This is topic Around The World in Eighty Days being restored in 65mm possibly. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Patrick J. McCart (Member # 1043) on 12-13-2001, 10:06 PM:
According to American Cinematographer, Pacific Title is restoring the 65mm Todd-AO version of Around the World in Eighty Days (along with 2001 and Cheyanne Autummn)Along with this AC article (it's on their website) and a lead from Turner Classic Movies (Robert Osborne stated after the first 2.35:1 TV presentation of the film on US TV on 12/12/01 that the film is being restored.) it looks like we'll finally see this film in its 70mm glory!
Pacific Title restored Superman: The Movie recently digitally.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-14-2001, 01:04 PM:
Interseting since the 30 fps neg of 80 days was considered unsalvagable a few years ago
Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-14-2001, 02:01 PM:
This is one of the great mysteries of film preservation. I have heard SO many versions about the condition of this film. I've heard the negatives were housed in one of the Michael Todd theatres in Chicago, and were slowly rotting. I asked James Katz about it at a presentation of REAR WINDOW, and he said the negatives were at Warners, but were in very bad shape. I've also heard that most of the negative was OK, but one of the reels had been laquered, making it unusable. I hope these new reports are reliable.Last I saw the film was in the early '80's, 24fps 70mm.
Not a great film, but one worth saving.
It is annoying that prints are being struck of some of these "restored" films, but play one engagement and then disappear. PATTON is a recent example. There are a few places around that could play these films and, possibly, make a bit of money.
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 12-14-2001, 02:22 PM:
Before the development of wet printing, lacquering of negatives was a common technique for "healing" scratches. Hindsight says that applying permanent coatings to camera negative films can be problematic, especially with poor storage conditions.------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-14-2001, 02:43 PM:
Are there many projectors that will run 30 fps ??
(Besides the Norelco)------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 12-14-2001, 03:20 PM:
Century JJ's will run 30 fps (at least with the orginally equipped motor.) So will Cinemecannica V8's.
Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 12-14-2001, 03:57 PM:
Also the Cinemeccancia V10 and the Bauer U2
Posted by Larry Myers (Member # 738) on 12-14-2001, 05:16 PM:
HiI thought that "80 Days" was shot with two 65mm cameras. One set at 30fps and the other set at 24fps. I also thought that the 65mm 24fps negative was used to produce 35 anamorphic prints only.
So there may be two sets of 65mm negatives. Maybe that's why all the stories.
Larry
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-14-2001, 06:33 PM:
Yes, there were two side by side 65mm cameras used to shoot it. There are indeed two sets of negs and I was also told that the negs were stored in the basement of the Cinestage Theatre in Chicago till sometime in the late 60's. The Cinestage was often called Mike Todd's laboratory theatre. I was in the Cinestage before it was demolished and even the Smell-O-Vision machine was still there in the basement. With modern digital techniques I'd bet it is possible to restore the 30 fps print. It would be very expensive to do, but hey, why not?
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Tao Yue (Member # 836) on 12-14-2001, 10:25 PM:
quote:
STAR TREK and PATTON are two recent examples.
Patton had the Academy screening, but Star Trek? I presume you mean Star Trek: The Motion Picture? Foundation Imaging rendered the new special effects only at DVD resolution to save time and money. The "Making Of" featurette made it clear that their models were very detailed (particularly the forming of the bridge to V'ger). But to re-render at 2K or 4K for a new print, they'd need additional funding from Paramount. I hadn't heard anything about them having gotten the green light, much less completed the work.
------------------
Tao Yue
MIT '04: Course VI-2, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Projectionist, MIT Lecture Series Committee
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-15-2001, 08:11 AM:
Just about any projector nowadays can run at 30fps with very little effort. Of the 70mm models currently available, all, that I am aware of, can be ordered with 3-phase motors. Some, like Kinoton, come with them standard. As such, with a motor controller, you can set the projector to run at any speed and even change speed on the fly. Some automations, most notably the EPRAD Ultimation, come with a special output and status to switch projector speed on the fly too. Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-15-2001, 11:42 AM:
I'm surprised. With as few films that employ 30fps, I'd think there wouldn't be much call for that option. Maybe I'm underestimating the amount of Todd AO out there?------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-15-2001, 12:09 PM:
not the amount of ToddAo but 30 fps is popular with some special venue stuff
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-15-2001, 12:26 PM:
The air museum in Seattle used to run a pair of Bauer U-2's with a 30 fps 35mm presentation. It looked darn good!
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-16-2001, 02:44 AM:
Greg:3-phase motors and projectors are not just about 30fps but more common being able to run at slower speeds too for silent films. 30fps is popular, sure but we have set up many projectors to run from 16fps to 30 fps (Simplex and Kinoton) primarily for the silent speeds.
This is becoming trendy in art/special venue houses.
Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-16-2001, 11:38 AM:
I can see then, how a projector like the Kinoton "E" with it's stepper motor drive could be pretty slick for all the different applications------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 12-17-2001, 08:47 AM:
Mark Lensenmayer writes:
quote:
I asked James Katz about it at a presentation of REAR WINDOW, and he said the negatives were at Warners, but were in very bad shape. I've also heard that most of the negative was OK, but one of the reels had been laquered, making it unusable. I hope these new reports are reliable.
I'd be very surprised if the lacquering makes it totally unprintable. After all, Harris and Katz were able to salvage an astonishingly good colour balance out of the very badly faded 'Vertigo' negatives, and I'm sure that similar miracles could be worked here, if someone is willing to throw enough money at the problem. The lacquer may have altered the colour cast of the negatives, or deformed the base or made it brittle, and there are ways of getting round all of these problems, but they ain't cheap. The 'Vertigo' restoration cost over $2 million, and I guess the executives who signed the cheque realised that something with Hitchcock's name on it couldn't fail to make that back, and more.
With 'Around the World' the risk would be quite a bit greater (although admittedly peanuts compared with the tens of millions that most new features cost to produce from scratch).
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 12-17-2001, 05:00 PM:
I install and look after a lot of art house venues. Normally we fit the machine with a three phase motor, install a Fenner inverter somewhere convenient, and with a little rotary switch on the pedestal you can select whatever speed it's been programmed to run at. The usual range is from 12 to 25 fps for 35mm, and 24, 25 and 30 fps for 70mm.
Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 12-18-2001, 02:59 AM:
PeteJust wondered why the 25fps speed for 70mm?