SE7EN & How 35mm Scans Lie to You

Inside the world of amateur 35mm scans and why they can't be trusted.

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Music by Tyler Floyd
https://www.tylerfloydaudio.com/

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Links & Sources:
Se7en’s 4K Remaster
Not On Blu-Ray? - The Mysterious Case of Se7en
https://notonbluray.com/blog/the-case...
The Hollywood Reporter - David Fincher on Remastering Se7en in 4K
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mov...
avforums - Se7en Blu-ray Review
https://www.avforums.com/reviews/seve...
High-Def Digest - Se7en - 30th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/140...
The Film Stage - David Fincher’s Remastered Se7en Comes to IMAX
https://thefilmstage.com/david-finche...
Entertainment Weekly - David Fincher talks remastering Se7en with AI
https://ew.com/david-fincher-discusse...
IndieWire - David Fincher Interview on Seven Restoration
https://www.indiewire.com/features/in...
Collider - "The Most Thrillingly Stupid Fix in the World"
https://collider.com/david-fincher-se...
Twitter (@rarefilmm) - Se7en Restoration vs. 35mm Scan
  / 1876049037381730707  

What are 35mm Print Scans?
Project 4K77
https://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/pr...
Blu-ray.com - The Matrix 4K Blu-ray
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Ma...
Blu-ray.com - The Ring 4K Blu-ray
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Ri...

Print Inconsistencies
New York Magazine - An Evening with Michael Mann
   • An Evening with Michael Mann, moderated by...  
Emulsional Rescue: Revealing 'the Godfather' (2008)
   • Emulsional Rescue:  The Godfather Restorat...  
BFI - Michael Mann on Ferrari, Heat, Collateral and his career to date
   • Michael Mann on Ferrari, Heat, Collateral ...  
cinematography.com - What is the workflow between camera negative and relese print?
https://cinematography.com/index.php?...
Criterion - The Man Who Knew Too Much - Restoration Demonstration
   • The Man Who Knew Too Much - Restoration De...  
Wikipedia - Interpositive
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interpo...
cinematography.com - Confusing (and probably silly) question about print film and digital
https://cinematography.com/index.php?...
WIFF - Beverly Wood Interview
https://vimeo.com/64690523
American Cinematographer - Soup du Jour
https://theasc.com/magazine/nov98/sou...
Blain Brown - Cinematography: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition (p.251)
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=u...
American Cinematographer - Seven: Sins of a Serial Killer
https://theasc.com/articles/flashback...
The Digital Bits - Se7en (4K UHD Review)
https://thedigitalbits.com/item/se7en...

Degradation
CBS - Film restoration: Saving our cinema heritage
   • Film restoration: Saving our cinema heritage  
Insider - How Old Movies Are Professionally Restored
   • How Old Movies Are Professionally Restored...  
FTV English News - Preserving Old Movies
   • Preserving Old Movies  
Science History Institute - Saving Old Movies
https://www.sciencehistory.org/storie...
FilmCare.org - Visual Decay Guide: Dye Fade
https://filmcare.org/vd_dyefade.php
ACOFS - Colour Fade
https://www.acofs.org.au/cfade.htm
Variety - David Fincher on ‘Se7en’ 4K Restoration
https://variety.com/2025/film/feature...

Biased Scanning & Editing
Criterion - Restoration Spotlight: A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY
   • Restoration Spotlight: A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY  
Gizmodo - How Criterion Collection Brings Movies Back From the Dead
   • How Criterion Collection Brings Movies Bac...  
American Cinematographer - The Matrix: Welcome to the Machine
https://theasc.com/articles/flashback...
MatrixFans.net - Interview with Kym Barrett
https://www.matrixfans.net/interview-...

Books:
Blain Brown - Cinematography: Theory and Practice, 2nd Edition


Timestamps:
00:00 Se7en's Many Versions
01:43 What are 35mm Print Scans?
03:49 The Problems with 35mm Scans
04:23 Print Inconsistencies
07:56 Degradation
11:10 Scanning & Editing Bias
13:59 Final Thoughts