8mm Forum: David Lean on the Big Screen

This is topic David Lean on the Big Screen in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=001932

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 05, 2011, 05:04 PM:

Well folks this Friday evening we will be running with intermission "Lawrence of Arabia" at 7.15pm. The 35m print will arrive "I hope" on Friday morning...so I better put it together right [Smile]

no second chances with this one. I understand the intermission is at the end on reel "8". [Eek!]

..its one long film.

I last watched it when it was re-released, I think that was back in the early 90s out here, my son was around seven years old and amazingly he sat throught it and still remembers that long shot of the arrival of Omar Sharif on his camel, anyway we are sreening on 35mm film all four of David Lean films over the month of September. I understand they come complete with overture...the works, so it should be good. It will be the last time to watch those films projected on film projectors on a large screen before the digital age takes over completly. As for us, the cinema will be closing down in the near future, hopefully we will be around for Christmas the owners are still to finilize the closing date, "making way for more new stores" so we thought....why not, lets go out with class with some movies, the likes we will never see projected on film like that again.

We will be screeing "Lawrence" five times over the next few days a 11am and 7.15pm with a 4pm this Sunday. The same for "Doctor Zhivago" the following week.

Anyone want to come. [Wink]

Graham.

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on September 05, 2011, 11:32 PM:

Saw Lawrence in 70mm a few years ago. Quite a picture. Saw Ryan's Daughter fairly recently and didn't care that much for it.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 06, 2011, 01:18 AM:

Back in the 70s I watched "Ryan's Daughter" on 70mm in the old Cinerama theatre. I thought at the time it was a bit drawn out, and not much of a story, but where the film did look good was the photography some of which was shot on the West coast of Ireland. It will be interesting to watch it again, in particular the cast of John Mills who was brilliant, Trevor Howard, Robert Mitchum and Leo McKern as Ryan.

Doctor Zhivago, I watched when it first came out at the movies and even though I was young it left a lasting impression so thats one I must watch again.

The thing is with the films of David Lean, they were all long....to long [Smile]

but in saying that, this is a once of occasion for us to view them on film on a larger than TV screen.

There is one film of David Lean that really does stand out as one of his best and thats "Great Expectations" from 1946 I have the full feature on Super8 and its really good.

Graham.

Posted by Gerald Santana (Member # 2362) on September 06, 2011, 01:33 AM:

Hi Graham,

I first saw Lawrence of Arabia in a second run theater in San Dimas, Ca. Th owner there rented many classic prints and this was the first one I saw with an "Intermission" although I wanted it to go on! I fell asleep on the second half after the break but, got a chance to see the whole thing later on VHS.

One film that I just got on Super 8 and screened was David Lean's 'Brief Encounter' which won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 1946. it is a terriffic sharp print with low volume on the first 400' but, improves through the end. At 1600', it has great pacing and editing -- very ahead of it's time!

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on September 06, 2011, 11:20 AM:

Graham, it's just hard to believe that they're going to have you all move on like that, but kudos for going out in style. Sounds like a great series and a memorable time. Hope you have good turnouts!

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 06, 2011, 02:30 PM:

It will be interesting to see how much support the films get, initally we only wanted Lawrence before commiting to the rest, however it was a condition that if we took one we had to take the others. As we are between the school holidays we could fit them in for a short run during that month so we thought why not [Smile]

The decision to close the cinema although the date has not been confirmed is part of the mall expansion plan thats been in the wind for a while. Its a shame though as the place is profitable, its making good money and is well supported locally. I have pushed the case for its survival to the owners, but its in the road for any large scale expansion of the mall so in there eyes its got to go.

Graham.

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on September 06, 2011, 02:44 PM:

Graham,
It is sad, but you are certainly ending on a classy note!

It's a pity you couldn't have a real blowout and run "Lawrence" in 70mm. I am assuming what you are getting is the Robert Harris restoration, so it should look great.

Anyway, full houses to you, and may someone be able to take the equipment if indeed they do the terrible thing and junk it.

Claus.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on September 06, 2011, 11:31 PM:

8 reels to intermission? Are these shorter (15 min) reels because of the 70mm source?

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 09, 2011, 11:12 PM:

70mm would have been nice. I am not sure the exact running time of each of the reels, however here are a couple of photos.

This is how the film arrived all 13 reels intermission was at the end of reel eight.

This print would have been at a guess almost 20 years old. It would have been nice to have a new one however it ran alright.

Ready for screening..I decided to make it up in two parts also the break gave me time to give the projector a good clean down before starting the second half.

screen shot from the projection booth.

Graham.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on September 10, 2011, 03:35 PM:

Graham, with the restoration version at 227 minutes (per IMDB), no wonder it's 13 reels! That's 17 1/2 minutes per reel.

But did you have any kind of a turnout? Did the theater turn a profit? :-)

Cool pictures, thanks for posting.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 13, 2011, 04:26 AM:

Hi Bill
The cost for the film was low, however "Lawrence" was not a huge hit "lack of proper advertising" but it did ok.

Funny thing happened today at the 11am session when a group of people turned up for it. I was downstairs being the usual pain in the neck to the staff, anyway this chap said he last saw "Lawrence of Arabia" in the Regent cinema in town. I said so did I back in the early 90s, so did he on that same Sunday morning...small world. I added the print you are going to watch I think is the same one [Smile]

only a lot older... 18 years worth. [Smile]

The feedback from watching this movie has been very positive everyone has enjoyed watching it. So its out with "Lawrence of Arabia" tommorow and in with "Doctor Zhivago" starting this Friday.

Old reliable...the "Bauer" projector getting close to 40 years old ready to project a 18+ year old print. When this place closes I hope to take this projector with me for old time sake.

