Cinerama Dome’s 55th Birthday is November 7th (1 Viewer)

[Dave Moritz]

Cinerama Dome will be 1 year 1 Day older than I will be, rofl

 

[Strohmaier]

I know I'm in the minority here but for some reason I just can't get excited about a DCP of a 3 panel Cinerama treasure.

Sorry your not -I am excited

 

[Strohmaier]

I recently worked with the people at Turner Classic Movies to create a promo for the 55th anniversary of the Dome celebration screenings. It starts playing nationwide today on Turner Classic's Movie News for October.

Dave


Please see three downloadable links for ArcLight’s Cinerama standalone video spot below:
CMNOct-ArcLight-YouTube
CMNOct-ArcLight-Facebook
CMNOct-ArcLight-Twitter

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Very cool, Dave!

 

[Cineman]

Did any of the Cinerama Dome aficionados here happen to attend the screening of GRAND PRIX the other night at the Cinerama Festival and hear what a guest speaker said about there being a restoration in the works for THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM? A good friend of mine was there, heard it, but he did not know there is a bit of a raging debate on the subject on another thread here so he did not make a note of who the speaker was or how much authority he might have to make such an announcement. Just trying to find out if anyone can corroborate what was actually said about a restoration of that movie.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[cadavra]

As someone with a measure of experience with MAD WORLD, I can tell you that the DCP is sharper than a 70mm print. Take the climactic chase. In 70mm, the theatre marquee is not legible. In digital, it's clear as crystal: GREGORY PECK ROBERT MITCHUM CAPE FEAR. (As I mentioned on the commentary track, Barrie Chase is coincidentally in both films.)

As for sitting close, Lowell Thomas himself said that the first three rows provided the optimal viewing experience. I always sit in the front row if it's available. As Jim Backus says, "It's the only way to fly!"

Mike S.

 

[cinemiracle]

I know I'm in the minority here but for some reason I just can't get excited about a DCP of a 3 panel Cinerama treasure.

Totally agree with you

 

[cinemiracle]

As someone with a measure of experience with MAD WORLD, I can tell you that the DCP is sharper than a 70mm print. Take the climactic chase. In 70mm, the theatre marquee is not legible. In digital, it's clear as crystal: GREGORY PECK ROBERT MITCHUM CAPE FEAR. (As I mentioned on the commentary track, Barrie Chase is coincidentally in both films.)

As for sitting close, Lowell Thomas himself said that the first three rows provided the optimal viewing experience. I always sit in the front row if it's available. As Jim Backus says, "It's the only way to fly!"

Mike S.

I totally disagree with you. Digital projection in cinemas has NO DEPTH -a common complaint from many film critics. I saw IAMMMMW many times in cinerama where I worked on it's original release. I very rarely visit a cinema now as I hate the extremely poor quality of the projected digital image-lacking in both clarity and depth. If digital was really that good then why do many film buffs prefer seeing a film in 35mm rather than digital, if given the choice? Why are people still flocking to see 70mm films if given the preference between digital and film projection. If treated with respect film will last for generations longer than that of the digital version .Remember that digital images don't last forever.

 

[cinemiracle]

I totally disagree with you. Digital projection in cinemas has NO DEPTH -a common complaint from many film critics. I saw IAMMMMW many times in cinerama where I worked on it's original release. I very rarely visit a cinema now as I hate the extremely poor quality of the projected digital image-lacking in both clarity and depth. If digital was really that good then why do many film buffs prefer seeing a film in 35mm rather than digital, if given the choice? Why are people still flocking to see 70mm films if given the preference between digital and film projection. If treated with respect film will last for generations longer than that of the digital version .Remember that digital images don't last forever.

Also why are studios still producing new 35mm prints of many classic films if digital is superior?

 

[nara]

Digital projection in cinemas has NO DEPTH.

A completely meaningless judgement which doesn’t stand up to scrutiny on any level whatsoever.

 

[Rob W]

Also why are studios still producing new 35mm prints of many classic films if digital is superior?

Several years ago the demand for 35mm film (especially for release prints ) had dropped so precipitously that it looked like there wouldn't be enough business to allow even one lab/supplier to stay afloat. The studios committed to a deal which guarantees a minimum purchase of film per year to allow the few remaining labs to stay open. Most 35mm is used for archival purposes ( yes, everything is still turned into 35mm negative at the major studios) or for the remaining filmmakers who still choose to shoot on film. Throwing off a few 35mm prints for the rep circuit to meet a purchase quota is no real indication of anything.

