It’s a Wonderful Life, the beloved Frank Capra masterpiece, is set to be released in ultra 4K resolution thanks to a year-long restoration.
Paramount Pictures oversaw the process, which had a team use the original nitrate negative along with two fine-grain masters created in the 1940s. Each image was carefully scanned using the best available technology as both the preservation of the original negative and the best possible digital copy were of immense importance.
With the best image of the three sources selected on a shot by shot basis, the final product, a labor of love for those involved, is a vibrant and detailed picture of the classic that families have fallen in love with and enjoyed ever since the film’s initial theatrical release in 1946.
The original black-and-white film, as well as the colorized version, will be included on the 4K HD Combo Pack. The package will also include a trio of special features.
It’s a Wonderful Life stars Patrick Stewart as a frustrated man who has given up on his dreams to help others. On Christmas Eve he is visited by a guardian angel who shows him just how important he has been to those around him. Though more of a box office disappointment than success during its initial run, the film was able to earn five Academy Award nominations and has become a holiday staple over the years.
The new restoration will hit store shelves, and many households, on October 29.
