I didn't think I would be very interested in your channel but I watched one video and I was hooked. The information is fantastic but what keeps me coming back is your rapport with each other on camera. Glad I found your channel!!
The part talking about opticals and Charlotte says she lost people because of the technical talk is actually the stuff I want to hear. More nerding-out technical details!!
Really nice job on the film! I wrote for The Perfect Vision Magazine back in the 90s when all this "restoration" research started for special laserdisc editiond. It was fascinating finding old reels that were mislabeled for years, etc. Some of the best stories were finding the old audio tracks and stems! I am a new fan of your channel! Bravo!
Favorite shot in this movie is when Carey walks Grace to her room , she enters and turns around. Her beauty is so extraordinary that it captures my soul every time. Wow, just thinking about it gives me shivers. Love this movie. One of my favorites.
I love that shot too! We actually talked about that shot but I ended up cutting the segment. That’s the first official close up of Grace in the film (at 40 minute in!) and it’s one of the things I love about how Hitch photographs women. He keeps you at a distance, until she makes the move on him.
Just watched the film for the first time today. I loved coming here to you afterwards. I geeked out regarding the opticals. What a dream project. Congrats on your accomplishment. A beautiful restoration and release!
I purchased this restoration after watching this video. This is a great movie and I can really appreciate how fantastic the film looks. I really enjoy your channel and learning about your work.
We know you are going to be happy! You can see so much more in the 4K, not just clarity, but original aspect ratio too. Those colors pop and the jewels glitter. -A
Thank you for not just watching our channel, but for supporting Charlotte’s work. It is more than just a job for her. We really appreciate fellow cineastes that support the work that fellow film lovers put into preserving film history. I read this comment to Charlotte earlier today and your kind words put a smile on her face. 4K really is an exciting new format, especially with HDR. And it is really a new way to experience your favorite films. -A
I just found your channel and it's great...very entertaining and informative. I loved your interview on Heath's channel and thought I'd take a peek here. I bought To Catch A Thief 4K in October and it is really, really fantastic...thanks for your efforts!
Found your channel because Heath had an interview with you... and now i dont have enough time to watch movies because of all the wonderful youtube channels..:-)
Oh man, I just stumbled upon the page and cannot wait to dig into the backlog! I must admit intense jealousy since you have one of my DREAM jobs. Working in film restoration is up there with "become a Rockstar" 😆 I'd really like to know how one gets into the field. I imagine its a real labor of love, but something that must be very fulfilling.
Welcome to the channel! There isn’t really a direct path into the field. I got in through Film Mastering, and then Archiving but others came through DVD, one through photochemical film work and another through a film program at UCLA. We’re a true bag of mixed nuts in every sense of the term! I’ll try to get the whole gang on over the next few months so you can hear everyone’s tale. -C
49:43 Yes, this was fun! It's great to learn more about film restoration, especially for such an iconic movie. I'm trying to collect as many of Hitchcock's titles in 4K as I can and have been slowly working my way towards this goal, so *To Catch a Thief* is now definitely on my radar. Congratulations on the restoration!
Really exceptional and interesting to me. I do appreciate the extended length and significant detail. I was always quite fond of this film, after being introduced to it via my grandparents' VHS copy, so very excited to see it in as close as is currently possible new print form. I have to think it's a very anxiety inducing moment to reveal your work to those who certainly believe they "know better", but your transparency is refreshing and educational. Subscribed
As always, very interesting--and I'm glad to know that someone that actually cares about film is in charge of these restorations. Question: when is the restoration video about White Christmas coming out? This is one of my all-time favorite movies. For so long, the movie looked faded out in various forms of home video. The blu-ray looked very good, but I always thought it should be a little sharper with more detail. I hope the new 4K disc is coming to the rescue! Thanks for all you do in service to these old films and to this old film fan!
Wow what an amazing job you have, restoring films. You are very lucky to have worked on "To Catch A Thief". And what a great channel this is. I ordered "To Catch a Thief" , and it arrived TODAY!! Yayyyy!! I've not yet watched it, but shall check into your channel once I've seen it, and shall give a response, but I KNOW it shall be 10 out of 10. I've also subscribed to your channel... (I am from England).. Thanks for your dedication and hard work on this Hitchcock title. Because its not owned by Universal, its one of Hitchcock's last MAJOR titles to get the 4K treatment. (Also looking forward to "North By Northwest" later this year) I know what you mean about process shots, and how the clarity of the 4K suddenly degrades during a process shot. It a good job you did not work on "GIANT" (1956) because about 1 quarter of that movie is Process! This sadly means that approx 1 quarter of that 4K disc looks VERY soft.
Great episode, so glad I found you guys. Perfect combo of basic stuff for casual TCAT fans and more detailed info for us nerds. I'm a huge fan of people talking about restoration work along with production info, going back to dearly commentaries/interviews by Robert Harris's on his pioneering work on Vertigo, My Fair Lady and Lawrence of Arabia (which have since probably been improved upon for 4k, I believe). One thing I don't understand about Paramount and other studios is their releasing streaming 4K versions such as To Catch a Thief, Chinatown, and others literally years before the physical media releases. It seems counterintuitive because hardcore fans will already have the digital version and may not want to double dip. In some cases I get they're waiting for "anniversary" year editions and I'd much rather have access sooner than later; still it seems weird. Thanks for the great watch; you have a new subscriber.
Hi, I watched the 4K Disc yesterday and it was stunning and shows the hard work you put into the film. It is easily the best it has ever looked. However the encoding/authoring on the disc was not the best and it struggled in some scenes. Not your fault I know but perhaps a friendly word with whoever is in charge with the disc authoring might help. Anyway it's a superb job you had done.
I caught your interview on Cereal At Midnight, very cool. I rented your restoration of Ragtime from the video store. I had never heard of it, but watched it the other night....loved it: James Cagney and Samuel L Jackson in the same movie? Between those two, that's like 100 years of cinema! Awesome. After watching this episode on TCaT, bought it, again....loved the work you did on. It looked absolutely amazing. We were so excited to see it in all its 4k VistaVision glory. Again, awesome. Thanks guys.
As an early telecine/colorist, thanks for the memories of working with producer's reps and newly appointed Home Video novices on trying to match colors from old production stills/posters or reversal film (Ektachrome with a blue cast,Agfa that had a warm cast and Fuji that had a yellow green cast, that was completely different from the faded magenta release print we were transferring on our new Rank Mark5. DaVinci was a twinkle in Digital's eye.Thank God we had match frame! Kept the actresse's dress red at the head so it didn't change to orange or pink at the tail of the picture.Most of my clients left me alone.They wanted to get back on the golf course or chase secretaries. Just keep the integrity.Set for skin colors, 7.5 on black level,red target on the scopes and usually every thing else fell into place. One of the reasons I got into tele cine was, I could thread up and sync the Rank with the interlock. I miss early video!
Great episode guys, really enjoyed this deep dive into the restoration of To Catch a Thief. My 4K disc arrives today, so that's tonight's movie sorted out. Oh and congrats to Charlotte on the HPA nomination for The Day of the Locust!
First time joining in! Had such a great time learning about the film. Will definitely be going back to listen to past episodes. Thanks for the honesty about the use of DNR. Based on those samples at the end it looks like slme amazing work was done!
Thanks for tuning in! I’ll really be curious to hear how many people think tons of DNR has been done on this one. My goal was to get ahead of the reviews and let everyone know there real story before myth becomes the narrative.
@PerfDamagePodcast That sounds like the best thing to do! Bet a lot of controversy over releases could be solved by doing this. I'm surprised there isn't more restoration essay/explanation bonus features in releases. That way, the people doing the actual work can give their technical explanations of why things look they way they do.
Charlotte and Adam. Thanks you so much on the behind the scenes details on the restoration of this incredible classic. Looking forward to getting a copy.
Is it a copyright issue that the clips you show in your discussions are not the result of the restoration you are discussing. For me as a cinemaphile and general fan of cinema it would be so much more interesting if I could see some before and afters, even if they are just still frames. Otherwise love theses discussions. Thanks!
I just found this channel and this is absolutely amazing and fascinating. So much terrific information and thanks for explaining why DNR and sharpening were used in the past. The new 4K of TCAT looks amazing! Now I’m going to have to deep-dive into past episodes…
I'm always loving tech-minded behind-the-scenes videos, because they allow to get a better grasp at things and how they're done : what I'm looking at, why it looks this way, and why it doesn't look an other way ! Always something to learn. On a specific topic : I've seen multiple people reporting the 2024 UHD of To Catch A Thief at least in part seemingly reuses shots that stems from the previous master (as seen on the 2012 BD). Could you detail us if that's the case, and if so, why ? I can imagine this video not going extremely technical either in order not to introduce multiple tech discussions to the general audience, but I wonder if you could give any additionnal info about this possibility Many thanks for any light you could shine on this ! I'm sure you can understand how this can seem like a non-negligible aspect of the purchase incentive if it turns out this new work in part isn't new, and how it'd clash with the statement that it's all sourced from the recent 6k scan of the OCN.
