Hello Frameworkers, I have a question regarding color preservation of Walter Ruttmann's "Opus" films, and was hoping you might be able to point me in the right direction or share your insights with me. I am currently researching the use of color (or lack thereof) in the early "absolute" animations by Viking Eggeling, Hans Richter and Walter Ruttmann, and recently came across an essay by William Moritz titled "Non-Objective Film - The Second Generation" (1979). He states that "we have only fragmentary black-and-white silent prints of Ruttmann's originally hand-coloured films" - and yet, these <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od0MxuD4xxQ> digital color versions of his films are widespread online.
So, my question is: What do we actually know about the use of color in Walter Ruttmann's Opus films, and what sources is this knowledge based on if his colorized films are not preserved? Have there been any new insights since Moritz' essay was published? And who made these digital color versions of his films - are they just amateur work, or are they a legit institutional reconstruction project? Any leads you might have regarding the use and preservation of color in Ruttmann's films or in early abstract films in general will be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much! Laura
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