It's a Wonderful Life (1946) : New Colourized Version

I just got hold of a 2-disc set of "It's a Wonderful Life" that features a newly restored colour version, as well as the original B&W restored film.

I'm usually against this stuff, but I have to say it looked amazing. Even my parents said it was better then the B&W version which they usually watch every year, and were very skeptical before viewing it. They watched the new colourized version for the first time yesterday.

It's a Wonderful Life was only ever shot in B&W in the first place because of a limited budget, so I am definitely not against it being available in colour. I'm fairly sure that this new colour version will replace the B&W version for TV broadcasts eventually anyway, for obvious reasons.

Now... a film like "Paper Moon" "The Elephant Man" or "Schindler's List" getting digitally coloured, you wouldn't see me applauding then. That has practically no chance of happening anyway. They are B&W for artistic purposes.

Most people who bash B&W films being digitally coloured have no understanding as to why most of them were B&W in the first place.

Contrary to what people may tell you. "The Wizard of Oz" was never in B&W. It starts off Sepia (a golden, brownish colour) and then goes to full Technicolor. The many TV airings over the years using washed out prints have led to this confusion. You wash out Sepia and you get B&W.

The five B&W films I would most like to see colourized (using the same expensive technology they used for "It's a Wonderful Life") are:

1) Psycho (1960)
2) Some Like it Hot (1959)
3) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
4) King Kong (1933)
5) The Bad Seed (1956)
 
Yes - exactly!

In fact, speaking of Psycho being colourized / colourised / colorized / colorised / etc... it'd be interesting to see how they'd treat the infamous 'shower scene' considering the fake blood used was created using chocolate syrup to give it that deep black!

With the controversy sparked over the topic, I won't weigh in too heavy on this one... and don't even get me started with " It's a Wonderful Life"... :D:D:D

"They ruined it. Even the villain looks pink and cheerful." --Frank Capra, on the colorization of his film It's a Wonderful Life
 
The version on my DVD was produced by Legend Films using the latest colourization technology in HD.

Obviously the DVD version is downscaled from that master.

The new 2-disc set was released November 13, 2007 on Region 1 NTSC.

The version featured in the Gremlins 2 deleted scene is from the 1989 Republic Pictures colourized version. It was poor. The less said about it, the better.

I really am starting to warm to these new colourized versions of classic B&W films. They for the first time look like genuine colour films. You still have the choice of the B&W original if that's what you prefer. This film was my second.

The first film I saw colourized with the new technology was "Miracle on 34th Street" and that looked really good too.
 
Colourised is the correct spelling. Anything with a "z" comes from a different place entirely and I don't think our language should be corrupted by it.
 
That quote is in reference to Capra talking about the version done by Hal Roach Studios in 1986. I agree, that version did look awful colorized.

As for the new UK DVD released recently that I mentioned earlier?.... What a surprise! It's the same horrible transfer that has been featured on every single UK DVD release of the film so far.

Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. I wouldn't pay a penny for such a horrible transfer. What's more is it isn't even true B&W. Due to the terrible conversion, the image appears incredibly fuzzy, and an awful green tinge is present throughout the entire film. My old VHS from the mid 80's has better picture quality, seriously. Disgraceful. :mad:

2007 R2 PAL DVD (UK)

2006 R1 NTSC DVD (US)
 
I actually did spell it with an S originally. My spell check changed it. I put the U back in but forgot to change the Z, it's not like it's the end of the world. :rolleyes:

I gather the lack of a U in the American spelling of "Color" upsets you too right? :rolleyes:

BACK ON TOPIC: Do you actually have something to contribute to this discussion?
 
If you are referring to cinemas here in the UK, I highly doubt it. There has been no talk whatsoever regarding the new Paramount 2-disc set being released here. So that pretty much means the new colour version will not be the version being shown at UK cinemas.

As for the previous releases of the film here so far, they are all abysmal. The picture quality alone is horrid. I know the B&W version is being released here again on the 27th, but whether it will use the terrific B&W HD mastered print from the US 60th Anniversary Edition DVD is another story.
 
It's a trade name, isn't it? I thought it was developed by Hal Roach Studios.

I don't think I'd like to see a colorized version of Psycho, or the 1933 King Kong.
 
I was wondering this. In some films the use of colour is very significant - e.g. the colour of characters' clothes is used to demonstrate traits and changes in psyche.

Would they have perhaps had access to colour on-set photographs? Or recorRAB of what costumes the characters wore, stills of locations.

I think it would be interesting to see it in colour, I've seen it so many times in black and white I just can't imagine it!

I'd never like to see Psycho colourised, however - I think the starkness of b&w works well for it, and it's quite unique in that so many people remember the blood going down the drain as being red, when it isn't - it shows how powerful the images were.
 
Capra actually signed a contract with Colorization Inc. back in the mid '80's to colorize It's A Wonderful Life. However, when Markle and Hunt, the two guys that developed the first analog colorization process learned that the film was in Public Domain they proceeded to tell Frank that his involvement was not needed and the rather large upfront payment he demanded was not forthcoming. Those two guys are frienRAB but I'm afraid they alienated the one guy that would have made colorization mainstream back then.

Michael Agee, head of Hal Roach Studios claims to be in possestion of that signed contract.

I'm quite certain that Capra would have been very happy with the color version of the film commissioned by Paramount and released in Nov 13, 2007. It's been getting overwhelmingly positive reviews.

.
 
If the film was designed and lit for colour then the colours used for the sets and costumes would give the correct effect. But if it was lit for black-and-white, wouldn't the original designs give the wrong effect when seen in colour?
 
Dunno, all I did was type It's a wonderful life into the search box and up it came along with about six others, both R1 and R2s.

RegarRAB

Mark
 
Back
Top