AI Firm Aims to Recreate Lost Hollywood Masterpiece with Amazon Backing
▼ Summary
– An Amazon-backed AI firm, Showrunner, is using generative AI to reconstruct the 43 minutes of lost footage from Orson Welles’ 1942 film The Magnificent Ambersons.
– The reconstruction combines AI with traditional film techniques, including shooting with live actors and using face and pose transfer to preserve original likenesses, supported by archived set photos.
– Showrunner will not commercialize the results due to lacking rights to the film, and the Welles estate has publicly disapproved of the project.
– The Welles estate criticized the effort as a publicity stunt and emphasized that AI cannot replicate Welles’ creative instincts or innovative thinking.
– The Magnificent Ambersons was heavily edited by the studio, with only 13 of 73 scenes left untouched, making the lost footage a long-standing interest for film enthusiasts.
A groundbreaking initiative supported by Amazon is underway to restore a legendary piece of cinema history using advanced artificial intelligence. The project focuses on reconstructing the lost 43 minutes of Orson Welles’ 1942 classic, The Magnificent Ambersons, which was famously destroyed by studio executives. Spearheaded by the AI firm Showrunner, this ambitious effort combines cutting-edge generative technology with traditional filmmaking methods to reimagine the missing scenes.
According to reports, the process involves filming select sequences with live actors and then applying sophisticated AI face and pose transfer techniques to match the appearances of the original cast. Archival set photographs will provide critical visual references to ensure historical accuracy in recreating the environments and mood of the film. Showrunner has clarified that the final product will not be monetized, as the company does not hold the rights to Welles’ work.
The response from the Welles estate has been notably critical. A spokesperson expressed disappointment over the project, emphasizing that while the estate has permitted AI for commercial voiceover applications, this particular endeavor was undertaken without prior consultation. The estate maintains that artificial intelligence cannot replicate the distinctive creative vision of a filmmaker like Welles, describing the reconstruction as a mechanical exercise devoid of genuine artistic intuition.
Originally intended as Welles’ follow-up to the acclaimed Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons suffered severe editorial cuts, reducing its runtime from 131 minutes to a mere 88 minutes. Only 13 of the original 73 scenes survived intact, making the lost footage a subject of enduring fascination among cinephiles. While this AI-assisted version may offer a glimpse into what might have been, it remains a digital approximation rather than an authentic restoration of Welles’ intended masterpiece.
(Source: Mashable)
