Recent Film Restorations

[colinr0380]

Reviews on Letterboxd and elsewhere state that Jackson asked the audience to stand for the God Save The Queen intro, which was only on uncut Braindead prints, not Dead Alive in either R-rated or unrated form. Of course, that doesn’t stop him from having made further changes…

Since we were speaking of soundtrack clearances on the other thread, I have my fingers crossed that whatever happens the film will still be able to include the Archers theme playing on the radio during the initial zombie mother attack sequence in Braindead! That's definitely important for the comedic value of that scene!

[beamish14]

It’s amazing that the original New Zealand release-version of Heavenly Creatures has never been seen again since 1994. Presumably, that’s the cut he’ll also be restoring in 4K

[dwk]

What is the difference between the 109-minute cut of Heavenly Creatures that Lionsgate (licensed from Miramax) released on Blu-ray and the original New Zealand release?

[Stefan Andersson]

Restored Patrice Chéreau films:
Judith Therpauve
L´homme blessé
Hôtel de France
Ceux qui m´aiment prendront le train
Gabrielle
https://www.malavidafilms.com/cinema/pa ... aucineaste

[Lowry_Sam]

More great news! I gave up on an English friendly blu-ray of Those Who Love Me Can Take The Train over a decade ago. Maybe there’s still hope.

[Stefan Andersson]

Denys Arcand films restored:
Dirty Money
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/dirty-money
Rejeanne Padovani
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/rejeanne-padovani
Gina
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/gina

[Matt]

More great news! I gave up on an English friendly blu-ray of Those Who Love Me Can Take The Train over a decade ago. Maybe there’s still hope.

One of my most-hoped-for rescues. This year has already given me In My Skin and Read My Lips, so let's keep them coming!

[Lowry_Sam]

Denys Arcand films restored:
Dirty Money
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/dirty-money
Rejeanne Padovani
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/rejeanne-padovani
Gina
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/gina

Well that's a start, but I would've thought Jesus Of Montreal & The Decline Of The American Empire would've garnered some attention by now. I picked up Barbarian Invasions in the early days of blu-ray, but it could probably use an upgrade.

A few more I'd love to see:

Laurent Cantet:
Time Out/L'emploi du temps
Human Resources/Resources Humaines

Francois Ozon: 8 femmes UHD or at least a blu-ray with English subtitles (with at least some of the extras from the 3-disc special edition)

Andre Techine:
J'embrasse pas
Ma saison préférée

Emilie Deleuze:
Peau Neuve

Denis Villenue:
Maelstrom
Un 32 août sur terre
Cosmos

Sébastien Lifshitz:
Presque Rien

Christian Faure:
Un amour à taire

[beamish14]

A 4K restoration of Robert Altman’s Popeye is making the rounds

[zedz]

It’s amazing that the original New Zealand release-version of Heavenly Creatures has never been seen again since 1994. Presumably, that’s the cut he’ll also be restoring in 4K

Heavenly Creatures restoration was screened last year. I don’t know what’s happened to it since.

[beamish14]

Denys Arcand films restored:
Dirty Money
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/dirty-money
Rejeanne Padovani
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/rejeanne-padovani
Gina
https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2025/gina

Well that's a start, but I would've thought Jesus Of Montreal & The Decline Of The American Empire would've garnered some attention by now. I picked up Barbarian Invasions in the early days of blu-ray, but it could probably use an upgrade.

A few more I'd love to see:

Laurent Cantet:
Time Out/L'emploi du temps
Human Resources/Resources Humaines

Francois Ozon: 8 femmes UHD or at least a blu-ray with English subtitles (with at least some of the extras from the 3-disc special edition)

Andre Techine:
J'embrasse pas
Ma saison préférée

Emilie Deleuze:
Peau Neuve

Denis Villenue:
Maelstrom
Un 32 août sur terre
Cosmos

Sébastien Lifshitz:
Presque Rien

Christian Faure:
Un amour à taire

4K restorations of both Decline of the American Empire and Jesus of Montreal have screened in the last few years. Canadian cinema in general is just horribly neglected, even within Canada

[brundlefly]

Restoring Do Bigha Zamin (Bimal Roy), in cooperation with Criterion/Janus:
https://filmheritagefoundation.co.in/th ... s-of-land/

"other classics of Bimal Roy like “Devdas”, “Madhumati” and “Bandini” /.../ are in the process of being restored.” (with Criterion/Janus).

