An evening for the cineaste when the Robert Burns Cinema Film Club returned
after the summer break with a well-received showing of Tom Lawes labour of love
The
Last Projectionist (2011). This documentary, obviously put together
with a great deal of love and warmth by all concerned, is basically about the
history of Birmingham’s Electric Cinema which was built in 1909 to show silent
films. The cinema took on various guises before Tom Lawes bought the near
derelict building in 2005; he refurbished and re-launched it as the independent
cinema we see today. During an earlier reincarnation (1937) it was converted to
show newsreels and cartoons, in the 1970’s it became an adult movie venue
showing cheaply made sex films and in the 1980’s it was transformed into a two
screen cinema showing both adult and family film’s simultaneously. By the
1990’s it became an art-house cinema but was starved of investment and fell
into disrepair. This film also tackles
the demise of 35mm film that has now largely been replaced by digital
technology
Britain's oldest working cinema in 1937. |
Alec Barclay opened Monday night’s proceedings by reading a
critique by the Guardians Peter Bradshaw who ended his review by describing the
documentary as ‘an entertaining trip down
cinema’s memory lane’. This was followed by a short talk by our very own
in-house projectionist for 25 years, Mr Alex Murray who demonstrated the
difference between the RBC’s original 16mm film, its 35 mm equivalent and now
the digital black box that just plugs in and is controlled by a computerised
device. Alex went on to explain that although he has a sentimental attachment
to celluloid film he does find the digital version a lot easier than having to
splice films together, add adverts and trailers and then reverse the procedure
when the film has been shown and need’s to go back to the distributor. He also
pointed out that there are no moving parts to go wrong with the new equipment.
When asked by one audience member what the future held we were told that it
probable would involve a satellite that would allow film theatre’s to have live
feeds and also to download movies directly into an in-house server. Although most of todays films are digital the
RBC will always maintain its 35mm projector for archive and specialist film.
The Electric Cinema cir.2012. |
As I intimated previously this history of ‘cinema going’ was
very favourably received by the RBC audience. I personally found the somewhat
humorous reminisces of the group of projectionists very enjoyable as well as
the more serious discussions about the change over from 35mm to digital. Also interviewed in the documentary were
previous managers and ex-owners of the Birmingham’s best-known independent film
house along with some other independent operators from different parts of Great
Britain. Part of the films strength was its blatant pitch for the future of the
small cinema and the unique experience that it offers to clients who would
refer to be treated with respect and watch their movies in the company of other
civilised film lovers rather than the popcorn munching, soft drink slurping and
mobile phone addicted masses. Long live the RBC Dumfries.
The beautifully renovation interior. |
For technical reasons we were unable to show the filmed
review by BBC’s Mark Kermode, so for those who are interested please follow the
link: Mark Kermode's review of The
Last Projectionist.
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