For almost two weeks of this month, the San Francisco International Film Festival will take over the Castro. But since I'm covering that festival elsewhere, I'll stick here to the other two and a half weeks. San Francisco's grand movie palace will screen 19 feature films from the 20th century; in other words, movies that … Continue reading April at the Castro
Category: Digital Projection
Lawrence of Arabia and the Third Coming of 70mm
I've seen two new blockbusters this summer, and both were projected from 70mm film. Fifty years ago, that wouldn't have been surprising. Thirty years ago, that would have been normal. Ten years ago, it was unthinkable. Today, it's back, five years after theatres were supposed to stop projecting physical film of any size. From Edison's … Continue reading Lawrence of Arabia and the Third Coming of 70mm
It’s still real if it’s digital
Last January, I finally saw an early Cinemascope movie the way it was meant to be seen: on a big theater screen, with the original 4-track stereo soundtrack, and the full 2.55x1 aspect ratio (2.35x1 didn't become the official Cinemascope standard until 1957). And there was no physical film involved. The movie was projected digitally … Continue reading It’s still real if it’s digital
Cinema’s past and cinema’s future: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
Yesterday was a very strange day for me at the San Francisco International Film Festival. I didn’t see a single, complete film. But it was still worthwhile. Mel Novikoff Award: Lenny Borger The Novikoff Award goes to someone who who "has enhanced the film-going public’s appreciation of world cinema." Sometimes it goes to someone famous, … Continue reading Cinema’s past and cinema’s future: Sunday at the San Francisco International Film Festival
Physical Film Coming Back with Interstellar
I love digital projection. After a long period of skepticism, I embraced the new technology enthusiastically years ago. To my eyes, a well-transferred DCP looks better than any projected film format except Imax. And yet, I'm excited about Christopher Nolan's Interstellar coming out on real, to-goodness film. This is despite the fact that I have … Continue reading Physical Film Coming Back with Interstellar
MVFF: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Lark
Wednesday night I finally got to a 2014 Mill Valley Film Festival event--a screening at the Lark of one of my favorite westerns, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Believe it or not, this was my first visit to the Lark. Yes, I've been covering it at Bayflicks for years, but this was the … Continue reading MVFF: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Lark
Kubrick in digital and on film
Digital or film? For cinephiles, that's the great controversy of our age. And the arguments get particularly agitated when talking about classic pictures made at a time when digital projection wasn't an option. But in the coming weeks, you get your chance to watch two Stanley Kubrick classics on 35mm film, and then again on … Continue reading Kubrick in digital and on film
The Castro now has 4K projection
Top technology has been an important part of the Castro's appeal for a long time. The theater was, I believe, the first rep house to get Dolby stereo, digital sound, and DCP-compatible digital projection. I believe it's the only local rep house that can project 70mm film, and one of only two that can handle … Continue reading The Castro now has 4K projection
Rediscovering The Big Lebowski
I saw The Big Lebowski at the Pacific Film Archive Wednesday night--my first time seeing the cult favorite with an audience. Now I get it. I may be the last person to realize this, but on the big screen, with a room full of people, Lebowski is an exceptional comedy. The laughs are nearly constant. … Continue reading Rediscovering The Big Lebowski
Undead Pixels Mar Digital Projection
I’m a fan of digital projection. But I’m not blind about its faults. And one of the biggest problems with digital projection is the dreaded stuck pixel. Suddenly, you’ve got a distracting dot on the screen. When it happens, it’s worse than a scratch on a print, and it doesn’t go away until it’s fixed. … Continue reading Undead Pixels Mar Digital Projection
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