John what would we do without people like your good self being so dedicated to sharing your knowledge and love of film . Watching this took me back to the early 70’s when my parents used to take me to the Regal Cinema in Leamington Spa where we lived for many years . The sound of the projector took me straight back to those good old days . So nice to see your home cinema being able to take advantage of 35mm 👍
I'll probably put this one to use in the living room when I've worked everything out. 6000ft spools means more than an hour of film at a time and so films such as Alien, Spider-Man 2 and The Fifth Element on just two reels and with Dolby Digital sound. But all that is a way off yet. John.
It's going to be a lot of fun but then I'll eventually take it more seriously and have a couple of 35mm features on big reels and hopefully running Dolby Digital sound by then too. John.
In High School, I dragged a movie box around to different classes, with a 16mm projector at the bottom and screen on the top. That was around 1965/6. So different now, one can move a 70 inch tv with a show on a thumb drive. Crazy how things matured over the years. I believe it was something when talkies first appeared and ruined the careers of actors with their undesirable voices. Those were the days. To think how many incredible movies were made with this technology.
It's still superior to most movies shot on video today. There are exceptions of course and video has improved immeasurably... but it ain't film. OPPENHEIMER has hopefully educated the industry and we'll see more big releases shot on large film formats for the ultimate cinema experiences. Cinemas will have to get their film projectors back into the booths though so they can offer the occasional high quality show to entice audiences back in. John.
This set up is awesome. I would love to do something similar myself. I really like the idea of salvaging different seats from dying theatres to give them a second hodgepodge life.
I don't know where the red seats originally came from but we got them from a dealer in Croydon who had cleared some of the many closing cinemas at the time. The blue ones were made for us by Brockley Upholstery who used to supply most of the top cinema chains but when I went to get six more from them a few years later they'd gone. Cinemas may mainly be dowdy black boxes now but it's still possible to create a picture palace in miniature at home. John.
@@moviecollector5920 A shame that you couldn't get more of the blue ones, but I think there's some endearing about the mixture of different seats. Especially if they have some history to them. Yep. You and your wife have surely succeeded in creating a miniature picture palace. I love the doors in particular. Thanks for the reply :) Andrew from Melbourne, Australia.
You don't realise the skill time and effort that goes into setting something like this up. We take things for granted now with 4k blu ray, etc. Amazing stuff, John. Cheers.
I'm still making mistakes but I am getting to grips with it. I've got the portable fully sussed as I've had it for more than 20 years now but this new one is giving me all manner of new mistakes to make. Good fun working it all out though. John.
@@robertszvetics210 It's like watching a remake of The Manchurian Candidate Robert. Quite amazing how that could happen in America but we're having our own problems over here too. I do worry about where we're all heading. John.
As an American former projectionist and now a film/English teacher, I was delighted to find another slight vocabulary difference between our countries. We call this process "threading" up. I've got a box or two of old 35mm trailers I might look through for some duplicates and send them your way.
I think the predominance over here is 'lacing' but I'm not certain as we seem to use both terms. Do you have a 35mm projector yourself? Many have been returning to cinemas recently as video projection is increasingly unable to draw in the crowds but cinemas capable of screening an older classic on film are able to generate an audience. I couldn't believe what was happening when the deliberate policy to gradually degrade the image quality in preparation for the final switchover to digital video projection started. We went from stunning master prints in our local cinemas (we lived in the West End of London) to complete crap almost overnight. I persevered with cinema for a few years but gave up completely around 2005/2006 and now only go when I know a genuine film print is being screened. That doesn't happen very often any longer... once every three years when it comes to new films these days. John.
35mm film is a fun hobby. it does take a bit of space...then a bit more....then a bit more...then before you know it, there's 3 rooms dedicated to it. CP500 is a great unit. Audio on this is not easy. took me a few years to get it sorted out but now shakes the place nice. Keep at it, one little bit at a time.
Noel's bringing all the missing parts and leads to hook up the FP20 to the CP500 to Film Is Fabulous! in Leicester on Sunday so it will be back to the learning process next week I suppose. Frustrating at times but usually generates that feeling of satisfaction when it's all finally sorted. John.
Just a few hints, hoping to help: you should always thread "in frame", using the framing / 'kadrage' adjustment too much will wear out the nylon coupler inside and result in poor image stability. Also, IF you need to use the framing knob carefully watch your loop sizes. Your upper loop was a bit too large from the start and got even bigger after adjusting the framing. Enjoy your FP20, a fine projector.
Thanks for the tips. I am trying to do all that but I'll improve with experience. I've been finding that a larger loop at the top has been working better but I'll endeavour to close it up a little now that you've said. John.
It's just the trailer but it is a good 'un and a lot of fun. Every trailer on that reel (about ten of them) were given to me more than 20 years ago and I just spliced them all together. Amazing to think of that now. They were considered finished with and worthless at the time. John.
@@agentahmed7350 i'll keep a lookout for a 35mm print for you Ahmed and then you wouldn't need to worry about a 4K disc. You would need to worry about finding a 35mm projector and learning all about how to use it properly though! The 35mm trailer might be a good start in that regard. John.
We need to ensure the old skills aren't completely lost because film is still the king when it comes to quality. Not enough top technicians are still working in the industry now so let's hope the example of OPPENHEIMER is going to change that. John.
Thank you Liam. We'll be announcing an event in Leicester soon so if you're in Britain and fancy a cine fix then this upcoming event should be the place to be. John.
The FP20 is a lovely machine, especially when fitted with a Kinoton RSSD Dolby Digital soundhead like yours! I hope it serves you well for many years to come.
I think it's going to be a lot of fun and hopefully for many years to come. I do still need to work out how to hook up the CP500 to an amplifier though so there's still some way to go. John.
