Magic
Last night my awesome co-worked Adam helped me score a pair of tickets for the AFI @ the Arclight series, “100 Years, 100 Quotes” screening of one of my all-time favorite films (and I mean Top-3. My very favorite comedy of all time): Dr Strangelove! I had seen the film projected from a Laser Disc way back in film school, but Julie and I missed our last chance to see a film print on the big screen (back during the very dawn or our relationship when we only made it 6-hours in during the nickelodeon 24-hour movie marathon.) I was extremely excited to finally see a celluloid projection of one of the most biting and hysterical films ever made (a film that hasn’t lost an ounce of relevance I might add. Just substitute all instances of “commie” with “Muslim.”)

If you now me even a little you know that I love technology, but nothing out there can yet come close to the experience of seeing a film print project on a big screen with an audience. And the Strangelove print they screened last night was literally pristine. It had come out of the archives at sony and had NEVER BEEN SCREENED BEFORE. It was a glory to behold. There is something magical about seeing such a classic film in the way it was meant to be seen. It was funny too because there was a server-glitch that resulted in all the reserved seating information for the show (have I mentioned that the Arclight is the best theater ever) being lost, and they had to run the screening first-come-first-served. “Just like the old days!” someone in the crowed shouted when the AFI Programming director apologized for the third time. But it really did feel like an event. I don’t think I’ll ever get to the point where my home-viewing experience can equal the joy of going out to the movies!

The screening was wonderful, and I was even able to catch some details that I have missed before. Plus all the performances seemed more vibrant and nuanced. Stuff really does get lost in translation when you watch these classics on DVD.