Thanks for watching! We’ve seen some of the conspiracy theories out there and to be honest they just make us laugh. Most (all?) film restorations use multiple sources, hence it being called a “restoration.” Otherwise if you’re just scanning one source and doing cleanup and color you’re just really doing a remastering of the negative. Replacing dupe or damaged material in a negative with better material found elsewhere is such a basic part of the restoration process. Even though we’ve told people that this is a new restoration, sourced from the 6K scan of the Original VistaVision negative, and that it hasn’t been DNR’d (except for a tiny bit on one shot!) there’s people out there that still don’t believe us, so what are you gonna do? Not sure if that answered your question!
@@PerfDamagePodcast Let me try and clarify myself ! I know that restorations often have to use multiple physical sources to reconstruct the movie. Actually, Paramount stated in 2020 that To Catch A Thief's OCN had sections using dupe negs, and that these were now replaced by YCM elements. As far as I know, it'd mean these sections at least aren't from the actual OCN. But that's not what I'm talking about. I've now seen the UHD of TCAT, and have compared it to the 2012 BD which I still own. Several shots, often outside ones, provide the exact kind of visual refinements I'd expect from going from a 17 years old master made from an IP (since the 2007 DVD and the 2012 BD share the same source, it means the work is at least dating from 2007) to a recent 4K restoration made from a 6K scan of the OCN, in particular in terms of sharpness and grain pattern. This is visible, for instance, at (timecodes are from the UHD) 4 min 25, 10 min 27 or 51 min 29 (non-exhaustive listing). What I'm talking about and asking is why several other shots on the UHD are not providing the same refinement at all, and instead share the same texture, grain pattern, geometry, and in some cases the same dirt particles, than the 2012 BD. During these shots, the UHD looks like it's re-using the same source that the 2012 BD, only now with a different framing and color-grading. Shots like these can be found at 13 min 07, 16 min 35, 32 min 35, and 50 min 13 (non-exhaustive listing). I can't explain how a recent high-end restoration from an OCN would randomly end up so close in terms of texture, grain pattern, etc, than a 17 years old work from an IP, to the point one could wonder if it's actually a different source. I'm trying to make sense of it, because again, I've compared both discs myself, my findings match what other people reported before that, and the UHD actually being a combination of both this new work and the older one is an explanation matching what I'm seeing. Could it be than the restoration you performed isn't what ended up on the UHD, whatever the reason ? I can provide more timecodes and illustrative screencaptures if required, in order to detail and demonstrate my concerns. I'm also wondering what happened on that Brigitte Auber shots around the 45th minute. I don't think that's the shot you're mentioning in your video where you did a 20% grain reduction, but it's visibly clear these shots have been importantly grain managed too. Again, since you're mentioning having slightly grain managed 1 shot, I'm wondering if maybe something happened in here too between what you've done and what ended up on the UHD ? Again, I'm just trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, and thought it'd be better to just explain what I saw, and try to understand why that might be. Sorry in advance if this looks inquisitive. It's not my aim. I'm only trying to get to the bottom of why the UHD seem so often so similar to the 2012 BD, when the restoration works sourcing those 2 discs are so different.
@@PerfDamagePodcast No one is claiming that patchwork isn't necessary. What we're saying is that using a 17 year old 2K master as the primary source for a 4K "restoration" of a 70 year old film is deceptive at best. You can label it a conspiracy theory all you want, but the available evidence (the actual contents of the actual discs) proves otherwise. The word of people with something to sell (the same people that claimed DNR was "minimized" on the last release of this film) means absolutely nothing.
Got the 4K UHD disc today and the restoration looks really great in most parts. Thanks for the fantastic work on this! And the encoding is, well, quite acceptable for a Paramount UHD. But what is going on in the shots of character Danielle Fourssard from 45:15 till ~47:00? It doesn't like these are opticals. Yet they look devoid of high-frequency detail, as if heavily digitally processed. Did these shots come out of the clean-up stage like this, or is there another explanation?
Those shots were shot on the studio lot, with rear projection and are not in focus. Trying to match the color of these shots to the location shots was super challenging. No DNR has been done here, the image is just -for lack of a better term- ugly.
I love this show! I was lucky to meet you two at Cinecon earlier this year after viewing Lady Wants a Mink (1953). I wonder if applying HDR to vintage films might explain why some makeup jobs look SO odd now. Are there subtle shadings in the colors that were masked photochemically but suddenly appear now in 4K scans from negatives or separations? Some vintage films I can see so much more fine detail on display but then can also see where some flesh tone makeup rubbed off on the actor's white shirt around the neck, or how an actor's neck and/or chest doesn't match their face - spot concealer on acne that now stands out - etc.
Hi! What a great question and there could be so many answers depending on the film. The resolution now allows us to see stuff that was formerly masked by the photochemical process. Also, I think a lot of color processes (like 2-color TruColor) just look a bit “weird” to our eyes now). There’s a lot of “makeup on shirt collars” in White Christmas! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcastI thought the White Christmas Blu-Ray was incredible, so I’m even more stocked for it in 4K. It’s an absurdly beautiful-looking film. I was surprised a whole new restoration in 4K was needed, but I’m sure for the long-term longevity that it was best to take advantage of the latest techniques while the elements still exist.
I enjoyed the background of the movie and the choices made in the restoration. The conversion to 4k seems to have a real art to it. The are lots of choices to be made and a challenge to make it look good without distracting from the movie itself.
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! There are so many choices, made by a small group of people in a very short window of time. And you are absolutely right- We nitpick and make tons of small changes hoping that you don’t notice any of them.
I can't wait to see the new 6K VistaVision remaster of TO CATCH A THIEF, although it's too bad you were stuck with the existing optical dissolves. It may be lesser Hitchcock, but the cast and the scenic splendor of the French Riviera and Monaco make up for that. I'm glad you've included the new stereo remix along with the original mono soundtrack, because Lyn Murray's score sounds great in 6-track sound. The limited-edition package looks terrific too.
Maybe we’ll find those opticals in a box one day. I didn’t even mention the worst one - the horrendous optical zoom at the end of the film when they’re at the costume ball - YIKES! The home media team did a really nice job with this the packaging on this one. I’m so excited for our disc to arrive today so we can see it in person.
Great episode! After looking at the scans and your work on professional monitors, what’s your opinion of the 4K image after it’s been compressed and mastered to UHD?
Thanks for watching! I’m not involved in the home media portion or disc authoring and so I haven’t seen the disc yet. We’re eagerly awaiting the mail to be delivered today to check it out!
Supercool feature with the background on the film itself and the information on the restauration. You convinced me to order the uhd and now i‘m full of anticipation to receive the disc and enjoy the film again … one of my absolute Hitchcock favourites!
So, disc arrived, just watched the film, it looks beautiful, the colours are wonderful … wow - and the cat on the roof is really heavy green. I like it very much. Thank you!
Also, THANK YOU for clarifying the whole VistaVision aspect ratio thing. When I found out White Christmas would be released in 4K at 1.85, I was confused because I thought VistaVision was 1.66, and I know all the previous releases were 1.78, so when I heard it was 1.85 (which is today's theatrical widescreen) I was confused.
Great video guys, nice balance of film history and snippets along with that all important restoration detail. Can’t wait to see your work on this Charlotte, I’m in the UK and no release here, so importing via Amazon so should be here in a week or so. Looking forward to the White Christmas video now! Cheers Dean
First time i saw TCAT, i didnt care for it.i gave it another shot several years later and watched a restored version and it became one of my top favorite Hitchcock movies
That was a really fascinating discussion, I'm really looking forward to watching the newly restored version. I'm a huge fan of Hitchcock films and can't wait to see the 4k restoration of North By North West too.
I just received the 4k blu-ray of the film. It looks great; your hard work is appreciated. Cary's shirt is still a challenge (why did he have to wear THAT shirt!). I had to turn off the "motion softener" on my 4k TCL set. That shirt was totally freaking out the tv. lol. The shirt still wants to shimmer a bit though. Oh, another observation (which I'm sure was out of your control) is that lame and overexposed image on the menu screen. They should have just used original poster art for that, like the image on the inside of the folded slip cover. Anyway, enough of my 2 cents. Great channel!
Watching several of your video's & you talk about colour matching the question I often wonder about how the colour of the projection print is effected by the light source, that is the use of the carbon arc DC or AC, incadesant lamp, I didn't consider xenon as it was introduced later on or the much earlier LimeLight.
Hello!!! What a fun episode. I wonder if you know whether Paramount+ is currently streaming this newly restored version or a previous one? My wife and I streamed it in our theater room and thoroughly enjoyed it. We opted for red wine while we watched. Cheers kids 🍷
Does the new 4K disc represent the work you did on the new restoration? The new 4K disc appears as if large sections of the movie have been sourced from the 2012 Blu-ray master instead of the 6K negative scans.
@@PerfDamagePodcast I have no doubt that some sections of the film were sourced from 6K negative scans. There are indeed breathtaking sections to be found here. But there are just as many, if not more, large sections identical in both texture and detail to the master used on the 2012 BD; a master dating back to the 2007 DVD. These sections differ only in framing and color grading.
Most discussions about restoration are far too brief when thrown in with special features on any given disc. Also not a whole ton of stuff on it internet-wise, either. So an entire restoration channel is a godsend, after only getting a couple minutes here and four minutes there on most sources. And... wait, what the heck is that Cereal guy Heath doing here?!