Cinemas are putting 35mm back in at an increasing rate here in the UK Joseph so the 35mm standard that commenced in 1895 still has a way to go. It's possible the success of OPPENHEIMER is going to fuel the return of film projectors and so it should. We won't benefit from being able to see films all the time but just occasionally there should be a reason to return to cinemas and once we all start to get back into the habit it's likely we'll begin to enjoy it again and even go to see the latest digital videos being projected. Given the largest seating capacity auditorium here is now only around 770 that has confirmed to me that the industry is in terminal decline and when you look at how awful most auditoriums are now (mainly black boxes in multiplexes) and the poor quality and lack of showmanship on display it's no surprise to me. But there is still hope and where there's hope... But I have just run a reel of 35mm trailers and had it running through my original Dolby Stereo processor for matrixed four channel surround sound. It's going to be a while before I tackle the Dolby Digital hook up though. John.
Thanks for sharing, John.. Lovely piece.. I lack a lot of knowledge when it comes to projectors, but I love idler drive turntables and tape machines (r-to-r and cassette) in my audio hobby.. The most recent film I saw was shot on 35mm, it’s called Past Lives.. Beautifully shot.
Evening Nick. All these mechanical pieces of equipment tend to hold more interest because there are moving parts and the media we run through them are tangible. Film in particular which you can look at and see every individual frame as a photograph. There are still films being shot on film but the problem is that apart from OPPENHEIMER they are not being finished on film and that is why the quality of years ago is gone. OPPENHEIMER is the exception and let's hope it has shown the film industry the errors of their ways. John.
It's strange that it hasn't had a general release. I'll have another look here but last time it was only Zavvi and I'm not their biggest fan... prefer them to Amazon though. John.
The portable is built into a case with a door but the Kinoton is intended for a booth. It will probably go to work in the living room when I get the ten foot wide screen up in there. Haven't really decided yet. It's not as loud as you think but video does make it seem much louder. John.
@@moviecollector5920 While I was a university student I worked as a part time projectionist. We had four FP30's running in a single booth. It was noisy, not to mention the heat! Could you explain a little bit more about the light source? I recently converted one of my 16mm projectors with a 150W HID lamp. thanks - Paul
@@dutchflyingpilot That's exactly the lamp that's now in this FP20 Paul. I don't rate the colour temperature of HID lamps much but I think the compromise is worthwhile because it's punching fairly bright light through the gate with little heat and takes up hardly any space. Space was probably the most important factor given that I intend to occasionally use it in the position you see it in this video. John.
We weren't going to do it red originally but when it came to it we both chose a similar red to our previous home cinema. That was a British Museum colour and this isn't quite as dark but it seems to suit it better. Glad you like it. John.
Awesome work, as always, John! The Others is so full of atmosphere, and the lighting is wonderful. I can't wait for the UHD BD to drop in the coming weeks. The prior home video releases left much to be desired!
We've had the DVD since it was first issued Ryan and we've watched it quite a few times. It doesn't come close to the quality of that 35mm trailer though but I hope the 4K disc will. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Same thing and agree 💯! I watched my DVD on the 55” LG UHD TV about a month ago, and the seams were clearly visible. I’m hoping Criterion does it justice! HDR done right could make this release glorious!
@@ryanbaker7404 It is a wonderful film. The director actually came over and stayed in my parents flat while he was arranging it all with Messrs. Cruise and Kidman. I didn't meet him but my parents did and said he seemed like a very nice chap. These days my parents live full time in that little flat but they do love it. John.
These are Control 1G and I ended up with eight of them. They've been quite handy over the years but I had to replace the woofers in every one of them as the foam surrounds rotted out in all of them. I have kept the original woofers just in case I ever feel like having a go at replacing the speaker foams. John.
It largely depends on the lens and how far away it has to be from the gate to focus on the screen but this lens is perfect for being able to shoot the frames going through the gate. Being able to see the images in the gate has always fascinated me. John.
Hi John! Great to see this thanks for letting us in. Really enjoying sharing this experience I hope you get it tuned just right and can begin screening films and reviewing them. Meanwhile all the best and just a fyi I was able to get to see Oppenheimer in IMAX a second time and really enjoyed it even more. To date no other Nolan screenings but fingers crossed. Sorry but I will mention Paradiso again even though I may be wearing it out but I think of it every time I watch one of your home cinema install videos hahaha Last time from me I promise lololol Cheers for now D in BC!!
Don't worry about mentioning Cinema Paradiso as much as you like to Dave because no film lover would ever object to a comparison to that little masterpiece. Good to know that OPPENHEIMER is even better the second time around. I must admit that I'm not looking forward to seeing that one on video as I fear it will spoil the memory of it as I did see it and how it should be seen. Other comments recently have been telling me that the BFI IMAX are putting INTERSTELLAR on again before the end of the year so if the BFI are going to be doing it then as long as your IMAX has a print stored in the booth then it's a pretty good sign that it's coming soon. John.
The kinotons are great. The weakness as i understand it is the plastic/delrin gate. Designed to be easy on film…but it can wear out and scratch film. Not sure if there is a metal one out there or if you can maybe find spares.
There are plenty of Kinoton projectors still around but many are heading for landfill if the receivers for all the bankrupt cinema chains can't find purchasers for them soon. Saving the removable parts should be easier though so thank you for the advice and I will try to ensure I get some spares for mine. It's not exactly going to be flogged to death though so it will hopefully be good for a few decades. John.
Thank you for the video. Yes, "Gladiator" was filmed in Super-35 and interesting that you have a open matte trailer, thus revealing boom mics and other visual info. Anyway, I'm fortunate that there's a small non-profit movie theater in my city that often plays vintage 35mm prints and it was only recently in the last 3 months that I had seen a 35mm film. The last time was perhaps more than 15 years ago and honestly, I miss it and the medium is even better when you watch pre-DI films (pre-2000). For me, I'm a big Studio Ghibli fan and was fortunate to have seen many of their pre-digital animations on 35mm (pre-1995) in the late 1990s. Even my friends who are big fans of Studio Ghibli look at me funny when I say they're missing out, even with their super clean HD blurays, because viewing a 35mm print of these animated films on the big screen is like seeing the original hand-drawn cels with the inks and paints, where you can almost feel it. Anyway, I digress. Good luck with your new projector!
