For anyone who loves The Criterion Collection (which should be the case for most discerning cinephiles), Gizmodo‘s firsthand look at the company’s restoration process is like getting a peek inside Wonka’s factory. This short video focuses on Criterion’s upcoming release of Alfred Hitchcock‘s Foreign Correspondent but is a testament to the incredible effort Criterion invests in each one of their titles.
Criterion technical director Lee Kline discusses the fortuitous elements of Foreign Correspondent‘s restoration, revealing, “We were pretty surprised to see the original negative from 1940 was in such great shape.” Not every film is lucky enough to have been preserved by the Library of Congress, as was the case for this Hitchcock film.
Locating a suitable negative is only the start of the process; the video then examines everything from the color grading to the final packaging. These elements are all carried out under a guiding artistic vision set forth by the film and the filmmaker’s body of work. In the case of Foreign Correspondent, the cover art typography was lifted from the film’s trailer; showcasing the details that Criterion Collection puts into each release.
Foreign Correspondent will be released on February 18th (pre-order here) and will include both the DVD and Blu-Ray version of the film, as per their new standard. In the meantime, check out the video below and let us know your favorite Criterion Collection title.
Did the video provide insight in their process? What’s your favorite film in The Criterion Collection?