If either The Artist or Hugo wins the Best Picture Oscar, it will say something interesting about how the Hollywood community accepts the technical changes around them. If Hugo wins, it will be the first 3D movie, and the first shot digitally, to win the prize. If The Artist wins (which would please me far [...]
Filed under: Awards, Censorship, Technical | Tagged: Best Picture, Hugo, oscars, the artist | Leave a Comment »
I’ve read a lot about the birth of color movies, but little about the reverse transition: the near death of black and white. (I say “near death” because, thankfully, a few films are still made in shades of gray.) Until the late 1930’s, almost every Hollywood film was in black and white. A decade later, [...]
Filed under: Technical | 2 Comments »
I know people who use the word showmanship to refer to a high technical quality in motion picture presentation—usually referring to old-fashioned technology. I don’t. When I think of "showmanship," I don’t think of movies. I think of circuses, magic shows, and rock concerts. Showmanship isn’t about technology, but about live human beings putting on [...]
Filed under: Festivals, Technical, Theaters | Leave a Comment »
I first saw Terrence Malick’s historical, visually poetic epic, Days of Heaven, in 1978. It was brand new back then, and I saw it in 70mm, at San Francisco’s now-defunct Regency II. I saw it a second time last night at the Cerrito. I’m pleased to report that it is still a great film. Which [...]
Filed under: First-person Report, Reviews, Technical | 1 Comment »
I’m a cinema purist. I want my films shown in the correct aspect ratio. I don’t approve of colorization, adding new and “improved” special effects, or 2D-to-3D conversions. I’m offended when the DVD or Blu-ray disc of a classic doesn’t include the original mono soundtrack. Yet, in terms of the esthetic cinematic experience, I wouldn’t [...]
Filed under: Film Preservation, Technical | 1 Comment »
After yesterday’s digital projection morning, I went home, relaxed for a few hours, then went with my wife to the Castro to see Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm. This wasn’t a new experience, but an old, beloved one. Hollywood made a lot of long epic movies in the 50s and 60s. Many of them were [...]
Filed under: Great Films, Technical | 4 Comments »
I had a great movie-going day yesterday. Two great movies, both expertly presented in their best available format. I started the morning at the Camera 7 Pruneyard, south of San Jose, for a special press screening of Super 8 (I’ve just added Camera Cinemas to Bayflicks’ list of theaters). Theater manager Alejandro Adams organized the [...]
Filed under: Technical | 2 Comments »
You’ve probably read about 3D movies doing disappointing business lately. Some say that today’s 3D craze is bottoming out. Others argue that, like a killer in a bad horror movie (probably shot in 3D), the stereoscopic format will rise again. But I say: Look to Hollywood’s past for perspective on 3D’s future. Will it swiftly [...]
Filed under: Silent Films, Technical | 1 Comment »
Last night, Cave of Forgotten Dreams became the first film I’ve seen digitally projected in two different theaters. The experience taught me something important: The difference between people who love digital projection and people who hate it may be the difference between the theaters they patronize. That the film was in 3D both times accentuated [...]
Filed under: Technical | 3 Comments »
This year’s San Francisco International Film Festival ended nearly a week ago. Either the festival programmers did an excellent job selecting titles or I had exceptional luck picking ones to see. Of the 16 new films I caught this year (two on preview DVDs and 14 at the festival itself), six earned a full A, [...]
Filed under: Festivals, First-person Report, SFIFF, Technical | Leave a Comment »
