Modern archivists attempt to make new negatives of what is left, but sometimes fight a losing battle. As of now, only ten percent of all films made before 1929 still exist. Sound films fare little better. But here, only the original negatives are generally missing. New prints are made from existing prints, but cannot hope to match the quality of the originals.
Color films are another tragedy of film deterioration.
Here, the problem is not so much the decomposition of nitrate film as the fading of the original color dyes. Saving as many movies as possible is the primary concern of film preservationists. In film societies all over the world, dedicated and skilled men and women are working feverishly to preserve films that are failing by the day. But there just isn t enough money available for an all-out effort. Film preservation and restoration are not cheap.