Potential Let It Be Restoration Project?

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Onkster II
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Re: Potential Let It Be Restoration Project?

Post by Onkster II »

I’d be surprised if this piece of film hasn’t gone pink.
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Eric_Manchester
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Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:44 pm

Re: Potential Let It Be Restoration Project?

Post by Eric_Manchester »

As others have noted, this is a small portion of a theatrical print. It has been blown up from 16mm and cropped to a 1.85 aspect ratio, so it's not the best source from which to do work. The listing is incorrect when it says the print is stereo. All prints of the movie were mono. Optical stereo didn't exist at the time. It's also (I think) way over-priced. Of course, anything is worth whatever someone will pay for it, but almost 700 pounds for about a third of a reel is an awful lot.

One good thing about it is that all original prints of LET IT BE were dye-transfer Techincolor, so the color does not fade. It will not go pink. The colors today look the same as they did when the print was made in 1970. The photos show that it's a US print, and the last photo reveals a fair amount of wear (to be expected, since that photo is taken from the very end of reel 2; the movie was on five reels).

As someone who works to preserve film, I'm saddened by the seller's suggestion that people buy the reel to chop up and sell as frames. To me, that's like someone buying a reel-to-reel copy of Abbey Road and cutting it into 3-inch strips to sell as Beatles mementos. There are a lot fewer reels of film remaining than there are reel tapes.

Work and real life interfere, but at some point I hope to delve into the whole theatrical film aspect of The Beatles and replace speculation with verifiable fact (and photos!). I don't mean to tease, but it's a big topic and I need a fair amount of prep time to get it assembled.
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paul62
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Re: Potential Let It Be Restoration Project?

Post by paul62 »

I remember a few years ago, someone was talking away at SH Forums about owning some reels of "LIB": not the complete film (and it was something that was "found in a dumpster" or something like that). I think the person was trying to sell it (I know one person who'd made enquiries, at any rate).
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