Blackpool Film Festival – I loved this remastered version of Gilda starring Rita Hayworth and could not believe the film is 78 years old

.So it was perhaps only right to launch this year’s festival with a movie from the golden age of Hollywood.

Rita Hayworth was one of the biggest stars to emerge in the era and Gilda was one of her most iconic performances.Now this classic film noir has been given a new 4K restoration to deliver a digitally improved version for a new audience.

And with the film festival having been switched from the Winter Gardens to the Backlot Cinema, we were also able to watch it in the most up-to-date cinematic surroundings (and I think also much comfier seats than the 1940 movie-goers enjoyed!).

It really was remarkable to see how clear the images before us were – none of the scratchy, disjointed running you might associate with dusty black and white films.

The plot revolves around a woman being controlled by the men in her life, but set against a back drop of glamorous  smoke-filled casinos in post-war Buenos Aries.Glenn Ford stars as Johnny Farrell and the chemistry between the pair it emerged later was real.

I loved the film for its depiction of strong-willed Gilda, and her wardrobe is magnificent with items like a dazzling two-piece costume worn for a nightclub scene which would not look out of place today.

Friday was the release night for the restored version of Gilda and such was the quality it was hard to believe we had seen a film that is 78 years old. I left the cinema hoping more films from that era can be given the same make-over as once you are immersed you don’t miss the colour.

The Blackpool Film Festival is on until Sunday (November 3) with many more gems to come including workshops, talks and awards to showcase young film-making talent.

If you are a child of the ’70s or ’80s, don’t miss Scared For Life (7pm Sunday at The Backlot Cinema). Liverpool writers Stephen Brotherstone and Dave Lawrence will be giving a hilarious talk about the TV, films, music, comics, board games, books, adverts and crisps (no, really) that blighted all of our childhoods. All accompanied by a slide show of some of their most potent childhood fears!