Advanced Television

RRsat Europe restores Bogarde’s cult British classic ‘Victim’

January 6, 2014

RRsat Europe, the European arm of RRsat Global Communications Network, a provider of digital content management and global distribution services, has recently restored the film ‘Victim’ for ITV Studios Global Entertainment. The cult classic 1961 British film stars Dirk Bogarde as a prominent lawyer who risks his career to hunt down a blackmailer.

The film is notable for being the first British language film to use the word ‘homosexual’ (the first film itself to use the word being a German-language film in 1919).

ITV Studios Global Entertainment sourced the necessary elements and delivered them to RRsat Europe’s facility in West London, for preparation, cleaning, scanning and restoration (both audio and video). The specialist team at RRsat Europe set to work on the 35mm Original Negative and 35mm Finegrain, which due to the age of the film had some inherent problems, such as badly tram-lined sections and fluid damage.

The end result was Super 2K scans of both restored and unrestored elements preserved for future access. The team restored the film to such a good extent that on the re-release as a DCP, it was described on the BFI website as an “immaculate restoration”

Rod Carter, Head of Operations for ITV Studios Global Entertainment commented: “This film is a significant piece of British film history. We were concerned therefore, with ensuring that it was restored to a level that meant it was preserved for future generations.

“We have worked with RRsat Europe for a number of years now, and they have delivered some excellent projects, such as the Prime Suspect restoration last year. So they have demonstrated the necessary technical expertise and service required to restore a culturally valuable project such as this.”

Matt Bowman, commercial director, RRsat Europe, added: “As with most older content such as Victim, there are a number of problems that arise with the elements due to their age. Using a number of techniques, the team painstakingly scanned, cleaned and assembled the new film to a point that suited this British classic.

“We’re incredibly proud to work on such classics to ensure that the legacy of British film makers is viewed in the manner in which it was intended.”

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