TCM 2019

Sony - World Premiere Restoration - Colorist Sheri Eisenberg

“The understudy took over the lead when director George Cukor insisted on casting Katharine Hepburn in this adaptation of Philip Barry’s hit comedy. Hepburn had understudied for the role of a lost society woman rebelling against her conservative family when the play opened on Broadway in 1928. When it was first filmed in 1930, blossoming talkie star Ann Harding earned an Oscar nomination as the lead. Seven years later, Columbia bought the rights, hoping to re-team Cary Grant and Irene Dunne after their success in The Awful Truth (1937). Cukor insisted on casting Hepburn, whom he had brought to Hollywood in 1932. It was their fourth of eight films (and two television movies) together, and her third of four with Grant. Cukor knew how to get quality performances out of both stars, helping Grant find the right insouciant air for a self-made success eager to retire while young enough to enjoy it. For Hepburn, Cukor managed to showcase her athleticism and wit, along with the sensitive soul beneath. This graceful film won great reviews, but Depression audiences weren’t in the mood to sympathize with the wealthy. Over time, however, it has come to be regarded as a high point in the director’s and stars’ careers, meriting this world premiere restoration.” (d. George Cukor, 95m, DCP)

30th Anniversary Restoration - Colorist Gregg Garvin, supervised by Cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson

“Even before its release, Spike Lee’s fourth feature was the most controversial film of its year. Inspired by the 1986 killing of Michael Griffith in Howard Beach, Queens and the 1984 police shooting of Eleanor Bumpurs, an elderly, disabled African-American woman, Lee created a story about the neighborhood-wide arguments over a Bedford-Stuyvesant pizzeria whose “Wall of Fame” only features white celebrities. Lee’s semi-comic depiction of a district full of colorful and compelling characters—from Da Mayor (Ossie Davis) and Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), a self-styled witch, to Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), whose boom box blasts Public Enemy non-stop, and Mookie (Lee), who delivers pizzas and does odd jobs—turns increasingly serious as arguments about the pizzeria erupt into a riot. Despite charges from conservative critics that the film would incite violence, it never did. It did, however, do solid business and garner numerous critics’ awards. In particular, it was praised for Lee’s attempt to present all sides of the issues raised, the strong performances of its ensemble cast (including Rosie Perez and Martin Lawrence in their feature debuts) and Ernest R. Dickerson’s evocative cinematography, which perfectly captures the summer heat leading up to the violence.” (d. Spike Lee, 120m, DCP)

TCM 2018

Roundabout West is proud to announce, in collaboration with Sony Pictures, that the 4K digital restoration of None Shall Escape (d. Andre De Toth, 1944) will have its world premiere at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival.  None Shall Escape, released during World War II, is a compelling commentary on the dangers of not recognizing the rise of fascism in Poland and Germany in the 1920's.  
The recently completed 4k restoration Fail Safe (d. Sidney Lumet, 1964), which made its restoration world premiere at The Berlin International Film Festival in February 2018 is also making it's U.S. premiere on the opening night of the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood.  
 
Color correction of these features was completed by Sheri Eisenberg using a FilmLight Baselight and a 4k Christie projector.  Roundabout offers a state of the art facility to bring new or classic features from the original negative to the screen, be it digital cinema, HDR our new Samsung display.