8mm Forum: Cinemas still showing new releases on 35mm?

This is topic Cinemas still showing new releases on 35mm? in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on July 26, 2013, 08:58 AM:

Can anyone give a plug to any cinemas - anywhere in the world - where 35mm is still in use for NEW releases? I'm not sure of the location of any such UK cinemas, but the Fairfield Halls in Croydon is currently still using 35mm for new films, although it only screens 2 or 3 a month.

Although it's now a minority of films that are available on 35mm in the UK, I keep checking formats on the UK Film Distributors Association site, and there are still some coming up as far ahead as mid-November releases, so maybe here the very end won't come before 2014.

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on July 26, 2013, 09:29 AM:

Skyfall was showing in 35mm at the Empire Bromley in november.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on July 26, 2013, 09:42 AM:

Following a French site, in 2013, 75 % of the cinemas in the world are digital, 70 % in Europe (sadly, 90 % in France, the most digitalised country in Europe but 48% in Western Europe) and 90% in the USA. Altough France loves Britain, they don't give the percentage of the digitalization in the UK.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on July 26, 2013, 01:06 PM:

There's a drive-in cinema in Cork, Ireland, which claims to use film still. I specifically emailed them a few months back to ask.

Posted by Jonathan Trevithick (Member # 3066) on July 26, 2013, 05:34 PM:

I was a part time projectionist at Scene Cinemas in South Wales during the 90s. On holiday 18 months ago, I was surprised to see they were still open and projecting 35mm on all three screens.
I just Googled them and it seems they closed at the start of this year.
http://cwmbranlife.wordpress.com/2013/05/11/cwmbrans-scene-123-cinema-meet-the-man-who-locked-the-door-for-the-last-time-after-40-years-of-films/

Posted by Jeff Missinne (Member # 3373) on July 26, 2013, 10:14 PM:

One small town theatre not too far from here, the Comet in Cook, Minnesota, used Kickstart and local fundraising to come up with the $85,000 needed to switch to digital. For them it was a case of "go digital or go dark." THE LONE RANGER was both their last 35mm and first digital feature. Here in Superior, our only theatre is a second-run "discount" 4-plex located in a failed, nearly vacant mall. Once the supply of "used" 35mm titles runs out, I expect it to close. [Frown]

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 27, 2013, 06:26 AM:

Just screened tonight all on 35mm
THE CROODS
SONG FOR MARION
THE GREAT GATSBY

No sign of film being cut off down here yet...., just less prints I have noticed available, only 1 chain here has gone all digital, most indi theatre operators like me still run 35mm

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on August 03, 2013, 12:39 PM:

Hi, The "Kavanagh" in Herne Bay, a 2 screen independant, is still running 35mm but were hoping to change if they can raise the funds. They are trying hard but could be better supported by the local population. Ken Finch.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 26, 2013, 08:39 AM:

I've discovered that despite predictions that it would be gone by now, 35mm distribution (albeit on a small scale) will survive into 2014 in the UK. Both 'Mandela' and 'Inside Llewyn Davis' - to be released in January - will be available on 35mm. Format information on most films isn't available yet, so there may well be others.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on September 26, 2013, 08:59 AM:

Many of the non chain cinemas are retaining a 35mm projector thank goodness such as Mablethorpe, plus we also have a large movement of volunteers who are doing everything possible to preserve old cinema buildings, projectors and re-open these cinemas. The big picture for the UK is all is far from lost and it’s great to see all this preservation work taking place. Within our area along I know at least 10 35mm projectors have been relocated either up and running or in the process of all saved from the skip. Either way these new releases will be old releases within two weeks of hitting the screen but the main thing must be to go and support the film cinemas surely.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on September 26, 2013, 09:11 AM:

A privately owned Cinema in Oxford is showing Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in The Big Sleep on 35mm on Sunday and Monday.

Posted by Jonathan Trevithick (Member # 3066) on September 26, 2013, 07:58 PM:

I had forgotten about this thread. Otherwise, I wouldn't have started a new one on exactly the same lines, sorry!

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on September 26, 2013, 08:20 PM:

still screening 35mm myself down here.

Posted by Mark L Barton (Member # 1512) on September 27, 2013, 03:55 AM:

The Curzon Cinema in Clevedon, Bristol (The oldest operating cinema in the world) still shows 35mm and has an extensive collection of old projectors in its museum. http://www.curzon.org.uk/

They are actually having a screening of 8mm package movies on Sept 29th at 12.30: http://www.curzon.org.uk/content/public/Main/MovieDetail.aspx?cmsid=31939&hash=fB8PULOpv3Fr8Y1HDLrfvA

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on September 27, 2013, 03:57 AM:

Oh and the Empire Wigan Multiplex has all its 35mm in and running. Yay!

