Back in August 2014 we released what we affectionately refer to as the “Pristine Film”. The color/clarity of the film and the freshness of the Magic Kingdom led to this moniker and it has stuck ever since. Fast forward to 2017…we’ve learned a lot about film restoration and we recently setup a brand new computer with an all new workflow that is faster and produces more accurate results. What better film to test this out on than the first film that proved the Jungle Cruise frogs existed!
We recently stopped increasing the frame rate to 30fps in our restorations, instead we are leaving the films as they were original shot (18fps). Yes there is a bit of “flicker”; but we wanted to keep the nostalgia and feel of the original film. Additionally we added the original 1971 WDW Overture to add a bit of depth and interest while watching. Purists may choose to mute their speakers! As with the original restoration the clips of the Mickey Mouse Review, Small World, Tiki Birds and Country Bears were left on the cutting room floor as most of it was too dark – but don’t worry we’ve got some incredible footage of one of those coming up in a few months! Enjoy!
Below is the text from original our original article:
After the obligatory pan of Main Street USA, we can see the Christmas decorations are up for the holiday season. A view from the Plaza restaurant shows construction just beyond Tomorrowland and the original yellow Swan Boat landing.
From there, the film dives into a world of scenery and landscape – beautifully showing how the park was just after opening. Incredible shots of 20k, Fantasyland, and the Sunshine Tree Terrace.
The now famous Jungle Cruise Frogs make their appearance at the 3:17 mark followed by the remainder of the attraction, sans any dense foliage. Shots from the Seven Seas Lagoon and Main Street round out the day followed by some wonderful shots of Liberty Square, Frontierland and Tomorrowland all lit by twilight.
The film ends at sunset, panning over from one of the bridges on the hub with just a hint of the castle in silhouette.
Great footage! As a young kid I was at WDW over the Thanksgiving holiday in 1971. This is exactly how I remember it.