It is estimated that nearly fifty percent of all movies produced in America prior to 1950 no longer exist. This is largely because movies made during the first half of the twentieth century were recorded on nitrate negatives. Nitrate is subject to gradual decay when neglected and not properly stored. Many studio heads saw no reason to keep the little films around and simply had the negatives destroyed in order to gain more storage space.
As a result, these valuable films that provide future generations with a look at American culture and a look at the past had to be salvaged to preserve its history. Through video technology, movies can be restored to their original quality. One means of storage is a laser-based technology called videodisc. A videodisc is a 12-inch disc that can store text, sound, still photos, animation, and full-motion video. The disc can store about 54,000 frames per side and has a random-access medium.
This means that all of the information can be accessed almost instantly, unlike information on videotapes and film which have to be rewound to get to a particular image. When optical media are used for storage, films can survive for a much longer period of time. Laser videodiscs also provide movie fans with many viewing advantages. Because the dics are read by a laser beam, finding a specific video clip or a still picture is quite easy. The videodiscs CAV still-frame capability allows for clear, slow motion pictures.
Most films include a frame-file appendix for easy access to a particular part of a movie. Laser videodiscs contain two independent audio tracks. These can provide two different narrations for the same video as well as the stereo music. In many films, either you can hear the original movie score, or you can hear a new, updated version. Films can be heard in an English soundtrack as well as in another language, such as Spanish, German, or French. As a result, technology has provided for greater movie enjoyment.
Film studios have now taken the lead to preserve old classic films that are in danger of being lost forever. With laser disc technology, the shelf life far exceeds that of traditional video and audio tapes. Most of all, laser discs take up considerably less storage space than their videotape or film counterparts. Sound and picture quality always stay the same, play after play, year after year. Film allows us to witness history in the making, which is why it is so important that studios start salvaging films now for tomorrows movie fans.