurish edit.

Poor old Dimitri Tiomkin must be turning in his grave.

Doug.
 

John Hermes

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Doug Bull said:
Unfortunately I sold my Laserdisc before purchasing that butchered DVD.

The atrocious cut in the soundtrack at the DVD's missing intermission spot left me in a state of disbelief.
There's no way that a responsible professional carried out that ghastly amateurish edit.

Poor old Dimitri Tiomkin must be turning in his grave.

Doug.
I wonder how William Clothier feels about his camera negative? :(
 
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AdrianTurner

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Is it something specific to The Alamo and John Wayne which is preventing the restoration of this movie? Is it perhaps a case of dislike and/or political bias - after all, both the movie and Mr Wayne are pretty much out on a right-wing limb in these days of Hollywood liberalism.
 

RolandL

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The National Film Registry of the Library of Congress has a 35mm print. I don't know what condition its in and its probably not the roadshow version since its 35mm not 70mm. Even if its turned to pink, the people that did the restoration of the Cinerama films (Dave Strohmaier, Images Trends, etc.) could restore it.

Look what they did with this print of The Golden Head

before.jpg


after.jpg
 

jim_falconer

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What we need is for the Wayne Family (estate) to purchase the film from MGM, and then to start a grass roots campaign to restore the roadshow version for it's eventually release to HD. Betcha Ethan Wayne would be up for a project like this.
 

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