my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Digital Cinema Forum   » Rocky Horror Digital (Page 1)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1  2  3  4  5

Author Topic: Rocky Horror Digital Kirk Futrell Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Nashville, TN / U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2008 posted 08-23-2012 12:31 PM                        I recently heard a rumor that Fox is not allowing screenings off of DVD or Blu-Ray. Because of the lack of quality prints for Rocky Horror Picture Show, it seems like a lot of folks have been screening it from DVD or Blu-Ray over the last several years. I also just heard there are only 8 35mm prints available from Fox. So it seems to me that more than 8 theatres around the world show RHPS right around Halloween or on Halloween night. Does anyone know if a DCP has been created, and I am curious how most theatres who usually show this are handling it. Also, does anyone know of any good prints available if Fox books all the prints? And are people who scrapped their 35mm projectors,S.O.L, with no digital alternative?  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2012 12:40 PM                        There are still theaters showing that awful thing?  |  IP: Logged Kirk Futrell Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Nashville, TN / U.S.A. Registered: Nov 2008 posted 08-23-2012 12:43 PM                        There are still theaters SELLING OUT that awful thing.  |  IP: Logged Jock Blakley Expert Film Handler Posts: 218 From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Registered: Oct 2011 posted 08-23-2012 04:05 PM                     I'm not so sure about it being the case that there are no quality prints. There's a decent one - in stereo - kicking around Australia, at least In any case there is a 2K DCP, but I recall it's in 1.78:1 (the Blu-Ray master, I presume).  |  IP: Logged Travis Cape Expert Film Handler Posts: 122 From: St. Louis, MO, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 08-23-2012 04:43 PM                     Considering the quality of some of the 35mm prints I've seen over the years, how can they object to using a Blu-Ray? Last year, they did allow us to play the Blu-Ray. The cinema I am at now doesn't have 35mm capability.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2012 04:55 PM                        Heck, just book one of the crappy 35mm prints and then play the blu-ray.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 08-23-2012 05:49 PM                        there are alternatives to booking through fox on it but can't remember which outfit. Criterion comes to mind but not sure. Why would they even object to a bluRay? They get their flat rental no matter what and this film can't be destroyed by lack of quality. I mean have you seen it?  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2012 06:09 PM                        Another forum I'm on says Fox is refusing to let Criterion license DVD/BluRay for theatrical exhibition, thereby closing off a large hunk of the Fox library, including Rocky Horror. I guess Fox is getting rid of film and non-DCI digital.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-23-2012 06:49 PM                        I think studio decision makers must wake up in the morning and think, "OK, how can I screw things up today?"  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 08-23-2012 10:25 PM                     the many midnight showing of RHPS that I ran, I had fun with the audience since I had access to stage lighting and travel spotlights. Yes, it was a crazy movie, but why go against it? People liked the theatre employees having fun with them, thus we would have repeat customers.  |  IP: Logged Edward Havens Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 614 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 08-24-2012 12:52 AM                     Hold on a second... first, we complain when studios have digital theatres to play their movies off DVDs or Blu-Rays instead of DCPs, and then we complain when a studio decides to no longer allow digital theatres to play their movies off DVDs or Blu-Rays? What am I missing?  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 08-24-2012 05:50 AM                     The problem is not either media but not being able to show a classic at all. Similiar situation over here in germany - because of the Miramax issue, you can not play 'Pulp Fiction' and some other Tarantino titles in public. All 35mm copies have been destroyed. We also have to play Life Of Brian on BD because 35mm prints are unplayable. Luckily we are allowed to do it. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 08-24-2012 12:10 PM                        quote: Mike Blakesley Heck, just book one of the crappy 35mm prints and then play the blu-ray. Been there, done that. Sometimes in reverse. Many times I've booked a DVD from Swank (they charge the same as a 35mm print rental but still send you the Home Video version with the FBI warning and the menu and all the rest of the HV gack -- you would think for $500 buck rental they could cut a "theatrical" version with JUST the movie). Pay for the license to play the title and then arrange to play a collector's 35mm print. These studio execs are hell bent on screwing the exhibitor and the public at the same time. They are not striking new prints of their classic libraries -- OK, we get it, they want to do away with film -- BUT, neither are they doing the costly work of making good transfers of those libraries because that costs money; it's not just a matter of putting a negative in a Rank-Cintel Flying Spot Scanner or a Davinci 8K Scanner and clicking the Record button. To do it correctly takes time, a team of video artists and even bringing in the director if he/she is still alive. Yah, they might make DCPs for their biggest tentpole titles in their libraries, but they are not going thru that expense for the bulk of their titles. So for the embattled art house -- the only venue where the public can still see films in a theatre environment -- they are quickly loosing ground, EVEN if they have installed digital projection. When the existing prints that exist on a title, meager as the inventory may be, become unplayable due to wear and tear, for all practical purposes, that title is gone. Big screen public presentation of it is over, regardless of its historic value. Is a crime. This Fox thing, not at the very least allowing BluRay screening of a title which they cannot supply EITHER a 35mm print OR a DCP, is insane. They should loose the copyright for titles they cannot make available for public viewing. And by viewing, I don't mean on an freakin iPad. Future generations may loose a good portion of our cinema heritage, at least being able to see it the way it was intended. Remember the awe you felt when you saw LAWRENCE OF ARABIA or WEST SIDE STORY on a 60-70ft screen in 70mm? Our grand kids and great grand kids will never have that experience -- bad enough; but now they won't be able to see thousands of titles because there are not prints nor DCPs. Fox doesn't even HAVE a Classics Department anymore. These guys are not interested in anything that is more than a year old; they don't belong in the cinema business. And BTW, this is aimed SOLELY at the few exhibitors -- art houses in particular -- who would program out-of-the-box and run something other than the top 10 current releases. Yet anyone who wants to rent a blow-up screen can run all the DVD & BR they want. Fox seems to WANT to kill the art house. They should find bed bugs in their beds.  |  IP: Logged Edward Havens Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 614 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 08-24-2012 12:53 PM                     quote: Frank Angel Remember the awe you felt when you saw LAWRENCE OF ARABIA or WEST SIDE STORY on a 60-70ft screen in 70mm? Our grand kids and great grand kids will never have that experience -- bad enough; but now they won't be able to see thousands of titles because there are not prints nor DCPs. Except they will. Columbia did create a DCP for Lawrence, which hundreds of theatres in America will be showing in five weeks time. In fact, Sony Repertory has continually added new titles to their DCP library, and not just the biggest blockbusters.  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 08-24-2012 01:19 PM                     I also think it's worth pointing out that a well-told STORY like LOA doesn't depend on 70mm to be enjoyed. I'm not questioning the "special-ness" of 70mm but I think too much is made out of it. It can't make a bad story good and many movies have delivered a sense of spectacle without it. And I say this as someone who has been known to drive out of town to catch a 70mm screening, so I'm not a "hater."  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1  2  3  4  5

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.