..Oh god, old fashioned watching...What happened? (don't fill in the blanks
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I live in Washington DC. We have one really fine theatre left: the Uptown. Balcony seating. Older decor. Semi-curved Cinerama screen still in place, serviced with two (non-platter) Century CCs (35 and 70mm compatible) with 5000W lights on them; full Dolby/DTS sound.
I remember seeing "Alien" there at its premiere in '79, in honest-to-god 70mm....holy cow.
Working as a projectionist in college, I was at what was the other great theatre in town, the KB Cinema. I trained with 'Old Sam' on two of the greatest film projectors ever made, the Norelco 5050s. Built like tanks, handled films like surgeons. Why the heck that place had to become a furniture store, I don't know.
When I ran films they started in focus and stayed that way, and the sound was as it should be.
I do like some of the new 'stadium-style' theatres since they give you the good view and sound, but it's the audience that's just deplorable.
Cell phones have broken down so many barriers as far as what was normal civility that even bringing it up today makes people react as if you are abnormal.
And so, right now I am seriously considering a 70-inch HiDef screen for my home film viewing.
However, I do also have 16mm machines at home (along with prints) for the cravings of real film...
Best,
C.