Film is tangible and looks alive. It has a natural, realistic look that is lacking in digital video. Cinemas need to get back to screening films when possible but to effect that means the industry needs to ensure the biggest releases get shot and finished on film. OPPENHEIMER should have just taught them that but I won't hold my breath. John.
Thank you. It's a lot of fun but also a bit frustrating at times so far. I've had the portable for about 25 years so I know that inside out but the FP20 is still a learning process and will be for some time I think. Hope your Westrex is giving you similar amounts of fun and little to no frustration. John.
Hi John, sorry for my late comment. Just wanted to congratulate you on this great achievement of a kinoton in your home. Absolutely excellent! Hope you enjoy some great movies on it. I myself am looking for a portable 35mm projector at the moment, just waiting for a good deal to pop up. Once again, congratulations on this great purchase! Cheers, Clark
This FP20 certainly isn't portable Clark and it's surprised me how heavy duty it is. I'm still getting to grips with it but I'm reaching the point of connecting the CP500 to see what that tells me once digital sound is going into it. A former BFCC colleague has given me some guidance on the Phoenix connector I'll need to get the sound out of it and ready for a pre-amp. I think this is all going to take me a while to get sorted but it will be good fun if a little frustrating at times. I've just got home from HMV having gone there to purchase the new 4K disc of The Exorcist. Maybe you should review that one as it's sure to be a popular title and there haven't been too many popular ones released on 4K so far this year. But your projection booth videos are doing so well it might feel a little like a backward step returning to film reviews even for one of the most infamous movies ever made. I was only 9 years old when it was first released and I well remember the mass-hysteria that resulted. My brother and I hired the Super 8 400ft reel when it first appeared and that is so good that you feel like you've seen the entire film. We purchased the 3x400ft as soon as we saw that was out but it wasn't as good and was missing four or five minutes that were in the 400ft release so we had to then purchase that too and cut it all in. Wonderful memories. It was later released on VHS but I think it got banned here in the video nasty scandal era. We screened that Super 8 mini feature to all our school friends and one girl's parents came round to complain! My brother ended up marrying that girl so it couldn't have affected her that badly... or perhaps it did! John.
Hi John, I had replied to this comment but it doesn’t seem to be here. It mag be in the “held for review” comments in the settings for this video. Cheers
Not really Paul. I'm working on too many other things at the moment, not least a documentary on the 1970 World Cup Rally and I did the last interview for that yesterday so I've got to really get on with that now to have it out for Christmas. John.
Not jealous at all :) been after an FP20 for the best part of 30 years but don't expect to ever find one, not for mortal money anyway. That looks like a beautifully kept example too
@@RetroRepair I don't tend to put my email address on here Joel but you'll find me on bfcc.biz. I'm the only 'John' on the contact page so try sending me an email and put another reply on here when you'd done so so that I can amend this as I try not to get inundated with emails. John.
awesome as hell! i wish i could get into 35mm. could never find a projector at a good price. i have a few snipes, shorts, and a network copy of a TV show - it's be nice to actually see their contents.
A portable machine would seem to be the solution for you then. They are around but like everything, some are better than others and some are more portable than others. John.
thank you for the great content and for keeping film alive. I know you said 35mm will be the furthest you will go with your home cinema. However, we do need you to get the Cinerama setup going in the home for a viewing of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
That could be done with 35mm though as 2001 A Space Odyssey wasn't a genuine Cinerama and only requires the curved, louvred screen to make it work. It wouldn't be the quality of 70mm but would generate the effect. Actually, the 4K disc would do it almost as well. John.
It looks like your FP20 was customized a bit. On my FP30 (that I'm refurbishing when I have the time) the motor starts at full speed right away, there is no "slow" startup feature like on yours. Also, do you have the same issue as me that when you turn off the projector before the end of a reel, the sound head continues to pull the film after all the other parts of the projector have stopped?
It's certainly been customized Tomek but I'm not sure that slow creep first position has. It does facilitate checking all is as it should be before finally firing it up at full speed. I haven't noticed the film continuing to creep through the sound heads after everything else has stopped but I'll check for that next time I'm playing. I have filmed quite a lot with the FP20 recently as I'm getting much guidance from people who know more than me with regard to the digital sound and trying to get that fully sorted. It's almost there but something isn't quite right as the error rate on so many reels is high and then too high so displays 'F' for 'Fault'. It's possible the sound tracks are knackered but I'm hopeful it's down to alignment of the digital sound camera in the FP20. It I ever get it sorted I'll probably upload a video all about it because I haven't been able to find anything similar on RUclips. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, it would seem that there is an alignment issue. For the proper alignment of the digital reader head you need an oscilloscope (if you know someone whose hobby is electronics, there is a big chance they have one), it's explained in the installation manual of the Dolby processor how to do it (you should be able to find the manual easily online, film-tech has a lot of cinema related manuals on their website).
I didn't see Laurence of Arabic on Ben's projector only a reel from Gremlins (2?) at Ealing Town Hall. Also remember that Cinerama was 6 perf pull down not 4 as with ordinary 35mm prints!!! you would need three new specialist projectors for that!! Good job you have ruled it out! 😀
I could to _see_ the analog *quality* of the *35mm* image when Oliver Platt was in the water at the end of the Lake Placid trailer _even_ in the video you shot of your cinema screen. You're fortunate to able to screen _35mm_ in your home. You said you need to adjust the lenses on the projector. But are you happy with the image in general on your new 35mm projector? Erik.
