Restoration funded by The Film Foundation and Robert M. Animal Logic is recognised as one of the worlds leading independent creative digital studios, producing award winning design, visual effects and animation. Restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Fair Wind to Java is a reminder of a time when every movie didn't have the livelihoods of its entire cast and crew riding on it, and when simply watching movies in theatres, as opposed to particular movies on video monitors, was something to look forward to after a long week of homework. Maybe the real stars of Fair Wind are the Lydecker "twins" (they actually weren't, but they were brothers), Republic Pictures' resident special effects geniuses: given what they had to work with (an average Republic budget was $50,000) their photographic effects are wonders to behold, and their version of Krakatoa has to be seen to be disbelieved. Just beyond, the volcano at Krakatoa awaits, ready to blow. Fred MacMurray is the ship's captain scouring the East Indies and battling the local pirates for a sunken cache of diamonds, and Vera Ralston is the Javanese girl Kim Kim who knows where the treasure is hidden (and who speaks with a mysterious Eastern European accent). Fair Wind to Java, newly and lovingly restored to its original Trucolor glory, is the Saturday matinee par excellence: the drama is minimal, the pace is brisk, the scenery is eye-filling, and the special effects are lovably unpretentious. Saturday afternoon at the movies-five words that speak volumes to viewers middle-aged-and-older.
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