The Briefing Room

The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) is pleased to announce a special restoration screening of THE SAND PEBBLES (1966), on Friday November 9th at the Zanuck Theatre on the Twentieth Century Fox lot in Los Angeles. Event partners include Twentieth Century Fox and Ascent Media Group.

This screening is open to everyone, and is a unique opportunity to see THE SAND PEBBLES on the big screen once again. AMIA is proud to host this special event to support film preservation and restoration. AMIA screenings are an opportunity to spotlight high-profile restoration efforts, promote moving image archiving activities, and encourage public awareness. Because the screening will be at the Zanuck Theatre on the Twentieth Century Fox lot, all names must be submitted to security before the screening. Only those on the RSVP list will be admitted. To RSVP go to: http://www.amianet.org/events/sand_pebbles.htm or contact the AMIA Office.

Following the success of The Sound of Music, director Robert Wise chose to film Robert McKenna’s prize-winning 1962 novel, THE SAND PEBBLES –an ambitious choice for a director at the peak of his career. Shot in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the film combines historical sweep and intimate human drama in several parallel stories, all revolving around U.S. Navy machinist’s mate Jake Holman (Steve McQueen). Holman is a skillful but fiercely independent sailor who joins the “sand pebble” crew of the U.S.S. San Pablo, a Navy gunboat patrolling the Yangtze River on the eve of the Chinese revolution in 1926. The San Pablo’s inexperienced captain (Richard Crenna) obsessively defends the Navy’s mission–however unnecessary or unwanted–to protect American missionaries and businessmen, blind to the more dangerous implications of American involvement with China’s opposing political factions.

Restoration of THE SAND PEBBLES, overseen by Twentieth Century Fox VP of Asset Management and Film Preservation Schawn Belston, was completed by Ascent Media Group (AMG). The workflow started with a complete evaluation, inspection and physical repair of the original negative at Cinetech (Ascent Media’s film restoration and full service motion picture laboratory). Next, a series of photo-chemical direct prints were struck from the original in order to better identify the digital restoration needs followed by a 4K, 10-bit pin registered scan on Ascent Media’s Northlight scanners. Digital restoration was performed at full 4K resolution at AMG’s Digital Media Data Center (DMDC) using Quantel’s integrated iQ digital intermediate and Pablo color correction systems. After final approval of the color and restoration, the files were recorded back out to a 4K negative. Cinetech then manufactured the composite 35mm check print using an audio track restored by Ascent Media’s POP sound division. POP processed out the hisses and ticks, time-aligned the original 70mm version 6-track to the reference picture and conformed and remixed the music using the original interlocked 6-track and dual 3-track 35mm magnetic scores. Effects enhancements were created from the original sound design, as well as a new Dolby LTRT discreet 5.1 surround mix using newly created subwoofer, equalization, and spatializing technique

To RSVP for this event, go to: http://www.amianet.org/events/sand_pebbles.htm There is no charge to attend this event although donations to AMIA are gratefully accepted.

Everyone is welcome.

The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) - a 501(c) 3 public benefit corporation - is a non-profit professional association established to advance the field of moving image archiving by fostering cooperation among individuals and organizations concerned with the collection, description, preservation, exhibition and use of moving image materials.