The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

I know it's hard to get prints of some premieres and it's generally hard to get prints, but I hope this year there isn't any video projection. It just doesn't look good and I think there are enough titles out there to fill 12 time slots. I missed last year's marathon, but from what I heard there was a ton of video. Let's make up for it this year. Although at such a late date without any announcement, I guess I'd settle for anything.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Yeah, at this point I'm just hoping for a marathon. They can put it on in a high school cafeteria on a big screen TV with all DVDs for all I care.

I feel that this year could be a year without a Science Fiction Marathon. If there is a marathon this year the only way the indie science fiction movies get screen is on video.

I'd rather see something special or new on video than see Them! again just because that was all we could find on film. Though I wouldn't mind seeing Them! it has been a while since it was a nearly yearly last second fill-in. But, I digress.

I'm trying to recall, and too busy to look, wasn't Stingray Sam projected?

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The wages of sin are royalties.

Yeah I'm just hoping we have a year this year.

Stingray Sam was actually a 35mm print (and broken apart in episodic format, even.) It was, however, the only premiere that year on film.

As far as "the year without a marathon" ... that's happened before, in 2001, though the "Halfthon" trailer tribute helped.

I don't think you'll see a re-branding or a re-numbering (though you never know when those wacky time loops are going to screw something up), since the event has traveled across seven theaters already with minor changes.

But ... Magic 8-Ball says, "Reply hazy ... ask again later."

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David A. Zecchini; Creature of the Wheel, Lord of the Infernal Engines
"Damnati Im Ludum" (VitruvianZeke@att.net)

I generally have no problem with video projection. Considering the awful quality of some of the film prints we've seen over the years, I really don't understand why some people try to make an issue out of video.

The only issue I've have with video projection is with the framing. For example when I Sell the Dead was video projected it was improperly framed. The OAR is 2.35:1 and the projectionist cropped it to 1.78:1. It was playing back using a Sony BLU Ray player and a video projector that I'm guessing here the projector have a DVI and or a HDMI port. No problem with the framing.

Any all of this wouldn't matter since it is possible that the Marathon probably won't happen.

There's just a warmth with film prints that you don't get even with the best digital projection. I'd rather take a slightly faded, pink and scratchy print of an old movie than a DVD projection any day. DVD's are meant to be watched at home. Theaters are for film.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Huh, I SELL THE DEAD was a Horror Marathon show, right? I'm trying to remember what video projector we were using that year. I know it cost the theatre $1200 to rent, and we ate that cost so the show could go on.

Are you saying the sides were cropped off the 2.35 image? I don't remember that at all. Or was it a problem with the image not being unsqueezed?

I remember a problem running it, I just can't remember what it was.

-David

Yes it was at the Horror thon. It was briefly at 2.35:1. Then the projectionist was in the BLU RAY player setup menu trying to set the proper Aspect Ratio but somehow zoom in to cropped the sides off. I have no ideal that BLU RAY player that you used have analog and digital A/V outports or digital only?

Video projection lacks the image quality and texture of film. And "Them!" is a terrific film, either way. "Barbarella" is a completely different experience (vastly improved) on film in a theatre over video. Studio 35 showed it a few years back, so a print is available somewhere. That would be a nice addition to this year's schedule.