Great episode. Can’t wait to see the 4K disc. Also excited about the North By Northwest restoration. Another VistaVision film the you could look into is Loving You. Would look great restored.
Thank you! I’d love to restore Loving You, but sadly Paramount no longer holds the rights to the film. Hopefully whoever has the VistaVision negative is taking good care of it! -C
A very good discussion. Have you guys had the chance to review the final 4K disc yet? Curious to hear how it reflects the restoration you worked on. I received my copy of the UHD over the weekend and compared it with the two previous Blu-ray releases. It looks as though (aside from the new color grade and framing) much of the new 4K version is practically identical to the 2012 Blu-ray transfer, right down to detail and texture. Screenshot comparisons support this as well. From your discussion, it sounds like Paramount did do a new 6K scan from the OCN and that's what you worked with, so I'm wondering whether there was a mix-up down in the pipeline. Additionally, this is Paramount's second attempt at a 4K restoration. The previous one from 2020 was reviled for its excessive noise reduction and blue colors, so it's appropriate that you guys brought up DNR here given this film's recent home video history. Are you able to comment on that previous 4K version such as its sources and how it compares to the new work you've done? Thanks!
Hi, we watched the UHD disc and we think it looks great. The 2012 Blu-ray was sourced from a 35mm VistaVision Interpositive, so you should definitely see more detail in the new UHD disc. I’m focused on discussing the restoration featured in this video, as that’s the one I personally worked on. Thanks! -C
What a treat! I loved this movie so much that I pay homage to it (and other Hitchcock films) in my novel The Mirror Man (which i wrote as J.B. Manas). I even have a chapter set at the Carlton Cannes. Loved hearing these inside stories.
@prilljazzatlanta5070 cool! Hope you enjoy it. My nonfiction books were mainly on leadership lessons from history and some on project management. Not as exciting haha.
Great episode! I have been eagerly anticipating the release and it looks terrific! Just curious if you saw anything in your research discussing the pervasive hint of green running throughout the film besides the cat/night scenes--even the Carlton Hotel room walls in daytime have always looked a bit minty to me. Also curious about one other little thing--around 3:20 when Germaine goes from the back terrace into the villa, the 2012 release had a tiny bit of wobble in that tracking shot. Was that inherent in the original negative? This tracking shot on the UHD looks absolutely dead-on perfect now, so if it was a fix made as part of this restoration, it was subtle but the effort did not go unnoticed! Congratulations on a great job!!
What keen eyes you have! Yes, we did stabilize the tracking shot at 3 minutes in! It’s so funny you mention the green theme because we had a segment where we talked about it at length but I cut it for time. I never found anything in my research that called it out, but I feel there HAS to be some intention to it. Why else would there be green light spilling in through the kitchen windows in the restaurant scene? To me it seems that the green appears anytime there is suspicion of “the cat” activity, be it by the real or fake one. Is that what you’re thinking too? -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thanks for the reply! Yes I agree it must be intentional but I confess I do find it a bit distracting in places, like when Cary Grant walks onto the hotel beach and the hotel facade has that faint green tint to it. But then, I stop and think about South Pacific's color filters and I feel a little bit better about it! 🙂Anyway once you get immersed in the film your eyes adjust and color accuracy takes a back seat to the story. You and your team did a fantastic job on the colors and the HDR in this restoration! Compared to prior releases the blue skies are absolutely gorgeous, and the flower market REALLY pops!!
Love the movie and love the 4k clarity and correct aspect ratio but the color is better on the Blu-ray. The 4k looks slightly green tinged, noticeable in all faces and when you look at dirt it’s green
2:24 - looks like this trailer is actually a Technicolor print with the three colors slightly out-of-registration (misaligned). This also is the case with Hitchcock's Rope in the currently available version that I know of. I would love to see a restoration of this marvelous film, correcting this flaw. Anyway: thanks for this very informative video!
@@PerfDamagePodcast oh I knew you were aware of the registration issue, very obviously. Just thought I'd throw-in some nitpicking, which in fact is my deep admiration for people who do impeccable film restorations.
Loved this episode! I'm wondering if Charlotte was involved with the new White Christmas 4K restoration? I would love to hear her thoughts on it either way!
Thank you! Yes, I had the honor of overseeing that one too. We’re going to add a Part 3 to our videos about the making of White Christmas videos to discuss the restoration.
Really? I thought we did say more, but maybe we edited it out for time. It’s not anything that exciting, because really it just boils down to the fact that I just really like the film! Who wouldn’t want to work on something they really like every day? I’m a huge Hitchcock fan, and TCAT being the only prime Hitchcock film that Paramount still owns, makes it a no-brainer. I’m also always looking for films that would benefit from an HDR upgrade to recommend, and with the gorgeous scenery, jewels, fireworks, etc.. I knew this film would look great with a new HDR Transfer. It’s one I kept obnoxiously bringing up (not that I was alone, a LOT of people wanted to see this happen) and the stars aligned, the timing was right and we got to make it happen. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast It's just that other than it being an entertaining vehicle for two megastars with out off the charts charisma, I still consider it second-tier Hitchcock. So, I was interested in hearing your perspective and insights as to why you loved it so much.
Thanks for watching. As good as the Bluray was, the 4K is absolutely stunning. From sparkling jewels in Dolby Vision HDR to its original 1:85 aspect ratio, it is like seeing the film for the first time. As far as Steelbook, the only version I see on the horizon is a UK import, but that does not mean that if the disc is a success, they won’t release it again here in the US in a Steelbook.
I should have the senior preservation manager who oversaw OUATITW on to discuss the restoration along with a few others he’s worked on. I was involved but he was REALLY involved and always has fun stories to share!
@@PerfDamagePodcastif you ever need any help with editing or production on these vids, just let me know! This is the content people want to know about upcoming releases.
Great episode and really interesting to hear your comments. I’m wiser now about opticals and that was interesting that vistavision is prone to the horizontal scratch lines. A really fun Hitchcock movie and Grace Kelly just so stunning…..For a scene such as the mountain drive which has very obvious back projection as they hurtle around the winding road, do you have to do anything special in your process to preserve (or maybe improve upon) how that looks?
We’re so glad you learned something! Most of the issues with rear projection are baked in to the element so there isn’t much we can do but moan about how bad everything looks! Sometimes you can use what we call power windows to isolate part of the image to help match the color or balance things, but really there’s not much you can do. On a “newer” film you may be lucky enough to find the separate blue screens and background plates, but with older films that rarely happens. However- I did just find some of these for a film from 1968, so it’s isn’t completely unheard of! (Sorry can’t tell you the film, it hasn’t been announced yet!) it really just depends, film to film! Every project is so different and it really keeps things interesting. -C
This was an excellent discussion. Thank you! I also enjoyed the Technicolor videos. I really appreciated your insight into film restoration. As I understand, you are not involved in the disc authoring for home video releases. What would you say is the best representation of your work? Would it be a DCP? Regarding HDR use, we film fans just want something that looks like it was intended by the filmmakers. I do not necessarily think 4k UHD should "pop" just to be different from previous Blu-rays. That's not necessary. If the previous SDR grade reflects your best available color sources (IB print, IP, etc.), so be it. Regarding this film specifically, I can definitely see how HDR would be a benefit as I have no doubts that your IB Technicolor print source exceeds the color capabilities of the previous SDR grade.
Thank you! You are correct, I’m not involved in the authoring process but I think they did a great job with the disc. Don’t worry, I’m not adding things in HDR “just because I can” that’s completely against my principals. Think of it more in the way of showing more shadows and tones. With HDR you can show what’s in the shadow or outside a window, but should you? That’s the question you have to answer.
Was afraid to buy this because of the negative reviews from the 2020 re release. So thanks for the detailed information about color timing, hdr & most of all lack of dnr. :)
I found this extremely interesting. I have been a fanatic of Hitchcock for a long time. I did my high school English paper on his works. I did the course that TCM did on his works and saw a lot of his silent works for the first time. I really wish they were still doing those courses. I did the Film Noir, Hitchcock and Musicals. I have watched all the Hitchcock movies in every home video format and am very excited to see your work. I ordered it today. I haven’t watched the movie since the 2012 Blu-ray release. I didn’t pick up the 2017 restoration because of bad word of mouth. I am glad you did a new restoration. I will let you know my thoughts when I watch it. I would also like to hear about the Once Upon a Time in the West restoration because it was kinda controversial. I have it but haven’t had a chance to sit down and watch. Thanks again for a peak behind the curtain. I have subscribed to your channel.
Thanks so much for subscribing and welcome! We hope you like the new TCAT restoration. I’d like to get my coworker on who directly oversaw OUATITW to discuss that restoration, and a few others he worked on, in the near future. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast that would be great. I find the behind the scenes stuff fascinating. Looking forward to your video on the restoration of White Christmas as well.
I've owned every format of TCAT going back to VHS & LaserDisc. Very excited for this. Thank you for your efforts. Curious. Were you involved with the restoration Paramount did on "The War Of The Worlds" where Mars was blue? I'd be curious on how that actually happened?
