The American memory of the great Apache warrior Geronimo is one of rebellion as he stood against the American government who wanted to put him into the reservation system that was established during the 1800's for the Native American people. He fought back, he killed and I am not saying that I agree at all with that but I DO understand why he was fighting. But there are two sides to every story. Allow me to paint a different picture for you. Geronimo was a traditionalist who didn't want to see the way of his people die in the meager lands that were given to them. He fought not because he loved war though he was great at it. Geronimo fought to preserve his way of life. What does any of this have to do with beer or movies? Well let me get us there. Movies like Geronimo's legend will live on forever no matter how we view them. We will continue to make them and watch them. Film will never leave us, but the way in which we view film is. In the everlasting attempt for better quality sound and picture the film industry is moving, very quickly I might add, to an all digital format. It is leaving behind the ways of physical film. Not so long ago I was a projectionist in my youth and it was with great honor that I got to build and show many of the great films of my generation. I handled everything from starting projectors to building prints of soon to be released movies to tearing them down on their last days. Sometimes my work encompassed the entire span a particular film ran at my theater. Despite all the tasks of the job, my hands down favorite part was screening the film for any inaccuracies with the build process. We would sit in our theater seats with our stopwatches, store bought goodies, clipboards (to count reels) and get paid to watch movies before the throngs had a chance. I felt like a secret keeper for the two days or so that we would walk around as people pre-bought tickets and say to myself "been there, done that, got paid". We were the first to see the images and sometimes we were the last. We were the elite, we were well-trained and certified. These days are numbered at most theaters, for some already those days have passed. Now I know what your thinking, "better picture and sound how is that a bad thing?" I respond with a resounding "it isn't", but as a purist who has been on both sides of the screen, it's like watching a classic car that runs fine just fine being traded for a brand new car, fresh off the line. Now the theater process begins and ends with opening a case, putting a disc in and pushing start. No more scratches and cigarette burns that usually accompany 35mm viewing. I will still love going to the movies and will do it as often as possible...but like Geronimo, I am anticipating the sadness that will accompany being a traditionalist in a rapidly changing world. However I will not fight this because I realize it will make producing movies easier and cheaper and will yield an altogether better showing. There will always be rogues that keep a projector in the back and are willing to throw an old reel on for our viewing pleasure. So here we go..... GERONIMO!!!!!!!!
This has been a Cinema Rant, thank you for enduring the course.
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