#film restoration

[subterraneanna]

I've been scanning and restoring some pieces of original Star Trek: TOS film and wanted to share this before and after from a deleted scene in the episode "Elaan of Troyius":

At nearly 60 years old, the film is in bad shape, exhibiting substantial scratches and color shifting. The magenta/red tint is a good example of dye fading, a sign of deterioration likely due to the film stock it was shot on.

Prior to 1950, color motion picture film was shot in Technicolor, which required a large, cumbersome camera to simultaneously expose 3 separate strips of negative film that then underwent a proprietary dye imbibition process to create a full color image. Though visually stunning and remarkably color-stable, it was a complicated, expensive process reserved only for high budget productions. In 1950, Eastman Kodak introduced Eastmancolor, the first 35 mm “single-strip” color motion picture negative -- in short, a film that was easy to shoot and process, and compared to Technicolor, only used a 1/3 of the film stock. Suddenly color film was an affordable option for studios and its popularity took off. Eastmancolor was composed of a single strip of negative film surfaced with 3 layers of light-sensitive gelatin emulsion. During development, a chemical reaction produced magenta, yellow, and cyan dyes on their corresponding layers, which were superimposed to create a full color image. Unfortunately, these dyes were unstable, something that wasn't apparent until aging films began to lose their color in the following years.

The Star Trek image above is pink because its yellow and cyan dyes have faded away, leaving just the magenta layer. The information may be lost, but digital restoration can improve what's left. But because the yellow and cyan greatly contributed to the overall density of the image, basic color balancing still produces a lower contrast version compared to what the original must have looked like. The missing richness and depth seems most apparent in the skin tones, but hand painting some of the color can bring a little life back to it, as I've done here. It's a challenge because, as far as I can tell, the only remaining footage or still shots of this scene show some level of dye fading. Fortunately, now that the film is digitized, restoration can be an ongoing project. If you own any color motion picture film negatives or prints, the sooner you get them scanned the better. In the meantime, helpful storage information can be found here.

It's been a while since I've shot any film (film major), so it's nice to see it again, even if it's chopped up into single frames. I have a small collection of them so I'll post more restored images as they're completed. BTW @cheer-deforest-kelley has a great post on how this film went from the editing room floor to the hands of fans.

[filmnoirfoundation]

Alan K. Rode talks to Yolanda Perdomo about NOIR CITY Chicago, starting at the Music Box Theatre tomorrow, Friday, September 5. Eddie Muller will host the opening weekend, and Alan will take over for the rest of the festival.

Passes, tickets and schedule.

[cronengirly]

I'm never gonna be normal after this, ESPECIALLY after the Hellraiser: Bloodline workprint cut

[toddjurgess]

Blade Runner, comparison between an uncorrected scan of a 35mm print by a scan consortium online vs. the studio edition of the Final Cut

[thinkbolt]

Christmas Comes but Once a Year - the restoration process

[sexyseacaptainghost]

Am I going crazy, or does the “The Muppet Movie” film negative seriously need to be restored?

All of this talk about MuppetVision*3D has reminded me of something that’s been bothering me since I saw the Fathom Events rerelease of “The Muppet Movie”. The movie itself is wonderful. Of course it is; it’s the Muppets. But I couldn’t help but be distracted by several technical issues with the film. I’m talking a clear shift in visual and audio when Kermit and Piggy are at the restaurant, and most distressingly, a big black spot of ruined film against a blue tinted sky during the entire campfire scene up to the Electric Mayhem’s arrival (including Gonzo’s performance of “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday.”). Even when ignoring those issues, the picture quality is so distractingly grainy. I’ve recently seen “Jaws” on the big screen. “Jaws” is four years older and doesn’t look nearly as bad. Heck, fathom recently rereleased both “My Fair Lady” and “Lawrence of Arabia” in theaters; both films are more than ten years older than “The Muppet Movie” and both films look significantly better.

Here’s the part where I can’t help but wonder if I’m going crazy or just seeing things: after I saw “The Muppet Movie” I was so distressed that I wanted to do something and so I tried to find a copy of “I’m Going to Go Back There Someday” on YouTube. I found it. I did not see a black dot against a blue tinted sky. Indeed, there was no blue tinted sky at all; it was completely black. I tried finding my old VHS of “The Muppet Movie” to compare with what is presumably the DVD release, but my search has so far been fruitless.

