Video Asylum

"Citizen Kane"

24.91.201.174

rico

In Reply to: RE: My list would be pretty long, but for starters, right at the top... posted by Audiophilander on August 23, 2007 at 21:54:15

I realize that a high def trabsfer would be an improvement but are you implying that the current standard Criterion release needs contrast correction and digital cleanup? I thought they did a good job on this.

Follow Ups:

Yes; there are several issues with this release that need addressing; BTW, it's Warner, not Criterion. - Audiophilander 09:18:53 08/24/07 (1)
The two most discussed ones are the fact that by accident Lowry Digital's clean-up removed rain drops running down a window (misinterpreting them as artifacts) and the removal of too much film grain. In respect to the film grain issue, removal of film grain during the restoration process was intentional, but afterwards it was concluded that this made the film look too clean and video-like, exposing the budgetary limitations of Welle's production (Kane was originally produced for under $1,000,000).
Then of course there's the famous early sequence of the reporters in the projection room that should be in heavy shadow. In the original release the contrast was kept low enough that the viewer couldn't make out that Joseph Cotten was doubling as one of the reporters assigned to investigate Kane's death, but not so in the restoration.
In spite of the nitpicking (including the discussion of a 'wild hair' in the linked interview below), this is a wonderful film restoration and transfer for standard definition DVD, but another restoration will be required for HD. Citizen Kane was one of Lowry Digital's earliest major film projects and by their own reckoning they acknowledge that they've learned a lot in the interim.
- Kane restoration (good read)... (Open in New Window)
Edits: 08/24/07
- RE: Yes; there are several issues with this release that need addressing; BTW, it's Warner, not Criterion. - rico 10:14:55 08/24/07 (0)
  Thanks, that was helpful. Now I do recall them saying that what they learned on "...Kane" allowed them to do such a fantastic job on "Casablance" (which really IS stunning).

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