Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben, now returns to cinema digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage and with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson.
The film documents what Pink Floyd did before they became giants of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic - where their music remains celebrated to this day.
Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique and immersive film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience.
Filmed in October 1971, the performance marked the very
first live concert to take place at Pompeii, and features the vital ‘Echoes,’
‘A Saucerful of Secrets,’ and ‘One of These Days.’ The breathtaking visuals of
the amphitheatre, captured both day and night, amplify the magic of the
performance. Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of
the band beginning work on The Dark Side
of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios.
Nick Mason said “Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii is a rare
and unique document of the band performing live in the period prior to The Dark Side Of The Moon.”
The film has been meticulously
hand restored, frame-by-frame, from the original 35mm cut negative - discovered
in five dubiously labelled cans within Pink Floyd's own archives. This
momentous breakthrough unearthed the very film that rolled through the cameras
during those sweltering days amidst the ruins of Pompeii over 50 years ago.
“Since 1994, I have searched for the elusive film rushes of Pink Floyd
At Pompeii, so the recent discovery of the 1972 original 35mm cut negative was
a very special moment. The newly restored version presents the first full
90-minute cut, combining the 60-minute source edit of the performance with the
additional Abbey Road Studios documentary segments filmed shortly after,” said Lana Topham, Director of Restoration
for Pink Floyd.
The film also features stunning
sound quality with a new theatrical and home entertainment mix by Steven Wilson
in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos that enhances the film's depth and clarity, preserving
the authenticity and spirit of the original 1972 release. Wilson’s aim was to
remain faithful to how the band would have sounded on those scorching hot days
in 1971.
Wilson added, “Ever since my dad brainwashed me as a kid by playing The
Dark Side of the Moon on repeat, Pink Floyd has been my favourite band. They
are my “Beatles", deeply ingrained in my musical DNA. I first saw Pompeii
from a grainy print at a local cinema. It made an incredible impression on me
with its untethered and exploratory rock music made by four musicians that
seemed to epitomise the notion of intellectual cool. It was an honour to remix
the soundtrack to accompany Lana Topham's incredible restoration of the film,
which looks like it could've been filmed yesterday.”
