A restored version of the 1972 film “Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii” will hit theaters in April. It’ll be followed in May with a soundtrack release in multiple formats.
Renamed “Pink Floyd at Pompeii — MCMLXXII,” the film has been digitally re-mastered from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson. Directed by Adrian Maben, it documents the band’s live performance over four days in October 1971 at an empty amphitheatre in the ancient dead city of Pompeii, Italy.
Presented by RM Productions and released by Sony Music Vision and Trafalgar Releasing, the film will show at select cinemas and IMAX theaters worldwide beginning April 24. Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. ET Wednesday, March 5 at www.pinkfloyd.film.
Film restored
The film’s been restored by hand, frame-by-frame, from the original 35mm negative, which was recently discovered in the band’s archives.
Led by Lana Topham, Pink Floyd’s Director of Restoration, the team’s mission was to preserve the integrity and beauty of the original picture. They scanned the negatives in 4K using advanced techniques to ensure the finest detail. They enhanced the film’s color, and reviewed and repaired every frame to maintain a natural, vivid appearance with minimal grain adjustments.
“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,” Topham says. “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.”
New soundtrack
The new cut also features enhanced sound with a new theatrical and home entertainment mix by Wilson in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos.
“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,” Wilson says. “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,” he adds, “which looks like it could’ve been filmed yesterday.”
The accompanying soundtrack release “Pink Floyd at Pompeii — MCMLXXII,” will see the performance presented as a full-length live record for the first time. Wilson’s 2025 remix will be available on CD, LP, Blu-ray, DVD, digital audio and Dolby Atmos on May 2.
Album tracklisting
Side A
- Pompeii Intro
- Echoes — Part 1
- Careful With That Axe, Eugene
Side B
- A Saucerful of Secrets
- Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Side C
- One of These Days
- Mademoiselle Nobs
- Echoes — Part 2
Side D
- Careful With that Axe, Eugene — Alternate take
- A Saucerful of Secrets — Unedited
Preview
Here’s an advance release clip of “Echoes”:
This looks like it’s going to be a great watch. The quality of the video is spectacular and the audio quality is bound to be even better. Thank you for sharing this Craig!