Question...

[pizat]

Im new to this whole Blu-ray thing (although i do own 22 BR 0 HDDVD), i just wanted to know how movie studio's bring in old movies (like the fifth element) and make them crystal clear? can anyone help me out?

[tron3]

Probably takes a guy like Wickywoo to give a complete answer, but I can tell you what I know.

In the case of film, like Metropolis, a guy went in an cleaned up high rez scans of the movie "frame by frame". Removing scratches, and touching up air bubbles, etc. When you watch the extras and see the side by side comparison, you have to wonder if it looked that good in 1926 when it was made. Truly amazing work and a labor of love.

Using sophisticated software, they "relight" the film. Sometimes make the scene brighter, or darker...or adjusting the chroma and color mix to natural levels. Plus cleaning the sound track, or recreating it in spots. Trying to preserve as much of the original as they can.

Probably similar to what they do with digital film, only they already have a high def digital archive on tape. Unfortunately, either film or tape degrades over time. So the older the film the harder to restore.

(HD) DVD and blu-ray will litterally last decades longer if properly stored. Only the age of the materials themselves will render the movie unplayable one day.

This is why you try to handle these things with clean hands by the edges as to not let rancid finger oil build up and cause decay at the atomic level.

Others can feel free to add or correct me.

[Blue]

Although this refers to DVD the process is the same for HD - just much more demanding, however for many older films they have been restored to HD, frequently much higher than Blu-ray (4K) then down converted to HD or down converted to DVD.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/httalksto/906talks/

[erowe83]

Originally Posted by tron3

Probably takes a guy like Wickywoo to give a complete answer, but I can tell you what I know.

In the case of film, like Metropolis, a guy went in an cleaned up high rez scans of the movie "frame by frame". Removing scratches, and touching up air bubbles, etc. When you watch the extras and see the side by side comparison, you have to wonder if it looked that good in 1926 when it was made. Truly amazing work and a labor of love.

Using sofisticated software, they "relight" the film. Sometimes make the scene brighter, or darker...or adjusting the chroma and color mix to natural levels. Plus cleaning the sound track, or recreating it in spots. Trying to preserve as much of the original as they can.

Probably similar to what they do with digital film, only they already have a high def digital archive on tape. Unfortunately, either film or tape degrades over time. So the older the film the harder to restore.

(HD) DVD and blu-ray will litterally last decades longer if properly stored. Only the age of the materials themselves will render the movie unplayable one day.

This is why you try to handle these things with clean hands by the edges as to not let rancid finger oil build up and cause decay at the atomic level.

Other can feel free to add or correct me.

Metropolis is out on hd?

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Blue

Although this refers to DVD the process is the same for HD - just much more demanding, however for many older films they have been restored to HD, frequently much higher than Blu-ray (4K) then down converted to HD or down converted to DVD.

http://www.hometheatermag.com/httalksto/906talks/

Dude, great article. Straight from the horses mouth.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by erowe83

Metropolis is out on hd?

No, no, at least not that I heard or had seen. I do recall from watching the extras on the restoration process that it was restored in high defintion. Remeber, traditional film is considered to be 4000 lines of resolution.

I'd love to have it and see the false Maria Robot in hi-def. I'm still half a model hobbiest, and my Metropolis Maria is on of my proudest modeling achievments. The wrong paint job would have ruined her.

http://culttvman.com/frank_p__decandia_s_maria.html

[pizat]

Thanks guys...great explanation and great website!!

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by tron3

Probably takes a guy like Wickywoo to give a complete answer, but I can tell you what I know.

In the case of film, like Metropolis, a guy went in an cleaned up high rez scans of the movie "frame by frame". Removing scratches, and touching up air bubbles, etc. When you watch the extras and see the side by side comparison, you have to wonder if it looked that good in 1926 when it was made. Truly amazing work and a labor of love.

(Unfortunately, the Giorgio Moroder cut was still better.)