Tweet Kevin Brownlow in dc

i found this:
Kevin Brownlow : My Life with Napoleon
November 25 at 2:30
East Building Concourse, Auditorium
Kevin Brownlow in person
Kevin Brownlow, the eminent British film historian honored this year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his exceptional contributions to the preservation of cinema, illustrates his latest research and restoration on a lifelong project to return Abel Gance's 1927 Napoleon to its original form, including the dramatic Polyvision triptych finale. His complete restoration of the legendary epic will have its long-awaited U.S. premiere in March 2012 at the Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California, in association with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival with a full orchestral score composed and conducted by Carl Davis. (90 minutes)
its at the national gallery of art. i know i will try to ask him if napoleon will ever be on dvd for those who dont have the money to travel to SF to see the film (or at less be on tour across the US).

i found this:
Kevin Brownlow : My Life with Napoleon
i know i will try to ask him if napoleon will ever be on dvd for those who dont have the money to travel to SF to see the film (or at less be on tour across the US).

He was asked that at Pordenone last week. The answer is no to the DVD, and that goes for BluRay too, and at the moment there are no further screenings planned after the Oakland shows. Bearing in mind they had been in discussions for nearly two years prior to the show date for Oakland.....

What exactly is the problem with DVD release on this ?

Money, as always. The cost of digitally transferring 6 hours of 35mm film for a very niche product; and then there may be lingering rights issues. If Napoleon was a Warners or MGM film, it might make it out, but no-one involved has the money or inclination to take what would be one almighty financial gamble. Sad, but understandable.

Ah, I see. Thanks.

too bad, would love to go to SF to see the film but with the economy as it is, i dont have the money to see it. someday i hope it will be on dvd so i can finally see the whole film.

i have just gotten back from listening to mr brownlow speak. it was a good talk about napoleon. i got to meet him after and got his autograph. its to bad the full napoleon will not be shown anyplace else or be on dvd (i think its because of FFC).

The expense, of course, is not purely the film transfer and digitization, though that's probably the biggest part. There's also recording six hours of music with a full orchestra (which, of course, takes longer than six hours), and paying the composer, arrangers, technicians, and musicians for their time and effort.

So, sorry. It won't be on video. If you want to see it, scrape together your dimes, check plane fares, and get to Oakland.

Kevin Brownlow will also speak at Emory University in Atlanta this Thursday, Dec. 1.

The Department of Film and Media Studies, The Hightower Fund, The Department of Theater, The Department of History, and the Department of French and Italian present

Kevin Brownlow speaking on "My Life with Napoleon"

Thursday, December 1 at 8:00 p.m. in White Hall 207.

Free and open to the public.

Kevin Brownlow is the eminent British film historian who was honored this year by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his exceptional contributions to the preservation of cinema (film restorations, books of film history, and documentaries about Hollywood). In this talk illustrated with film clips, he discusses his latest research and restoration on a lifelong project to return Abel Gance's 1927 Napoleon to its original form, including the dramatic Polyvision triptych finale. His complete restoration of the legendary epic will have its long-awaited U.S. Premiere in March 2012 at the Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California, with a full orchestral score composed and conducted by Carl Davis. His talk will be followed by a reception in the White Hall lobby.
--

Report from Kevin Brownlow's appearance last night at Emory University in Atlanta.

Mr. Brownlow began reading from a prepared script and for a moment I was afraid this was going to be not as interesting as I'd hoped, but I was quickly proved wrong. His remarks about the history of his obsession with Napoleon, the decades of searching for, finding, restoring and adding new material, and his relationship with the then-elderly Abel Gance were fascinating -- and punctuated by a very dry, very funny (and to this American, very British) wit which often drew appreciative laughter from the audience. His talk was illustrated with photos and film clips and the packed room was riveted both by Mr. Brownlow and what was up on the screen, which included some wonderful footage shot by the great cinematographer Chris Menges of Gance and a young Brownlow.

Unfortunately Napoleon will not be seen on a DVD or Blu-ray anytime soon; the funds to create a video master and to release it simply are not available. (If any of you reading this are stinking rich, please contact Mr. Brownlow's company, Photoplay Productions, to give him the money to make a DVD! -- my plea, not anything he said.)

Afterwards there was a reception and I got Mr. Brownlow to sign the two (very heavy) books I had lugged along, The Parade's Gone By and Behind the Mask of Innocence.

If Kevin Brownlow is going to be in your town talking about Napoleon, don't miss him!

Napoleon will be screened for four nights at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland (March 24, 25, 31 and April 1, 2012). Carl Davis will conduct his score with the Oakland East Bay Symphony. Go here to buy tickets:

http://silentfilm.org/" target="_blank

i still have a funny feeling Napoleon will one day (maybe by 2027 for the film's 100th birthday) the film will be on some kind of dvd, blu-ray type thing of the future. lets hope some big hollywood person decides to put up the money for the film to be put onto dvd. maybe someone could start a fund to raise the money for a proper dvd. also think the film will be shown on the east coast in 2013 (radio city in nyc).

I remember my mother and I saw Napoleon in Seattle in 1980 or 1981.
I don't remember much about it, but I thought there were three screens
involved at some time. Does someone know more about the distribution
of the film that would have made it to Seattle then?

You probably saw the so-called 'Coppola cut' with the Carmine Coppola score. That was the only version ever shown in the US so far.

All they need is a big gun like BFI or Murnau foundation & Kino to put it together like they did Metropolis. Napoleon is a very important film. Exceptions can be made.