Just In Time For Christmas: 'It's A Wonderful Life' Is Getting A High-Def Makeover

Dec 04, 2018 by apost team

Among Christmas traditions, none is more heartwarming than the 1946 film classic It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. On the heels of a disastrous day, George Bailey decides to commit suicide, but his guardian angel pops in to save him.

When a bitterly frustrated George wishes he’d never been born, the angel decides to show him exactly how bad life would have been for the good citizens of Bedford Falls—including Mary, George’s wife—if George had never lived.

George learns to see his life in a new light, and Christmas joy soon abounds.

The movie once considered a box-office disappointment, but now considered a beloved classic, was nominated for five Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and has been named among the American Film Institute’s Top 100 American films. Director Frank Capra admitted it was his personal favorite, one he watched every Christmas with his own family.

The film changed hands plenty of times since it was made. Various companies tried to restore the black-and-white original. One company even colorized it. Sadly, all that bouncing around damaged about half the reels.

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Which makes the news that Paramount is about to give film lovers the Christmas gift of a restored It’s a Wonderful Life—an 4K ultra-high-def version of the original black and white—all the more, well, wonderful!

Thanks to six months of painstaking work digitally replacing the deteriorated bits and Paramount’s determination to preserve Capra’s vision, George Bailey and the rest of the folks in Bedford Falls will appear clearer, crisper, and brighter this holiday season.

Capra, who passed away in 1941, won’t be able to enjoy Paramount’s gift, but you can! Catch It’s a Wonderful Life in select theaters, or enjoy in the comfort of your own home by streaming it on Amazon.

Meanwhile, we’d love to know if It’s a Wonderful Life is a holiday tradition at your house. Will you be checking out the high-def version? Oh, and don’t forget to pass this article along to other classic Christmas movie fans, whether they're friends or family, so they can enjoy this classic at its best!