Facts about the new "Mad World" 70mm print

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The 70mm Newsletter

Written by: John Kirk, Director of Technical Operations" for the MGM Worldwide Services Department

Date: March 18, 2004

Photo of the new "Mad World" 70mm print. United Artists 1963.

Press picture to see unsquesed image, as it should appear on the screen using the Panavision lens.

The project was started during last summer (2003), probably around June. The final print was finished around the end of September or beginning of October 2003. We have various locations in the L.A. area, as well as in other places, where we store our elements. (It would be unwise to keep everything in one place, in case of natural or manmade disasters). Our original negatives are kept in a state-of- the-art facility called Pro-Tek in Burbank.

The DTS track was made at Chace Productions in Burbank from the existing 35mm 6-track stereo magnetic from the original release. Chace cleaned up the track and pumped up the surrounds a bit to give the track a more appropriate sound for modern ears. We used several different sound sources for the sound; I honestly don't remember which of our local facilities housed the 6-track magnetic before it was moved to Chace.

The lab work was done at Technicolor, because that is the only lab in Hollywood that still does 70mm work. Fortunately, the original negative was basically in good shape, so there was not a lot of repair work necessary. Most of the lab work involved close inspection of the materials, cleaning, re-timing, and a few repairs. The most notable problem was some color fading in the opening credit sequence, but since this project was not a true "restoration" per se, there was no work done on that. Otherwise, the color throughout the rest of the film was quite good.

Further in 70mm reading:

2003 40th anniversary re-release

Projection lens

Compared fresh colors to this faded 70mm frame

Internet link:

MGM & Mad World: Trailer, sounds and stills

Discussion on restoration

SeattlePI.com March 4, 2004

One thing you should know about the 70mm print you'll be getting. The projector should be left on during the timed 15-minute intermission. There is nothing on the picture, obviously, but the DTS track has the police calls that were in the original release. The calls are repeated a few times during the intermission so that people from the audience can leave to go out to the restrooms before or after they hear the calls.

I asked Chris McGurk at MGM to make the 70mm print for the 40th Anniversary.

I asked for the entire soundtrack to be added as well as the interactive intermission.

The timing now runs 3 hours and 17 minutes. I do not know about the lab work but the man who has these answers is Gray Ainsworth.

Warm regards,
Karen S. Kramer

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Updated 12-05-08