Morning Erik. Yes, its producing nice looking imagery and brighter than the portable 35mm owing to the barrel shutter in the portable which significantly reduced the light reaching the gate. I did manage to get the 'Scope lens in there and filling almost the entire width of the new screen so I'm almost there. Had trouble with the sound though but I think I've worked that problem out. Frustrating at times but jolly good fun. That Lake Placid trailer is terrific but the funny thing is that I'd completely forgotten I had it on that reel. I'd forgotten all four of the trailers but had a vague recollection of Stuart Little. I can't recall where I got those trailers now but probably a BFCC where they would have been £2 each. What a wonderful hobby this is. John.
Hi John, Loved your video,. The good ol' Fp20. Did you have a 1.85 masking plate inserted (might be the reason for the mics in view), not sure if you did. I loved the way you laced up, and well done for getting it in rack. Michael is amazing with his 15/70. No one does it better. And Ben is just amazing with his DP 70 at home. I have watched a couple of screenings with him (not feature films), a bit of this and that. I'll ask Ben to pass on my details to you (securely). Excellent video. Thank you.
I think I've got the hang of threading it up now but I'm not always succeeding in getting it in rack. It's been a wonderful learning process and great fun. Today I was going to hook up the CP500 for the first time but I was thwarted by the Allen key securing screws holding the cover firmly in place as none of my Allen keys would fit securely enough to turn them. I'll have to get another set and hope for the best there. We've invited Michael F. to come along to Film Is Fabulous! and Ben is coming but I'll have to wait to hear back from Michael as he's also been asked to appear on one of the discussion panels which may frighten him off! Everyone would just be happy for him to come along as a guest though so whatever he wants to do. Ben's got all my contact details so we'll talk soon. John.
I forgot to say, I didn't have the 1.85:1 plate inserted. Had it full frame as I've not entirely got the lenses sorted yet. We might use the FP20 in the living room in the end but I've got to put the roll down screen in there first. It's ten feet wide so roughly the same size of screen we now have in the cinema room. Shame it's not that 25 metre wide roll down screen you showed us in that great Paris cinema yesterday. That must have had a very powerful motor to haul that up and down. John.
I don't know. I think I did ask Noel where it came from but it was one of a batch that he was offered some years ago. I spotted it in his workshop alongside two others but this one had the Dolby Digital reverse scanner on it so that was why it piqued my interest. Ben Wales has now got all the sound fully sorted for me and it's been jolly exciting watching 35mm films with better sound than anything I enjoy from any video disc format. He's currently trying to achieve the best possible Dolby Stereo sound from my portable 35mm projector so we can use that at collector conventions again. That's the plan anyway. John.
@@moviecollector5920 yes, ours had a reverse scanners but only the number one unit had DTS/Dolby Digital. I left the company in 2004 to persue other careers but the FP20 is I think the most reliable, best made 35mm machine ever made. They were built like tanks! Although I got the opportunity to see the DP70 machines that where still installed in ABC Lime st (later cannon etc) when it was tripled in 1982, great machines and 70mm could still be shown in the number 1 hall until that cinemas closing. Not that 70mm was shown there for years before closure. I believe that the FACT cinema in Liverpool city centre now has 70mm facilities. I have great memories of the FP 20 as they just ran and ran and ran…..ad infinitum 🤣
@@trubshawuk The DP70 might well be the most highly regarded projector of all time though. It is the only piece of cinema equipment even, I believe, to win an Oscar. And that was in the days when winning an Oscar really meant something. But I'm very pleased with my FP20. It was the diminutive footprint that drew my attention and with the possibility of an HID150 lamp installed it was irresistible. That HID lamp only added about 3 inches to the rear so the projection actually fits into place... just about. John.
It's a lot of fun Bob. I didn't get any time to play yesterday but I hope to stick a trailer reel through it again today as I still haven't fully got the hang of lacing it up. I'm getting there and some tips from experienced projectionists have come in to help so I might start to do a better job from now on. John.
Only trailer reels so far but I did try to put a 'Scope reel on yesterday - the opening reel of Speed 2 but something misaligned on the sound which caused only the right hand channel to work while the left had a nasty drumming noise so that required investigation. The same on the next reel I tried - trailers again - so I stopped and played about with the bottom loop which did the trick. There's still a lot to learn. John.
@moviecollector5920 well then, I hope you enjoy the learning process. Is there a particular title that you are looking forward to seeing? The whole thing has left me quite curious. As usual, I really appreciate your responses.
@@timothymathetes I'm mainly looking forward to getting Alien onto a pair of 6000ft spools and having that play with the Dolby Digital sound. It's a way off yet. Spider-Man 2 also. John.
Another great video @Movie Collector ! And saw you bought Crawl 4K. Really nice movie. Not a masterpiece but, to me, a genuine surprise when I got it recently.
We both very much enjoyed Crawl Pieter. A wonderful atmosphere and convincing computer effects (apart from one or two long distance shots which spoiled the overall impression) that prove that it can be done. The sound was exceptionally good too. I also purchased Plane recently but that's the first 4K disc with the 4K fault from new that I've come across so far. It's going back to HMV today. The Exorcist is out today so I'm hoping to get a copy of that at the same time. Shame I almost know the script off by heart for that one but it should make for a worthwhile review video...I hope. John.
@@moviecollector5920 hi John, Great the two of you enjoyed Crawl aswell. Unfortunately I recently bought a collectors edition of The Exorcist on blu ray. So skipping that one although I imagine it is a majot upgrade but I can only spend my money once. 😊 So with 4K’s of The Equilizer 3, MI:7, A Haunting in Venice and The Creator (hopefully) before the end of the year I put my money on those. Also I believe I was one of the few people who actually enjoyed Meg 2 so that could also be at least a Blu Ray purchase. Look forward to your Excorsist review though and am afraid, like many of your reviews, that will cost me money again!😄 Have a great week!
