Film Weekend

[Graham Ritchie]

Last night it was the first home screening on the Ernemann 2 of Jim Carrey "A Christmas Carol" We ran a print of this title at the cinema when it was released back around 2010. The problem was it gave people the impression that being a "Disney" film, that it was alright to bring the kids along to watch it. In fact this take on Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" was in my view really more suitable for older children and adults and most certainly not for the young ones.

I myself was disappointed in it for that very reason, as families coming to it were getting caught out, so in the end was glad to pull the print off the schedule as soon as it was possible.

Forward 12 years and here I am and wondering, what do I think of it now? well after last night its certainly well made, an excellent Scope print and I guess more in keeping with actual Charles Dickens story, hence the more darker side shown in this film. Both Yvonne and myself thought afterwards that it might be a bit much for the grandkids, and came to the conclusion that the earlier Robert Zemeckis film "The Polar Express" would be better.

Anyway a quick couple of screen shots from last night.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Graham,

Very interesting. I prefer Polar Express, though the motion capture technology is much improved in A Christmas Carol. I'm not fond of the added chase scenes in Carol, particularly when Scrooge becomes mouse-sized to escape from the spirits. The purpose seems to be a to stretch the running time and make the story more exciting for kids.

[Ali Hipperson]

Graham - as I was working over Christmas I am having to put on my planned Christmas Film-Show later on this afternoon.

I have a couple of children from the flat below coming to the show and they are a family originally from Dunedin that relocated here a couple of years ago and moved onto Bute last April - in other words, they made the opposite journey that you did all those years ago! 🙂

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Doug

I could not understand why they put that part in the film, the squeaky voice of the miniature Scrooge did not help either.

Ali...... That's interesting about the family, New Zealanders do pop up all over the place, hope your screening went well

One short film I screened in fact I am not sure if it ever made it onto Super8, it might have, its the Pixar Scope film "La Luna" Derann did release quite a few CGI Pixar shorts in there day. One Super8 film I did buy through there second hand list was The Chubbchubbs! anyway back to 35mm....

"La Luna"

[Ali Hipperson]

Graham, indeed they do - a bit like us Cannucks! 😉

The screening was well appreciated by my young audience and their dad too - who was laughing the loudest!

Although they had no idea what I was going to be showing them the children (Eilidh and Walter) very aptly turned up in suitable Disney attire given that I showed them Mickey's Christmas Carol!

Btw - young Walter enjoyed the films as much as his elder sister but spent A LOT of time looking behind him to watch the Bauer T600 that was being used for the screening 😯.... maybe a budding next generation of enthusiast in the making 🤔🤞😊

[Graham Ritchie]

Brilliant Ali

That's what this hobby of film collecting is all about

[Graham Ritchie]

After the Jurassic Park digital stuff over the last week, it was really time to once again run this 35mm print of the 1984 film "The Last Starfighter" tonight being Friday night, The print has been sitting on a platter deck for a while now, so it was really time to sit back and enjoy this classic 80s film again . I never get tired of screening it. The 35mm Scope print is really something, as with the Dolby Stereo soundtrack. It made a nice change to run actual film tonight instead of using the Epson VP.

Here is a earlier screening caught on video, some films I never get tired of "The Last Starfighter" is one of them. .

Anyway don't forget "Starlight Starbright"

[Ali Hipperson]

Ahh!

Barbara Bosson - Fay Furillo in my favourite ever TV series, Hill Street Blues 😊

[Graham Ritchie]

Its interesting you should mention that Ali, every time I watch that above film I think the same about her in "Hill Street Blues". The TV series was a huge hit out here during its run back in the 80s. Another actor also from that series was James Sikkins, who also starred in another favorite 80s feature of mine that being "Outland" .

[Ali Hipperson]

Yes Graham! James Sikking played Howard Hunter in charge of the 'swat-team' - HSBs is my all time favourite TV series along with The Sweeney 🙂

[Graham Ritchie]

The theme music to "Hill Street Blues" was, and still is one of the best.

PS....I thought this modern take on the trailer was pretty good

[Ali Hipperson]

Absolutely Graham - I even bought the theme music by Mike Post on a 45" single back in the day! 🙂

[Graham Ritchie]

This afternoon another screening is planned later this week of "2012" so with just a couple of splices the film went back onto the platter .

Not sure if this link of a previous screening will work, but will give it a try

[Graham Ritchie]

Giving the VP a rest last weekend and ran this instead on the Saturday night I was so impressed with both picture and sound I sat back and watched it again on Sunday night

[Graham Ritchie]

So far I have only run a single reel of "Braveheart" through the Ernemann 2, this afternoon I was thinking of making up the full feature for a weekend screening soon. I do remember going to Hoyts to see it way back in 1995. One thing I learned from that long ago night is not to drink at the bar beforehand. I had met up with some good folk that I worked with, so we all bought rounds of drinks The only seats left for that Braveheart session was right down the front, not a good place to watch a film I should add. I had a stiff neck afterwards looking up trying to keep up with the action left and right.

What a night that was, anyway. if I put this 35mm print together, it will be the first time since 1995 that I have watched an actual film print of this title. It does take considerable time to splice all the reels together, so might have to visit Muffin Break for a extra large coffee first.

Anyway this is "Reel One".