Seniors' Free Talk: Kevin Brownlow's Unending Quest to Restore Gance's Napoleon
The director and historian gives an illustrated talk on his mission to restore the silent film classic.
- 24 Feb 14:00 NFT2 not available online
On 9.5mm at the NFT - is it possible? That is how Brownlow first saw Napoleon, launching an obsession that has endured nearly 60 years and produced three restorations. This illustrated talk shows what that first glimpse looked like, not to mention the 17.5mm which formed a substantial part of the first restoration. Gance is also here, shooting the film, and later relaxing with his family. It was the BFI that made the restorations possible, and the Federation of Film Archives that brought footage pouring in from all over the world. Those 20 minutes that inspired in the early 1950s have now reached five and a half hours...
silentfilm.org
Presented by Kevin Brownlow, assisted by Patrick Stanbury. Free for over 60s.
BFI Southbank Programme Update - 22 May (No.32)