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Film colorization is the general term for a film alteration process that involves adding color to a black and white film.In the 1980s, this process drew considerable controversy. Defenders of the process claimed that it would allow black and white films to have new audiences of people who were not used to the format. Detractors complained that the process was crude and even if it were refined, it does not take into account that both color and black and white required different lighting composition. Thus they argue, the original work of the artists involved is damaged.
Media mogul Ted Turner was a particularly aggressive proponent of this process until public pressure forced him to reconsider. In particular, plans to colorize Citizen Kane led to major backlash from the film community, with directors such as John Huston demanding that the film be left alone. Partially due to this controversy, all films shown on American television or released to home video in an altered format (including pan and scan and "edited for television" versions), must now display a disclaimer indicating that the film has been modified from its original version.
