<<< December 9 - 11, 2005 >>>

The American Cinematheque and SabuCat Productions, in conjunction with Technicolor, present:

When Dr. Herbert Kalmus and his team of scientists and technicians invented Technicolor in 1915, they changed cinema forever. There had certainly been color moving images since almost the beginning of cinema, but only very labor intensive (and not particularly accurate) color renditions had been available. That all changed, first with "2 color" printing, and finally, dye-transfer printing of all three colors, in which the three color records are "soaked into" on one strip of film – "dye imbibition". The term "Glorious Technicolor" was coined for this, and as the examples in this festival show, the colors, so bright and vivid, almost bounce off the giant movie screen.

Dye transfer printing had the added advantage of not fading, and we'll be running 35mm prints of most of these films from their original issues. The festival will include such rarely screened classics as THE MUSIC MAN (in 4-track mag stereo), THE JOLSON STORY and COBRA WOMAN (original nitrate prints), EL CID, FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, and numerous others. Also be sure to join us for "The Archive Experts Seminar," and hear anecdotes and fascinating information from the major studios’ leading archivists and film preservationists regarding their experiences with Technicolor.

Original dye-transfer prints (in superb, runnable condition) are becoming scarcer every year. Many of the prints that will be presented are over 50 years old. Try not to miss this "Last Technicolor Picture Show" - most of these prints will never be publicly screened again. We are very excited to welcome in-person guest, legendary British cinematographer, Jack Cardiff for a screening of THE AFRICAN QUEEN (at The Egyptian Theatre only.)

THE AFRICAN QUEEN, 1951, Paramount, 105 min. Dir. John Huston. Gin-soaked captain Humphrey Bogart decides to take pity on skinny, psalm-singin-g spinster Katharine Hepburn after her brother is killed in a German attack during WWI – and instead, winds up falling in love, and ferrying her downriver to launch a suicidal assault on a German warship! Brilliantly adapted from the C.S. Forester novel by Huston and James Agee (with uncredited help from Peter Viertel, whose novel White Hunter, Black Heart was inspired by his time in Africa during filming), and photographed by legendary British cinematographer, Jack Cardiff.

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, 1938, Warner Bros., 103 min. Dirs. Michael Curtiz & William Keighley. Comparable to opening a gilded storybook in what is commonly acknowledged as one of the most beautiful, spectacular early Technicolor films. Swashbuckling Errol Flynn ("Welcome to Sherwood-!!") rescues lovely Olivia de Havilland from the evil clutches of Claude Rains and Basil Rathbone in a rousing adventure for the ages.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, 1952, Paramount, 153 min. Cecil B. de Mille’s wildly entertaining big-top spectacle stars Charlton Heston as a tight-lipped, two-fisted circus foreman pursued by lonely acrobat Betty Hutton and slinky elephant trainer Gloria Grahame, while trying to contend with train wrecks, clowns on the lam and more. "I can’t say what would’ve happened if GREATEST SHOW hadn’t come when it did, but that secured my place as an important performer long enough for me to get a few turns at bat." – Heston.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, 1956, Paramount, 220 min. "Let his name be stricken from every pillar and obelisk!," orders imperious pharaoh Yul Brynner, as favored son-turned-religious rebel Heston prepares to lead his people from bondage in Egypt. Cecil B. De Mille’s glorious remake of his earlier 1923 TEN COMMANDMENTS emphasized the colossal spectacle of the Biblical epic, but never downplayed the tremendous human emotions at the core of the story. Look for Heston’s three-month old, son Fraser as the baby Moses in the bulrushes. Actresses Lisa Mitchell & Paula Morgan will appear for discussion following the film.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!