"rereleasing film classics to bring in the masses": Times article

[Maurice]

Kevin Maher, The Times



"....starting with the release of SPARTACUS this week, films that would normally be reserved for marginalised movie clubs and repertory cinemas are suddenly mingling with the multiplex big boys. Classics are back in action, familiarity is de rigeur, and old-school is the new wave....



"The rerelease boom, however, is not just an accidental crush of golden oldies to be swept aside by the next delivery of new Hollywood baubles. It is an entirely new model of movie-going, and represents the sudden confuence of exhibition conditions, audience appetites and available product...."



John Letham, managing director of Park Circus (UK's largest distributor of classic films) which is rereleasing Powell and Pressburger's THE RED SHOES in December:



"I was at a screening of THE RED SHOES in Cannes this year. The audience were bursting into applause midway through the movie!"



LINK: http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle6472586.ece

[Steve Crook]

name='Maurice']"I was at a screening of THE RED SHOES in Cannes this year. The audience were bursting into applause midway through the movie!"



LINK: They’re back — and at a cinema near you - Times Online

They did, I was there

Cannes 2009 - The Red Shoes



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

Rereleasing epics isn't exactly a new trend - I saw Spartacus at the Odeon Marble Arch c1993.

[Steve Crook]

name='CaptainWaggett']I saw Spartacus at the Odeon Marble Arch c1993.

I saw Spartacus

(the old gags are the best ones)



Steve

[CaptainWaggett]

[Amethyst_Isle]

name='Steve Crook']I saw Spartacus

(the old gags are the best ones)



Steve

NO!! I saw Spartacus

(the old gags are worth repeating )

[alan gowdy]

name='Amethyst_Isle']NO!! I saw Spartacus

(the old gags are worth repeating )

Oh all right then.

"No, I saw Spartacus."

[batman]

[orpheum]

What you all forget is that till the 1970s the Classic chain was a rep chain showing lots of old films.I would ofetn go to the Classic Baker Street to see something like Midsummers Night Dream(1935)or as i have previously mentioned the Classic waterloo which after 3pm would fevert from a news cinema to show Will Hay,Arthur askey of Crazy Gang films.Now that would be an idea.Just imagine going to the cinema to see a double bill of Will Hay!

[batman]

name='orpheum']Just imagine going to the cinema to see a double bill of Will Hay!

Heaven!

[Sgt Sunshine]

name='Steve Crook']I saw Spartacus

(the old gags are the best ones)



Steve

I'm a bit slow Steve............you'll have to explain this one.....I'm sure its very funny.. when i get it

Sgt S

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Sgt Sunshine']I'm a bit slow Steve............you'll have to explain this one.....I'm sure its very funny.. when i get it

Sgt S

I am Spartacus

[batman]

name='Sgt Sunshine']I'm a bit slow

No .... I'm a bit slow.

[hhhhancock]

Spartacus knew my father, my father knew Spartacus!

[Bernardo]

Back to the subject!

I should think that with today's technology all that is required is to shove a DVD HD into a super projector to view on the big screen, the format the film was made for, but I believe the concept only works for kids (Disney's schedule of replays) as showings are a rarity.

[TimR]

name='Steve Crook']They did, I was there

Cannes 2009 - The Red Shoes



Steve

Have any changes been made since the Criterion DVD?

[Steve Crook]

name='TimR']Have any changes been made since the Criterion DVD?

Yes, lots. They went all the way back to the original three strip Technicolor negatives (not just the interneg) and re-aligned them with each other and with the soundtrack. Then they took it all the way forwards through the whole process to make the new print. They digitised it at incredibly high resolution to help with things like scratches. They spent about 6 years on it and it cost them a few million to do.



And it's well worth it. I've seen the nitrate print from the (American) Academy archive, that was very impressive. This is better. It's very sharp and clear, very clean and bright. The colours glow. But I loved that they deliberately didn't try to "improve" any of the mistakes or things where the original film was limited by the technology of the time. Like the cut as Vicky runs down the spiral staircase or the "smudges" on the masking when she starts to float through the air in the ballet. It would have been so easy to tidy those up with modern technology, but I'm so glad that they didn't.



It's being shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival on 18 June and at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater on 31 July - 2 August and will doubtless be shown at lots of other festivals and big cinemas. It's also going to be released on DVD and on Blu-Ray but it's best to see it on the big screen if at all possible



Steve

[Steve Crook]

name='Bernardo']Back to the subject!

I should think that with today's technology all that is required is to shove a DVD HD into a super projector to view on the big screen, the format the film was made for, but I believe the concept only works for kids (Disney's schedule of replays) as showings are a rarity.

All that is required? The biggest struggle is to get many of the classic films onto HD, or even regular DVD.



Steve

[TimR]

name='Steve Crook']Yes, lots. They went all the way back to the original three strip Technicolor negatives (not just the interneg) and re-aligned them with each other and with the soundtrack. Then they took it all the way forwards through the whole process to make the new print. They digitised it at incredibly high resolution to help with things like scratches. They spent about 6 years on it and it cost them a few million to do.



And it's well worth it. I've seen the nitrate print from the (American) Academy archive, that was very impressive. This is better. It's very sharp and clear, very clean and bright. The colours glow. But I loved that they deliberately didn't try to "improve" any of the mistakes or things where the original film was limited by the technology of the time. Like the cut as Vicky runs down the spiral staircase or the "smudges" on the masking when she starts to float through the air in the ballet. It would have been so easy to tidy those up with modern technology, but I'm so glad that they didn't.



It's being shown at Edinburgh International Film Festival on 18 June and at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater on 31 July - 2 August and will doubtless be shown at lots of other festivals and big cinemas. It's also going to be released on DVD and on Blu-Ray but it's best to see it on the big screen if at all possible



Steve

I will certainly try and find it.



I didn't especially like The Red Shoes as a whole, but the production and the color are stunning and I would very much like to see it on the large screen.

[Steve Crook]

name='TimR']I will certainly try and find it.



I didn't especially like The Red Shoes as a whole, but the production and the color are stunning and I would very much like to see it on the large screen.

Even if you don't like ballet it's a very interesting story about artistic dedication and collaboration. It's also a great tragic love story



Steve