8mm Forum: Watch the film, but not the dvd

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Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on October 10, 2018, 09:35 AM:

Instead of being pulled up for going off topic on another thread, I would like to go in a slightly different direction to the thread / topic of "Why Still Collect Film If You Own a Digital Projector?"

Straight away, I will declare that I don't have a digital projector.

But...how many of you, like me, would buy a super 8mm film, whether it is the 4x 400' abridged version or the full length version but would never dream of buying it on dvd or spend an afternoon watching it on a TV screen?
I find that a lot of the old black and whites from the 1930's, 40's and 50's are very entertaining and look great on the big screen,where they belong, but wouldn't bat an eye lid if I had the chance to get the dvd. Just a few examples.... "The Happiest Days of Your Life," " The Ghost of St.Michael's" "Great Expectations" "Tom Brown's Schooldays" "The Ghost Train" "The 39 Steps" "Oliver Twist"...... and so the list goes on. I just find that these films are soooo entertaining on the large screen but seem to fall flat a bit on a TV. It could just be viewing snobberry perhaps? After all, these are all black and white with mono sound (suited to most sound projectors). Am I perhaps unwittingly keeping the TV for the latest titles in colour with
surround sound and subconsciously passing by on these older, less technologically advanced masterpieces?

I welcome your comments.....

.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on October 10, 2018, 10:13 AM:

I try not to buy films I wouldn't buy if they were available on video too. That's how I waste space and funds owning films I never watch. (-still have some!)

-by the same token, having either doesn't stop me from buying the other if I get the chance. I got "Airplane!" on 1200 foot reels years after I had it on video.

To me, a good print of a really awful movie on film is a waste of potential: better if it goes to somebody who enjoys it.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on October 10, 2018, 10:32 AM:

Using a movie projector puts you in the atmosphere. In my opinion, when you watch an old film that had be "cleaned" on dvd or br, you tend to compare with modern realases which is not the case if you see in the right context.

Posted by Martin Dew (Member # 5748) on October 10, 2018, 10:36 AM:

Melvin, I must say I love both worlds. A good 2160P or 1080P digital projector with some of the better Blu-rays or UHD discs look absolutely awesome on a white 1.0 gain masked projection screen. Some of the studios, particularly WB, make sure that all the grain and film-like quality are instilled in the masters of some of their legendary back catalogue gems.

There are stunning transfers of films like Casablanca, Great Expectations and A Night to Remember, to name just a few. I adore my film collection, but with the increasing difficulty of finding titles - and I'd love to have some of those you mention - I have to rely on the digital beamer more often than not anyway.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on October 10, 2018, 11:59 AM:

I sometimes, will buy a DVD or download a digital file of a film that I already have on super 8, just to compare the color.

In the case of one print, my latest super 8 acquisition, "Till the Clouds Roll By" (which I id a review for, hre is a link ...

http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000703

I just ger that disc or file, to compare color, which tends to be a pretty good experience, especially if it's a Derann print I acquire of a film. In the case of "Till" I found that, looking at individual frames, "Till' on super 8 had the same color quality as the bluray, just more surface wear and, being able to look at the full frame on super 8, I discovered that the print was taken from a Technicolor original source material ...

So, I really enjoy doing the comparisons. I find that super 8 tends to hold up as being as good or better than the digital file at least 50 or more percent of the time. [Smile]

(note: not on the sharpness issue, when comparing with bluray, but still very good).

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on October 11, 2018, 08:22 PM:

I also don’t own a digital projector yet. However, closing in on my mid 50’s I’m finding my 8mm prints are getting blurry on me even with my glasses on so I may be looking to switch over. I hate thinking it, though. I love celluloid. Steve Klare put it best when he said “do you want to SHOW a movie - or WATCH a movie?”. Therein lies the rub.

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on October 12, 2018, 03:13 AM:

Love my JVC DLA projector and as Martin points out, many of the B&W classics have been carefully restored and look stunning projected digitally.

Having said that, I recently bought a film called "Bulldog Jack" from Ian at Perry's. A B&W crime comedy form the 30's. I just fancied running some real film.

It is hugely entertaining fun and having looked around, it is very difficult to find a decent digital version.

So, as many here would agree - best of both worlds.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on October 12, 2018, 09:31 AM:

I doesn't have to be a digital projector only with which to compare; we have a 65-inch LG OLED 4K display which has black levels to die for, so DVDs through BRs to UHD-discs look about as good as they can on it. Added benefit is that my Oppo players are modified for world-wide use for DVD and BR (UHD is region-free) so anything from anywhere can play.

The original question: do I have films on film that I also have on BR? I have "King Kong" on 16 mm and BR and they offer a different experience. The 16 mm has an immediacy to it that the BR somehow doesn't, but the BR has the smoother, better look and better sound (as it goes with Kong, given the source materials.)

Psychology is definitely at play, because "On the Waterfront" (which I have in a nice 16 mm print) feels more brutal in terms of its story when viewed on film. The Criterion BR is lovely, and it's a slightly more laid-back experience.

My thoughts.
Claus.

[ October 12, 2018, 12:02 PM: Message edited by: Claus Harding ]

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