@@PerfDamagePodcast Please do. I would be interested in how the recent War of the Worlds and When Worlds Collide were colour timed. The exteriors look great but the interiors look like they have a sepia tint to them and they are not as colourful as previous home video releases, especially on When Worlds Collide. It would be interesting to know if that was the original look. They both look superb by the way.
Will we ever see an HD restoration of Toll of The Sea 1922 with its two color Technicolor properly balanced like in King of Jazz 1930? That would be a great thing regarding the oldest suriving Technicolor film.
As fellow film lovers, we would love to see Toll of the Sea properly restored. Unfortunately that would have to be handled by an Independent company like Film Masters or Flicker Alley. They do amazing work. -A
I was just wondering? Will you two ever be doing a "Deep Dive" into the 1954 "A Star Is Born" - shot at Warner Bros in Cinemascope and Technicolor? There is such a huge complexed and problematic story to that production which is actually very similar to the "White Christmas" production (which I have just watched on your channel) [Bravo to that Video btw] . "A Star Is Born" began shooting in Warnercolor, and the Academy Ratio. Then, when Cinemascope became popular, ALL of the footage had to be scrapped. Also, Judy Garland and Sid Luft LOATHED the [muddy brown] Warnercolor system, and hence why they insisted on the more aesthetically pleasing Technicolor. I bought the Ron Haver book "The Making of A Star Is Born: and its 1983 Restoration". Sadly ASIB was not in VistaVision so I don't know if it is on your "list" of Deep-Dives? But it would be nice to think that one day you might do a video on it? Also, its a Warner Bros film, and not a Paramount - so Charlotte - I guess you won't be working on it? SUCH A CRYING SHAME COS WE NEED YOU ON THE JOB!!!!!!!! THE BIGGEST AND MOST horrendous issue, was the cutting of 27 mins of footage AFTER the premiere! Warner's cut this footage from the OCN, so now we seemingly DO NOT have a "complete" version of "ASIB", unless you two know of any "inside information" ?? Rumours abound that there are a couple of Technicolor Prints of the UNCUT version of ASIB 1954 in "private collections", but the collectors are too scared to release the footage for fear of recriminations of having Warner Bros footage in their ownership. The Garland fans were hoping for a 4K Release this year of ASIB, with it being the 70th Anniversary of its release, but so far - nothing has been announced? Personally (and hopefully) I am wondering if THIS is because Warner's are seeking-out the 27 mins of cut footage before they do a 4K scan?? In 1983 Ron Haver did his best to try to cobble together an approximation of the uncut film. He found a mono version of the COMPLETE soundtrack. He then found two of Garland's musical numbers: "Go Lose That Long Face" and "Here's What I'm Here For", and he found the "Trinidad Cocoanut Oil Shampoo" commercial that Garland sings within the film. But all of the "straight scenes" with James Mason and Judy Garland are still lost, and currently are still (on the bluray) covered over with "Stills" whilst the soundtrack runs, and we simply have to watch the Black & White Stills - and TRY to IMAGINE what is happening on screen... Do you guys know ANYTHING about is going on with "A Star Is Born" ?? A few years ago (AND I HAVE TO USE THE WORD "ALLEGEDLY" here, it was Michael Arrick who had a copy of the uncut version? NO idea if that is true? He is the guy who restored "Liza With a "Z" a few years ago, and blew it up from 16mm to 35mm, and restored it and released it onto DVD. Yours VERY hopefully David Alp -- England -- (Love you dogs btw, my profile pic is of my doggy called Flossie - she is having a good old sleep on the photo, haha) David Alp - UK
Hi David, Thank you so much for the kind words!!! You are my new favorite person! (On a side note, I feel an instant connection with you because my mother always called me “Flossie” when I was a child!) I’ll have to ask some of my archival friends to see if there are any new rumors about A Star Is Born, but you already sound like you know way more about it! Nevertheless, I’ll do a little digging. Regarding lost films or versions, I like to think this - it’s out there, we just haven’t found it yet. Then again, there’s always the option that for legal reasons some collector is keeping it hidden until X amount of time (or person) has passed until said lost version or film can exist without legal issues, is that makes any sense. Give Flossie a scratch for us and thanks for watching! -C
Hi Charlotte and Adam... Great Chat! Just bought the new 4k Restoration "To Catch a Thief"...Wow Gorgeous! I Live in Thousands Oaks, Ca and have been hit pretty hard by the work slow down (25 years as a Set Medic in the Biz). Could You recommend any Jobs or Facilities in the Film Archive or Restoration World? Cheers, Jim AKA (Jon Robie/The Cat) 😁
Never though of this as a lesser Hitchcock film,The greedy property owner, reminded me of behind scenes, Grand Prix also Monte Carlo, shop owner, comes down and interrupts shoot, wanting money saying they are causing loss of business. Almost gets in fight with James Garner,
Hate to tell you this, but the 4K restoration of "To Catch a Thief" wasn't very good. It was very dark and low contrast. I still prefer her previous Blue-ray version that was clean and beautiful. But, thanks for your interesting Podcast on the work you put on this film restoration.
I wanted to ask about your restoration of Day of the Locust. I watched this recently on the Arrow Blu-ray and thought it looked tremendous, but the Blu-ray clearly indicates that the restoration was performed by Arrow in 2k. Is there a separate restoration for this film? Or is this a misprint by Arrow?
The story IS paperthin, but, man, it is entertaining! Two of Hollywood's most attractive people, the Riviera and a widescreen production.. few films have looked better.
Grace Kelly was such a gorgeous woman. Apparently she liked getting to know her leading men in a biblical sense but that makes her even with any number of male actors. The whole marriage thing to the Prince of Monaco seemed very strange.
I wonder if the other Hitchcock Paramount films might’ve been cared for better had Hitch not allowed the elements to be moved to improper locations once the rights reverted to him. :-(
Would love if you could address how channels like DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader claim that virtually all catalog titles are horrible, ruined by grain and noise reduction and poor HDR. That same channel claims that Paramount is the worst of offender (in his review of Invasion of the Body Snatchers). I just bought To Catch a Thief and think it looks wonderful but I guarantee when he reviews it he will say that it is horrible.
Thanks for watching! We don’t feel the need to address other videos or reviewers opinions. Charlotte worked on the restoration and is giving fellow film fans a peak behind the scenes.
You must be doing something right according to Robert Harris 😂 This one is incredibly simple. With a tip of the archival hat to Paramount's lead restoration guru and her team, Charlotte Barker -- Sir Alfred's 1954 (archivally speaking) VistaVision delicacy, To Catch a Thief finally takes its rightful place among home theater classics, with beautifully researched and honed restoration. Colors are finally correct, with a highly resolved imaged and cleaned to perfection. No shimmering artifacts. No grain manipulation. Just perfect
I am glad I found this channel! Especially getting the perspective from someone who worked on the restoration themselves!
Thank you for taking us behind the scenes!
Heath,
Thank you for your support! We couldn’t have done this without you. We can’t wait to collaborate on something in the near future. -A
I didn't think I would be very interested in your channel but I watched one video and I was hooked. The information is fantastic but what keeps me coming back is your rapport with each other on camera. Glad I found your channel!!
The part talking about opticals and Charlotte says she lost people because of the technical talk is actually the stuff I want to hear. More nerding-out technical details!!
Really nice job on the film! I wrote for The Perfect Vision Magazine back in the 90s when all this "restoration" research started for special laserdisc editiond. It was fascinating finding old reels that were mislabeled for years, etc. Some of the best stories were finding the old audio tracks and stems! I am a new fan of your channel! Bravo!
Enjoyed this very much. Thanks guys!
I love this kind of thing! So glad that I discovered it.
Favorite shot in this movie is when Carey walks Grace to her room , she enters and turns around. Her beauty is so extraordinary that it captures my soul every time. Wow, just thinking about it gives me shivers. Love this movie. One of my favorites.
I love that shot too! We actually talked about that shot but I ended up cutting the segment. That’s the first official close up of Grace in the film (at 40 minute in!) and it’s one of the things I love about how Hitch photographs women. He keeps you at a distance, until she makes the move on him.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the HDR talk of classic films
Just found your channel. Wonderful!
Very interesting. I had forgotten how stunning Grace was!!
Just watched the film for the first time today. I loved coming here to you afterwards. I geeked out regarding the opticals. What a dream project. Congrats on your accomplishment. A beautiful restoration and release!
Thanks for watching and for the kind words!
Great insights from ya'll!
I purchased this restoration after watching this video. This is a great movie and I can really appreciate how fantastic the film looks. I really enjoy your channel and learning about your work.
Pretty sure you bought the old 4K, which isn't great. I don't think the new 4K restoration is out yet.
Really phenomenal episode! You’ve convinced me to upgrade from my 2012 Blu-ray.
We know you are going to be happy! You can see so much more in the 4K, not just clarity, but original aspect ratio too. Those colors pop and the jewels glitter. -A
Came in today and I watched it on my 83” calibrated Sony A9Oj. The film looks sensational. Well done.
Thank you for not just watching our channel, but for supporting Charlotte’s work. It is more than just a job for her. We really appreciate fellow cineastes that support the work that fellow film lovers put into preserving film history.
I read this comment to Charlotte earlier today and your kind words put a smile on her face.
