please empty your brain below

They're called "sprocket-holes", not "perforations" :)

But, yes, as a projectionist myself, it's sad to see film dying as a medium. The cinemas and movie companies will tell you it's because digital is better quality, but it's really all about cost.

I'm not sure about the quality (it's much the same to me - obviously different, but the "quality" is the same), but it's nice not to worry about whether Mongo the projectionist (science's famed missing link!) has spliced the film together properly or not.

No more watching reel 5 before reel 4 shows up. No more "I'll just apply more tape then" and the projector ripping the movie to shreds. I'll give up the romance of the flicker for that.

Sadly it won't help with the cinema's biggest projectionist problem: The need to take it out on the audience by making their ears bleed.

I have found that digital presentation in cinemas nowadays to be equal to, or better than 35mm film.
No more scratched prints, no more grain, rock steady pictures with no movement of film in gate, no deterioration of print during the week(s) of showing.
I loved the days of old with two machines and changeovers every 20 minutes or so, there was an art to film presentation back then, but like in so many other trades progress brings more automation.
Just be happy that there are still cinemas about and that with digital techniques many old films are getting a new release in restored digital versions.
The last visit I made to my local cinema was in fact to watch a "live" High Definition relay of "The Phantom of the Opera" performance and 25th celebration direct from the Albert Hall. That was not possible before cinema started fitting digital projectors.


There was a fascinating article about the technical efforts that went in to making 'Film" in last week's New Yorker especially the recreation of the sprocket holes.

The video art of Pipilotti Rist at the Hayward Gallery at the moment is good fun. Not sure what it was all meant to mean but there are worse ways to spend a Sunday morning than lounging on a bean bag watching giant sized tulips and herds of sheep.











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