A few days ago I finally saw Indiana Jones. My expectations were very low as I heard nothing but bad things about it, and so I was pleasantly rewarded with a mediocre blast from the past. Nothing great for sure.
I must admit that having a home cinema, albeit a modest one, I have not been to the pictures to often, choosing to wait a few months for the DVD, or better, BluRay. And that pattern was part of the reason why it took me so long to see Indiana Jones. In fact, I only went because a good friend dragged me there.
Anyway, my worst fears were realised. The theatre had a few noisy customers (grrr!), but when the movie started, there was a serious fault with the sound. I ran out and told the projectionist. They came in and clearly couldn’t hear what I was talking about. So they did nothing claiming no-one can hear it.
Add to that the fact that the print was weaving, covered in dirt and scratched, and I realised that I had been spoiled at home with my crisp clear image and perfectly balance 5.1 sound system. The sad, but also very exciting truth is, my home cinema (on BluRay) presents better sound and better picture than your average multiplex screening 35mm. It’s astonishing I know, but it’s true. And there are no idiots munching popcorn or ASBO kids to deal with.
My setup is nearly complete at home and I will reveal how I managed to get over light spillage and sound proofing very soon.
Onward and upward!
Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author
www.livingspirit.com
mail@livingspirit.com
Perhaps the screenwriters, directors and producers should have read your Guerilla Film Making books to see how much effort they should have put into the script, to give us a story to follow with interest and gain your undertsanding of plots and sub plots! I felt the same as you; it was so mediocre, but will we go and see Indy 5? I reviewed the movie at http://filmandmoviemaking.com/indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull-2008/
Hi Chris
I’m a longtime reader and fan of your work. Your words of encouragement on the blog and in the books have been a massive help to me in my career so far as a filmmaker.
It’s interesting you should mention the sound “fault” in Indy IV. I noticed the same thing here in Sheffield and initially put it down to the shoddy equipment at my local multiplex. That’s until I saw this…
http://www.netribution.co.uk/content/view/1494/182/
Curious, no? When my PS3 arrives at the end of this month I will be sorely tempted to follow your lead on the home cinema front.