A new company has been launched that will present full-restored vintage movies.
Film Masters will present one Blu-ray/DVD title per month, beginning on Sept. 26 with the pairing of th cult movie favorites “The Giant Gila Monster” and “The Killer Shrews” ”“ the two flicks were originally released in a theatrical double bill in 1959. All of the Film Masters titles will be presented in restored versions with new 4K scans of 35mm with original film elements in their original aspect ratios, with DTS-HD sound and Dolby AC3s sound.
“Preserving these films in an increasingly homogenized media world is more important than ever,” said Film Masters founder Philip Elliott Hopkins. “As a consortium of historians and avid enthusiasts, Film Masters was launched to celebrate the preservation and restoration of vintage movies, many of them cult films, that otherwise might not be seen or experienced by a new generation of film lovers. Each release will feature original bonus materials that contextualize and enhance the enjoyment and understanding of the film.”
Film Masters is also building a website with original cinematic-oriented content by noted cinema writers including Susan King and Anders Runestad, and it recently launched a YouTube channel featuring popular vintage films including the Fred Astaire musical “Royal Wedding” and the notorious “Jail Bait” from the legendary Edward D. Wood Jr.
Photo: A title character from the 1959 cult film “The Killer Shrews.”