@@moviecollector5920 PS: my latest 4K purchases are the beautiful digibook 4K releases of Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta and Donnie Yen’s Sakra. Both are visual masterpieces, great quality discs and really interesting and (especially Sakra) visually striking movies. Both come highly recommended. I will post the trailers for you below.
@@pieterbalk-ht7kq I've just returned from HMV and have The Exorcist 4K disc so I'll probably watch it this evening. I haven't seen Benedetta or Sakra. Verhoeven can be a little too pornographic for my liking a lot of the time but I do have The Black Book on Blu-ray awaiting me. I haven't seen that since it first appeared on DVD but I do remember quite a lot of it. I came home with The Flash today as HMV had a single copy of the steelbook in and so they sold that one copy before it even went out on the shelves. I'm expecting a complete load of tosh of course but I'm curious to see Michael Keaton at Batman again so that's why I went for it. MyFireMovies reviewed it and actually liked it so you never know. John.
And frustrating at times too. I'm getting to grips with it all now though. Just got to sort out a 'Scope lens that will fit and the Dolby Digital sound capabilities. John.
Hi John. Great to see you and you getting to grips with your new Home Cinema setup. I'm trying to figure out how I can do something similar in my small flat. I also just recieved the 4k Ultra + Blu Ray. Cine Edition release from HMV of the 50th anniversary release of the iconiic "Enter the Dragon".
I think the first home movie feature release of Enter The Dragon was issued by Columbia on Super 8 on 4x400ft reels. My brother and I hired it I think and that was the last time I ever saw it. Probably 1979 or 1980. John.
I suppose he's just testing it out so the sound would defininately be heard in the background no matter how high the movie sound volume is. He would have to keep the projector in an isolated cabin. Not sure if he really wants to do that but anyway, as a cinema enthusiast, I love his videos.
Sorry, didn't answer about the noise of the projector which you can't really drown out as it's a 35mm projector designed for use in a multiplex, hence the small footprint. The portable can have the casing door closed to silence most of the noise so when that's in place the other side of the porthole it's just a bit of drumming most of the time but during loud action films it's usually drowned out. We might be using the newer machine in the living room once I'm fully au fait with it and have the ten foot roll down screen up in there. That will be a while though. John.
Nope. The portable already has that so anytime we want 35mm in quiet mode I'll use that one. This one is a real cinema projector so big reels and Dolby Digital sound... when I get to grips with all that side of things. John.
That will be a lot of fun Marco. Ben Wales visited a few weekends ago and as a result we now have the Dolby CP500 working and giving us Dolby Digital sound. There's still more to do before it's all ready for the first feature screening and one of those things to tick off the list is to work out how the equalizer function within the CP500 works so I can set it to the KEF THX speakers. John.
It's not something I like to do all the time but I do love to play with it all and just watch a film running on screen. I've got to get the lenses fully sorted and I made some progress with 'Scope this afternoon. Getting a 'Scope lens to stay in place is the current issue. It will probably live in our living room when I've got to grips with and and we'll put the ten foot wide roll down screen in there for it. I'm looking forward to watching our 35mm of Alien on just two big reels and with the Dolby Digital sound working. It's a while off yet though. John.
i love the others! i'm waiting for october to start so i can enjoy horror movies. i try to watch at least one horror movie a day for the entire month! and its of course my favorite month :)
Turn The Others up louder than you normally would for any other film and it will make you jump out of your skin quite a few times. A genuinely scary, atmospheric film the like of which we don't get any longer. John.
There's nothing else quite like having real film at home and 35mm is something extra special. It's also great fun and a proper hobby whereas I view video as more of a pastime. John.
Fantastic video as always. I'm freaked out when you said you know someone with a cinerama set up at home. As far as I'm concerned, to experiment 70mm; I'll have to settle for a viewing of Interstellar at the BFI Imax in London next year, which I hope to visit. No 70mm theatres left in Spain :(
I hope you do get to see INTERSTELLAR in 15/70 at the BFI IMAX because as far as I'm concerned it's the ultimate cinema experience. TENET and DUNKIRK are close though so maybe you'll be lucky and get to see [and hear!] all three. John.
Wow wow wow John. You lucky, and dedicated person with a passion for all film. That is awesome. Wished I lived closer to help you build a larger dedicated theatre to hold all your equipment, and view your films in the best possible way. Thanks. Wondering if you could get an anamorphic lens for 70 MM films. - Toronto, Canada.
Morning Mike. 70mm film had a frame already 2.20:1 wide. However, TODD-AO I think had a 1.25X squeeze so that would require a 1.25 anamorphic lens and I think this was the big thing with Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT because he shot it with a 1.25:1 squeeze meaning all the cinemas around the world who had kept their 70mm film projectors or were re-installing 70mm as a result of Mr. Tarantino's imminent release also had to source the very rare anamorphic lenses. I ran my 35mm print of Stat Trek X: Nemesis yesterday on the Kinoton. Apart from a few minutes at the start the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is flawless but it was nearly shaking the house to the ground so I had to turn it right down. Clearly I have some more sorting out to do there to get the best out of it. John.
Thanks John. But could you also get different lenses. Looks like you had a spot for another lense on that projector. I haven't played with anything beyond 16 mm. So there is a lot I don't know. WOW. Star Trek! How many films do you own, and I'm guessing you have to change reels, and how much do they actually cost to get a film? PS: I just checked Star Trek Nemisis and it seems to be 70mm. So you do have a lense? I am confused or I missed something, cause your example trailers all looked 35 mm.
