The Restoration of "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis"
From the outset, producer Arthur Cohn and Sony Pictures Classics agreed to re-release
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis theatrically only if it were possible to manufacture superb new prints from the original film elements.
Having handled the re-release of Louis Malle's "Murmur of the Heart," and having worked
closely with The Merchant Ivory Foundation on the re-release of nine films by the
late Indian director Satyajit Ray, the principals of Sony Pictures Classics have
had experience dealing with the challenges posed by aged and deteriorating film elements.
Restoring the Negative:
In early June of 1996, Technicolor/Rome conducted tests of the original 35mm picture negative of The Garden of the Finzi-Continis. The results were disappointing, indicating considerable accumulation of dirt and grease, ruptures, fissures, and scratches beyond the expected wear-and-tear.
Following the evaluation of the negative, and after conversations with producer Arthur Cohn and Sony Pictures Classics, Technicolor moved one reel of the original negative to Cinechimica in Rome, a laboratory specializing in the rejuvenation of master film material. Cinechimica checked the reel by hand, frame by frame, to obtain information about the condition of the negative. Determining the extent to which dirt had built up over the years and surface abrasions had afflicted the element, Cinechimica first initiated work on the emulsion side of the film, and then continued on the base.
The emulsion was cleaned with a chemical process which caused the gelatin to swell, thus raising any scratches, grease and dirt, and thereby allowing for imperfections (excluding "cut-throughs") to be removed. Once the emulsion dried, it resettled and could again be handled.
In addressing the base side, the negative was first cleaned, then buffed with controlled brushes. Once thoroughly cleaned, a chemical application was applied to the base, again causing the surfaces to swell. Any dirt and grease was removed. Once the surface resettled, a chemical solvent filled in any abrasions which might have been printed-through to the next generation film element.
Following rejuvenation of the first reel of negative, it was returned to Technicolor, where a check print was struck. The test was successful. The remainder of the original negative was then moved to Cinechimica to be handled in the same way.
In mid-July, a check print of the entire negative was completed and shipped to New York for approval by Sony Pictures Classics. Once approved, a 35mm feature interpositive was manufactured by Technicolor/Rome and shipped to New York, where DuArt Film Labs created a 35mm feature internegative.
The Audio Remix:
The original soundtrack of The Garden of the Finzi-Continis was a mono mix. An entirely new Dolby A Stereo Printmaster was created at Sound One mixing studios in New York, from which a Dolby A Stereo optical soundtrack negative was created. The remix was made from an original 35mm magnetic mono 3-track.
Last Modified 24-October-1996
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