By Long-running home video review site The Digital Bits has done a lengthy look into the process of bringing James Cameron’s “Titanic” to 4K with the title hitting that format last week.
“Titanic” was shot on 35mm film in Super 35 format using Arriflex 35 III, Panavision Panaflex Gold II, and Panavision Panaflex Platinum cameras. The film was finished on film at 2.39:1 for its 35mm anamorphic release and 70mm blow-up prints.
Speaking with Lightstorm, the outlet found that the new UHD remaster is built upon the 2K digital intermediate work done in 2012 for the theatrical 3D release of the movie.
That release began with native 4K scans of original camera negative and the best available VFX footage. A new 4K digital intermediate has since been built using the original scan data.
New details were often added to the VFX footage to “enhance the shots at Cameron’s direction” and fix some issues, such as the stars in the night sky of the post-sinking scenes now matching the correct date and time in history of where the ship sank.
Lightstorm also worked with Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post to optimize the 4K image in “a hands-on and closely-supervised process” which involved remastering the film shot by shot, sometimes working on different areas in the same frame, all “to ensure that every bit of detail in the negative is visible”.
The aim was to “manage but never eliminate organic grain” and maximize the film’s 4K image quality “to Cameron’s specific standards and preferences”. That includes the new Dolby Vision color grade.
It’s hoped similar care and attention is being paid to the upcoming Cameron films “The Abyss,” “True Lies” and “Aliens” getting 4K disc releases coming in March and hitting digital platforms next week.
For the full review of the “Titanic” 4K UHD with more info, head on over to The Digital Bits.
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