I really didn’t want to say anything because I wasn’t sure if my mind was playing tricks on me or not. It’s possible that this is all in my head and I’m just imagining things. But now that MuppetVision might be gone forever, I can’t help but feel that I ought to say something on the off chance that someone saw what I did.

If on the off chance I’m not completely making this up, I know that while Disney owns the Muppets, Sony Pictures owns the theatrical distribution rights for “The Muppet Movie.” I am not familiar with rights laws and so I’m not sure which of the two companies would have the power to restore “The Muppet Movie” to its former glory (again, assuming that it needs it). Regardless, now that the Muppets are back in the spotlight, I feel like now is the time to speak up.

If anyone saw the Fathom Events release of The Muppet Movie, did you notice quality issues with the film negative?

[blackfilmgaze]

Chameleon Street (1989) dir. Wendell B. Harris Jr.

[standupcomedyhistorian]

Happy Halloween! Please reblog this post with any Bo Burnham or comedy-related costumes 😎

I'm rocking "MY FAVORITE POSITION?—CEO" with a yinyang black choker (kinda a combo of Bo stuff there, seeing as how he made a rap with T.J. Miller called "Ying Yang Friends" haha)

And here's a fun TRUE fact about me:

I was an Executive Producer on the restoration of Manos: The Hands of Fate! 🙌🏼

You might not recognize the title, but this movie is considered one of the worst ever made (and BOY is it hard to watch without MST3K riffing on it)!

So, yeah my ex-husband worked on the legal paperwork for the restoration—including handling the public domain status dispute—and, as a result, we both were credited on the Blu-ray version (pretty cool!). You can read more about it here.

I don’t know if it’s controversy or if it exists in one guy’s head. But so be it. We did have to do our homework and make sure the film was in the public domain. And even after we’ve done all that, one of the sons of the director of the film seems to believe he owns it. He was never able to prove that, but we had to take it seriously because we got a cease-and-desist from him.

So my intellectual property lawyer and I gave it due diligence and it seems that the threat is no more. It’s too bad because I know this fellow has some interesting stuff to share about his dad, but in order for him to share it he would have to admit that he doesn’t own the movie. But that probably won’t happen.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great Halloween, and keep it here for more comedy fun! ✌🏼🐔

[thebaltimoreyoudontknow]

Did you know Eubie Blake was born in Baltimore?

[waste-it-on-something-useful]

The Cassandra Cat (Czech: Až přijde kocour, also known as When the Cat Comes, 1963), directed and co-written by Vojtěch Jasný, cinematography by Jaroslav Kučera

[subterraneanna]

Before and after restored film frame, Star Trek: The Original Series, "Spectre of the Gun"

DeForest Kelley breaking the fourth wall.

BTW the expressions in this restored frame from the same episode make more sense after seeing the recently unearthed season 3 blooper reel.

[filmnoirfoundation]

The NOIR CITY 2023 Annual is now available to purchase on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3XGN58U

The best of the best from the Film Noir Foundation's 2023 NOIR CITY Magazines, is here—essays, profiles, interviews, and appreciations of classic and modern noir films from today's top writers. This year's contributors are Imogen Sara Smith, Danilo Castro, Rachel Walther, Jake Hinkson, Vince Keenan, Steve Kronenberg, John Wranovics, Jeremy Arnold, Peter Tonguette, Wallace Stroby, Andy Wolverton, Thomas Burchfield, Ben Terrall, and Eddie Muller. Book layout and design by Michael Kronenberg. And, as with any purchase from the FNF, when you buy the NOIR CITY Annual 16, you'll be helping fund the non-profit foundation's film restoration efforts.

[thesapphocinephile]

Who do I need to talk to over at Warner Brothers to get them to release more restored old movies on Blu-Ray?

If it's a public domain is an issue, then just teach me how to do it, please

[everydayesterday]

FIlibus (1915) [also known as Filibus: The Mysterious Air Pirate].  dir. Mario Roncoroni, starring Valeria Creti.  

A restored version of the film by Milestone Films, with English intertitles, is available on Kanopy.  The restoration was expertly done and looks amazing for such an old film.