4K really is an exciting new format, especially with HDR. And it is really a new way to experience your favorite films. -A
I just found your channel and it's great...very entertaining and informative. I loved your interview on Heath's channel and thought I'd take a peek here. I bought To Catch A Thief 4K in October and it is really, really fantastic...thanks for your efforts!
Pretty sure you bought the old 4K, which isn't great. I don't think the new 4K restoration is out yet.
Found your channel because Heath had an interview with you... and now i dont have enough time to watch movies because of all the wonderful youtube channels..:-)
Oh man, I just stumbled upon the page and cannot wait to dig into the backlog! I must admit intense jealousy since you have one of my DREAM jobs. Working in film restoration is up there with "become a Rockstar" 😆
I'd really like to know how one gets into the field. I imagine its a real labor of love, but something that must be very fulfilling.
Welcome to the channel! There isn’t really a direct path into the field. I got in through Film Mastering, and then Archiving but others came through DVD, one through photochemical film work and another through a film program at UCLA. We’re a true bag of mixed nuts in every sense of the term!
I’ll try to get the whole gang on over the next few months so you can hear everyone’s tale. -C
49:43 Yes, this was fun! It's great to learn more about film restoration, especially for such an iconic movie. I'm trying to collect as many of Hitchcock's titles in 4K as I can and have been slowly working my way towards this goal, so *To Catch a Thief* is now definitely on my radar.
Congratulations on the restoration!
Huge film fan here, older 'natural grey' hair. Love you presentation here and thank you both very much !!!!
Fantastic...thanks for all the behind the screen info!
Really exceptional and interesting to me. I do appreciate the extended length and significant detail. I was always quite fond of this film, after being introduced to it via my grandparents' VHS copy, so very excited to see it in as close as is currently possible new print form. I have to think it's a very anxiety inducing moment to reveal your work to those who certainly believe they "know better", but your transparency is refreshing and educational. Subscribed
Thank you, we’re so happy you enjoyed it! And yes, you hit the nail on the head! -C
As always, very interesting--and I'm glad to know that someone that actually cares about film is in charge of these restorations. Question: when is the restoration video about White Christmas coming out? This is one of my all-time favorite movies. For so long, the movie looked faded out in various forms of home video. The blu-ray looked very good, but I always thought it should be a little sharper with more detail. I hope the new 4K disc is coming to the rescue! Thanks for all you do in service to these old films and to this old film fan!
We hope you like the new transfer! The White Christmas video is coming soon, we’re working on it but can’t promise a date just yet!
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thank you for answering my question! I pray that yours is a good and joyful day.
Wow what an amazing job you have, restoring films. You are very lucky to have worked on "To Catch A Thief". And what a great channel this is. I ordered "To Catch a Thief" , and it arrived TODAY!! Yayyyy!! I've not yet watched it, but shall check into your channel once I've seen it, and shall give a response, but I KNOW it shall be 10 out of 10. I've also subscribed to your channel... (I am from England).. Thanks for your dedication and hard work on this Hitchcock title. Because its not owned by Universal, its one of Hitchcock's last MAJOR titles to get the 4K treatment. (Also looking forward to "North By Northwest" later this year) I know what you mean about process shots, and how the clarity of the 4K suddenly degrades during a process shot. It a good job you did not work on "GIANT" (1956) because about 1 quarter of that movie is Process! This sadly means that approx 1 quarter of that 4K disc looks VERY soft.
I hope you like it!! -C
Great episode, so glad I found you guys. Perfect combo of basic stuff for casual TCAT fans and more detailed info for us nerds. I'm a huge fan of people talking about restoration work along with production info, going back to dearly commentaries/interviews by Robert Harris's on his pioneering work on Vertigo, My Fair Lady and Lawrence of Arabia (which have since probably been improved upon for 4k, I believe). One thing I don't understand about Paramount and other studios is their releasing streaming 4K versions such as To Catch a Thief, Chinatown, and others literally years before the physical media releases. It seems counterintuitive because hardcore fans will already have the digital version and may not want to double dip. In some cases I get they're waiting for "anniversary" year editions and I'd much rather have access sooner than later; still it seems weird. Thanks for the great watch; you have a new subscriber.
Hi, I watched the 4K Disc yesterday and it was stunning and shows the hard work you put into the film. It is easily the best it has ever looked. However the encoding/authoring on the disc was not the best and it struggled in some scenes. Not your fault I know but perhaps a friendly word with whoever is in charge with the disc authoring might help. Anyway it's a superb job you had done.
I caught your interview on Cereal At Midnight, very cool. I rented your restoration of Ragtime from the video store. I had never heard of it, but watched it the other night....loved it: James Cagney and Samuel L Jackson in the same movie? Between those two, that's like 100 years of cinema! Awesome. After watching this episode on TCaT, bought it, again....loved the work you did on. It looked absolutely amazing. We were so excited to see it in all its 4k VistaVision glory. Again, awesome. Thanks guys.
Thank you!! I’m so happy to hear that you watched Ragtime and enjoyed it. Thanks for tuning in and checking out TCAT too. More fun to come! -C
Merci, thank you thank you thank you!Can't wait to receive the 4k collector😍
As an early telecine/colorist, thanks for the memories of working with producer's reps and newly appointed Home Video novices on trying to match colors from old production stills/posters or reversal film (Ektachrome with a blue cast,Agfa that had a warm cast and Fuji that had a yellow green cast, that was completely different from the faded magenta release print we were transferring on our new Rank Mark5. DaVinci was a twinkle in Digital's eye.Thank God we had match frame! Kept the actresse's dress red at the head so it didn't change to orange or pink at the tail of the picture.Most of my clients left me alone.They wanted to get back on the golf course or chase secretaries. Just keep the integrity.Set for skin colors, 7.5 on black level,red target on the scopes and usually every thing else fell into place. One of the reasons I got into tele cine was, I could thread up and sync the Rank with the interlock. I miss early video!
Great episode guys, really enjoyed this deep dive into the restoration of To Catch a Thief. My 4K disc arrives today, so that's tonight's movie sorted out. Oh and congrats to Charlotte on the HPA nomination for The Day of the Locust!
Thank you! We hope you like it.
First time joining in! Had such a great time learning about the film. Will definitely be going back to listen to past episodes. Thanks for the honesty about the use of DNR. Based on those samples at the end it looks like slme amazing work was done!
Thanks for tuning in! I’ll really be curious to hear how many people think tons of DNR has been done on this one. My goal was to get ahead of the reviews and let everyone know there real story before myth becomes the narrative.
@PerfDamagePodcast That sounds like the best thing to do! Bet a lot of controversy over releases could be solved by doing this. I'm surprised there isn't more restoration essay/explanation bonus features in releases. That way, the people doing the actual work can give their technical explanations of why things look they way they do.
Charlotte and Adam. Thanks you so much on the behind the scenes details on the restoration of this incredible classic. Looking forward to getting a copy.
Thank you for watching! Glad you are getting a copy. I think you will be happy to have it in your library. It looks amazing. -A
Is it a copyright issue that the clips you show in your discussions are not the result of the restoration you are discussing. For me as a cinemaphile and general fan of cinema it would be so much more interesting if I could see some before and afters, even if they are just still frames. Otherwise love theses discussions. Thanks!
Really interesting insight into restoration of a classic film. My copy should be arriving shortly. I cannot wait to see how it looks.
Thank you.😊
Hope you enjoy it!
This was very interesting and informative 👍 I think it's awesome that young people are interesting in restoration of old films
That is so kind. We must much younger than we actually are.
I just found this channel and this is absolutely amazing and fascinating. So much terrific information and thanks for explaining why DNR and sharpening were used in the past. The new 4K of TCAT looks amazing! Now I’m going to have to deep-dive into past episodes…
I'm always loving tech-minded behind-the-scenes videos, because they allow to get a better grasp at things and how they're done : what I'm looking at, why it looks this way, and why it doesn't look an other way !
Always something to learn.
On a specific topic : I've seen multiple people reporting the 2024 UHD of To Catch A Thief at least in part seemingly reuses shots that stems from the previous master (as seen on the 2012 BD). Could you detail us if that's the case, and if so, why ? I can imagine this video not going extremely technical either in order not to introduce multiple tech discussions to the general audience, but I wonder if you could give any additionnal info about this possibility
Many thanks for any light you could shine on this ! I'm sure you can understand how this can seem like a non-negligible aspect of the purchase incentive if it turns out this new work in part isn't new, and how it'd clash with the statement that it's all sourced from the recent 6k scan of the OCN.
Thanks for watching!
We’ve seen some of the conspiracy theories out there and to be honest they just make us laugh.
Most (all?) film restorations use multiple sources, hence it being called a “restoration.” Otherwise if you’re just scanning one source and doing cleanup and color you’re just really doing a remastering of the negative. Replacing dupe or damaged material in a negative with better material found elsewhere is such a basic part of the restoration process.
Even though we’ve told people that this is a new restoration, sourced from the 6K scan of the Original VistaVision negative, and that it hasn’t been DNR’d (except for a tiny bit on one shot!) there’s people out there that still don’t believe us, so what are you gonna do?
Not sure if that answered your question!
