Missing The Forest For The Trees

Home Theater is a very addictive hobby with the best of aspirations: obtaining perfection in art. For those who believe film is the finest art form available, and that every aspect of that art should be preserved in a home setting, the hobby becomes an obsession. The actors, directors, writers, cinematographers, sound designers and mixers all labored for years to capture their story, and it’s not wrong to want to squeeze every ounce of performance from a home system to best recreate those intentions.

That’s why enthusiasts compile the perfect combination of TV, surround processor, speakers, ambient lighting, seating, DVD or Blu-Ray player. They want to respect the artists who are trying to tell their story, and the hobbyists realize that every aspect of film making can affect how that story is told, how those emotions are conveyed.

But like anything in life, that obsession can go too far. And like the philosopher once said, the beauty of the forest can be missed by those too focused on the trees.

On Internet discussion boards, minutiae is debated everyday on a variety of topics. They’re a good source of information for those willing to learn about a subject. But in the home theater world, that minutiae can obscure the larger concept -- the movie. In some instances it can be commendable that enthusiasts hold the studios who release their products to a tough standard; in others it can be simply counting pixels to show that you can.

But there comes a time when the lights must be dimmed, the picture should come up, and the story will begin. The TV, speakers, processor and player should disappear from consciousness, and the people inhabiting a different world should grab your imagination from a floating box just inches from your reality. In short, the scope of the entire forest should materialize because of the thousands of beautiful trees swaying in the breeze. And although each tree is part of the majesty, you shouldn’t have to count each one to realize it.