The good news and the bad news
[ B.O.Y.S.: Boys On Your Screen (The Message Board) ] Written by Sensitive Stephen am 24 Apr 2001 22:28:54: As an answer to: Video versus film written by Bonzo am 24 Apr 2001 19:48:46:
The good news is that this question will be decided by the marketplace.
The bad news is that this question will be decided by the marketplace. :o)
I have a fondness for truly great film projection in state-of-the-art big-screen movie theaters. The historic Uptown Theater in Washington, DC, comes to mind. The experience is typically overwhelming, and getting to share it with a like-minded audience adds to the enjoyment. Sadly, those venues are increasingly few and far between. More typically, movies are squeezed into multiplexes at malls, and audiences are far from civil. Projectionists at most venues are either inadequately trained or do not ply their craft with any kind of consistency. Prints gets worn very quickly, so filmgoers who miss the first week of release are treated to lots of yummy scratches and sometimes bad splices. The projectors are often set to output less light than their rating (why? to save the bulbs?), so films are often not adequately illuminated. I've seen films projected with apparently the wrong lens, and shall we talk about focus, please?
I am certainly in favor of any developments that improve the moviegoing experience. Note that I only reported the (perhaps dubious) news about the digitization of the moviehouses without saying that I thought this was a good thing. Like you, I'll remain skeptical until I actually see the results. I have the feeling that, if the multiplexes show 106 Dalmations with "digital projection" and the art film houses continue to use film (a likely split of the market), then you and I have little to worry about. :o)
--Sensitive Stephen