 

[DP 70]

I saw Grand Prix at Bradford in Digital Cinerama from the 2nd row and it looked and sounded fantastic.
Thanks again David for all your hard work.

 

[cadavra]

I totally disagree with you. Digital projection in cinemas has NO DEPTH -a common complaint from many film critics. I saw IAMMMMW many times in cinerama where I worked on it's original release. I very rarely visit a cinema now as I hate the extremely poor quality of the projected digital image-lacking in both clarity and depth. If digital was really that good then why do many film buffs prefer seeing a film in 35mm rather than digital, if given the choice? Why are people still flocking to see 70mm films if given the preference between digital and film projection. If treated with respect film will last for generations longer than that of the digital version .Remember that digital images don't last forever.

We're talking about exhibition. Film is still mandatory for preservation, and should also be available for production to them what prefers it (Nolan, Scorsese, Spielberg, Tarantino, etc.). But I've seen film and DCP projected back-to-back (as double features), and there is no competition. The digital image is brighter, sharper, cleaner, always in focus, in frame, correct lens/aspect ratio, no scratches, splices, burns, missing footage, jiggling from missing perfs, tears, blown reel changes or motorboating on the soundtrack. Those who stubbornly cling to film as an exhibition medium are the descendants of those who once said, "Oh, sure, the automobile is all well and good, but I like my horse and buggy. I can brush him, feed him sugar cubes and clean up after him." Times change, technology changes, and we have to change with them or get left behind.

Mike S.

 

[cinemiracle]

We're talking about exhibition. Film is still mandatory for preservation, and should also be available for production to them what prefers it (Nolan, Scorsese, Spielberg, Tarantino, etc.). But I've seen film and DCP projected back-to-back (as double features), and there is no competition. The digital image is brighter, sharper, cleaner, always in focus, in frame, correct lens/aspect ratio, no scratches, splices, burns, missing footage, jiggling from missing perfs, tears, blown reel changes or motorboating on the soundtrack. Those who stubbornly cling to film as an exhibition medium are the descendants of those who once said, "Oh, sure, the automobile is all well and good, but I like my horse and buggy. I can brush him, feed him sugar cubes and clean up after him." Times change, technology changes, and we have to change with them or get left behind.

Mike S.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.You have yours and I have mine. I still disagree with you .I worked in the industry for 45 years so I know what I am talking about.

 

[ahollis]

After working in the industry for over 40 years I agree with Mike S. (Cadavers). I been trough the changes from carbon Arc to xenon Bulb, from reel to reel to platters, from 35mm projectors to digital projectors. Digital presentations are almost perfect. I know there are true projectionists that would make any 35/70 presentation perfect, but they are rarely employed theses days and I went through the days of the high school projectionists (shudder) and the patron does not have to endur those days now in the almost flawless digital presentations and the patron is what it’s all about.

 

[revgen]

Paul Allen, who is responsible for restoring the Seattle Cinerama theater passed away today from cancer. Rest in peace.

 

[cadavra]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.You have yours and I have mine. I still disagree with you .I worked in the industry for 45 years so I know what I am talking about.

I've also been in the business for 45 years. Exhibition, distribution, marketing, production. Seen it all, done it all. Which makes your opinion equivalent to mine.

Mike S.

 

[OliverK]

I've also been in the business for 45 years. Exhibition, distribution, marketing, production. Seen it all, done it all. Which makes your opinion equivalent to mine.

Mike S.

All one has to have is a certain appreciation of film and how it looks and then one can compare that to a digital version. If done reasonably well I would have to give the edge to a digital presentation on the right equipment over most analog presentations.

Doing analog right is that much harder and even if you do everything right on the equipment side you can be let down by subpar film prints, we all have been there.

When analog is done right and with really good prints it has something special that's not quite there yet with digital imo but who can really say that he has experienced that regularly in his local cinema across a large number of movies and prints?

And then digital still has fantastic potential in areas that analog never had like correct framing and much less overscan on deeply curved screens for example, that already is pretty spectacular with 4k projectors but it will be even better when we have 8k projectors.

 

[Strohmaier]

As a film lover, I have worked, edited, shot, restored and projected 35mm film since 1966, and I prefer digital over film these days for the same reasons that Mike S. states above.

 

[RolandL]

Saw Bohemian Rhapsody at the Washighton DC Uptown theatre yesterday. It's one of the few remaining Cinerama theatres that still shows movies on a deeply curved screen. The presentation was not as good as what you would see at the LA Cinerama Dome. The image did not fill the screen, was off center, had side masking on the left but not on the right. and part of the image was cut off in the buttom right and left corners.