The Technicolor Reference Collection—A 1950s Survey

When the Technicolor corporation shut down the dye-transfer printing line at its Hollywood laboratory in 1974, a large collection of film was in need of a home. The collection consisted of single reels of titles that Technicolor was release-printing for Hollywood studios. If prints were made after the initial release, the reference reel could be consulted to make sure the color palette of the new print matched the look of the original release. It was known within Technicolor as “the reference collection.”

Focusing on films from the 1950s, this program gives you the opportunity to see Technicolor dye-transfer prints from this invaluable collection. Join us to analyze nine reference reels of films by George Cukor, John Ford, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Douglas Sirk, and King Vidor, and judge their color palettes from original film prints rather than myth, memory, or a recently created print or digital remaster! (program 100 mins., 35mm)

• See the complete Cinema Revival 2020 lineup