@@mikekaye3874 That double lens barrel rotates over by hand so it's easy to switch from a flat film to a 'Scope film but there is also the matter of the aperture plate because I use a different aperture plate for flat 1.85:1 films and that doesn't work for full frame 'Scope films. I have the relevant different lenses mounted in both now which took some working out to get the best out of it. All these things take a while but I always get there in the end. I don't have many features as 35mm takes up a lot more space than even a 16mm feature print, let alone a Super 8. All of them are still 2000ft spools as that was all my Spectra 90 35mm projector was designed to handle but the Kinoton can take a 6000ft spool so I intend to get many of the features onto just two reels. I haven't started that process yet as the spindles on the Kinoton are different to the Spectra and I therefore need to obtain different rewind arms first. The reels can be adapted so it's possible I'll go down that route but I haven't looked at that possibility yet to see if it can be done to all the 6000ft and 5000ft other enthusiasts have kindly given me. Star Trek X is 35mm. It's not exactly top 35mm quality either probably owing to all the computer effects in it but it's special to have any Star Trek print in 35mm. I think the tenth film is one of the best but other opinions are available. I've only ever seen it on film and it's possible it doesn't look as impressive on any of the video releases. Alien Resurrection seems to be similar in that regard as that's another people tell me looks poor but I've only ever seen it on 35mm film and it looks impressive... because it is impressive. Now there's another I'd like to run soon. John.
@@mikekaye3874 Probably a lot of money now but I used to find them with fellow collectors all over the world years ago and the shipping cost of around £150 would cost more than some of the prints. I would expect to pay around £1K for a top film today. Super 8 top titles can go for more than that so it's funny how film has become so fashionable now. John.
Fantastic machine John! I hope it serves you well. Wish I could add one of these to my home cinema experience. Sadly the cost of 35mm features is prohibitive, at least in the UK judging by prices these reels fetch on ebay! How do you control heat & noise from the projector in your current setup?
Afternoon Michal. I'm not really aware of heat so far but that's probably because more comes off the THX amp when I've got that on so I wouldn't notice. The noise is fairly low for 35mm but not as low as the portable which is in a case that the door can be closed on. The camera picks everything up and exacerbates it but sitting in the room and watching those trailers with the sound up loud drowns out most of the projector noise. I do like having projector noise audible though as that's part of cinema for me. I always try to hear the projectors in the booth when I'm in a real cinema that's running a film rather than a video. 35mm may be too expensive now but it wasn't when I was importing features from around the world. I think the shipping of a few prints was more than the actual prints! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Makes perfect sense, I love my traditional super 8 projector for exactly the same reason, the Bauer T600 is just audible enough to augument the cinematic experience and not be too obtrusive. During my recent trip to see family back in Poland I visited my local cinema and I finally realised a small childhood dream of stepping into the projection room! I’ve been coming to that cinema ever since I was a little kid and all through my later years to experience the magic of celluloid. To that effect, the cinema still operates the Kinoton F30 35mm with Dolby Digital soundhead which was a beauty to look at! Its 100% digital Barco brother doesn’t have any of the charm but it’s impressive in terms of automation. The third beast was the now defunct Prexer - 35mm projector made in Poland, once a staple workhorse of every cinema in the country - left as a relic from the cold war era :) The Kinoton had pipe connected to it to dissipate the heat, hence my question as I was curious if it is needed for most 35mm machines.
Excellent addition to any home cinema John is the "Kinoton FP20" projector you have, its ideal. Its a very quiet and smooth running projector, we bought a new one while I worked at the cinema, and was most impressed with it. If film had continued we did have plans to replace the other two projectors with "Kinoton" as well. However while I was there, we did shoot a bit of video of the place "and glad I did" which includes the threading up our FP20. I up-loaded that video to you-tube a while back under my name and title "Movieland Cinema" if your interested .
I saw it when you uploaded it Graham. If I'm remembering the correct video then I think I left a comment. I'll have to have a look and check but if you have the link maybe email it to me and I'll put it on here. John.
I would love to see Blade Runner on that projector. Our local cinema showed classics like Blade Runner and 2001, I watched them both, but somehow, digital projection has no soul. Not sure if I can make the comparison with 35mm since I haven't seen 35mm for such a long time.
Morning Roland. There are 35mm prints of Blade Runner around but the trouble is that the original film in 1982 didn't have all the prints struck onto low fade stock. When they were sent over here following their run in America many prints were made up from two or more and not all had low fade reels across all six. It's a shame because it's the best version and if you haven't seen that one first then there's not much chance of following what the hell is going on with the re-worked versions. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I must admit I've never seen the voiceover version... But I just checked the 5 disc collector's edition I have and it appears to have the 'U.S. Theatrical Cut (1982)', 'International Theatrical Cut (1982)', 'Director's Cut (1992)' and the 'Workprint'. I think I'm going to watch them all now :) You might know "rob's nostalgia projects", who scanned old Blade Runner prints and put them on blu-ray, and indeed, the prints were very faded.
noisy the projector should be isolated is the CP500 fully operational yeah watch the loop size as i recall at UCI warner bros , place two fingers between the loop with just tiny fraction , wider angle lens
I like to hear the projectors Andy. Whilst I'd prefer to have it in the next room it's not always possible and therefore sometimes you have to compromise. I have the CP500 hooked up to the projector but it looks like I have to get a six channel pre-amp to make it work into the THX system so that's going to have to wait. How are you getting on at your own Empire? John.
Very nice projector there John. Quite noisy though. One forgets in the cinemas and that imax cinema at how noisy the projectors are and how sound proofed the projection rooms must be. Still a fun thing.
Can you watch a whole movie in one sitting? Thought I've heard that a movie comes in something like 6 reels that must be stitched together by a projectionist.
Spliced together. Two hours is six reels but any more than that and you're into the seventh reel and beyond. This machine takes 6000ft spools so that's three to four reels on one spool. It's called a 'splice' when you join to pieces of film together. One of the reasons I wanted this machine was to be able to watch films like Alien with just one break in the middle. And Dolby Digital sound if I ever get that sussed out. John.
