Hey folks, Harry here... Ok - so Warners has finally gotten around to announcing that they've digitally restored the 1933 KING KONG to magnificent new starndards better than any modern audience has seen. But they're claiming to be doing a theatrical release of these prints, undeniably capitalizing on the publicity bonanza surrounding Peter Jackson's new one. I've also heard Warners is planning an astonishing multiple dvd on the original KONG - but whether they release that in conjunction with theatrical or the dvd release of Peter's Kong - is unknown. And as for them revamping and restoring CINERAMA - Glorry be!
O.K., so this isn't a breaking story on a new film in development or a script review but I definitely count this as cool news to all of us film geeks out there.
H.P.'s website news reports the following:
Warner Bros. Studios and HP breathe new life into classic motion pictures
Warner Bros. Studios and HP also announced that they have teamed to restore the 1933 classic motion picture "King Kong." One of the American Film Institute's 100 most beloved films and named to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, the original camera negative of "King Kong" has long been destroyed, leaving only elements and prints that have been deteriorating over the years.
Warner Bros. Studios has brought the best elements and prints from all over the world and has scanned them into a 4K digital file. Using HP's "dirt and scratch" technology, which was developed by HP Labs, the 72-year-old classic will be digitally restored to its 1933 brilliance. A new camera negative as well as new archival elements will be created so that the film will be saved for generations to come. This new, restored version of "King Kong," as it was originally released, will be screened theatrically and broadcast on television, as well as released on Warner Home Video.
HP has also invented a new film restoration process for Cinerama films that eliminates the "seams" visible from the old three panel Cinerama process as well as corrects the distortions in perspective that were inherent in the change from Cinerama's curved screen to a flat one. Tests have already begun on the classic MGM 1962 film "How The West Was Won," now part of the vast Warner Bros. Studios library.
Film geek extraordinaire,
Casual George
