Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Print of "Brazil" C- grade. Take or pass?

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 06-11-2007, 06:56 PM:

My boss is trying to book "Brazil" in our theater. The studio called back and told him the print is graded "C-".

Take or pass?

If the print just has the usual light black scratches and dirt an extra bath in some FilmGuard will bring it back to useable condition. But if it's beyond the capabilities of FG, we don't want the print.

What do you think?

T.I.A. [Smile]

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 06-11-2007, 10:13 PM:

We played it about 18 months ago and received an unused print. Figuring they made on only a handful of prints and they are all well used better take if you want to play it. It's a very popular film. I've played some C grade prints that looked pretty good and others that were horrible, no telling.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-11-2007, 10:48 PM:

(..you should have been a projectionist running "grindhouse" prints - you did your best in haing a good presentation with the prints that would come in...)

Yes, a hard call on that one...

Posted by Richard P. May (Member # 3598) on 06-12-2007, 10:14 AM:

I have found that often a print which looks pretty bad on an inspection bench is respectable when projected.
I'd give it a try. This will also inform you about the distributor's grading standards.

RPM

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-12-2007, 12:24 PM:

Book it anyway...it's too good to miss.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 06-12-2007, 03:06 PM:

The Loew's Jersey ran it last year, first time I'd seen it in quite a few years.

The large brick building was Croydon 'B' power station, just about five minutes by tram from where I work. It has been demolished and replaced by an Ikea store, but the two chimneys remain as a local landmark.

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 06-13-2007, 12:59 AM:

Except for geeks like us, most people wont really care about the quality. I'd book it.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-13-2007, 01:17 AM:

..one of Terry Gilliam's better movies...

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-13-2007, 04:34 AM:

He doesn't make bad ones IMO...some are just less original than others.

Agree with [sleep]

Book it anyway. [thumbsup]

Or at least don't just trust some unknown inspector. Get it to you and check it for yourself.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-13-2007, 07:03 AM:

Book it. It's a great film. Be sure to find out if it's the US version or the longer European version and indicate which version you are playing in your advertisements.

If you are feeling creative, see if you can get sponsorship from an HVAC company. [evil]

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 06-13-2007, 09:24 AM:

Just to follow up Scott's suggestion, I bet the European version (which is about 12 minutes longer) is in better condition because it would have played much less in the US.

On the other hand, you can get the butchered Universal TV cut (about 30mins shorter) that gives it a happy ending. That's probably never played anywhere [Wink]