Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Rerun of a rerun

This is topic Rerun of a rerun in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 10-17-2000, 01:43 PM:

I'm sitting in my booth, screening the 25 year old Swedish film "Gilliap", the second film of the Swedish director Roy Andersson. 25 years ago, the critics sent the film and its director to oblivion with reviews so bad that said filmmaker didn't make another feature until this year.

"Gilliap" is a slow film. Slow and boring, in spite of the restoration work by the Swedish Film Institute. The print is brand new, the sound is SR, and the quality is excellent. Still, the film sucks. Film labs can't fix that sort of thing.

But somehow, in later years the director has been acknowledged as a master of his craft. He has achieved cult status, which was the reason why somebody decided to finance his new film.

So, anyway, because of the director's cult status, I ran this same print two years ago at the Göteborg Film Festival, and again that spring. Both times, the house was full, and both times, the patrons loved it.

Two days ago, the Swedish national television showed it, probably because of the director's new film just opened, and now it's my turn, again. The film still sucks but there are a lot of people in there, and they seem to like it. Many of them were here two years ago, and they probably watched it on TV, too.

So should I get a life, or should they?

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 10-17-2000, 04:44 PM:

I, too, have run films that nobody in their right mind would want to watch but, like you, people seem to like them.

Grey Gardens comes to mind. It's a documentary about these two old women, the Bouvier's, who were relatives of John F. Kennedy. They lived in an old, run down house and walked around 1/2 naked and danced in front of the camera. Genuine "Cat Ladies"!

Two hours of two old ladies cackling at each other... Now, THAT'S entertainment!

However, for some reason, we had a good house on this one and people seemed to like it. I don't know why. ...AND... I had to watch it TWICE!!! (Once for screening and once for the "go show"!) I'd rather watch paint dry!

Alas, it's not my job to review the damn things. My job is to run them... to run them RIGHT!!! That's what I get paid for. The money's all the same color.

After a while you don't even 'see' anything but strips of transparent plastic.

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 10-17-2000, 07:34 PM:

It might be very interesting if projectionists were to write film reviews.

"The film was very boring; but the print was excellent... leaders clearly marked with all the sound formats and picture format.... this reviewer was emotionally swayed to tears upon seeing the leaders marked with the proper anamorphic ratio (2.39 rather then 2.35.) The reels, (hi-quality, and each half securely attached together) ran round and true, with just the right amount of fit on the spindle. Ample room greeted my fingers as I smoothly slid the head into the the awaiting slot; then, after gently spinning to insure it would not slip out, I applied power; slowly at first, but with increasing force until both sides were twirling in an ecstasy of......"

Uhh.. What were we talking about...?