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on November 20, 2013, 03:01 PM:

The "Kavanagh" moved to digital last week. The move was made because it would otherwise have to close next month because of the dearth of 35mm prints available. It has cost £18000 to re equip the 2 screens. The owner could not retain one of the 35mm machines because of insufficient space in the "box". Sign of the times it seems. Digital or nothing new to show. I saw "Philemena" there this week and found the new set up very impressive. However I wonder how long it will be before more money has to be found to upgrade the system to the next digital format! Ken Finch. [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 21, 2013, 09:42 AM:

Take a look.
http://baypromoteam.co.uk/the-kavanagh-cinema-is-now-fully-digital/

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on November 23, 2013, 06:43 AM:

Thanks Maurice. Very good video of modern 35mm projection techniques. Demonstrates yet another example of how our human skills are being replaced by computers! However, the use of "Cake stands" must have contributed to picking up dirt compared with reels or "towers". Note also that "self threading " did not exist on 35mm!! When I started teaching you were never allowed to use school projectors without having gained a "Visual Aids" certificate. Thanks to my interest in the hobby from an early age I took the examination and passed easily without having to do the course, despite never being a professional. Considered becoming a professional projectionist when I left school but the pay was so poor compared with other jobs requiring similar skills and unsociable hours of work. Ken Finch.

Posted by Zechariah Sporre (Member # 2358) on November 23, 2013, 08:12 AM:

We still have 35mm here in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. So everyone can come visit me [Smile]

The theater owner says it is hard to get the films he wants though.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on November 23, 2013, 10:44 AM:

Ken
Film on cake stands attracted a lot of static which itself further attracted dust/dirt. The platters were regularly treated with an anti-static spray, and some cinemas even had anti-static treated paper sheets which hung under each platter and ran gently on the film revolving beneath.

Static was also generated by the film passing many plastic rollers on its travel, so many cinemas replaced them with brass rollers.

Platters were covered up at night, and films not in use were similarly covered. Gates were thoroughly cleaned after each run. But nothing could compare with the old days of 2000' changeovers when the gates could be cleaned every 20 minutes.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on November 23, 2013, 10:48 AM:

It would be interesting to know what films are appearing on 35mm in countries where it's now scarce, as perhaps they tend to be the same ones. In the UK, current and forthcoming releases available on 35mm include 'The Hunger Games - Catching Fire', 'Blue is the Warmest Colour' and 'Bullett Raja'.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on April 27, 2014, 08:16 AM:

I expected to see a conclusive end to 35mm in the UK by now, but I've just looked up forthcoming releases and it seems the next X-Men film from 20th Century Fox, released on 22 May, will be available on 35mm. Finding a cinema screening it on 35mm fill be another matter!

Does anyone have a theory why Fox and possibly one or two other distributors, are sometimes still having a few prints made for UK distribution? Surely there can't be any cinemas left relying on 35mm for new releases, in view of the very small number of films available?

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on April 27, 2014, 03:50 PM:

im going to a cinema on Friday night to watch their last commercial 35mm screening which is The Hunger Games 2.
Carbon arc/changer-over style!

Posted by Lindsay Morris (Member # 3812) on April 28, 2014, 02:56 AM:

I have just wound up my outdoor summer film season at Mundaring Western Australia.
AFIK I was the last operational 35mm site in the Perth metro area and now all are digital.
Some country drive ins remain running but for how long is another matter as we expect by the end of June that will be it for 35mm in Australia.
Now to consider whether the switch to digital is economically viable for me.
Was a Century CC with 2kw xenon and Eprad MUT onto a 9.5M screen seating 300. Dolby SR surround sound.
The supply of 35mm prints was driven purely by demand..high profile titles had some and smaller releases had zero.
Lindsay

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on April 28, 2014, 06:44 AM:

Wigan Empire is now all dig.

Stockport Plaza Super Cinema has three 35mm projs running one of which is a Vitaphone machine and fully working. [Smile]

It is the Laurel & Hardy shows on 3rd May starts 2PM will prob bump into some of you again.
Big Business’, ‘Any Old Port’ and ‘Sons of the Desert’
(Mid day meet at Calverts Court Wetherspoons before the films)

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 28, 2014, 05:14 PM:

Its all digital in this city [Frown]

even though I still go the odd time to the movies, its not the same and it will never be. There was always something special about film.

It might seem strange, but at the moment its the school holidays and its raining big time, and that started me to reflect the 12 years of past school holidays, "films" that we used to run, the projectors, the people, the buzz of the place being packed out. Although the cinema itself has long gone...I still miss it.

Digital projection has changed things alright...sad in a way [Frown]

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