Great Projection Saturday, Part 1: D- Box, Sony 4K, and Super 8

June 12, 2011June 4, 2012 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 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 … Continue reading Great Projection Saturday, Part 1: D- Box, Sony 4K, and Super 8

3D: Is It the Next Sound, the Next Color, or Just the Next 3D

June 6, 2011 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

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 … Continue reading 3D: Is It the Next Sound, the Next Color, or Just the Next 3D

Cave of Not-Forgotten Digital Projection

May 30, 2011June 4, 2012 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 3 Comments

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 … Continue reading Cave of Not-Forgotten Digital Projection

SFIFF: Summing Up the Festival

May 11, 2011 ~ Lincoln Spector

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, … Continue reading SFIFF: Summing Up the Festival

Tarzan of the 30’s

March 3, 2011 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 Comments

From 1932 through 1948, Johnny Weissmuller starred in 12 Tarzan movies--six for MGM followed by six for RKO, and all now owned by Warner Brothers. The Rafael will present two of these movies--both from the MGM 1930s--over the next two Sundays in a series called Hollywood & Vines: The Movie Magic of Tarzan. Visual effects … Continue reading Tarzan of the 30’s

Technical Formats and the Best Picture Oscar

February 15, 2011February 15, 2011 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 Comments

If The Social Network wins the big prize this month, as many think it will, it will be the first picture to do so not shot on film. The Mark Zuckerberg biopic was shot digitally. A year ago, a lot of people thought that Avatar was going to win, and it would have achieved that … Continue reading Technical Formats and the Best Picture Oscar

Digital Projection & Classic Movies

May 25, 2010June 4, 2012 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 2 Comments

Twice this month I saw, projected digitally, an older, arguably classic film, originally intended to be screened in 35mm. One was a major disappointment—technically, at least. The other was perfectly acceptable. Both films were new “director’s cut” versions. I’m guessing that the owners of these films chose not to spend money on a 35mm print, … Continue reading Digital Projection & Classic Movies

Dolby Comes to the Balboa

May 13, 2010May 13, 2010 ~ Lincoln Spector

For some time now, the Balboa has been the only theater I regularly cover here with only mono sound, but that’s changing. The theater’s new Dolby sound system officially launches Friday with the opening there of the new Robin Hood. According to the theater’s newsletter, Robin Hood will be screened in “Dolby Stereo.” I’m not … Continue reading Dolby Comes to the Balboa

SFIFF: The Challenge of Film Festival Projection

April 30, 2010August 17, 2010 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

The San Francisco International Film Festival presents as many as 26 features, talks, and short subject collections a day. How do they handle all those movies? Festival Technical Director Jeremy Stevermer was kind enough to sit down with me Thursday evening and explain how it’s done. I was particularly curious about the challenges of running … Continue reading SFIFF: The Challenge of Film Festival Projection

Kurosawa Diary, Part 14: Going Widescreen

March 22, 2010March 21, 2010 ~ Lincoln Spector ~ 1 Comment

I’ve now arrived at an important transition in Akira Kurosawa’s career. In my project of watching all (or all available) Kurosawa films in chronological order, I’ve completed his pre-widescreen work. Every film I’ve watched so far, from his first, Sanshiro Sugata, to his 17th, The Lower Depths, was shot in the old Academy Ratio of … Continue reading Kurosawa Diary, Part 14: Going Widescreen