The 90th anniversary edition of Glorious Technicolor: The Movies’ Magic Rainbow is a 280-page, coffee-table-size, hard-cover volume offering an insightful, behind-the-scenes glimpse into nearly a century of entertainment history. The book is written by Basten, who has spent the last three decades of his career following the intriguing accomplishments of Technicolor and its founder, Dr. Herbert Kalmus.

In 1915, Kalmus invented the first commercially-viable color motion picture film camera and process, two revolutionary advances that changed the movie-going experience forever, and positioned Technicolor as Hollywood’s pillar of technological leadership and innovation. Glorious Technicolor: The Movies’ Magic Rainbow takes readers on an insightful, behind-the-scenes journey of Kalmus’ transformation of Technicolor from a small consulting firm operating its first film lab out of a railway car in Boston, to an industry-leading and globally-diversified media and entertainment services corporation with distinguished clients throughout the world. As this compelling story unfolds, Basten reveals little-known facts and historic anecdotes about Kalmus, and showcases the many studios, directors, stars, technicians, and specialists who created the classic Technicolor films of yesteryear, such as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind, which audiences still treasure today.

Glorious Technicolor: The Movies’ Magic Rainbow also expertly bridges the company’s colorful past with its present-day operations, and its promising future. In addition to celebrating the magical era of the Silver Screen, the updated book brings Technicolor’s story current by illustrating how the company is continuing to pioneer the most advanced methods of delivering visual entertainment through film, digital, video, and optical technologies. For example, today, Technicolor is the world’s foremost processor of motion picture film, the largest global manufacturer and distributor of DVDs, and a leading provider of production, postproduction, and visual effects services to film studios and cable and television networks. The company is also a principal developer and supplier of services for comprehensive, end-to-end digital cinema distribution, channel origination and broadcast playout, and cinema advertising. Finally, Basten describes how Technicolor is extending its reach and influence in the media and entertainment industries through its parent company, Thomson, the preferred partner to the media and entertainment industries which acquired Technicolor in 2001.

The 90th anniversary edition of Glorious Technicolor: The Movies’ Magic Rainbow provides a fascinating look at the birth of the entertainment industry, its progression over the past nine decades, and its multi-faceted evolution into the giant global business it is today – all spearheaded by Technicolor at every turn. This expanded version features more than 300 rare, richly-produced photographs from studio archives and Technicolor’s private collection, as well as new chapters which provide a detailed account of the company and its activities over the last 10 years. These additions also highlight Technicolor’s involvement with many of Hollywood’s most recent blockbuster titles, including The Aviator, Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Nemo, Seabiscuit, The Incredibles, Shrek 2, and many more.

The newly-revised book, authored and updated by noted entertainment industry journalist and historian Fred E. Basten, charts the illustrious nine-decade history of the world-renowned entertainment services provider, Technicolor. Self-published by the company, and distributed by Easton Studio Press through CDS Books, Glorious Technicolor: The Movies’ Magic Rainbow will be available online at http://www.technicolor.com, and at booksellers nationwide, beginning November 1, 2005, for $59.95. The new edition also features a special introduction by famed Hollywood director, Martin Scorsese, who shares his earliest memories of seeing a film in Technicolor.
Bruno Chatelin