SHOW GIRL IN HOLLYWOOD (1930) - Technicolor finale

[earlytalkiebuffRob]

Watching the Alice White - Blanche Sweet SHOW GIRL IN HOLLYWOOD, it seemed to me that the finale was probably originally in two-color Technicolor. It turned out I was right, but the only site I checked regarding its survival status declared that the colour elements were lost. Does anyone know otherwise? A highly enjoyable movie in any case.

[vitaphone]

Yes, the Technicolor finale is lost as is the case of most 1929-30 color footage.

[Marr&Colton]

I know "colorization" is taboo among historic film people, but in light of the Technicolor footage being lost, wouldn't it be
better than the black & white copies of that footage to use a two-color digital palette and re-create the lost color?

[boblipton]

I have seen good colorization of distraught Technicolor 1 footage: Keaton's Seven Chances. where the prologue and epilogue were in color, which had faded. Some magic markers restored the red roses to their lost luster!

Bob

[Donald Binks]

I know "colorization" is taboo among historic film people, but in light of the Technicolor footage being lost, wouldn't it be
better than the black & white copies of that footage to use a two-color digital palette and re-create the lost color?

That logic makes complete and absolute sense - but I'm afraid that particular item gets lost somewhere along the way.

[vitaphone]

I have specifically discussed this possibility with both Warner Bros and UCLA. Unfortunately, the cost estimate to colorize the last reel of SHOWGIRL IN HOLLYWOOD was about $25 - $30,000. So it is unlikely to happen considering the investments of budget already being made in many other film restoration efforts. I too would love to see gorgeous Alice in color!

[Donald Binks]

I have specifically discussed this possibility with both Warner Bros and UCLA. Unfortunately, the cost estimate to colorize the last reel of SHOWGIRL IN HOLLYWOOD was about $25 - $30,000. So it is unlikely to happen considering the investments of budget already being made in many other film restoration efforts. I too would love to see gorgeous Alice in color!

Whilst I say it makes sense to do the colouring, I of course have to stand back and gape in horror at the sheer cost of it all; hoping that one day some kind and considerate philanthropist who has a few more spare pennies than yours truly, might enable the work to be funded.

[wingate]

At least this film exists and we can see how early musicals were made unlike many early musicals,such as for example Honky Tonk.

[wich2]

>I know "colorization" is taboo among historic film people, but in light of the Technicolor footage being lost, wouldn't it be
better than the black & white copies of that footage to use a two-color digital palette and re-create the lost color?<

Yes. A perfect use for modern, high-quality colorization.

>I have seen goo colorization of distraught Technicolor 1 footage: Keaton's Seven Chances. where the prologue and epilogue were in color, which had faded.<

Bob, that wasn't colorization (or, "goo"!) - it was restoration:

http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2012/04/2 ... gineering/" target="_blank" target="_blank

-Craig

[busby1959]

I also think it would be acceptable to restore color to the sequences where none exists any longer...been saying so for years. It appears that enough archival material and film fragments have survived to approximate the original look. But can we "hang on to a rainbow" until it becomes a reality....if ever?

[earlytalkiebuffRob]

Excellent response, thank you. Lack of funding aside, I agree that colorisation would be suitable here, so long as it was made clear that this was the case and that the all-b/w copy was still made available. After all, watching Technicolor footage in b/w is hardly purist!