Mosfilm Restorations

[marin888]

December, 2016

Shakhnazarov: “Mosfilm” will continue the restoration of Soviet films

In last year’s Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, Mosfilm unveiled the restored versions of Sergey Eisenstein’s “Alexander Nevsky” and
“Ivan the Terrible,” for which took 8 months, because it was in very poor condition. For films in relatively good condition it can take around 2 months.

“Currently, we are completing a frame-by-frame restoration several movies,” – said General Director of “Mosfilm”, adding that among them –
“War and peace” by Sergei Bondarchuk (1968),
“Liberation“ by Yuri Ozerov (1970-71), - Blu-Ray Released in Germany (Synced in Russian)
“Dersu Uzala” by Akira Kurosawa (1975). 

181-minute Soviet version - imdb alcar1976
I saw this version 20 years ago in Spain.
But I remember it took much longer for Dersu to build the hut when he and Arsenev were isolated. This sequence was more harrowing than the one included in the short cut.
Here you find proof of the longer running time:
"Other showing: 1976-01-05 Sovjetunionen 181 minutes".
The Swedish Film Database  http://www.svenskfilmdatabas.se/en/item/...ease-dates

DVD / Italian Upscaled Blu-ray


Sovscope 70mm


And More Sovscope 70mm screens:
https://www.filmvorfuehrer.de/topic/2421...ment-92573
https://www.filmvorfuehrer.de/topic/2421...ment-94892
https://www.eyefilm.nl/en/film/dersu-uzala-70mm

If anyone finds any news from Mosfilm, please post it here.
Thanks.

[nirbateman]

Some of Mosfilm's restorations are available on their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosfilm/videos

However, I noticed a very disturbing, Lucas-like change in "Ivan the Terrible Part 2". The opening narration has been redubbed with changes to the text. The new narrator also pronounces names differently to the original in a way that really clashes with the rest of the film. And even worse, at the final sequence, a shot that was in color is rendered in B&W. It worries me with regards to other films, that I don't know as well.

It's a real shame, as some of the restorations are really good. I can't wait to see what they pulled off with "War and Peace", and at the same time, I slightly dread it.

[marin888]

I did not expected that kind of mistake from them.
Ivan the Terrible is not jet released, so if someone put them a note maybe they can fix it, if not it can be probably fixed one day by Criterion or maybe Eureka.

War and Peace, I was delayed whole time to watch it because of bad DVD quality. And I'm really glad I did it.

Dersu Uzala.... beautiful... a Masterpiece, what else to say about it, than highly recommend it to everyone.

I have waited a long time for BD release and I just can't be a pessimist.

btw
There is Dersu Uzala from (1961) which last only 1h 26min, in bad quality, translated in English in very hard way (Fan Subs).
www.imdb.com/title/tt0411281/

And there is another Soviet similar movie The Evil Spirit of Yambuy (1981)
www.imdb.com/title/tt0316624/ - DVD Ruscico (Multi Subs).

[marin888]

Cannes Classics 2018
Voyna i mir. Film I. Andrei Bolkonsky (War and Peace. Film I. Andrei Bolkonsky by Sergey Bondarchuk (1965, 2h27, Russia)
Presented by Mosfilm Cinema Concern. Digital frame-by-frame restoration of image and sound from 2K scan.
Producer of the restoration: Karen Shakhnazarov.

https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/infos...ics-2018-1

[marin888]

Dersu Usala - Uzala, der Kirgise DVD ICESTORM 30.10.2018
Ausgezeichnete Qualität der restaurierten Fassung

For the First time Restored version is released on DVD.
It's probably the long awaited Mosfilm restoration.
Maybe now is only matter of time to get it on Blu Ray.

Screenshots is from web - spondo.de

[derekbd]

I found this forum while searching for info on a restoration of my favourite Kurosawa film, Dersu Uzala. It's exciting to think an HD release may be happening soon. Hopefully BFI, Criterion, Arrow, or some bluray will soon be announced! Thanks for the info.

[marin888]

Welcome derekbd!


And another excellent news!

War and Peace Blu-ray Criterion
Война и мир / Voyna i mir | 1966 | 422 min | Jun 25, 2019 (3 Months)
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/War-and-P...ay/230476/

Synopsis: At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet film industry set out to prove it could outdo Hollywood with a production that would dazzle the world: a titanic, awe-inspiring adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic tome in which the fates of three souls—the blundering, good-hearted Pierre; the heroically tragic Prince Andrei; and the radiant, tempestuous Natasha—collide amid the tumult of the Napoleonic Wars. Employing a cast of thousands and an array of innovative camera techniques, director Sergei Bondarchuk conjures a sweeping vision of grand balls that glitter with rococo beauty and breathtaking battles that overwhelm with their expressionistic power. As a statement of Soviet cinema's might, War and Peace succeeded wildly, garnering the Academy Award for best foreign-language film and setting a new standard for epic moviemaking.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

NEW 2K DIGITAL RESTORATION, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New interviews with cinematographer Anatoly Petritsky and filmmaker Fedor Bondarchuk, son of Sergei Bondarchuk
Two 1966 documentaries about the making of the film
Television program from 1967 profiling actor Ludmila Savelyeva, and featuring Sergei Bondarchuk
New program with historian Denise J. Youngblood (Bondarchuk's "War and Peace": Literary Classic to Soviet Cinematic Epic) detailing the cultural and historical contexts for the film
Janus rerelease trailer
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by critic Ella Taylor

STREET DATE: JUNE 25.


Uncompressed mono track - is not listed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waterloo (1970) Blu-Ray Sergey Bondarchuk
Explosive Media | 1970 | 134 min |

Delayed: 31st December 2019

But...

According to a user at Movieside he asked the label about the delay.
They want to use the new 4K restoration which isn't finished yet.

[derekbd]

Yes! I saw the Criterion announcement yesterday. I will look forward to seeing that historic and historical film as well.

[nirbateman]

Actually, since War and Peace was filmed in 70mm, the original mix was multichannel, with a mono mix created for 35mm showings.

You can see this restoration with a stereo downmix on Mosfilm's Youtube channel (very low bitrate and no English subs though): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-SAh4jdssA

It's a bit disappointing that Criterion is going to squeeze the 4 films and extras on 2 BD's, that's about 4 hours of content on each BD.
Still better than the Youtube stream, I suppose.

[marin888]

If something goes wrong with compression than there is still hope to get fix from MOC, Arrow...



And another Mosfilm restoration is out.

La Libération Blu-ray France Liberation / Освобождение / Osvobozhdenie

The production is reportedly "the most expensive film endeavor in the history of the Soviet Union,"
with "fortunes spent on reconstructing the Fall of Berlin, featuring the most impressive war scenes on film."

• Pistes sonores : PCM 2.0 russe
• Format ciné : 2,35/1 noir et blanc et couleurs
• Sous-titrage : français
Studio : Bach Films
Date de sortie du DVD : 3 octobre 2017
https://www.amazon.fr/Coffret-Lib%C3%A9r...B071XF65L8
https://on-mag.fr/index.php/video-hd/blu...atriotique

Available English subtitles is Retail, ripped directly from Mosfilm web site / youtube.
https://www.podnapisi.net/en/subtitles/e...S01-O/tPIR


Karen Shakhnazarov - Mosfilm:
Потом обновили «Освобождение» Озерова.
Then they updated the “Liberation” of Ozerov.