@@moviecollector5920 okay in that case I recommend you check out Jackie chans Hong Kong movies such as police story and project a the action scenes and the stunts are way more impressive than his American films mostly due to less safety regulations and the studio allowing more time to perfect his fight scenes and stunts
Thank you. The Kinoton now has flawless digital sound which seamlessly fails over to the Dolby Stereo analogue tracks on the rare occasions the digital can no longer be processed. It's been a lot of fun going through all the prints. John.
The lost art of film projection years ago in empire magazine mentioned the projectionists of the empire cinema once dropped a 70mm print down the stares
Film is more of a hobby Gary. Video is more of a pastime. That's how I've always looked at it because film has to be looked after and everything to make it work requires manual labour. Discs are placed in a drive and that's it. I enjoy both but there's something about 35mm film in particular. John.
@@garyharper2943 Classic British cars is how i'd describe my automotive interest Gary as they're not all sports cars. I've also made documentaries on vintage tractors and even the Leyland National bus. Besides all that you want to see our telescope! John.
Good morning Simon. I've been playing with the Kinoton 35mm projector quite a lot lately and currently have The Fifth Element made up onto two big reels. I've run the first and it's quite something to have an hour of 35mm film go through without a break. The second reel is slightly longer so that will be even more fun. Might get some shots of it to include in the next RUclips video I do. John.
It's a lot of fun Rob. I don't think it's going to stay in its current location as I have it in mind to put it in the living room on a more permanent basis. The ten foot screen will go back into use in there. That's the current plan anyway. John.
I don't have it Daniel. Sorry. Never seen it actually as I'm not the biggest cartoon fan unless it's old style Disney animation such as Lady and the Tramp. John.
@@theeggman4806 I have made quite a bit of progress given that I don't really get much time. A similar story for most of us I expect but I've got to get a documentary finished now so that's going to see most of my time gone for while. John.
Very cool John, love the mechanical sound this thing kicks out. On the subject of 4K discs, I've got Time Bandits here to watch. Not seen it for the while, so I'm looking forward to watching this new Arrow release.
I think I get your meaning Donald. I find that doing things I enjoy such as projecting film helps me to enjoy everything else. Well, not quite everything. John.
Wow, really awesome, John but a bit too complicated for me haha. I’m fine with watching stuff digitally on 4K Blu-ray, etc. at home. I’m only 26 though so I didn’t really grow up with film projection. I am seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey on 70 MM in about a month in Los Angeles so I’m excited about that. I’ve been wanting to see that one in a theater for a while as I missed the 2018 IMAX re-release.
Have a great time with 2001 A Space Odyssey Sean. I still want to see it on a Cinerama screen but I'm not very sure about the 70mm prints still extant in the world because quite a bit of the original negative had to be duped (maybe all of it by now to preserve the remainder of the original as best as possible) and probably off the interpositive or maybe even the internegative for those sections of the original camera negative that were too far gone. What I'm saying is that it probably won't look quite as good as it did back in 1969 and 1970 but it should still be a magical cinematic experience. Digital video still hasn't matched the best of film, not by a long way, but home video and home video projection is so good now that it does mean a very good facsimile of film can be achieved for comparatively little. It's a shame cinemas haven't quite yet realized they should be offering something different and genuine film print screenings occasionally would probably do the job to get people back in and keep them coming back even when most movies are being video projected. People need to be reminded of how much fun cinema can be. John.
Yes, but nowhere near as loud as it seems. The portable is almost inaudible at times as the door to the casing can be closed and silence most of it. All terrific fun and a good learning process. Every home sound have one! Certainly every cinema should. John.
You know what maybe if you wanted you could use your equipment build a bigger single screen theater and open it up as a business if you wanted that would be cool but I’d imagine you prefer having it as just a hobby
It's too heavy to move around much but my wife and I managed to get it out of the hire van and into the house without too much trouble. It's not possible to life it but we 'walked' it in and it went surprisingly well. We'll probably use it in the living room where it will be surprisingly quiet for a real cinema booth projector rather than a portable which can be closed up and almost completely silenced. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I was thinking more along the lines of buying a building or shed that could function as a public theater and you could sell tickets
Not really Muchosa because the video exacerbates the noise. We're probably going to use it in the living room once I've put the ten foot wide roll down screen up in there. The sort of films we own mean any noise is largely drowned out but the drumming is part of the fun. I think the portable will do most duty in the cinema as it fits in the porthole and the because it's a portable it has a case with a door to completely enclose it. There's nothing else quite like 35mm in the home but it's not for everyone, you've probably got to know and love film. John.
Many home cinema enthusiasts say they have better sound and image than a commercial cinema, what do you think about that??? Do you think they are right or are they tricked by marketing into buying their speakers and subwoofer???
Go to the BFI IMAX and hear the sound system first. Smaller rooms to mean such a big sound system isn't possible but I really can't imagine any way the BFI IMAX system could be matched. I don't suppose there are many cinemas that even come close to that but some local cinamas are poor by comparison so that's probably what people are comparing against their own home cinema. I haven't heard another home system as good as my own but there are better ones out there for sure. John.
Thanks for the tip. Another projectionist advised of this and I've played with it today and can make it a little shorter without anything going awry. At no point have I had it close enough to bang on the metal part above and I have been checking all of that thoroughly and will continue to do so until I can do all this with my eyes closed... well, almost. John.
John what would we do without people like your good self being so dedicated to sharing your knowledge and love of film . Watching this took me back to the early 70’s when my parents used to take me to the Regal Cinema in Leamington Spa where we lived for many years . The sound of the projector took me straight back to those good old days . So nice to see your home cinema being able to take advantage of 35mm 👍
I'll probably put this one to use in the living room when I've worked everything out. 6000ft spools means more than an hour of film at a time and so films such as Alien, Spider-Man 2 and The Fifth Element on just two reels and with Dolby Digital sound. But all that is a way off yet. John.
That is so cool John. What a fabulous projector to own.
Congratulations!
