Best-restored classic films on DVD: a list

[Cousin Hepcat]

What other DVD releases can you add to this list, that have an equal level of hi-def restoration?:

- The Maltese Falcon (1941, WB 3-disc edition)
- Metropolis (1927, Kino edition ONLY) --> haven't seen this but a local friend said it qualifies
- The Third Man (1949, Criterion, 2-disc version)
- King Kong (1933, 2-disc from Universal)



Case in point, the latest DVD issue of The Maltese Falcon currently in print: The 3-disc collector's edition, from Warner Bros/Turner Entertainment, screencaps below.

* Squeaky clean image: not a speck, line, or blotch, ever.
* There is NO JITTER or brightness flicker. At all.
* Edges are Razor Sharp: you can make out the individual pixels.



Also... The 64 million dollar question for those of us who find this incredibly exciting: Many of us have the audio cleanup stuff for 78s... When will the prices come down on home PC film restoration software? Or is it already available?

Wouldn't it be fun to have a go at it with one of your own Top-10 Faves. For me: a digitized TCM showing of "EDGE OF DARKNESS", 1943, Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan...


What film(s) would you restore?

Only PC software I noticed on a quick search was an impressive suite from an Austrian company; emailed them for a laugh asking how much. (yeah yeah, if they say "contact us" about the price...)

- C H

 

[Sefton]

Grand Illusion (1937) Released by Criterion. Sharp and clean with rich blacks and a very clean audio track. The DVD itself is packed with the usual interesting features that you'd expect from a Criterion release.

I'm not sure about the restoration,but I've recently watched the DVD of Howard Hughes' Hell's Angels and for a movie made in 1930 it looks incredibly sharp and clean. This is a great source for shots of early 1930's clothing-and of course lots of the lovely Jean Harlow too!

 

[Mr. Rover]

I just watched the collector's edition of Vertigo and the image is crystal!
I also think they did a good job with Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark- not quite Golden Era but classics nontheless.

 

[Novella]

The Adventures of Robin Hood has a beautiful, bright picture.

I'd like to see Hitchcock's silent The Lodger cleaned up.

 

[manton]

I saw the restored Vertigo at the GCC Avco in Westwood; enormous screen. It was great.

Another one for the list: Lawrence of Arabia. If you can still find the old version on VHS, compare that to the restored version. There is no comparison. It too went on tour of old time theaters. I saw it at the Crest in downtown Sacramento when it was a revival house.