I must add that its been many years since intermissions were phazed out. I think they should come back, for long movies that break works out well.

Graham.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on September 13, 2011, 07:03 AM:

Graham

Your right about the intermissions. I could have used a break in Avatar. [Cool]

PatD

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 19, 2011, 12:17 AM:

Well what a fantastic day, watched the 11am 35mm screeing of "Doctor Zhivago" complete with overture, intermission etc.
I last saw this film when it came out when I was young in the 60s and the chance to watch it once again on the big screen was not to be missed. The old Bauer ran perfect, rock steady image, nice and sharp. I brought in my CD soundtrack to add, for before the feature and during intermission music. Young Chris had to get full lights down at the right moment at the start of the second part as the screen is black as the train is in the tunnel for quite a while, he got it just right. The presentation was done manually and I gave strict instructions that any CD soundtrack music had to fully finish its track before start up. [Smile]

Full marks to James the other full timer for putting it together late last week and young Chris for presenting it on screen as it should be.

The colour was really good, it reminded me of Kodachrome but in 35mm. "Doctor Zhivago" suits the big screen, also the soundtrack was excellent Maurice Jarr's music sounded great.

The feedback from the everyone was excellent. I might even go a second time before we finish with it tommorow night. I go back to work on Wednesday, brake it down for Aussie.

screen shots from the projection room I took last weekend.

Graham.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 27, 2011, 01:52 PM:

Well folks I was so impressed with watching "Doctor Zhivago" I watched it a second time the following day [Smile]

The print went of to Aussie never to return to NZ. [Frown]

Watched "Ryan's Daughter" first half on Sunday "that was long" and caught up with the second half on Monday afternoon. Watching the storm and poor old Leo McKern as Ryan getting blasted by the seas was impressive as with all the location photography. Fantastic acting by John Mills and it was a real pleasure to watch actors like Robert Mitchum and Trevor Howard back on the big screen.

Today its the last screeing of "Ryan's Daughter" with "A Passage To India" starting this Sunday.

At the moment we are running 12 different features on 35mm from 10am to 11pm, [Eek!]

so for a three screen we are running this place to its limit. [Smile]

As far as the David Lean films, its been good, everyone I have talked to has enjoyed them and having a intermission has worked out really well.

PS. I was speaking to some folk yesterday who had just watched the film, I mentioned that I had last watched it in the old Cinerama theatre in 70mm way back in the late 70s , they replied how much they enjoyed it and the last time they watched it was also at the Cinerama cinema in the 70s....small world eh!

Graham.

[ September 27, 2011, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 06, 2011, 05:01 PM:

Well folks thats the end of our David Lean "film" run and it was well worth it, some folk had not been to the movies in many years. Passage to India was sent back yesterday so thats that. For me the highlights was watching Doctor Zhivago "twice" and chatting about his films to some of the the folk that came along.

We are heading now into what could be our last school holidays [Frown]

date of closure is still to be made but did get a chance to view the plans with the mall manager and they do look impressive. The work has now been approved by the people that own this place so its not far away...as for this cinema we have been busy plus with heaps of private hire and making good money but the building is to come down. The look on the faces of people around here when I mention that its going to close, is one of disbelief, anyway oops gone of topic, glad we ran the "David Lean" films when we did.

Graham.

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on October 07, 2011, 12:35 PM:

Too bad they can't incorporate some theater space into the new plans. Congrats on a good run.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on October 07, 2011, 01:16 PM:

Beautiful screenshots from that 70MM print! Lawrence of Arabia was the first "restoration" I watched that was really done quite well. Many other "restored" films that were released early on (for instance on laserdisc) were either just good or horrendous.

The film Hawaii is a classic example. The laserdisc, while nicely letterboxed with gorgeous colors, was great as long as it wasn't the "restored" footage. Once it went to the found footage, the color or lack of color hadn't been restored a bit and looked horrendous. Sure, it was nice to see the footage period, but it was VERY noticeable.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 09, 2011, 01:47 AM:

Hi Bill
I cant help thinking they are making a mistake, at present there are very few city cinemas running, all the art house places along with two other multi-plexes were damaged early in the year and are still closed so there is a shortage of screens.

My fear is that once we are gone it wont be long before the remaining cinemas will go digital and as a result film projection as we know it will be gone completely from this city...the end of an era [Frown]

for the staff I work with its a matter of finding another job and I wish them all well they have been a good bunch, for myself [Roll Eyes]

soon to hit the 60 mark [Eek!]

...it will be the scrap heap along with those projectors.

Graham.

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on October 10, 2011, 11:58 PM:

I think it is fair to say that we won't see their like again. Reminds me of the sad farewell to one of my favorite theaters in the Cincinnati area called the Carousel Theater. It was a marvelous huge theater with great projection and sound. You could not see a better presentation. As I recall they had the monstrous Norelco 35/70mm projectors and they always did reel changes up to the very end. My sons still remember going to see films there when they were kids such as "Jurassic Park". They went out showing the restored 70mm prints of some great classics. I got to see "Spartacus" in all its glory but missed "Lawrence of Arabia" and a few others due to work. It has been really tough watching the slow death of something I have truly enjoyed almost my entire life. I don't find digital projection worth paying to see and even less so when you factor in the abusively annoying audiences that have evolved over the last few years.

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on October 11, 2011, 01:23 PM:

This is all making me feel so old, I was at the original press show of Lawrence at the Odeon, Leicester Square. The only things I can recall is that people stood up and applauded at the end, and Cyril Shaps (a popular actor at the time) was sitting behind me. Still got the ticket (torn in half and taped back together) somewhere!

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2