The Quietly Disappearing Art of Film Projection

[Peteyandjia]

When digital projection was first coming along, the big theaters had digital projection in some rooms, and film projection in others. It was kind of an experiment.

Cut to now: I want to go see Django Unchained. Digital is not usually a dealbreaker for me, I notice the difference, but I overlook it and enjoy the movie anyway. However, I do like to see a film the way the director intended it to be seen; and it just so happens that Tarantino is a stickler for film projection. So I looked around.

To my surprise, it seems, this year, suddenly, America at least, has quietly switched almost all of its theaters from film, to exclusively digital. Can't speak for other countries.

2 questions:

1. What do you all think of that?

2. Any resources for film purists out there? I'd like to find which theaters still project film.

 

[Peteyandjia]

Well, that answers that one I guess. Haha

 

[Sir Galahad]

Film will never die.

 

[Shot]

I don't think there's a definitive list of theaters that have film projection. Imax theaters are film projected of course but that's about it.

I notice a bit of a difference between the two but it doesn't bother me.

 

[Da Speeit]

Not specifically on topic of projection, but it's strange reading film-making and directorial books (non instructional) and seeing the care directors put into their films. Even shitty directors really took the art form seriously.

I watched a long Allen documentary, and they have footage of his editing process, which was ridiculous, but it also made him really sit down and re-evaluate his own work.

Going to be strange seeing the waves of film-makers that have less of a hands on delicacy in their works. I think the studio reign may return, though you can argue it already has.

 

[Heisenberg]

Would I be able to tell a difference?

 

[lakersfan45]

whats wrong with digital? you are still seeing the full correctly formatted picture, rightt? why is better/clear/perfectly calibrated picture a bad thing?

 

[Peteyandjia]

Just to follow up on this uber-popular thread, I ended up seeing Django Unchained the way the director intended it, on a screen with film projected onto it. It struck me right away how much I'd gotten used to digital, the difference is weird. Really enjoyed it. I hope film projection sticks around in some form, but it doesn't look like it will. Even the theater I was in is overhauling to digital this month. It seems most people don't care, or even notice. So long film projection, you died without a whimper...