South London cinema gets 35mm projectors working again

[Adrian Winchester]

In October 2017, Croydon's David Lean Cinema (a Community Interest Company largely run by volunteers) completed a project which resulted in its digital projector, and one of its two Kinoton 35mm projectors, being mounted on metal platforms that can be wheeled along a track system. This rectified keystone distortion by placing the digital projector in a central position, but also enabled it to be wheeled to one side to enable 35mm projection. Unfortunately, and partly due to the amount of electrical disconnecting involved, a lengthy interruption to 35mm screenings followed, but finally 35mm returns at 2.30pm on Saturday 29 October with GOSFORD PARK (2001), which is presented in association with the Cinema Museum. Hopefully this will be successful enough to lead to future 35mm screenings.

If anyone in reach of South London would like to attend, I'll say hello at the cinema. You can book via: www.davidleancinema.org.uk/#gosford

[Graham Ritchie]

We ran some David Lean films back in 2011, one title a week, however a lot of time was spent getting them ready. Out of the four prints Doctor Zhivago was the best, sadly I did hear that later all the 35mm prints were destroyed, due to the move to Digital by the film distributors.

In our case we used platter decks to give us first Part one, then a Intermission, which is a must with a David Lean film, then onto Part two being ready on another deck, plus using the intermission time to give the projector gate etc a good clean down.

Lawrence Of Arabia....

[Adrian Winchester]

Graham - it's fascinating to see the 35mm 'Lawrence of Arabia' spools, and speculate on the space that would be needed to store a 70mm print! In face we're screening 'Lawrence' (although sadly not on 35mm) on Saturday 10 December because that's the exact 60th anniversary of its UK release. I'll add that the reason the cinema is named after David Lean is because he was born and initially lived in the same town - there's a plaque on his former home. There's even some evidence that some equipment was donated to the cinema from David Lean's estate before it opened in 1995, but researching the details of this has proved very difficult.

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Adrian

As much as I like film, digital is really the way to go these days. The thing, is as we all know about film, and no matter how good the presentation is, if your David Lean cinema is not that large and having to sit close to the screen, if there is no where else left to sit, that can be a pain in the neck ,being to close, as the definition drops off, its not a good place to sit for three hours or so. I have done it, never again.

With digital you can get away with sitting closer to the screen, so if you have a big crowd, digital presentation I think would be better for those if they are stuck up at the front.

Anyway that's my thoughts incidentally they did a "Lawrence Of Arabia" screening at one of the multi-plex a while back. It was digital, but the interesting feedback was that it was sold out, and my understanding is it went really well.

PS. I do hope they had a intermission

[Paul Adsett]

No offence at all to Adrian or Graham , but count me out for any showing of LOA. Once was enough, four hours of torture for me! Same thing with GWTW, way too long and drawn out.

[Brian Fretwell]

Well getting there late I did have to sit close to the screen (the main titles were coming up as I entered) so I was in the front row. That was good for me due to my long legs having more room. The first hour seemed more grainy than the rest for some reason, the whole film was rather grainy due to high speed stock I presume being used for the interior location shooting including night scenes. That was not as off putting as being able to clearly see the screen perforations to allow sound out!!!

What Andrew didn't say was that the David Lean cinema does not have platters so there had to be a projector changeover ever 20 minutes, that made it even more interesting for me waiting for the cue dots. In fact with this print the end of reel dust put me on my guard for them a half a minute before their appearance. All went over OK though one did have what I thought was a douser problem after the picture changing back to the machine running out of film for a couple of seconds, but the sound staying good.

All in all a very good experience of a film that had passed me by on original release. My late arival did put me in the seat furthest possible to the one Adrian was in, I discovered as we came out,. That was not intentional.

[Graham Ritchie]

This is neat.

[Brian Fretwell]

And our own Adrian Winchester in the front centre of the audience.

[Adrian Winchester]

I'd never seen that short video! It was good to see Brian at the cinema, and for a change much closer to home than Blackpool, Cleethorpes, etc!

I liked the almost pristine print of Gosford Park, although the grain was perhaps a bit more conspicuous than I expected, and reminded me of recent film shot on Super 16.

[Brian Fretwell]

I looked it up and it was filmed on Kodak T500 stock fast to start with and, from what I know about cine processing of earlier stock, it could be pushed by two stops, that is an effective 2000 ISO. Not good for low grain.