8mm Forum: Just saw The Artist

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Posted by Dino Everette (Member # 1378) on December 31, 2011, 10:02 PM:

Winter Movie Wonderland took my wife and I to the theatre tonight to watch THE ARTIST. Being a silent movie fan I was anxious and a bit hesitant to see this movie. I can say that I really enjoyed it. I thought they used the silence for all of the right reasons (ie: to tell a story visually)and they even used sound very creatively. The actors did not ham it up too much and they even went with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio.......

The biggest thing I noticed about the film was how the theatre we saw it in could not handle the scenes that were actually silent.. The speakers are obviously calibrated for such loud volume that whenever there was absolutely no sound in the movie you heard a hum from all of the speakers.

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on January 02, 2012, 01:25 AM:

Was the film in black and white? If so, I won't miss it!

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on January 02, 2012, 02:13 AM:

Silent???? Black & White????

Who in their right mind would sit through that???

[Wink]

Posted by David Park (Member # 123) on January 12, 2012, 02:42 PM:

Saw the trailer last week hope to see the film this weekend. Looked good from the trailer, and will be good for a change on a one off basis.
For the trailer the side masking did not come in to the "square 'ish" ratio, think it might for the actual film, will be digital as the trailer was.

Posted by Antonis Galanakis (Member # 1455) on January 12, 2012, 03:20 PM:

I also saw the film. It was a masterpiece!!! Great idea, great actors! It was the first time in the last few years that the audience was so quiet. In the absolute silent parts of the film, you did not hear anything. I couldn’t believe it! The audience was all taken by the magic of the film. I wish I had this film in 16mm or s8mm. I hope that someone lucky will hold a copy of a 35mm in a drawer.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 09, 2012, 06:44 PM:

Went to our local cinema this morning to watch it and really enjoyed it. Superb cast, excellent 35mm print and music "Kinoton projector" [Cool]

...a real gem. Did anyone watch it on Digital? just curious as this "film" had the reel change cue dots "top right", very appropriate dont you think. [Smile]

Graham.

PS. It was in the news here of people in England complaining of the silent nature of the dialogue....idiots [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on February 10, 2012, 03:26 AM:

It’s been a real problem trying to find a cinema in our vicinity actually showing this film which I am dying to see so it must be real popular. I’ve given up looking now and will await the electronic disc delivery. Blast it!

Posted by David Park (Member # 123) on February 10, 2012, 04:33 AM:

Yes saw it from digital at my local cinema, excellent quaulity.
Do not know if the 35mm change over dots were there or not, doubt it but can't be certain.
We enjoyed this novelty film.
Back to change over dots do not think I notice them on up to date 35mm films, but do on older movies when shown. If a cinema is still using 2 35mm projectors do they need the visible markers still or are the changes done by electronics?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on February 11, 2012, 04:01 AM:

As this film only came out this week the review in todays main city news paper was very good. One thing I forgot to add was how impressive the way it was filmed. The camera work was shot just like it was done in the silent era. The cast also looked to be having fun making this movie, John Goodman fitted the part of studio boss well, all in all a very enjoyable movie.

Quote from todays paper. "An artistic triumph, The Artist is an audacious and bravura nugget of cinematic gold".

Graham.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on February 11, 2012, 07:11 AM:

The film was released early october in France and we had to wait for a month to get a 35mm print as they were only a handful of them. When building up the print, I was a bit disappointed to discover that the film was pillarboxed in 1.85 as opposed to using the full frame. Granted, most mainstream cinemas no longer use 1.33, 1.37 and 1.66 (and most of them are digital) but since the prints were going to the older venues and arthouses, I was hoping the film would be in the real academic format. I screened it with the curtains in 1.37 masking, so it reinforced the illusion.

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on February 11, 2012, 01:16 PM:

I worked on a film Meek's Cutoff that was framed for both 1:33 & 1:85 and was screened 1:33 at some theaters. It's too bad they didn't think of that, but I think they wanted everyone to show it in that format. Here is the tech specs for the film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1518812/technical

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on February 12, 2012, 10:02 PM:

I absolutely loved this film, much more so than I thought I would. Sure, I knew I would love the B+W and the time period etc, but this is an honest-to-goodness silent film as one would see it during the late 1920's. A great deal of work went into into it because they got it right. Not a parody. I also just loved that the film was in Academy aspect ratio instead of wide screen. The 4:3 ratio is so pleasing to watch because you see the entire image at once and closeups never looked better than in 4:3 Black and White.

Posted by Colin Auty (Member # 231) on February 14, 2012, 04:00 PM:

I watched this tonight , it definately deserved the 7 BAFTAS it was awarded on Sunday night. Uggie the dog (a Jack Russell terrier) was the real star of the film. He won a Golden Collar Award for his performance on Monday night, awarded by Dog News Daily digital media.
I noted the 35mm film print shifted to sepia in reel 3 and then back to black & white for the rest of the film ,was this for effect(anybody notice this on the digital presentation?)or a varient in the film print? It was nice to see change reel cue dots top right...a charming film.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 01, 2012, 05:10 AM:

Finally got to see it on the big 35mm screen and what a beautifully crafted film it was with very imaginative use of sound. Liked it so much I went back to see it all over again!

Posted by Yanis Tzortzis (Member # 434) on March 01, 2012, 08:33 AM:

...ditto.... [Cool]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on March 01, 2012, 09:26 AM:

As did I.......absolutely charming. Must pick up the soundtrack!

Doug

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 02, 2012, 06:32 PM:

As a fathers day present my daughter bought me the dvd [Big Grin]

its excellent and is well worth getting. Its also available in blu-ray.

The special features are very interesting, and must get my hands on the brilliant soundtrack somewhere.

Graham. [Smile]

PS. Just thought I would add, that later in the movie a part of the track sounds like it came straight from Bernard Hermann music from Hitchock's "Vertigo" I wached that movie a few weeks ago. I guess its a bit of a tribute to the many composers from the past.

[ September 02, 2012, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on September 03, 2012, 03:29 AM:

quote:
PS. Just thought I would add, that later in the movie a part of the track sounds like it came straight from Bernard Hermann music from Hitchock's "Vertigo"...

Yes indeed. Kim Novak got into quite a tizzy a few months back over this. If you search the internet you'll find the relevant info.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on October 07, 2012, 02:40 PM:

It's a good film. My disappointment was the soundtrack.
Their were scenes that had mediocre musical accompaniment.

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