JeanneCrain Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Why hasn't TCM aired this documentary involving the history and importance of the organizations that save American cinema? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedracer5 Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 I'm not really sure why TCM hasn't shown it. I watched this a year or two ago on Netflix Instant Streaming. I agree that it was very interesting. I liked seeing the painstaking lengths that film preservationists go through to restore films using the original film. Seeing the actual cans containing Citizen Kane was pretty amazing. I'm just imagining trying to be the person responsible for restoring these classics. Here you have the actual film in hand and you're tasked with restoring it. I'd hate to screw it up. I also thought the part showing how and why the National Film Registry was created and how they go about selecting films to preserve each year. The films aren't limited to full length motion pictures either-- you've got cartoons, short films, historical footage, etc. I also liked that they change up the panel of people who select the films. I think that's a good thing as you will have a revolving group of different tastes who might select a more wide array of films. I think a great prime-time theme for TCM would be to show this documentary along with some of the films that have been selected by the National Film Registry for preservation. In fact, TCM could probably do a Friday Night Spotlight featuring the films that have been saved by the National Film Registry. Of course, many will probably bemoan that some of these films are being shown, AGAIN, but... in my opinion, there's a reason why these films are popular and why they're important. They deserve to be preserved so they can be shown to future generations. Many of these films that are part of the National Film Registry are tiny capsules of American culture and history. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I'm not really sure why TCM hasn't shown it. I watched this a year or two ago on Netflix Instant Streaming. I agree that it was very interesting. I liked seeing the painstaking lengths that film preservationists go through to restore films using the original film. Seeing the actual cans containing Citizen Kane was pretty amazing. I'm just imagining trying to be the person responsible for restoring these classics. Here you have the actual film in hand and you're tasked with restoring it. I'd hate to screw it up. I also thought the part showing how and why the National Film Registry was created and how they go about selecting films to preserve each year. The films aren't limited to full length motion pictures either-- you've got cartoons, short films, historical footage, etc. I also liked that they change up the panel of people who select the films. I think that's a good thing as you will have a revolving group of different tastes who might select a more wide array of films. I think a great prime-time theme for TCM would be to show this documentary along with some of the films that have been selected by the National Film Registry for preservation. In fact, TCM could probably do a Friday Night Spotlight featuring the films that have been saved by the National Film Registry. Of course, many will probably bemoan that some of these films are being shown, AGAIN, but... in my opinion, there's a reason why these films are popular and why they're important. They deserve to be preserved so they can be shown to future generations. Many of these films that are part of the National Film Registry are tiny capsules of American culture and history. Thank you both Jeanne Crain and Speedracer for the posts on this topic. I definitely want to see this now. I went on the National Film Registry web site and was surprised by the number of films that are not really 'out there' either on television or on dvd. So, if TCM can access them that would be a bonus for us. The other thing the site lets you do is nominate films for restoration which I did. http://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/about-this-program?sort=inductedDesc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanneCrain Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 Thank you both Jeanne Crain and Speedracer for the posts on this topic. I definitely want to see this now. I went on the National Film Registry web site and was surprised by the number of films that are not really 'out there' either on television or on dvd. So, if TCM can access them that would be a bonus for us. The other thing the site lets you do is nominate films for restoration which I did. http://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/about-this-program?sort=inductedDesc In the past I've contacted the Registry made some suggestions and was informed that only American films are restored - I was disappointed as some of my suggestions were foreign films, which influenced American culture. I was also disappointed to learn that apparently half the films made prior to 1950 were gone and an estimated 80% of those from the twenties and early were also gone, while being absolutely torn that a studio deliberately destroyed their productions following their viewing runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogie56 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 In the past I've contacted the Registry made some suggestions and was informed that only American films are restored - I was disappointed as some of my suggestions were foreign films, which influenced American culture. I was also disappointed to learn that apparently half the films made prior to 1950 were gone and an estimated 80% of those from the twenties and early were also gone, while being absolutely torn that a studio deliberately destroyed their productions following their viewing runs. Lost films really are a tragedy, aren't they. To think some studios saw more value in retrieving the silver in the physical print and found its property value to be worthless. Sad too that most countries don't have the government finances to preserve films of their own heritage. In Canada it is disgraceful really. A story for another time. I've been attending Martin Scorsese presents Polish Cinema at the BFI in London. Restored digital prints of some two dozen Polish films. If it weren't for him who knows if these films would ever be available for viewing again. Saint Martin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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