I think It's brilliant work considering this project was reputedly started and and stopped over a period of several years.

Baracine, a eternal colorization lover :-)

Well, they didn't said their own work was natural, and said that was colorization intended to finish a work. We need to learn apreciateba art intent, even than not perfect or fully natural, considering they had limited resources and even more limited technology.

Baracine, do you have the special edition of Casablanca DVD?
I want to do a audacious colorization, and in the special edition DVD there is some scenes of a color series from 80's, using very similar sets to the original film, in special Rick's Cafe American. I have a great still in high resolution, and would like to colorize using as reference the color footage of the 80's series.

It's this still that I want to colorize:http://www.doctormacro.info/Images/B...blanca)_06.jpg
Screen captures could help make it austanding.

No, I don't have Casablanca...

Well, the VCI 2-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition is coming out October 23, 2007:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=30406

http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/image...PL._SS500_.jpg

It looks like a doozer: completely restored image from the original negative, 2.0 and 5.1 stereo remixes, plus a 16x9 anamorphic version and the previously released VCI colour version (based on the unrestored film). And a bushel of supplements and commentaries...


The package also includes:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/image...89381061_4.jpg

IMDb Member Carcosa added this valuable piece of information in the "Alastair Sim's A Christmas Carol" thread:

Check out the great image quality of the 1938 version: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...dvd_review.htm

Probably the original camera negative, or great preservation fine grain safety copy, survived to a such good image.

The LEGEND disc of the 1935 edition of SCROOGE starring Seymore Hicks is apparently scheduled for a 10/30 release...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ima...0088963&sr=1-6

Third colorization version of It's a Wonderful Life 1946
 

Legend Films finished the a new colorization version fro Paramount Pictures, of the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

This is the thrid colorization version, since thewre was a 1986 and a 1989 colorization versions of the film. The 1989 colorization was made by American Film technologies, former company of Barry Sandrew, prior to Legend Films rise.

I found this message from Barry's post in a forum:

"Suffice it to say that all the B&W classics Legend Films colorizes sell 10 to 100 times the number sold in black and white. There most certainly is an audience that prefers the choice.

One huge advantage to colorization that escapes most people is the fact that it subsidizes the restoration of the black and white version. There is no incentive for any distributor of public domain DVDs to transfer public domain films to high defintion and then do complete restorations. All DVDs released by Legend Films include both the restored B&W versions as well as the colorized versions. They are the best B&W versions available anywhere.

Capra actually wanted to colorize "It's A Wonderful Life". In fact, his signed contract to colorize the film (using the first, infierior colorization process) is currently held by Michael Agee of Hal Roach Studios. The company Capra approached, Colorization, Inc. decided to do the colorization without him because it was in public domain and they were not obliged to pay him an upfront fee to colorize the film. Not a smart move on the part of Colorization Inc. because it made an adversary out of an ally.

The special effects icon, Ray Harryhausen chose to colorize his black and white classics with Legend Films so that he could finaly see his films the way he originally envisioned them... in color using his own color design."

I got this from Wikepedia:

" The Colorization

Two colorized versions have so far been produced. The first, by Hal Roach Studios in 1986, was poorly received. The second was authorized and produced by the film's permanent owner Republic Pictures in 1989, with better results. They are widely considered by some as inferior to the black and white original, and are often held up by opponents of colorization as examples of the flaws associated with the process. In the scene of the dinner table chat between George and Peter Bailey, for example, James Stewart's shirt is conspicuously pink. For many years, television stations paid substantial royalties to show a colorized version, figuring that color would attract more viewers. Both Capra and Stewart lived long enough to take a critical stand on the colorized editions (Capra passed away in 1991, Stewart in 1997). The initial colorized versions of the film have since been withdrawn, and the only version shown on TV and available on the current Republic/Paramount DVDs is the original black and white version. On November 13, 2007, Paramount will release a two disc special edition DVD of the film that will have both the original theatrical black and white version, newly restored, and a brand new third colorized version, the first in high definition, produced by Legend Films using the latest technology."

Did Capra also criticized the second colorization edition?? None of the 2 colorized editions had Capra color preferences???

Image comparison from prior available B&W realises on DVD: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcom...derfullife.htm

Quote:
Originally Posted by Upper pylon 3
It's 2008!! Can you give us a timeframe or any details at all about more Little Rascals dvd's?

"It came from Beneath the Sea" and "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" are both out in a colourized version supervised by Ray Harryhausen. Reactions are mixed as, apparently, the B&W transfer of "Earth" is inferior to its preceding OOP 2002 edition. Both have bumped-up 5.1 sound.

See:

"Earth vs.The Flying Saucers":
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...ng_saucers.htm

The old B&W transfer shows more image and shadow detail:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...20PDVD_000.jpg

The new B&W transfer is outrageously overcropped:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...bwPDVD_002.jpg

The new colourization mirrors the new B&W transfer:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...lor%201427.jpg

...but the colours are pretty:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...lor%205842.jpg

"It Came From Beneath The Sea": http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...th_the_sea.htm

The old B&W transfer...

