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Author Topic: Paramount kills off 35mm in the US Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-20-2014 11:11 AM                        I've only seen The Master on BD, but agree that it was an unconventional choice for the first multiple print 70mm release in over a decade, and possibly the last we'll see. However, I can understand why: a lot of the lighting setups were very intricate, and the contrast between some of the brightly lit exteriors (e.g. on the ship) and the shadowy interiors, with lots of filtered light, was striking. It was emphatically not a "flash bang" movie, and it did drag a bit, but I'm glad I stuck through it. As for the subject matter, I can't really go there without violating the "no religion" rule, unless I questioned whether or not Scientology is a religion, in which case I'd be up against the "no politics" rule! Suffice as to say that John Travolta can keep his e-meter. However, I have heard multiple reports, here and elsewhere, of poor presentation and the 70mm prints being damaged. The one that got scratched in London was even reported in a national newspaper. I hope that there are some more 5/70 releases before the print stock disappears for good (probably when IMAX printing finishes), but the lesson to take away from that release surely has to be that some refresher training and a thorough "D-check" of the projector(s) and all film transport components has to happen in preparation for each booking. The operation and maintenance skills needed to "do 70mm right" are now used so rarely and in so few venues that, as with the people who fly and maintain classic aircraft in museum collections, a different approach is needed to keeping knowledge current now to the one used when 70mm presentation was a mainstream technology and in widespread use.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 02-20-2014 01:14 PM                        quote: Lyle Romer "Obsolete location" and "milked of every dime" are contradictory. Any obsolete location still operated by a major exhibitor is because it loses less money than it would cost to buy out the lease. If there were dimes to be milked, they would upgrade and keep it open. It's a bit presumptuous to suggest what a chain might do with its business, unless you happen to work in that company's upper management. Certainly, "dimes can be milked" in order to reduce the losses of an "obsolete location" to the extent possible. Our area once had a large drive-in, located on 56 acres of prime commercial property. The owners spent over 15 years, getting permits and other ducks in line, and dealing with expected opposition to their redevelopment plans. During that time, they kept the business open, mostly to pay off as much of the property taxes as they could. Once the ducks lined up, they shut the place down. Obsolete property, dimes milked.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 02-20-2014 01:35 PM                     FYI- Just because certain studios aren't distributing new titles on 35mm doesn't mean they aren't making a few prints- - just to cover their butts. I discovered this last month when a DCP system failed and took a week to fix. (It's digital . . so it's better, I'm told. . .) Apparantly, if you whine to the right people, you CAN get 35mm prints for titles where supposedly "no 35mm prints exist". I wasn't involved in the procurement process, so I don't know how it was done. However I was told that one reason we were able to get the prints was that we were running a change-over booth. I had to initial an agreement that the prints would NOT under any circumstances, be plattered. I don't know how much longer this practice will continue.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 03-04-2014 04:43 PM                        My boss recently had a conversation with a branch manager for Universal who indicated they were down to less than 100 35mm prints for the entire country on a typical release. Looking at the discount theatre about 30 minutes from my location shows how hard it must be for them to obtain 35mm prints. As of the weekend of February 28, they have only played one title released in 2014 - The Nut Job. If you include Lone Survivor, it's two titles. Normally they are playing titles a week or two after we take them off screen. At the very least I would have expected them to have played Awkward Moment, I Frankenstein and/or Legend of Hercules. We just dropped Ride Along and RoboCop; and we're still playing Lego. But stil,l there hare have been enough 2014 titles that I would have expected them to be playing something if it was available.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-04-2014 05:41 PM                        Here's a list of all the titles that have been released to sub-run so far in 2014. (Note this doesn't differentiate between film and digital though.) I notice Nut Job is not on the list, so maybe they're not a subrun location -- which would make their situation even more dire! 1/3 All is Lost 1/3 Enough Said 1/3 Lee Daniels’ The Butler 1/10 The Book Thief 1/10 Homefront 1/17 Out of the Furnace 1/24 Justin Bieber’s Believe 1/31 A Madea Christmas 2/7 Anchorman 2: The Legend Con... 2/7 Grudge Match 2/7 Paranormal Activity: The Mark ... 2/7 Thor: The Dark World 2/21 Legend of Hercules 2/21 Saving Mr. Banks 2/28 I, Frankenstein 2/28 Nebraska 3/7 The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 03-04-2014 05:50 PM                        Mike, this theatre may not be considered a sub-run theatre because they charge $5.50 per ticket. Because of the discounted price they are not able to get titles on the break, but they are able to get titles as soon as 3-4 weeks after the national release date. And they have played a handful of titles the first week in cases where we didn't have room for the title.  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 03-06-2014 08:19 PM                        The Nut Job was not from one of the traditionally major studios. The smaller newer studios tend to be more aggressive. Around me there was discount theater ($3.00 tickets) which usually got a movie after the higher priced first run theater dropped it unless it was from Disney or Warner which normally stick to more common sub-run schedules.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-07-2014 12:22 PM                        quote: Justin Hamaker Mike, this theatre may not be considered a sub-run theatre... Which supports your belief that their problem is getting hold of prints. If they're not playing any of the titles on this list, would typically have done so in the past, are still 35mm only and there is no booking availability reason why they shouldn't be playing these titles, the only reason left is that they can't play DCPs.  |  IP: Logged Steve Wilson Expert Film Handler Posts: 109 From: Paoli, IN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 03-10-2014 10:47 PM                        It does not make sense to me how you supply 3000 35mm screens with only 100 prints per movie. Even if you play all this stuff off the break, a 100 prints of eveything is not going to cover 3000 screens???  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-10-2014 11:06 PM                        Right, but keep in mind: - Some of those screens won't play every movie - Some of those screens will close because they have no plans to go digital - Some will be FORCED to close even if they don't want to, because they can't get prints The ones with the best grosses will get whatever prints there are, while the lower grossers will be screwed no matter how good an operation they have.  |  IP: Logged Terry Lynn-Stevens Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1081 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Dec 2012 posted 03-12-2014 12:42 AM                     It looks like Noah, a Paramount Release will be available in 35mm.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 03-13-2014 02:29 PM                     My booker was told by Paramount that there are no 35mm prints.  |  IP: Logged Mark Campbell Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Seattle, WA USA Registered: Jul 2007 posted 06-24-2014 03:46 PM                     The AMC Factoria Cinemas in Bellevue, WA has showtimes listed for the new Transformers film. To the best of my knowledge that place is still 35mm or at least it was a few weeks ago. Has Paramount changed their policy?  |  IP: Logged Daniel Schulz Master Film Handler Posts: 387 From: Los Angeles, CA USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 06-24-2014 04:21 PM                        They definitely struck a few hundred 35mm prints for Transformers.  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 06-26-2014 02:03 PM                        quote: Daniel S They definitely struck a few hundred 35mm prints for Transformers. We were supposed to get a 35mm print, but our digital install started yesterday and our booker switched us to digital. -David  |  IP: Logged

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