FILM/SNEAK PEEK : CURTAIN CALL FOR UCLA FILM PRESERVATIONISTS.Byline: - Bob McCarthy So many films, so little time. That's the lament of the film preservationist pres·er·va·tion·ist n. One who advocates preservation, especially of natural areas, historical sites, or endangered species. pres who races against time, corrosion and the chemicals in the reels themselves as he labors to save remnants of this 20th-century art form. The men and women committed to this endeavor are technicians, film lovers and detectives all rolled into one Adj. 1. rolled into one - made up of several components combined into a single entity combined - made or joined or united into one . Because to restore a film, you have to track down an original first. UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX Film and Television Archive's annual Festival of Preservation, which opens Saturday night, not only brings to light the restorative work being done by the archivists but also some titles that haven't been seen in a long while or at all. Others are recognized classics. What all have in common is they'll be seen again as they were the very first time. ``A film restorer strives to become invisible - to find original footage of such impeccably high quality and to use the arts and sciences of film preservation so effectively that it seems as if a work from the distant past has been passed on to the present untouched by human hands Untouched by Human Hands (no ISBN) is a collection of science fiction short stories by Robert Sheckley, published in 1954. It includes:
On opening night, American audiences will view ``Joan of Arc'' in its original cut for the first time in 50 years. Disapproval of co-stars Ingrid Bergman and Jose Ferrer's affair tainted this controversial 1948 production that led to a recut. That version reduced Ferrer's dynamic performance and downplayed the trial, adding narration and a chorus of angels in its place. The preservation festival runs through August, and 35 films will be presented. They run the gamut from newsreels to animation, television specials to Spanish-language feature films. Some highlights: ``Lost Horizon'' - From a preservationist's standpoint, Frank Capra's 1937 story of paradise found presented its own challenges. The director's cut director's cut n. The version of a film in which the editing process is overseen, executed, or approved by the director, usually including footage not included in the standard release. ran six hours and was shortened with each re-release. Also, seven minutes cut in the late 1930s were not retrieved, so stills now take their place in the restored version; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 26. ``The Freshman'' - Harold Lloyd goes off to college to become the Big Man on Campus and becomes the tackling dummy for the football team instead in this 1925 satire that showcased Lloyd's comedy skills; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7. ``MacBeth'' - Orson Welles downsized in this 1948 production in exchange for autonomy from studio meddling med·dle intr.v. med·dled, med·dling, med·dles 1. To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere. See Synonyms at interfere. 2. To handle something idly or ignorantly; tamper. . Working for the smaller Republic Pictures, he employed simple, rough sets that ``convey a primitive, dreamlike strangeness'' that serves Welles' interpretation of this Shakespeare classic; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8. ``Working Girls'' - Director Dorothy Arzner puts two Indiana sisters in the Big Apple, tosses out sexual innuendos and engages in some playful gender confusion in this 1931 romp that was clearly ahead of its time; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 15. ``Hearst Metrotone News Collection: Restored Newsreels from the 1930s in America'' - Before television news, audiences witnessed the events of the day at the movies. This collection, restored by UCLA archivists under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) U.S. independent agency. Founded in 1965, it supports research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. , covers the period from the stock market crash of 1929 to President Franklin Roosevelt's ``Day of Infamy'' speech after the attack at Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor, land-locked harbor, on the southern coast of Oahu island, Hawaii, W of Honolulu; one of the largest and best natural harbors in the E Pacific Ocean. In the vicinity are many U.S. military installations, including the chief U.S. ; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19. ``Dinah Shore '' Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore February 29, 1916 - February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress and television personality. She was most popular during the Big Band era of the 1940s and 1950s. : The NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. Years'' - The easy charm, warm smile and engaging manner of the late variety-show hostess are remembered in this tribute, compiled by UCLA and Research Video. Her interviewing style put stars from Frank Sinatra to Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald to Groucho Marx at ease on the NBC sets, where she worked from 1951-63. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 5230 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Admission is free for this event only, but reservations must be made by calling (310) 206-8014. Tickets for all other screenings are sold one hour before show time nightly at the James Bridges Theater box office, on the UCLA campus near Sunset Boulevard and Hilgard Avenue. Tickets cost $6 general admission, $4 for students and seniors. Passes for five screenings cost $25 general, $17 for students and seniors. Call (213) 206-3456 or visit the Web site at www.cinema.ucla.edu for information. |
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