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Author
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Topic: My Horrible Cinema Experience
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted December 03, 2012 05:00 PM
Took the wife out last night to see the new Denzel Washington movie Flight. We arrived a few minutes early and had to suffer through some TV commercials. Then the lights dimmed and on came a pack of 8 previews, all of which were deafening with the same explosion effect between each cut of the trailer, all mindless violence or juvenile body function humor, not a worthwhile movie amongst the lot. Following this barrage of noise, my head was literally swimming - I am sure the sound level was over 110db - it was like being physically assaulted!
Then the lights dimmed all the way down, and a lead -in to the film announced that " This digital film presentation is presented by Texas Instruments DLP Cinema". Great I thought, finally the movie. The film faded in and my first reaction was 'What is wrong with this picture?" The picture was very dim, shadow detail was almost gone, and the whole thing just seemed very dull and flat. My Panasonic AE4000 would have blown this cinema projector away! Well if the picture was bad, the start of the film was worse. I was expecting a sophisticated action drama, but the first 15 minutes were shots of nudity, prostitution, cocaine snorting, heroin injecting, and a porno movie set! I looked at my wife and I knew it was time to leave. When we got out of the theater she said the whole experienc made her sick.
We went home and I put on a DVD of a classic film , made in a gentler, more sane, era.
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Graham Ritchie
Film God
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted December 04, 2012 03:46 PM
What I used to do was to run all adds and trailers at a lower volume setting, then go into the theatre at the back where there was a main volume control box, just catching the last trailer and as the lights would go down I would adjust the sound level to suit the size and age of the audience. I did that on every screening on the three screens. It also gave me a chance to check the focus at the same time, and if needed, rush up stairs and tweak the focus a little to get it just right. I would check each cinema a couple of times during a film to make sure in my mind everything was ok.
We had a good sound system with plenty of grunt in reserve and every so often the experts would come and spend time tuning it up with there fancy gear. Even after the tune up, they would run or watch some film and I would often listen as well, to hear how it had been adjusted. I could crank up the sound if I wanted to, and because of the way it was set it up and with those amps just ticking over, those middle or high range sound levels were still ok and not uncomfortabe to the ears. I remember the first "Narnia" film. It had a loud explosion in a scene at the start. I used to put my hand on the glass window in the projection room and feel the force of the "sub" hitting it, and thought....the level feels about right ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Reading the above posts, makes me think that people are just going to be driven away from going to the cinema if some of those places dont get there act together, to the benefit of staying home and watching home entertainment instead. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Graham.
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted December 07, 2012 01:15 PM
I don't go to the movie theaters anymore, but that's only because I'm a crabby ole 47 year old!
The manners and morals of most moviegoers these days allkows them to let they're rotten crumb crunchers run amuck while you try to enjoy your film. I couldn't count the times I have wanted to turn around and clobber some parent or some damned teenagers who can't shut off they're blasted cell phones long enough to actually watch a film ...
but now that everything is going digital, I now have a better excuse for not going! Yay!!!
This brings up an interesting point for me ...
I always hear that "It was like looking at 35MM", well hell, give me 35MM anyday now! If 48p and digital in general is so superior, then don't even try to "mimic" 35MM!
The reason?
1. People are comfortable with the "film look" but that will pass over time ...
2. ... and most importantly, digital in the long run, is cheaper that countless 35MM theatrical prints.
However, I would even question number 2# (I'd rather just flush number 2# HAHAHA! Ehem ... sorry, just a little "potty humour"!) ...
getting back to seriousness ...
From what I hear, the digital projection equipment will never be a set standard, as constant upgrades will be in order by the studios, so how will the theatres ever be able to keep up, especially ... financially?
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted December 07, 2012 01:27 PM
That is a very good point Osi, standardisation, and if they're
chopping and changing for evermore,what with 3D and this 48fps
it will all end in tears, and d'you know something, I couldn't
care less.The films are lacklustre,sloppily made adverts for Coke
Cola etc, and the cinema's ( should that description still be used )
are only interested in patrons eating as much junk food as can be
sold to them at extortionate prices,much better to get the DVD.
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted December 07, 2012 01:49 PM
One thing to keep in mind is that the continued prosperity of the movie theaters and the film studios is in our own interests. DVD'S and Blu Rays of the old studio classics will only keep coming as long as the studios are making lots of money. So if the showing of trashy movies to dumbed down audiences rakes in enough cash that the studios can restore and release great films on disc, then that is definately a deal I can live with.
But there is no doubt that the glory days of the movie theaters is long gone. Those of us who grew up in the 30's, 40's and 50's will always remember what a trip to the cinema used to be, and how special it was in a time when showmanship was everything - the lavish decor of the movie palaces, the theater organ playing, the audience sing-alongs, the dimming of the lights, the parting of the curtains, the Pathe News cockerel and fanfare, or 'This is Movietone, Leslie Mitchell reporting". All long gone.
But, the upside of the new digital technology is that we can now replicate at least some of that experience in our own homes.
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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
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Rob Young.
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
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posted December 07, 2012 07:25 PM
"The really scary thing is that many young folk lap this muck up!"
I was young folk once and I probably lapped it up then; based upon what research?
To be fair, 48 fps may offer better 3D presentation. When it finally is released, let us have some informed reviews please.
Regarding Sound...EQ; YES! Brad, absoluuuuuutely! EQ is the answer to most theatres, nay, home enviroments.
Since the start of my career in sound, EQ was so important.
Now, back to basics, but whatever soundtrack you start with, you can tailor it to your equipment / enviroment. This means that even a "duffer" track it can be "tailored" to your system.
And this doesn't mean anything "fancy dan", just careful speaker placement and a good ear for treble / bass control... ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Then, if you enjoy sound reproduction, go from there...
So...big volume should mean impressive, not aggressive!!
As for death of cinema, well...dangerous ground...I'm of a mind to say cinema is dead. I say that because I don't recgonise it anymore. Last time I went to the "cinema" was to see Prometheus 3D at the Empire Liecester Square. Surely state of the art?
No.
The projection booth was now drapped in black cloth ready to accomodate new seating, whilst the projector was hung upon the ceiling above my head, "disguised" in a cheap wooden box, painted black.
Nice picture, I suppose, but nothing I can't see at home.
I don't want to see my home cinema compete with Leicester Square...or do I; maybe I'm sick of enduring that enviroment, maybe I think my home cinema is equal to professional cinema, maybe I don't like "modern" films any more...maybe I think "I'm" the showman...
Thoughts...
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted December 08, 2012 01:06 PM
You had a really good point there , Paul.
I watched the "Cinerama" documentary with "How the West Was Won" DVD, and, as you said, it was REALLY an event!
Fortunately, in Boise Idaho (one city over from us) they still have many a premiere at the old Egyptian Theatre, (a lovely old school theater, you should see the get up inside!) and, at least for the moment, it's 35MM!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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