HD Movie & TV Show Restoration: How Studios Do It
The Resurgence of HD Content from Past Eras
The increasing popularity of high-definition televisions and HD media players has spurred film and television studios to revisit and re-release older content in stunning HD quality. But the question arises: how is this achieved decades after the original filming?
A Curious Inquiry
A reader inquired about the availability of HD versions of classic shows like Cheers, which originally aired in 1982, long before HDTVs became commonplace. They were amazed by the widescreen format and improved visual clarity of the HD release.
Similarly, older films like Ben-Hur (1959) are now available in beautiful HD Blu-ray copies, appearing remarkably crisp and vibrant on modern televisions. This raises the question of how technology from the past can yield such high-quality video for today’s displays.
The Foundation: Film's Inherent Resolution
Throughout the 20th century, movies and television shows were recorded on various film formats. Major motion pictures utilized 35mm film, with some large-scale productions employing 65-70mm film. Television shows were commonly shot on 16mm film, while lower-budget productions often used 8mm film.
Film possesses an inherently high level of detail. Unlike digital displays with a fixed pixel count, film relies on a chemical emulsion that captures scenes with incredible precision when exposed to light.
Understanding Film Resolution
It’s difficult to directly compare film and digital resolution, as film doesn’t have pixels in the traditional sense. Instead, it contains grains that represent millions of details.
A high-quality 35mm film sample can easily equate to around 20 megapixels or greater in resolution. The even larger 65-70mm film can potentially yield 30-40 megapixels. Ben-Hur, notably, was filmed on 65mm film.
16mm film offers roughly half the surface area of 35mm, translating to around 10 megapixels or more. 8mm film quality varies, but can range from 1-5 megapixels depending on the equipment and film used.
Comparing Film to Modern HD Standards
A 1080p movie equates to approximately 2 megapixels, while 4K video offers around 9 megapixels. Given that high-quality 35mm film can yield 20+ megapixels when scanned, it’s clear that studios can easily remaster films to surpass the quality of older formats like VHS and DVD.
Even television shows like Cheers were filmed with sufficient detail to facilitate the transition from standard definition to HD, and potentially even 4K in the future.
The Remastering Process in Action
Consider the difference between the DVD and Blu-ray releases of Ben-Hur. The Blu-ray remaster showcases significantly improved sharpness and restored color.
The potential for detail in the 65mm film master is even greater, promising a viewing experience that reveals minute details on a large 4K HDTV.
How Remastering Works
Advances in technology, combined with the expertise of skilled restorers and proper film preservation, enable the restoration of content from decades past. The Criterion Collection provides a glimpse into the meticulous process of film remastering.
Preserving the Past for the Future
Thanks to these advancements, we can now enjoy beautifully restored movies and television shows from previous generations on our modern HDTVs.
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