New DCP restoration of "Chimes at Midnight"

[A Sled in Flames]

Interesting that the Criterion will use the same source as the Espanola. I expected it to bypass that restoration completely. That said, judging from the interview, it does seem they are doing their darndest to bring it up to snuff; correcting the contrast and cleaning it would be the biggest issue. I also wonder if there is additional detail in the original scan just not visible because of the relatively poor encoding of the current Bongo BD.

[Roger Ryan]

That surprised me as well. Given the very obvious "cigarette burns" at all the reel changes, I assumed the Filmoteca Espanola restoration had come from a print, not the original negative. Still, it sounds like the hope is to do a more thorough restoration in the future.

[edmoney]

So if we read between the lines, does that mean that we should not expect a Criterion Blu-ray release in the next year, given the additional restoration work planned?

[RayKelly]

So if we read between the lines, does that mean that we should not expect a Criterion Blu-ray release in the next year, given the additional restoration work planned?

I think it is a very safe bet that you will get a Chimes at Midnight Blu-ray in the second half of 2016.
And Criterion is working on an even better restoration, but that could take years to complete.

[atcolomb]

I guess until then i can watch the Mr. Bongo release..just have to manually turn down the brightness on my tv!

[Wellesnet]

The French Studio Canal DVD of Chimes that was uploaded to Youtube has now been taken down at the request of Janus Films. Regrettable, but understandable.

[NoFake]

Here's Michael Sragow's review for Film Comment: http://www.filmcomment.com/blog/deep-focus-chimes-at-midnight/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FC-01-08-2016&utm_content=version_A (Actually, a review of the film, rather than the format. But well worth reading.)

[RayKelly]

By Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune

Just last year the Music Box Theatre screened the best available version (Filmoteca Espanola DCP restoration) of the 1966 Orson Welles film "Chimes at Midnight," sometimes known as "Falstaff," as part of a Welles centenary retrospective. The film, I wrote, is "eternally in need of a better, crisper visual and aural restoration than it has yet received."

A year later, the Janus Films restoration of "Chimes at Midnight" is here to reveal Welles' achievement in its loveliest version to date. The postproduction dubbing always was a problem, or (more charitably) part of the distinctive hurly-burly generated by the film's gorgeous, melancholy atmosphere. But excellence doesn't necessarily have anything to do with perfection. If you've never seen "Chimes" on a big screen, or at all, you should go. The best of "Chimes" is the best Shakespeare on film, and as good as anything Welles ever made in his careerlong scramble toward immortality.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-chimes-of-midnight-mov-rev-0318-20160317-column.html

[Wellesnet]

Actress Kim Cattrall thinks you should see the new restoration of Orson Welles' amazing CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT!:

Her tweet: "Saw it in NYC. Majestic in every way."

City Pages: "Orson Welles ascends in Chimes At Midnight"
http://www.citypages.com/film/orson-wel ... ht-8089799

Chimes will play at the Banff Film Festival on April 16th:

Saturday, April 16, at Muse Arts Warehouse, local drama group Savannah Shakes presents an extremely rare public screening of the recently restored version of legendary filmmaker (and frozen peas aficionado) Orson Welles’ 1965 black-and-white gem “Chimes at Midnight,” which Welles not only directed but also starred in.

With an ambitious script containing portions of text from five different Shakespeare plays, the film was beset by financing problems, and the story of Welles’ struggles to see the film through to completion would make quite a film in itself. Though roundly dismissed by critics at the time of its original release in 1966, the film did in fact win two major awards that year at the Cannes Film Fest, and Welles himself was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for Best Foreign Actor.

Despite the commercial failure of this heady and unconventional picture, Welles maintained that he felt it was the best work he had ever done. Unfortunately, a myriad of legal issues surrounding the film’s financing and ownership tied up the rights for decades, and it has remained largely unseen since its brief mid-’60s theatrical run. A few months ago, a newly restored print of “Chimes at Midnight” premiered at New York City’s famed Film Forum arthouse theater, and now this local organization — which is devoted to producing its own unique, live interpretations of Shakespeare’s works — has arranged for a one-night-only engagement of the very same restored print of this incredibly obscure picture.

[edmoney]

Chimes at Midnight coming to the Criterion Collection on August 30th:

https://www.criterion.com/films/28756-c ... t-midnight

[atcolomb]

Great news and with a audio commentary and a interview with Simon Callow which new book on Welles I am currently reading now.

[Wellesnet]

Theatrical rerelease trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxdJTgBHqUQ

[Jay1968]

This is my first post. I cannot wait until Criterion releases Chimes. For about twenty years, all I have been able to watch is a slowly aging VHS copy that I purchased for (if my memory serves me correctly) 29.95. I think it was about 1996 or 97, and I was working a night janitorial job at a private school while I was working on my M.A.. I remember sweeping around these bookcases, and there it was -- Chimes at Midnight in a blue plastic case wedged in among a bunch of old anthologies and novels. I couldn't believe it! Someone had released it on video, and I did not know about it! Of course, in these days the internet was in its infancy, and I did not even get my first computer for another two or three years. It was one of the only Orson movies I had not seen up to that time due to its scarcity. We were not supposed to take anything out of the bookcases or touch anything in the classrooms, but I could not resist. I had to find out who was selling this film. And so I removed the video and looked around furtively for a pen and piece of paper so I could scribble down the address of the distributor on the back of the cartridge. I wrote to them, and they responded shortly thereafter. They ended up by sending me a catalogue of their videos. I think by the time it took before I received the catalogue and actually ordered and received the video was close to a month and a half, but it was worth the wait! Anyway, that's the story of my surreptitious way of how I first got to see Chimes!

[atcolomb]

I still remember my first time and it was about 13 years ago and was buying from Ebay a dvd made from a Japanese laserdisc and the print used was worn and dull looking but it was the only way to see it since it was never shown on tv until TCM did it's broadcast and harder to find it on any other format at that time.

[Jay1968]

I have a few DVD's from Criterion, so I'm sure the quality will be fantastic on Chimes. I also like all the extras. I will always keep my old VHS copy though for nostalgic reasons!