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35mm Movie Scans Compilation

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I’m attempting a huge crowdfunding project to get a list of 35mm films scanned, including Alien, Aliens, Blade Runner, Predator, The Running Man, Robocop, along with a list of horror titles, and more to follow. I’m working with a few other 35mm project leaders. The initial part will likely completed in February 2022, with further instalments released as per the dates listed. You can read all the details here;

https://www.bookofthedead.ws/online_portfolio/br_35mm_movie_scans_blu-ray_box-set.html

35mm print scanning is an expensive & time consuming business. It costs somewhere between $700/£590 to $1100/£920 to rent & scan each movie in 4K or 5K resolution (depending on running time), and even that is fans’ mates rates. The quality of the print, or popularity of the film doesn’t come in to it. Time-wise; might be anything from 1-3 months to get a batch of scans, and restoration work on each print might be another 1-2 weeks each.

Why watch a 35mm scan over a retail Blu-Ray version? The biggest draw for me is the overall experience of seeing a warts & all 35mm print, over a impeccably perfect and overly sanitised restored digital version. In addition, there is usually a wider un-cropped picture, no modern colour correction, and the original mono or stereo audio mixes. A genuine theatrical experience.

So to the pitch. Every few months, I’ll be asking everyone on this project’s mailing list for a set financial donation, which will vary each time according to the scanning costs and the number of contributors. From those funds, a set of 3-5 35mm movie scans (plus trailers) will be created, and every contributor will get those scans. There would never be any profit, as any funds left over once the rental/scanning costs are paid, rolls over in to later and/or additional scans. Each round of scans, pays for the next, and we’ll just see how far it can go.

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Book Of The Dead (Evil Dead 1/2) Blu-Ray ~ Dick Spanner PI DVD ~ Gamesmaster S1-7 DVD Box-Set
BBC2’s 1995 Forbidden Weekend Blu-Ray ~ Dawn Of The Dead - Extended Cut OST ~ BookOfTheDead.ws

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A scan Of Blade Runner already Exists (U.S Cut Only)

Unless if is a different cut

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All the images on your site look fantastic! Wish they were 4k but I understand why they can’t be atm.

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Just completed work on the Return Of The Living Dead feature open matte 35mm scan, along with the trailer (both shown below). The movie has the original dual mono optical audio track, without any of the later rights alterations. Maniac & trailer are next up!

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Book Of The Dead (Evil Dead 1/2) Blu-Ray ~ Dick Spanner PI DVD ~ Gamesmaster S1-7 DVD Box-Set
BBC2’s 1995 Forbidden Weekend Blu-Ray ~ Dawn Of The Dead - Extended Cut OST ~ BookOfTheDead.ws

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Return of the Living Dead is quite a strange film to say the least. I’d say out all the scans on the list, I am most excited to see Predator and Escape from New York. I wish I could donate to the effort, but alas I don’t have a PayPal account.

I wonder how these will compare to the existing blu ray or 4K releases?. The presence of mono/stereo sound is already a big plus for me. Surround sound really isn’t my thing, regardless if it’s configured well or not.

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Work on the Zombie/Zombie Flesh Eaters/Zombi2 (1979) 35mm scan feature & trailer are now finished. As are the 35mm trailers for Sorcerer (1977), The French Connection (1971), The Legend Of Hell House (1973), Alien (1979), Taxi Driver (1976) and Shogun Assassin (1980). Next up is the Taxi Driver (1976) 35mm feature, along with the Alien (1979) 35mm feature.

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Book Of The Dead (Evil Dead 1/2) Blu-Ray ~ Dick Spanner PI DVD ~ Gamesmaster S1-7 DVD Box-Set
BBC2’s 1995 Forbidden Weekend Blu-Ray ~ Dawn Of The Dead - Extended Cut OST ~ BookOfTheDead.ws

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Zombie and Alien trailers stand out the most for me. Great job!

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Genuinely a gold mine of scans here. Fantastic job from all parties involved!

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I can now present the preview encodes of upcoming 35mm scan titles Blade Runner (1982), Predator (1987), Running Man (1987) & Taxi Driver (1976).

PLEASE NOTE: These are quick previews only, encoded from the raw scans as compressed MP4 files provided by the scanner. Each reel has been given a quick levels & colour grading pass, and cropped/upscaled for 1920x1080p encoding. they obviously need a lot more grading work. The final encodes from the raw scans will be higher quality, and have far more time put in to them. This is just so everyone can get a very rough idea of the quality of the print.

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Book Of The Dead (Evil Dead 1/2) Blu-Ray ~ Dick Spanner PI DVD ~ Gamesmaster S1-7 DVD Box-Set
BBC2’s 1995 Forbidden Weekend Blu-Ray ~ Dawn Of The Dead - Extended Cut OST ~ BookOfTheDead.ws