THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pink Floyd At Pompeii MCMLXXII is the live-album soundtrack to the newly restored version of the band’s groundbreaking 1972 concert film directed by Adrian Maben. Digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage, with enhanced audio newly mixed by Steven Wilson, the theatrical release presents the definitive version of this pioneering film.
Pink Floyd At Pompeii pre-dates the release of The Dark Side Of The Moon. The film documents what Pink Floyd did before they became giants of the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic, where their music remains celebrated to this day. Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii, Italy, this unique and immersive film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience.
Filmed in October 1971, the performance marked the very first live concert to take place at Pompeii, and features the vital Echoes, A Saucerful of Secrets and One Of These Days. The breathtaking visuals of the amphitheatre, captured both day and night, amplify the magic of the performance. Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of the band beginning work on The Dark Side of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios. Drummer Nick Mason says “Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii is a rare and unique document of the band performing live in the period prior to The Dark Side Of The Moon.”
The film has been meticulously hand restored, frame by frame, from the original 35mm cut negative — discovered in five dubiously labelled cans within Pink Floyd’s archives. This momentous breakthrough unearthed the very film that rolled through the cameras during those sweltering days amidst the ruins of Pompeii over 50 years ago.
Led by Lana Topham, director of restoration for the band, the team’s mission was to preserve the integrity and beauty of the original picture. The film was scanned in 4K using advanced techniques to ensure the finest, sharpest detail. Colors were enhanced, and every frame was meticulously reviewed and repaired, maintaining a natural and 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,” says Topham. “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.”
The film also features stunning sound quality, with a new theatrical and home entertainment mix by Wilson in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos. It enhances the film’s depth and clarity, preserving the authenticity and spirit of the original 1972 release. Wilson’s aim was to remain faithful to how the band would have sounded on those scorching hot days in 1971.
“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. “They are my Beatles, deeply ingrained in my musical DNA. 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, which looks like it could’ve been filmed yesterday.”
