Cinecolor, despite its occasional inconsistencies, offers a unique nostalgic charm that is a delight to revisit, especially through vintage prints. This exploration delves into the nuances of the Cinecolor process, using the animated short “The Big Bad Wolf,” originally titled “Little Boy Blue,” as a prime example. The article aims to shed light on the challenges and intricacies of restoring and preserving the color accuracy of these classic films for a modern audience.
The Thunderbean Update and Community Engagement
Before diving into the cartoon itself, it’s worth noting some recent updates from Thunderbean. With the summer season underway, commitments at the school have lessened, allowing for a dedicated focus on the Thunderbean summer projects. This year’s strategy emphasizes “special sets,” aiming to capture a significant amount of work to streamline future releases. The author also recounts a positive experience at the Columbus Moving Picture Show in Ohio, a great event for both film viewing and dealer interactions. The opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts of classic animation was particularly appreciated.
Thunderbean is also preparing to release “Mid Century Modern 3” and a series of smaller special discs. To facilitate this, the “Special Disc Vault” has been opened for a limited time, offering a 15% discount on all items. This initiative provides a chance for collectors to acquire titles they might have missed, as future availability is uncertain.
“The Big Bad Wolf”: A Cinecolor Case Study
The focus then shifts to “The Big Bad Wolf,” presented as a 16mm reference print. The article highlights the ongoing work with the Comi-Color series, which involves new scans from black and white separations. The goal is to meticulously recreate the distinctive look of older Cinecolor prints by working directly with original negatives and master positives whenever possible.
A key challenge in this restoration process is achieving the exact look of a Cinecolor print when working from camera negatives. Negatives often possess finer detail and contrast, which can make the original Cinecolor prints appear slightly softer and more contrast-heavy. This is a common issue not only with Cinecolor but also with other historical color processes like Technicolor. Filmmakers of the era, however, understood these limitations and tailored their creative output accordingly.
This very struggle was encountered during the creation of the Rainbow Parade cartoons Blu-ray set, all of which were produced in Cinecolor. Variations in color timing and overall appearance were evident across different prints, some from 1942 and others from the 1940s and 1950s. Despite efforts to standardize contrast, brightness, and color saturation, achieving a universally pleasing “final look” proved difficult. The author reflects on wishing for a less saturated approach on some films and notes the significant color discrepancies between various 16mm prints, which complicated consistent grading.
Currently, the team is heavily engaged with the Technicolor Rainbow Parades, with all but one being sourced from negatives, which has been invaluable for grading the other films.
Dating Film Prints and Color Accuracy
The article introduces a practical method for dating film prints by scanning them and examining specific markers. The reference print of “The Big Bad Wolf” (Little Boy Blue) is identified as a 1947 Cinecolor print. This dating is possible due to the symbols following “Kodak Film” on the print. Kodak used a repeating symbol system every 20 years, allowing experienced film professionals to pinpoint the stock’s era. The specific symbols on this print indicate it originates from 1947, as that particular stock was not in use in the preceding or subsequent two decades.
The author shares a scanned reference print of “The Big Bad Wolf,” noting that Castle prints often exhibit an excessive blue cast. To demonstrate this, the blue tones have been slightly reduced to achieve a more balanced color presentation. This particular print is praised for its color balance, closely matching the 35mm version more so than other prints examined. The print is presented as scanned, preserving its original color and soundtrack appearance to offer viewers an authentic glimpse into the Cinecolor experience.
For those deeply familiar with these technical aspects, the author offers an apology for any redundancy. The piece concludes with well wishes for the week ahead.