Film Weekend

[Graham Ritchie]

I screened this print twice over the last week of "Race To Witch Mountain" it really does look good. The Dolby Digital 5:1 sound is amazing to hear as well.

We all watched it two nights ago, and I must say its a good movie. I remember screening it at the cinema when it came out, and like most films back then, I never really was interested in watching it until now. Its full on action and a lot of fun to watch. The print was excellent, and ran through the old Ernemann 2 like a swiss watch. .

[Graham Ritchie]

Last week it was the turn of the old Bauer U4 in Cinema 2 with my fold up chair , its been a while since I last used it, but as usual the Bauer ran great.

[Lincoln Thorn]

I would love to come live in your world for a bit and learn how to use all of your equipment and projecting skills. Such a wonderful set-up you've made, Graham.

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Lincoln its been a lot of fun

[Ali Hipperson]

Looks fantastic Graham!

If I ever get to visit NZ then I'd definitely love to see a real 35mm Projector in the flesh and working 🙂

[Graham Ritchie]

If anybody comes out this way you are more than welcome to get in touch.

Funny thing of late, the person in this video using the Bauer U4 got in touch, and now lives with his family at the end of our street. Now a registered electrician he came round and did some wiring for us a couple of months ago. The next time, I will see if he can still remember how to thread up the Bauer from the video taken must be almost 10 years ago.

Another amusing thing about that Bauer U4 projector, was when one of the cinema owners, and we did go through a few while I worked there, tried to thread up the Bauer after me showing him one day, after all as I remember saying to him, its your stuff why not give it a go.

He tried a few times and in the end gave up. I do remember saying to him afterwards, that I have never seen a projector threaded up "wrong" so many times as he did. and this was a guy who was a self made millionaire.

Anyway here is a wee video I took long long ago. .

[Ali Hipperson]

Just love that video Graham 😊

I know what I want to come back in the next life as 😉

[Graham Ritchie]

Two night ago with another screening of "Labyrinth" 1986. The print is badly warped, but the "Ernemann 2" hold it in focus spot on from start to finish with a rock steady image.

The sound quality is excellent as with the look of the print. Its one film print I really enjoy watching every so often, both the platter and projector ran perfect, all I had to do was to sit back and enjoy

Here are some screen photos from a past screening of this print.

[Graham Ritchie]

Well I was intending to do a double 35mm feature night, but changed my mind One a night is enough, must be old age.

So tonight Saturday that is, it was only "2010 The Year We Make Contact" I must admit I am getting a bit lazy with blu-ray and video projection of late. Film does take a lot more effort but is saying that, watching it, like tonight is really something both with the picture, but also the sound which in itself is better to listen to, than what I hear from that silver disc in the blu-ray player, it really is a whole different ball game .

Back in the Super 8 days I always wanted the Scope versions of "2010" and "Logan's Run" but could not afford it. Watching "2010" on actual film, especially on 35mm was a dream come true.

[Ali Hipperson]

Wow Graham that must have been great to watch! I've never seen it yet but I did see 2001 a couple of years ago at the BFI in London - in 70mm and with an intermission!

Btw - I was just introduced to the young(ish) family that have moved into are block of six appartments recently, they have emigrated here from Dunedin, the wife is from Scotland but the husband is a Kiwi. So I told him a little about yourself and that you had emigrated the other way around - he was well aware of Mt Cook Airlines too 🙂

[Graham Ritchie]

Its a small world at times Ali. I remember booking into a hotel in London for the night, as we were checking in a lady was checking out. We got chatting she was from NZ travelling around Europe, but the strange thing was she was related to one of the people that I worked with at Mt Cook. Its weird you can be in a city of millions of people and somehow by chance you bump into some one either you know or knows some one that you worked with. It happens more times than we think it would, strange.

[Brian Fretwell]

It happened to me in London this week. Someone from the amateur theatre I belong to had moved to the north of England a few years ago. I was going to a pub the day after they could re-open outdoors because a friend had emailed that he would be there. As I was walking past a few blocks of flats on the way I got called over by the person I mentioned. It seems he was helping a friend out and staying for a week or two. He was waiting in for a parcel to be delivered and had mistaken a washing machine bleep for the door bell and had gone to the door just as I was passing.

It's a smaller world than we think!!

[Graham Ritchie]

Well that's the final for this weekend Sunday night with "The Last Starfighter" from 1984. The projector is running like a charm as with the platter, no adjusting the focus was needed, just sit back near the screen and enjoy a blast from the past.

Here is a link to a short extract of the print "The Last Starfighter" taken a couple of years ago.

[Graham Ritchie]

Academy Award Nominee for best picture "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max Von Sydow, John Goodman.

The Ernemann 2 doing its thing the other night, well acted, very good movie.

[Graham Ritchie]

With the warmer weather coming on, it was time to get the Ernemann 2 running again, what better than once again "The Last Starfighter" the film was already sitting on the platter, so it was only a matter of spending a few minutes warming the projector up..

Here are a few stills from last night, plus a short video link to a previous screening.