by John Schuermann » Thu Jun 21, 2012 11:31 pm
Ultimately, I argue in favor of film because I like FILM! I like the way it looks. I like the way it sounds. I like the grain, the occasional speck or scratch, a little gateweave... It makes the film feel organic and real and alive. I like the soft purr of the projector and the light clicking of the shutter coming from the back of the theater. I love the whole experience.
Totally understood, and that obviously goes to preference.
It's the reason I go to the theater instead of watching it on my tv at home (well, plus the bigger screen). Home video technology, for me, is all about trying to reproduce the theatrical film experience. The reason I loved DVD, then HD tvs, then Bluray, etc. is because each thing brought me one step closer to the experience of having a 35mm projector with pristine, newly struck prints to screen in my home.
Completely agree, and exactly why I got into the home theater projection industry back in 2003. I simply wanted a theatrical experience in my home. With today's best home theater projectors - and Blu-ray as a source - you can actually have a superior experience than what has been available in movie theaters up until very recently. With Blu-rays mastered from film negatives or answer prints, you essentially have exactly what you say you want - the equivalent of pristine 35mm prints available to be projected in your home. Unless you are using a poor quality projector and screen, Blu-ray projected at home using a good quality DLP or LCOS projector is actually superior to film based theatrical projection.
As you've stated, there are good and bad projectionists and good and bad digital projectors. I can remember seeing Attack of the Clones on an early digital projector, and the image completely lacked contrast and "pop." That is no longer the case with today's digitals. In fact, a modern theater equipped with a 4K DLP projector can actually project an image superior to IMAX or 70mm film. There was Hollywood shootout last April where the above formats were split screen compared in a giant screen auditorium filled with cinematographers and film industry veterans. The results? I quote from a well respected cinematographer in attendance:
"The “shootoutâ€