Classic 1896 short film gets upscaled to 4K using neural networks – The Verge

One of the most famous short films in cinema is an 1896 silent film about a train pulling into a station. An intrepid Reddit user has upscaled that film to 4K, brought its frame rate up to 60fps, and even added sound. The effect is impressive, turning a movie thats over 120 years old into something that seems like it could have been filmed today (via Digg).

Denis Shiryaev, who did the upscaling, said he used several neural networks to upscale the original film, LArrive dun train en gare de La Ciotat (translated to Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station). The upscaled version, while not perfect, looks crisp, and I recommend comparing the original film and Shiryaevs version side by side. The differences are quite apparent.

The original film is historic in part because of an urban legend. The story goes that when 1896 moviegoers first saw the film, they were terrified of the approaching train, fearing it could barrel straight out of the screen. Its unclear if that story is true or merely cinema myth, but its fun to think about this simple film potentially being the first horror film ever. At least it wasnt in 4K in 1896.

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Classic 1896 short film gets upscaled to 4K using neural networks - The Verge