@@PerfDamagePodcast Let me try and clarify myself !
I know that restorations often have to use multiple physical sources to reconstruct the movie. Actually, Paramount stated in 2020 that To Catch A Thief's OCN had sections using dupe negs, and that these were now replaced by YCM elements. As far as I know, it'd mean these sections at least aren't from the actual OCN. But that's not what I'm talking about.
I've now seen the UHD of TCAT, and have compared it to the 2012 BD which I still own. Several shots, often outside ones, provide the exact kind of visual refinements I'd expect from going from a 17 years old master made from an IP (since the 2007 DVD and the 2012 BD share the same source, it means the work is at least dating from 2007) to a recent 4K restoration made from a 6K scan of the OCN, in particular in terms of sharpness and grain pattern. This is visible, for instance, at (timecodes are from the UHD) 4 min 25, 10 min 27 or 51 min 29 (non-exhaustive listing).
What I'm talking about and asking is why several other shots on the UHD are not providing the same refinement at all, and instead share the same texture, grain pattern, geometry, and in some cases the same dirt particles, than the 2012 BD. During these shots, the UHD looks like it's re-using the same source that the 2012 BD, only now with a different framing and color-grading. Shots like these can be found at 13 min 07, 16 min 35, 32 min 35, and 50 min 13 (non-exhaustive listing). I can't explain how a recent high-end restoration from an OCN would randomly end up so close in terms of texture, grain pattern, etc, than a 17 years old work from an IP, to the point one could wonder if it's actually a different source.
I'm trying to make sense of it, because again, I've compared both discs myself, my findings match what other people reported before that, and the UHD actually being a combination of both this new work and the older one is an explanation matching what I'm seeing. Could it be than the restoration you performed isn't what ended up on the UHD, whatever the reason ?
I can provide more timecodes and illustrative screencaptures if required, in order to detail and demonstrate my concerns.
I'm also wondering what happened on that Brigitte Auber shots around the 45th minute. I don't think that's the shot you're mentioning in your video where you did a 20% grain reduction, but it's visibly clear these shots have been importantly grain managed too. Again, since you're mentioning having slightly grain managed 1 shot, I'm wondering if maybe something happened in here too between what you've done and what ended up on the UHD ?
Again, I'm just trying to make sense of what I'm seeing, and thought it'd be better to just explain what I saw, and try to understand why that might be. Sorry in advance if this looks inquisitive. It's not my aim. I'm only trying to get to the bottom of why the UHD seem so often so similar to the 2012 BD, when the restoration works sourcing those 2 discs are so different.
@@PerfDamagePodcast No one is claiming that patchwork isn't necessary. What we're saying is that using a 17 year old 2K master as the primary source for a 4K "restoration" of a 70 year old film is deceptive at best. You can label it a conspiracy theory all you want, but the available evidence (the actual contents of the actual discs) proves otherwise. The word of people with something to sell (the same people that claimed DNR was "minimized" on the last release of this film) means absolutely nothing.
Got the 4K UHD disc today and the restoration looks really great in most parts. Thanks for the fantastic work on this! And the encoding is, well, quite acceptable for a Paramount UHD.
But what is going on in the shots of character Danielle Fourssard from 45:15 till ~47:00? It doesn't like these are opticals. Yet they look devoid of high-frequency detail, as if heavily digitally processed. Did these shots come out of the clean-up stage like this, or is there another explanation?
Those shots were shot on the studio lot, with rear projection and are not in focus. Trying to match the color of these shots to the location shots was super challenging. No DNR has been done here, the image is just -for lack of a better term- ugly.
I love this show! I was lucky to meet you two at Cinecon earlier this year after viewing Lady Wants a Mink (1953). I wonder if applying HDR to vintage films might explain why some makeup jobs look SO odd now. Are there subtle shadings in the colors that were masked photochemically but suddenly appear now in 4K scans from negatives or separations? Some vintage films I can see so much more fine detail on display but then can also see where some flesh tone makeup rubbed off on the actor's white shirt around the neck, or how an actor's neck and/or chest doesn't match their face - spot concealer on acne that now stands out - etc.
Hi! What a great question and there could be so many answers depending on the film. The resolution now allows us to see stuff that was formerly masked by the photochemical process. Also, I think a lot of color processes (like 2-color TruColor) just look a bit “weird” to our eyes now). There’s a lot of “makeup on shirt collars” in White Christmas! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcastI thought the White Christmas Blu-Ray was incredible, so I’m even more stocked for it in 4K. It’s an absurdly beautiful-looking film. I was surprised a whole new restoration in 4K was needed, but I’m sure for the long-term longevity that it was best to take advantage of the latest techniques while the elements still exist.
Just watched the 4k disc, looks absolutely amazing!
I enjoyed the background of the movie and the choices made in the restoration. The conversion to 4k seems to have a real art to it. The are lots of choices to be made and a challenge to make it look good without distracting from the movie itself.
We’re so happy you enjoyed it! There are so many choices, made by a small group of people in a very short window of time. And you are absolutely right- We nitpick and make tons of small changes hoping that you don’t notice any of them.
Interesting that both Sugarland Express and Day of the Locust were restored and nominated considering William Atherton starred in both.
I can't wait to see the new 6K VistaVision remaster of TO CATCH A THIEF, although it's too bad you were stuck with the existing optical dissolves. It may be lesser Hitchcock, but the cast and the scenic splendor of the French Riviera and Monaco make up for that. I'm glad you've included the new stereo remix along with the original mono soundtrack, because Lyn Murray's score sounds great in 6-track sound. The limited-edition package looks terrific too.
Maybe we’ll find those opticals in a box one day. I didn’t even mention the worst one - the horrendous optical zoom at the end of the film when they’re at the costume ball - YIKES!
The home media team did a really nice job with this the packaging on this one. I’m so excited for our disc to arrive today so we can see it in person.
Great episode! After looking at the scans and your work on professional monitors, what’s your opinion of the 4K image after it’s been compressed and mastered to UHD?
Thanks for watching! I’m not involved in the home media portion or disc authoring and so I haven’t seen the disc yet. We’re eagerly awaiting the mail to be delivered today to check it out!
Supercool feature with the background on the film itself and the information on the restauration. You convinced me to order the uhd and now i‘m full of anticipation to receive the disc and enjoy the film again … one of my absolute Hitchcock favourites!
Awesome, thank you!
So, disc arrived, just watched the film, it looks beautiful, the colours are wonderful … wow - and the cat on the roof is really heavy green. I like it very much. Thank you!
Also, THANK YOU for clarifying the whole VistaVision aspect ratio thing. When I found out White Christmas would be released in 4K at 1.85, I was confused because I thought VistaVision was 1.66, and I know all the previous releases were 1.78, so when I heard it was 1.85 (which is today's theatrical widescreen) I was confused.
Great video guys, nice balance of film history and snippets along with that all important restoration detail. Can’t wait to see your work on this Charlotte, I’m in the UK and no release here, so importing via Amazon so should be here in a week or so. Looking forward to the White Christmas video now!
Cheers
Dean
Thanks Dean! Your dedication by importing the 4K is commendable. Don’t worry we have White Christmas coming. -A
First time i saw TCAT, i didnt care for it.i gave it another shot several years later and watched a restored version and it became one of my top favorite Hitchcock movies
I'm here because of Heath. Great inside info. Greetings from Sweden!
Outstanding episode. When does Ripley get a mic?
That was a really fascinating discussion, I'm really looking forward to watching the newly restored version. I'm a huge fan of Hitchcock films and can't wait to see the 4k restoration of North By North West too.
So, did we ever get to learn why the UHD look like the 2012 BD for so much of its duration ?
I just received the 4k blu-ray of the film. It looks great; your hard work is appreciated. Cary's shirt is still a challenge (why did he have to wear THAT shirt!). I had to turn off the "motion softener" on my 4k TCL set. That shirt was totally freaking out the tv. lol. The shirt still wants to shimmer a bit though. Oh, another observation (which I'm sure was out of your control) is that lame and overexposed image on the menu screen. They should have just used original poster art for that, like the image on the inside of the folded slip cover. Anyway, enough of my 2 cents. Great channel!
Watching several of your video's & you talk about colour matching the question I often wonder about how the colour of the projection print is effected by the light source, that is the use of the carbon arc DC or AC, incadesant lamp, I didn't consider xenon as it was introduced later on or the much earlier LimeLight.
Another great show! I'm glad you mentioned the Cary Grant jacket. I remember when that happened. 😍
Hello!!! What a fun episode. I wonder if you know whether Paramount+ is currently streaming this newly restored version or a previous one? My wife and I streamed it in our theater room and thoroughly enjoyed it. We opted for red wine while we watched. Cheers kids 🍷
Unfortunately the version on Paramount + is the older transfer. We love that you decided to select a wine while watching. Cheers!
Does the new 4K disc represent the work you did on the new restoration? The new 4K disc appears as if large sections of the movie have been sourced from the 2012 Blu-ray master instead of the 6K negative scans.
The 4K UHD was made from 6K scans of the 35mm VistaVision Original Camera Negative.
