Cited Work

Beyond The Rocks (1922)

Restoration by

Nederlands Filmmuseum + Cineco/Haghefilm

Duration

82'

Restoration premiere

2005

Country of Restoration

The Netherlands

Synopsis

Theodora Fitzgerald (Gloria Swanson) is an English rose, who marries an elderly millionaire to support her impoverished family. Lord Bracondale, her true love rescues her from a variety of incidents. Despite the passion for each other Theodora is not willing to give up her marriage. In the end her husband finds out about the love affair and sacrifices himself in favour of her happiness.

Reasons for Submission

The discovery of Beyond the Rocks was a world wide sensation. From almost decomposing nitrate emulsion found amongst thousands of rusty cans the film is now digitally restored and images are brought back to their former glory. With a specially composed modern score, the film was brought to contemporary audiences in theatres all over the world and will be distributed on dvd.

Cited Work

Black Narcissus (1947)

Duration

102'

Restoration premiere

May 2005

Country of Restoration

UK

Synopsis

Filmed in 1947, Black Narcissus is probably the Archer's most famous and critically acclaimed feature. The story, based on a novel by Rumer Godden, concerns a group of Anglo-Catholic nuns in the Himilayas who struggle with climate, morale and one of their number who goes mad with sexual frustration. The film went onto win Oscars for Photography (Jack Cardiff) and Art Direction (Alfred Junge) at the 1948 Academy Awards.

Reasons for Submission

The only protection film element held by Granada International for this subject was a badly fading CRI, made in the early 1980s. Accessing the Original 35mm Yellow, Cyan and Magenta Nitrate Camera Negatives from the BFI, and over the course of 18 months, each colour record was painstakingly triple-printed to make perfectly registered, safety-based film elements used to produce both new 35mm Prints and a Spirit Datacine transfer of the feature in High Definition. This transfer was then extensively digitally restored removing literally thousands of defects leaving the image looking as pristine today as it was when first produced.

Important restoration of a widely acknowledged classic. Nitrate elements printed at Technicolor Laboratory - for the first time in decades - using original registration cards dating from 1947. Newly produced 35mm Prints used in 2005's Cinema re-release. The look and colour of the HD version was guided and endorsed by two double Oscar winners - renowned Editor, Thelma Schoonmaker-Powell (the widow of Director Michael Powell) and the film's Cinematographer, Jack Cardiff. High Definition transfer exhibited and critically lauded at the Cannes International Film Festival, May 2005.

Cited Work

Mitchell and Kenyon Collection (1900-1913)

Duration

28 hours

Restoration premiere

2005

Country of Restoration

Synopsis

Preservation project undertaken 2000-5, on the Mitchell and Kenyon collection (800 Edwardian nitrate negatives): Film duplication of restored images from original, fragile materials (see Road to Restoration featurette on enclosed DVD; and enclosed published essay) Production of new master and intermediate film elements. Production of screening prints. Production of speed-corrected Digital Betacam of entire collection Production of Hi-Defintion masters of selected items, for theatrical distribution/DVD Made available through BBC series, DVDs, theatrical screenings and www.screenonline.org.uk

Reasons for Submission

A very ambitious, technically challenging, preservation project. Results of extraordinary, acclaimed, quality. Materials for all purposes: new 35mm preservation masters, prints and HD for screenings, Digibetas for broadcast. Caught the public imagination, drawing attention to complexity and importance of preservation. See: References within series The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon; Featurette The Road To Restoration on DVD Electric Edwardians; Presentations on archiving of the collection at National Film Theatre and elsewhere; Detailed study of process and implications in book The Lost World of Mitchell and Kenyon: Edwardian Britain on Film.