Just seeing this great news. Of these, I've only seen Madhumati as I was going through a series of reincarnation films, one of those depressing experiences where you could see that the film was beautiful and atmospheric and had survived as anything but. Criterion will take an eternity to dribble them to disc, if they ever even bother, but the hope they might land and stay on the channel to stream (and without a watermark!) is good enough for now.

[dwk]

It may have changed, but the initial word on the Bimal Roy titles was that the films' rightsholder kept the streaming rights. If that is still the case, then I'd expect Criterion to get them out on disc faster than they normally do.

[brundlefly]

<shakes fist at sky> Shemarooooo!!!!!

Thanks. Can't imagine we'll get a box from this, though there is the Sembène/Widerberg/Zetterling route. Because Janus is involved, I guess the FHF-Second Run connection's out.

[beamish14]

Araki’s Mysterious Skin in 4K

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Restoring Do Bigha Zamin (Bimal Roy), in cooperation with Criterion/Janus:
https://filmheritagefoundation.co.in/th ... s-of-land/

"other classics of Bimal Roy like “Devdas”, “Madhumati” and “Bandini” /.../ are in the process of being restored.” (with Criterion/Janus).

Just seeing this great news. Of these, I've only seen Madhumati as I was going through a series of reincarnation films, one of those depressing experiences where you could see that the film was beautiful and atmospheric and had survived as anything but. Criterion will take an eternity to dribble them to disc, if they ever even bother, but the hope they might land and stay on the channel to stream (and without a watermark!) is good enough for now.

Madhumati stars Vyjayanthimala who is the most underrated actress of all time in my eyes. She’s insanely good in Amrapali from 1966 which I saw on Netflix and might still be on there.

[Stefan Andersson]

The Cat and the Canary (1927), new UHD/SDR master from Photoplay. 4K restoration from original nitrate prints:
https://www.hometheaterforum.com/commun ... 4/page-864 - see post 17,279

Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Grosstadt, Ruttmann, "Preserved and restored by The Museum of Modern Art":
https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/10735

[Stefan Andersson]

Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations Volume 2, Kit Parker:
https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic. ... 9b#p306590
8 restored shorts, plus silent and alternate versions.

[Stefan Andersson]

Restoring Sunset Boulevard:
https://immersivemedia.substack.com/p/c ... irect=true

[A Tempted Christ]

Two Beyzaie shorts:
Uncle Mustache (1970)
https://www.dreamlabfilms.com/uncle-mustache/
Journey (1972)
https://www.dreamlabfilms.com/journey/
https://festival.ilcinemaritrovato.it/en/film/safar/

Mehrjui's The Postman (1972)
https://festival.ilcinemaritrovato.it/en/film/postchi/

[Stefan Andersson]

Batang West Side:
https://www.bam.org/film/2025/retored-a ... -west-side

[Calvin]

Batang West Side:
https://www.bam.org/film/2025/retored-a ... -west-side

Kani have already released it on Blu-Ray

[criterionsnob]

Manoel de Oliveira's first film Aniki-Bóbó 4K Restoration Trailer.

[Stefan Andersson]

The Maltese Film Works, upcoming restorations:
His Glorious Night, Affairs of Anatol, Beau Geste, Miss Lulu Bett, The New Klondike
https://www.maltesefilm.com/current-projects

Videos:
https://www.maltesefilm.com/videos-2-1

[Stefan Andersson]

Revivals section of 2025 NYFF:
https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff/daily/63r ... announced/