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Queen’s 'Budapest' Restored in 4K for 40th Anniversary

A Park Road Post Production 4K image restoration with remixed multitrack audio prepares the film for IMAX followed by theatrical release then separate home-video plus audio editions.

Overview

  • Sony Music Vision and Park Road Post Production announced a 4K restoration of Queen Budapest with newly remixed audio and set theatrical and IMAX screenings to begin on Oct. 7 followed by home-video and soundtrack releases on Oct. 30.
  • The film captures Queen’s July 27, 1986 Népstadion performance that drew about 80,000 inside and an estimated 45,000 listening outside, a concert long remembered as a major Western rock show behind the Iron Curtain.
  • The original concert was shot on 35mm using 17 cameras and roughly 25 miles of film, and the restoration team used the original footage and multitrack tapes to rebuild image and sound for modern cinema playback.
  • Brian May and Roger Taylor said the release aims to convey the show’s emotional impact for fans who had limited access to Western music and to show how the music crossed political barriers at the time.
  • The restored film will premiere at festivals before its wide openings, and the high-profile technical work and staggered release plan are likely to boost interest in Queen’s catalog among cinephiles and longtime fans.