@@PerfDamagePodcast I have no doubt that some sections of the film were sourced from 6K negative scans. There are indeed breathtaking sections to be found here. But there are just as many, if not more, large sections identical in both texture and detail to the master used on the 2012 BD; a master dating back to the 2007 DVD. These sections differ only in framing and color grading.
Most discussions about restoration are far too brief when thrown in with special features on any given disc.
Also not a whole ton of stuff on it internet-wise, either. So an entire restoration channel is a godsend,
after only getting a couple minutes here and four minutes there on most sources.
And... wait, what the heck is that Cereal guy Heath doing here?!
Great episode. Can’t wait to see the 4K disc. Also excited about the North By Northwest restoration. Another VistaVision film the you could look into is Loving You. Would look great restored.
Thank you! I’d love to restore Loving You, but sadly Paramount no longer holds the rights to the film. Hopefully whoever has the VistaVision negative is taking good care of it! -C
A very good discussion. Have you guys had the chance to review the final 4K disc yet? Curious to hear how it reflects the restoration you worked on. I received my copy of the UHD over the weekend and compared it with the two previous Blu-ray releases. It looks as though (aside from the new color grade and framing) much of the new 4K version is practically identical to the 2012 Blu-ray transfer, right down to detail and texture. Screenshot comparisons support this as well. From your discussion, it sounds like Paramount did do a new 6K scan from the OCN and that's what you worked with, so I'm wondering whether there was a mix-up down in the pipeline.
Additionally, this is Paramount's second attempt at a 4K restoration. The previous one from 2020 was reviled for its excessive noise reduction and blue colors, so it's appropriate that you guys brought up DNR here given this film's recent home video history. Are you able to comment on that previous 4K version such as its sources and how it compares to the new work you've done? Thanks!
Hi, we watched the UHD disc and we think it looks great. The 2012 Blu-ray was sourced from a 35mm VistaVision Interpositive, so you should definitely see more detail in the new UHD disc.
I’m focused on discussing the restoration featured in this video, as that’s the one I personally worked on. Thanks! -C
What a treat! I loved this movie so much that I pay homage to it (and other Hitchcock films) in my novel The Mirror Man (which i wrote as J.B. Manas). I even have a chapter set at the Carlton Cannes. Loved hearing these inside stories.
He could see everyone’s past…BUT HIS OWN!
@prilljazzatlanta5070 haha yes, that's the one!
@@jerrymanas671 Nice! I’ll check it out. What non fiction have you written?
@prilljazzatlanta5070 cool! Hope you enjoy it. My nonfiction books were mainly on leadership lessons from history and some on project management. Not as exciting haha.
Great episode! I have been eagerly anticipating the release and it looks terrific! Just curious if you saw anything in your research discussing the pervasive hint of green running throughout the film besides the cat/night scenes--even the Carlton Hotel room walls in daytime have always looked a bit minty to me. Also curious about one other little thing--around 3:20 when Germaine goes from the back terrace into the villa, the 2012 release had a tiny bit of wobble in that tracking shot. Was that inherent in the original negative? This tracking shot on the UHD looks absolutely dead-on perfect now, so if it was a fix made as part of this restoration, it was subtle but the effort did not go unnoticed! Congratulations on a great job!!
What keen eyes you have! Yes, we did stabilize the tracking shot at 3 minutes in!
It’s so funny you mention the green theme because we had a segment where we talked about it at length but I cut it for time. I never found anything in my research that called it out, but I feel there HAS to be some intention to it. Why else would there be green light spilling in through the kitchen windows in the restaurant scene? To me it seems that the green appears anytime there is suspicion of “the cat” activity, be it by the real or fake one. Is that what you’re thinking too? -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thanks for the reply! Yes I agree it must be intentional but I confess I do find it a bit distracting in places, like when Cary Grant walks onto the hotel beach and the hotel facade has that faint green tint to it. But then, I stop and think about South Pacific's color filters and I feel a little bit better about it! 🙂Anyway once you get immersed in the film your eyes adjust and color accuracy takes a back seat to the story. You and your team did a fantastic job on the colors and the HDR in this restoration! Compared to prior releases the blue skies are absolutely gorgeous, and the flower market REALLY pops!!
Love the movie and love the 4k clarity and correct aspect ratio but the color is better on the Blu-ray. The 4k looks slightly green tinged, noticeable in all faces and when you look at dirt it’s green
2:24 - looks like this trailer is actually a Technicolor print with the three colors slightly out-of-registration (misaligned). This also is the case with Hitchcock's Rope in the currently available version that I know of. I would love to see a restoration of this marvelous film, correcting this flaw. Anyway: thanks for this very informative video!
I pulled the trailer off of TH-cam and the misregistration bugged me too, but we decided to keep it anyways. Thanks for watching!
@@PerfDamagePodcast oh I knew you were aware of the registration issue, very obviously. Just thought I'd throw-in some nitpicking, which in fact is my deep admiration for people who do impeccable film restorations.
Love this movie. Can you play a 4K disc on a blu-ray player?
Loved this episode! I'm wondering if Charlotte was involved with the new White Christmas 4K restoration? I would love to hear her thoughts on it either way!
Thank you! Yes, I had the honor of overseeing that one too. We’re going to add a Part 3 to our videos about the making of White Christmas videos to discuss the restoration.
@@PerfDamagePodcast fantastic! Can't wait!
Charlotte never explained why she was so eager to work on this film, other than Adam mentioning she "loved it." Otherwise, good show!
Really? I thought we did say more, but maybe we edited it out for time.
It’s not anything that exciting, because really it just boils down to the fact that I just really like the film! Who wouldn’t want to work on something they really like every day?
I’m a huge Hitchcock fan, and TCAT being the only prime Hitchcock film that Paramount still owns, makes it a no-brainer.
I’m also always looking for films that would benefit from an HDR upgrade to recommend, and with the gorgeous scenery, jewels, fireworks, etc.. I knew this film would look great with a new HDR Transfer. It’s one I kept obnoxiously bringing up (not that I was alone, a LOT of people wanted to see this happen) and the stars aligned, the timing was right and we got to make it happen.
-C
@@PerfDamagePodcast It's just that other than it being an entertaining vehicle for two megastars with out off the charts charisma, I still consider it second-tier Hitchcock. So, I was interested in hearing your perspective and insights as to why you loved it so much.
This is great! Please do one for White Christmas as well!!!
Alex. The White Christmas episode will be coming next month to time with 4K release. Thanks for listening. -A
Cool podcast. Love this movie. Thought the blu ray was stunning when it came out so curious to see the 4k. Are they releasing in a steelbook?
Thanks for watching. As good as the Bluray was, the 4K is absolutely stunning. From sparkling jewels in Dolby Vision HDR to its original 1:85 aspect ratio, it is like seeing the film for the first time.
As far as Steelbook, the only version I see on the horizon is a UK import, but that does not mean that if the disc is a success, they won’t release it again here in the US in a Steelbook.
@@PerfDamagePodcastLies.
It’s an awful upscale of the ancient Lowry master.
With filter artifacts and clipped and crushed black and white levels.
My copy just shipped! Would love to hear your experience with the restoration of Once Upon A Time in the West.
I should have the senior preservation manager who oversaw OUATITW on to discuss the restoration along with a few others he’s worked on. I was involved but he was REALLY involved and always has fun stories to share!
@@PerfDamagePodcastif you ever need any help with editing or production on these vids, just let me know! This is the content people want to know about upcoming releases.
Great episode and really interesting to hear your comments. I’m wiser now about opticals and that was interesting that vistavision is prone to the horizontal scratch lines. A really fun Hitchcock movie and Grace Kelly just so stunning…..For a scene such as the mountain drive which has very obvious back projection as they hurtle around the winding road, do you have to do anything special in your process to preserve (or maybe improve upon) how that looks?
We’re so glad you learned something! Most of the issues with rear projection are baked in to the element so there isn’t much we can do but moan about how bad everything looks! Sometimes you can use what we call power windows to isolate part of the image to help match the color or balance things, but really there’s not much you can do. On a “newer” film you may be lucky enough to find the separate blue screens and background plates, but with older films that rarely happens. However- I did just find some of these for a film from 1968, so it’s isn’t completely unheard of! (Sorry can’t tell you the film, it hasn’t been announced yet!) it really just depends, film to film! Every project is so different and it really keeps things interesting. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast I appreciate the reply, thank you.
This was an excellent discussion. Thank you! I also enjoyed the Technicolor videos. I really appreciated your insight into film restoration. As I understand, you are not involved in the disc authoring for home video releases. What would you say is the best representation of your work? Would it be a DCP? Regarding HDR use, we film fans just want something that looks like it was intended by the filmmakers. I do not necessarily think 4k UHD should "pop" just to be different from previous Blu-rays. That's not necessary. If the previous SDR grade reflects your best available color sources (IB print, IP, etc.), so be it. Regarding this film specifically, I can definitely see how HDR would be a benefit as I have no doubts that your IB Technicolor print source exceeds the color capabilities of the previous SDR grade.
Thank you! You are correct, I’m not involved in the authoring process but I think they did a great job with the disc.
Don’t worry, I’m not adding things in HDR “just because I can” that’s completely against my principals. Think of it more in the way of showing more shadows and tones. With HDR you can show what’s in the shadow or outside a window, but should you? That’s the question you have to answer.
