The magic of 35mm film
The Odyssey is on its way on 35mm – we talked to our cinema team about what makes seeing a film on film so special
At DCA we're lucky to have an expert team of in-house projectionists working in our wonderful projection booth during every screening. This means that not only can we bring you the best new releases and dazzling 4K remasters via our state-of-the-art digital projectors, but we regularly show both new and classic films on 35mm film. This means exactly what it sounds like – the film is projected onto our screens via huge reels of physical film, using specialist projection equipment.
With 35mm screenings of Rose of Nevada and The Odyssey coming up, we caught up with our projection team to find out more about what makes physical film so special.
Published
Chief Projectionist Ian Banks on 35mm film
To me the most appealing thing about presenting a film in 35mm format is the excuse to fire up the wonder of engineering that is a 35mm projector. They really are something to behold and the symphony of gears and sprockets whirring away is strangely soothing. In an age of built-in obsolescence there is something very satisfying about watching a machine doing it's job for 30 years or more, sometimes way more!
The machinery is complex but there is an elegant simplicity to the process, the projector lens acting just like your eye. In a sense you are seeing a reversal of how the image was originally captured, which can't fail to involve you.
July's 35mm screenings
This month, we're thrilled to be showing two contemporary films on 35mm; Mark Jenkin's atmospheric Cornish mystery Rose of Nevada and Christopher Nolan's blockbuster epic The Odyssey.
We asked Cinema Manager Simon Lewis to tell us more about the excitement and preparation behind a full theatrical run of The Odyssey…
Cinema Manager Simon Lewis on The Odyssey (35mm)
What are the challenges of screening an epic like The Odyssey on 35mm. Do you look forward to it, or is it nerve-wracking?
The sheer size of the film – as a three hour movie it will arrive in two heavy boxes and is not easy to transport around. We are keen to see the aspect ratio chosen for the film print, it differs from the IMAX ratio, so it will be well worth seeing the film in its various formats. Our Chief Projectionist Ian has been making sure our scope lens is in tip-top condition and well suited to the film.
Why do you think filmmakers still love screening their films on 35mm?
Some filmmakers feel the tangible difference of analogue film. Some prioritise this more than others – Christopher Nolan is a big advocate for film, and it tends to be the auteurs that really support the format, like Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson and Yorgos Lanthimos.
35mm projection retains the quality of pre-2000s film that you may remember from childhood. It takes you back to the way that images looked as you developed your love of cinema.
Don't knock digital – it's pristine, consistent and wonderful – but if you want to wrap yourself in the nostalgic vision of how cinematic images can appear, 35mm film provides the look you seek.
"Our screenings of The Odyssey will be handled with heroic aplomb by our projection team. They have the epic patience to guard the film like true stoic warriors of Greece. The stout backs of a galley of rowers, the watchful unblinking eye of the Cyclops…"Simon Lewis, Cinema Manager
