An AI company has announced plans to reconstruct the missing footage from Orson Welles’ acclaimed film, The Magnificent Ambersons. The project aims to recreate the 43 minutes of lost material from the 1942 film, which was truncated by the Hollywood studio RKO and subsequently destroyed. Showrunner, an AI platform under the interactive film studio Fable, will leverage its technology to assist in this ambitious undertaking.
Edward Saatchi, CEO of Fable, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We’re starting with Orson Welles because he is the greatest storyteller of the last 200 years.” In remarks made to IndieWire, Saatchi emphasized that the initiative aims to demonstrate the positive contributions AI can make to storytelling in cinema.
Collaborative Efforts in Reconstruction
Reports indicate that Showrunner is collaborating with filmmaker Brian Rose, who has been exploring ways to reconstruct the missing segments since 2019. Rose intends to incorporate animated sequences to fill in the gaps, working alongside visual effects expert Tom Clive. The partnership highlights a growing trend of utilizing advanced technology in film restoration, aiming to breathe new life into forgotten cinematic works.
Welles originally began production on The Magnificent Ambersons as a follow-up to his Oscar-winning debut, Citizen Kane. The film, an adaptation of Booth Tarkington’s novel about a declining Midwestern family, faced significant challenges during its release. After the film tested poorly with audiences, RKO removed certain footage, leading to Welles relinquishing his final-cut rights. The director later lamented the studio’s actions, declaring that RKO “absolutely betrayed me” when they re-edited the film’s conclusion and added a new ending.
The Quest for Lost Footage
The original master negatives of the removed footage were destroyed to create storage space, complicating efforts to restore the film over the decades. Various attempts have been made to locate or reconstruct the lost sections. A working print was reportedly sent to Welles in Brazil but is now presumed lost. Filmmaker Joshua Grossberg has been actively searching for this print, which remains a significant piece of cinematic history.
In 2005, a reconstruction using still photographs premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, but the latest initiative from Showrunner promises a more advanced approach. Despite the innovative nature of this project, Saatchi clarified that Showrunner does not hold the rights to The Magnificent Ambersons, suggesting that any resulting footage may only be accessible in scholarly or demonstration contexts.
“The goal isn’t to commercialise the 43 minutes, but to see them exist in the world after 80 years of people asking ‘might this have been the best film ever made in its original form?’” Saatchi stated. This project not only aims to reconstruct a classic but also serves as a testament to the potential of AI in preserving and enhancing cinematic legacies.
