Key Takeaways:
* Digital and archival movie files are at risk of decay and corruption.
* Experts compare the situation to a ‘silent fire'
* Independent films face the greatest risk due to a lack of preservation by studios.
* Industry insiders sounded alarms regarding this impending crisis in Hollywood.
Digital Decay Poses an Unexpected Threat to Hollywood
Hollywood, renowned for its progressive evolution from black-and-white flicks to the digital era, now faces an unforeseen potential crisis. A mouse-click's convenience which gave rise to streaming services has brought with it a hazardous possibility of losing a significant amount of digital and archival files due to decay, a phenomenon compared to a ‘silent fire.'
A Silent Fire Burns Through Hollywood's Archives
Linda Tadic, an expert in the field of archiving, detailed how files over time get improperly transferred. She also revealed how hard drives are often prone to physical damage, causing them to become unreadable and lose access to valuable film data. Independent films stand at the greatest risk as major studios often overlook the preservation of these movies in their libraries.
Further on this, Tadic stated, “It's a silent fire. We find issues with every single show or film that we try to preserve.”
The Fate of Independent Films
Independent films, in particular, bear the brunt of this lurking danger, according to Leonard Maltin, a board member of the National Film Preservation Foundation. A considerable number have already been lost due to a lack of proper archiving and preservation methods.
“Those films were not attended to at the time — not archived properly because they weren't the products of major studios,” Maltin commented.
The Straining Effects on the Industry
With the reported removal of significant content and the potential for digital decay impacting studio Libraries, Hollywood finds itself in increasingly troubled waters. If this situation continues to compound, it could lead to significant losses for the industry, reminiscent of past losses such as the disappearance of older films like Alfred Hitchcock's ‘The Mountain Eagle.'
Looking Towards a Resolution
The film industry must now make crucial decisions to prevent this potential disaster. Comprehensive action plans and stringent preservation strategies for digital files will be paramount if Hollywood is to dodge this quietly ignited ‘silent fire,' threatening its valuable content.
The Anticipation for Upcoming Films
Amid these concerns, there are still reasons for the industry and audiences to remain optimistic. Notably, the acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho's next film “Mickey 17”, starring Robert Pattinson, is set to release three days earlier in Korea on January 28, 2025.
Fans worldwide eagerly anticipate what Warner Bros' president of international distribution, Andrew Cripps, describes as “another thrilling and unpredictable film from the maverick director, boasting an exciting original story and great production qualities.”
As Hollywood navigates the current tide of threats to its archival system, it must find sustainable solutions. The story of future films and the preservation of past independent movies hang in the balance.