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...me%2010015.jpg

... is inferior to the new one:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...20PDVD_020.jpg

and the colours are pretty:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...20PDVD_026.jpg

Thanks for the posting. I am glad I hung on to my original box set of these films. Looks like the original may have a boost in contrast but it DOES look preferable to me. Since the colorized film isn't a big deal to me, I guess I'm better off.

Some of the colorized screen shots are pretty amazing...especially the saucer above the fire....

The Golden Gate capture show that thewy forgot to add a gradient compensation in color, to si8mulate the colors gradualy fadding along distance, since the large distance create a fog effect. Legend Films technology have some dificult with fogs, gradient fogs, few gases.

Hey Barry...how about letting us know when Legends plans on releasing more JOHN WAYNE IN COLOR sets...thanks!

this dvd as well as the new cuts of star trek got nominated for most controversial moment of 2007.

Rondo Thread

"Suffice it to say that all the B&W classics Legend Films colorizes sell 10 to 100 times the number sold in black and white. There most certainly is an audience that prefers the choice."

Sorry, I'm calling bullshit on this unless it's only applying to stuff Legend Films has worked on.

Hey Barry,

I see Legend is releasing the Fleischer classic Mr. Bug Goes to Town (under the horrible title - Bugville). As this animated feature is already in color, what exactly is Legend doing with the film beyond restoration?

I'm a big fan of this film and am looking forward to it.

I resimulate the 2 color technicolor simulation used in The Aviator:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5...rvs2colbc2.jpg


And tried it out on the legend Films colorization of It's a Wonderful Life:


http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5...and2coplp5.jpg


http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7...and2coplf2.jpg
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7...4cd1c73dc3.jpg


http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/7...and2copkh7.jpg

I'd be interested in this as well...

I thought I read where Legends had scheduled more Lone Star films to be out by the end of 2007?

They wouldn't have made such a major film in Cinecolor (which was the only prominent 2-strip process at the time). 2-strip by 1946 was something only B-movies and some westerns at the time. It's a Wonderful Life would have been full 3-strip Technicolor if it were a color production.

That scene in The Aviator looks like 2-strip because it was the best technology for that time period (1928-1930). Hence, why the later 1930s and 1940s-1950s scenes lose the 2-strip look.

This technolocor film was made with such strong make-up and the final color balance in a way that make it look like a colorized film:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...20PDVD_006.jpg

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...20PDVD_007.jpg

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDRev...20PDVD_004.jpg

More and review at:

http://64.233.169.104/search?sourcei...dvd_review.htm

-

Getty Images without watermaks.
 

Does anybody have access top Getty Images files without watermark?

There are grat images there, but I can't get the versions without watermark to colorize:

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/716...lasses3nl5.jpg


This is the famous screwball comedies actress Carole Lombard

A colorization I did of a early Photography of Jimmy Stewart:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4...rizedloeo9.jpg

Finally a colorization of Charles Chaplin, as Carlitos:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1...ncolorsrb7.jpg

Barry, (or anyone in the know)

Can you tell me if a timeframe for the 2008 Little Rascals dvds has been set? Any details as to what shorts will be included or how many? I'm anxiously awaiting this. The first volume was quite good.

And Barry posted this a year ago, and no sign yet of any new "John Wayne In Color" releases...

Maybe Legend films it's too busy now, colorizing the 1932 classic Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, directed by Rouben Mamoulian:

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2...ecolor6qn1.jpg
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/2...6cecc3ee17.jpg

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3...sjhyde3no9.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3...133e7af004.jpg

I'd like to announce my new company, Fable Movies. We're more than happy to present alternate versions of films in glorious black and white. Our grayscale artists have made every effort to match the equivalent shades of black and white to match all the colors of the rainbow. We have also conformed all projects we are working on to the classic 1.33:1 standard aspect ratio. We're sure that the filmmakers would have made their films the way we're making them look, not to mention being proud of our work!

Some of our projects in the pipeline:

The Wizard of Oz

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5841/ozfmfy7.jpg

Our enhanced edition features Dorothy, Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they follow the Ash Grey Brick Road to the Silver City.

Slate Gray Velvet

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8716/bvfmpx0.jpg

Thanks to our innovative color deprocessing system and expertise in reframing, avant-garde film fans can appreciate David Lynch's 1980s classic in a new way. Here, fans can get a better look at the drapery and Dean Stockwell's suave jacket arm, while leaving his actual face out for dramatic effect.


Lawrence of Arabia

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/574/loafley3.jpg

I've always felt that David Lean's Oscar-winning film would be more interesting without all those blues and tans cluttering up the image. Not to mention that ridiculously wide frame that simply doesn't fit on televisions well. For that great shot in the desert at the well, we can finally allow Lawrence's guide to get more deserved screen time. And those camels, too.