Re: I WAKE UP DREAMING 2014
Posted: May 29th, 2014, 9:56 am
First, I'd like to thank ChiO for not only making the trip west from Chicago for ALL TEN days and nights of I WAKE UP DREAMING 2014, but for his wonderfully incisive commentary on the festival itself here on The Oasis. His cogent remarks and observations, delivered in his customary brilliant manner truly added a remarkable dimension to the proceedings! Thank you, Owen!
Secondly, a major hats off to the movie-going public of San Francisco who embraced our digital presentations with unbridled enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonderment. To simply say that these thirty films looked terrific is to understate what is now fairly obvious: digital technology and the world of repertory cinema have successfully managed to blend themselves into a perfectly pitched union of sparkling screen entertainment. To all the obstructionists who have and continue to "stand in the doorway and block up the hall" I can only say: welcome to the 21st century!
I believe this year's fest at the Roxie has been the best one yet -- and that covers nearly 25 years of intensified film noir programming. In the past we have been beleaguered by a wide assortment of technical issues, all stemming from 35 and 16mm print projection. Scratchy, splicey prints with compromised contrast and tattered sprocket holes have made theatrical presentations on film (not only at the Roxie) something of a challenge. Last year, for example, when our program was made up of almost 100% film prints, we experienced technical problems almost on a nightly basis. This year, every single show not only went smoothly, but the image quality on on every film was nothing short of perfect. Given the steadily dwindling number of prints being made available by the studios, it's probably time to make certain technical and emotional adjustments.
For anyone still clinging to the oddly romantic notion that feature films can only be enjoyed theatrically on 35mm film stock need only ask the hordes of noir fanatics who crammed themselves into the Roxie this past week and I think the answer would be resoundingly clear: digital projection of classic period films (at least at theaters like the Roxie) is not only the future, it is NOW.
Secondly, a major hats off to the movie-going public of San Francisco who embraced our digital presentations with unbridled enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonderment. To simply say that these thirty films looked terrific is to understate what is now fairly obvious: digital technology and the world of repertory cinema have successfully managed to blend themselves into a perfectly pitched union of sparkling screen entertainment. To all the obstructionists who have and continue to "stand in the doorway and block up the hall" I can only say: welcome to the 21st century!
I believe this year's fest at the Roxie has been the best one yet -- and that covers nearly 25 years of intensified film noir programming. In the past we have been beleaguered by a wide assortment of technical issues, all stemming from 35 and 16mm print projection. Scratchy, splicey prints with compromised contrast and tattered sprocket holes have made theatrical presentations on film (not only at the Roxie) something of a challenge. Last year, for example, when our program was made up of almost 100% film prints, we experienced technical problems almost on a nightly basis. This year, every single show not only went smoothly, but the image quality on on every film was nothing short of perfect. Given the steadily dwindling number of prints being made available by the studios, it's probably time to make certain technical and emotional adjustments.
For anyone still clinging to the oddly romantic notion that feature films can only be enjoyed theatrically on 35mm film stock need only ask the hordes of noir fanatics who crammed themselves into the Roxie this past week and I think the answer would be resoundingly clear: digital projection of classic period films (at least at theaters like the Roxie) is not only the future, it is NOW.