Was afraid to buy this because of the negative reviews from the 2020 re release. So thanks for the detailed information about color timing, hdr & most of all lack of dnr. :)
I found this extremely interesting. I have been a fanatic of Hitchcock for a long time. I did my high school English paper on his works. I did the course that TCM did on his works and saw a lot of his silent works for the first time. I really wish they were still doing those courses. I did the Film Noir, Hitchcock and Musicals. I have watched all the Hitchcock movies in every home video format and am very excited to see your work. I ordered it today. I haven’t watched the movie since the 2012 Blu-ray release. I didn’t pick up the 2017 restoration because of bad word of mouth. I am glad you did a new restoration. I will let you know my thoughts when I watch it. I would also like to hear about the Once Upon a Time in the West restoration because it was kinda controversial. I have it but haven’t had a chance to sit down and watch. Thanks again for a peak behind the curtain. I have subscribed to your channel.
Thanks so much for subscribing and welcome! We hope you like the new TCAT restoration.
I’d like to get my coworker on who directly oversaw OUATITW to discuss that restoration, and a few others he worked on, in the near future. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast that would be great. I find the behind the scenes stuff fascinating. Looking forward to your video on the restoration of White Christmas as well.
I've owned every format of TCAT going back to VHS & LaserDisc. Very excited for this. Thank you for your efforts. Curious. Were you involved with the restoration Paramount did on "The War Of The Worlds" where Mars was blue? I'd be curious on how that actually happened?
Thanks for watching! I didn’t oversee War of the Worlds but I have seen the negative. Maybe I’ll do a tell-all in a future episode!
@@PerfDamagePodcast Please do. I would be interested in how the recent War of the Worlds and When Worlds Collide were colour timed. The exteriors look great but the interiors look like they have a sepia tint to them and they are not as colourful as previous home video releases, especially on When Worlds Collide. It would be interesting to know if that was the original look. They both look superb by the way.
Will we ever see an HD restoration of Toll of The Sea 1922 with its two color Technicolor properly balanced like in King of Jazz 1930? That would be a great thing regarding the oldest suriving Technicolor film.
As fellow film lovers, we would love to see Toll of the Sea properly restored. Unfortunately that would have to be handled by an Independent company like Film Masters or Flicker Alley. They do amazing work. -A
I was just wondering? Will you two ever be doing a "Deep Dive" into the 1954 "A Star Is Born" - shot at Warner Bros in Cinemascope and Technicolor? There is such a huge complexed and problematic story to that production which is actually very similar to the "White Christmas" production (which I have just watched on your channel) [Bravo to that Video btw] . "A Star Is Born" began shooting in Warnercolor, and the Academy Ratio. Then, when Cinemascope became popular, ALL of the footage had to be scrapped. Also, Judy Garland and Sid Luft LOATHED the [muddy brown] Warnercolor system, and hence why they insisted on the more aesthetically pleasing Technicolor. I bought the Ron Haver book "The Making of A Star Is Born: and its 1983 Restoration". Sadly ASIB was not in VistaVision so I don't know if it is on your "list" of Deep-Dives? But it would be nice to think that one day you might do a video on it? Also, its a Warner Bros film, and not a Paramount - so Charlotte - I guess you won't be working on it? SUCH A CRYING SHAME COS WE NEED YOU ON THE JOB!!!!!!!! THE BIGGEST AND MOST horrendous issue, was the cutting of 27 mins of footage AFTER the premiere! Warner's cut this footage from the OCN, so now we seemingly DO NOT have a "complete" version of "ASIB", unless you two know of any "inside information" ?? Rumours abound that there are a couple of Technicolor Prints of the UNCUT version of ASIB 1954 in "private collections", but the collectors are too scared to release the footage for fear of recriminations of having Warner Bros footage in their ownership. The Garland fans were hoping for a 4K Release this year of ASIB, with it being the 70th Anniversary of its release, but so far - nothing has been announced? Personally (and hopefully) I am wondering if THIS is because Warner's are seeking-out the 27 mins of cut footage before they do a 4K scan?? In 1983 Ron Haver did his best to try to cobble together an approximation of the uncut film. He found a mono version of the COMPLETE soundtrack. He then found two of Garland's musical numbers: "Go Lose That Long Face" and "Here's What I'm Here For", and he found the "Trinidad Cocoanut Oil Shampoo" commercial that Garland sings within the film. But all of the "straight scenes" with James Mason and Judy Garland are still lost, and currently are still (on the bluray) covered over with "Stills" whilst the soundtrack runs, and we simply have to watch the Black & White Stills - and TRY to IMAGINE what is happening on screen... Do you guys know ANYTHING about is going on with "A Star Is Born" ?? A few years ago (AND I HAVE TO USE THE WORD "ALLEGEDLY" here, it was Michael Arrick who had a copy of the uncut version? NO idea if that is true? He is the guy who restored "Liza With a "Z" a few years ago, and blew it up from 16mm to 35mm, and restored it and released it onto DVD. Yours VERY hopefully David Alp -- England -- (Love you dogs btw, my profile pic is of my doggy called Flossie - she is having a good old sleep on the photo, haha) David Alp - UK
Hi David, Thank you so much for the kind words!!! You are my new favorite person!
(On a side note, I feel an instant connection with you because my mother always called me “Flossie” when I was a child!)
I’ll have to ask some of my archival friends to see if there are any new rumors about A Star Is Born, but you already sound like you know way more about it! Nevertheless, I’ll do a little digging.
Regarding lost films or versions, I like to think this - it’s out there, we just haven’t found it yet. Then again, there’s always the option that for legal reasons some collector is keeping it hidden until X amount of time (or person) has passed until said lost version or film can exist without legal issues, is that makes any sense.
Give Flossie a scratch for us and thanks for watching!
-C
Hi Charlotte and Adam... Great Chat! Just bought the new 4k Restoration "To Catch a Thief"...Wow Gorgeous!
I Live in Thousands Oaks, Ca and have been hit pretty hard by the work slow down (25 years as a Set Medic in the Biz).
Could You recommend any Jobs or Facilities in the Film Archive or Restoration World?
Cheers,
Jim AKA (Jon Robie/The Cat) 😁
Never though of this as a lesser Hitchcock film,The greedy property owner, reminded me of behind scenes, Grand Prix also Monte Carlo, shop owner, comes down and interrupts shoot, wanting money saying they are causing loss of business. Almost gets in fight with James Garner,
Grand Prix is one of our favorite films too. We did an audio only podcast about our favorite sports films and that was Charlotte’s pick. -A
Hate to tell you this, but the 4K restoration of "To Catch a Thief" wasn't very good. It was very dark and low contrast. I still prefer her previous Blue-ray version that was clean and beautiful. But, thanks for your interesting Podcast on the work you put on this film restoration.
I wanted to ask about your restoration of Day of the Locust. I watched this recently on the Arrow Blu-ray and thought it looked tremendous, but the Blu-ray clearly indicates that the restoration was performed by Arrow in 2k. Is there a separate restoration for this film? Or is this a misprint by Arrow?
That was a separate restoration from Paramount’s 4K restoration, which (as far as I’m aware) has not been released on home media.
The story IS paperthin, but, man, it is entertaining! Two of Hollywood's most attractive people, the Riviera and a widescreen production.. few films have looked better.
nice!!!
Grace Kelly was such a gorgeous woman. Apparently she liked getting to know her leading men in a biblical sense but that makes her even with any number of male actors. The whole marriage thing to the Prince of Monaco seemed very strange.
I wonder if the other Hitchcock Paramount films might’ve been cared for better had Hitch not allowed the elements to be moved to improper locations once the rights reverted to him. :-(
Possibly. Rights issues damages a lot of films.
Would love if you could address how channels like DamnFoolIdealisticCrusader claim that virtually all catalog titles are horrible, ruined by grain and noise reduction and poor HDR. That same channel claims that Paramount is the worst of offender (in his review of Invasion of the Body Snatchers). I just bought To Catch a Thief and think it looks wonderful but I guarantee when he reviews it he will say that it is horrible.
Thanks for watching! We don’t feel the need to address other videos or reviewers opinions. Charlotte worked on the restoration and is giving fellow film fans a peak behind the scenes.
Maybe now Adam can buy some shoes.
Previous PP Blu release was terrible. Is that mentioned in the video?
The 2024 restoration is the focus of this video.
@@PerfDamagePodcast Well, I saved money by waiting for reviews of the earlier release and I'll follow the same practice this time. No offense.
You must be doing something right according to Robert Harris 😂
This one is incredibly simple.
With a tip of the archival hat to Paramount's lead restoration guru and her team, Charlotte Barker --
Sir Alfred's 1954 (archivally speaking) VistaVision delicacy, To Catch a Thief finally takes its rightful place among home theater classics, with beautifully researched and honed restoration.
Colors are finally correct, with a highly resolved imaged and cleaned to perfection. No shimmering artifacts. No grain manipulation.
Just perfect
Horrible recycling of the old Lowry Digital restoration with filters and clipped black and white levels.
Looks like an upscale of the old Blu-ray.
Thanks for the laugh! We appreciate your perspective.
@@PerfDamagePodcast Perspective?
That’s a fact.