It's going to be a lot of fun but then I'll eventually take it more seriously and have a couple of 35mm features on big reels and hopefully running Dolby Digital sound by then too. John.
In High School, I dragged a movie box around to different classes, with a 16mm projector at the bottom and screen on the top. That was around 1965/6. So different now, one can move a 70 inch tv with a show on a thumb drive. Crazy how things matured over the years. I believe it was something when talkies first appeared and ruined the careers of actors with their undesirable voices. Those were the days. To think how many incredible movies were made with this technology.
It's still superior to most movies shot on video today. There are exceptions of course and video has improved immeasurably... but it ain't film. OPPENHEIMER has hopefully educated the industry and we'll see more big releases shot on large film formats for the ultimate cinema experiences. Cinemas will have to get their film projectors back into the booths though so they can offer the occasional high quality show to entice audiences back in. John.
This set up is awesome. I would love to do something similar myself. I really like the idea of salvaging different seats from dying theatres to give them a second hodgepodge life.
I don't know where the red seats originally came from but we got them from a dealer in Croydon who had cleared some of the many closing cinemas at the time. The blue ones were made for us by Brockley Upholstery who used to supply most of the top cinema chains but when I went to get six more from them a few years later they'd gone. Cinemas may mainly be dowdy black boxes now but it's still possible to create a picture palace in miniature at home.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 A shame that you couldn't get more of the blue ones, but I think there's some endearing about the mixture of different seats. Especially if they have some history to them.
Yep. You and your wife have surely succeeded in creating a miniature picture palace. I love the doors in particular. Thanks for the reply :)
Andrew from Melbourne, Australia.
You don't realise the skill time and effort that goes into setting something like this up. We take things for granted now with 4k blu ray, etc. Amazing stuff, John. Cheers.
I'm still making mistakes but I am getting to grips with it. I've got the portable fully sussed as I've had it for more than 20 years now but this new one is giving me all manner of new mistakes to make. Good fun working it all out though. John.
Have fun John Greetings from Joe Biden land😂.
Well done John your cinema looks amazing ❤
@@raymondhall8629 Thank you Raymond. We're having a lot of fun in there now... and we even watch some films too! John.
@@robertszvetics210 It's like watching a remake of The Manchurian Candidate Robert. Quite amazing how that could happen in America but we're having our own problems over here too. I do worry about where we're all heading. John.
As an American former projectionist and now a film/English teacher, I was delighted to find another slight vocabulary difference between our countries. We call this process "threading" up. I've got a box or two of old 35mm trailers I might look through for some duplicates and send them your way.
I think the predominance over here is 'lacing' but I'm not certain as we seem to use both terms. Do you have a 35mm projector yourself? Many have been returning to cinemas recently as video projection is increasingly unable to draw in the crowds but cinemas capable of screening an older classic on film are able to generate an audience. I couldn't believe what was happening when the deliberate policy to gradually degrade the image quality in preparation for the final switchover to digital video projection started. We went from stunning master prints in our local cinemas (we lived in the West End of London) to complete crap almost overnight. I persevered with cinema for a few years but gave up completely around 2005/2006 and now only go when I know a genuine film print is being screened. That doesn't happen very often any longer... once every three years when it comes to new films these days.
John.
35mm film is a fun hobby. it does take a bit of space...then a bit more....then a bit more...then before you know it, there's 3 rooms dedicated to it. CP500 is a great unit. Audio on this is not easy. took me a few years to get it sorted out but now shakes the place nice. Keep at it, one little bit at a time.
Noel's bringing all the missing parts and leads to hook up the FP20 to the CP500 to Film Is Fabulous! in Leicester on Sunday so it will be back to the learning process next week I suppose. Frustrating at times but usually generates that feeling of satisfaction when it's all finally sorted. John.
Just a few hints, hoping to help: you should always thread "in frame", using the framing / 'kadrage' adjustment too much will wear out the nylon coupler inside and result in poor image stability. Also, IF you need to use the framing knob carefully watch your loop sizes. Your upper loop was a bit too large from the start and got even bigger after adjusting the framing. Enjoy your FP20, a fine projector.
Thanks for the tips. I am trying to do all that but I'll improve with experience. I've been finding that a larger loop at the top has been working better but I'll endeavour to close it up a little now that you've said. John.
Having Rush Hour 2 on actual 35mm film is such a massive win, I would absolutely love to have that movie on film too, one of my childhood favorites
It's just the trailer but it is a good 'un and a lot of fun. Every trailer on that reel (about ten of them) were given to me more than 20 years ago and I just spliced them all together. Amazing to think of that now. They were considered finished with and worthless at the time. John.
My favourite film of all-time. If we could somehow get a 4K Blu-ray version of it, I think my life would be complete (no joke).
@@agentahmed7350 i'll keep a lookout for a 35mm print for you Ahmed and then you wouldn't need to worry about a 4K disc. You would need to worry about finding a 35mm projector and learning all about how to use it properly though! The 35mm trailer might be a good start in that regard. John.
@@agentahmed7350have you given Jackie chans Hong Kong movies a chance?
awesome setup, the 35 is the real cinema experience!!
You can say they are Filmmakers. The digital guys love to use the term, but they are not using film. It's a whole different medium.
We need to ensure the old skills aren't completely lost because film is still the king when it comes to quality. Not enough top technicians are still working in the industry now so let's hope the example of OPPENHEIMER is going to change that. John.
Excellent video as always. Great authentic set up with the ambiance of a real cinema. Top notch work. Keep the cine flag flying..
Thank you Liam. We'll be announcing an event in Leicester soon so if you're in Britain and fancy a cine fix then this upcoming event should be the place to be. John.
The FP20 is a lovely machine, especially when fitted with a Kinoton RSSD Dolby Digital soundhead like yours! I hope it serves you well for many years to come.
I think it's going to be a lot of fun and hopefully for many years to come. I do still need to work out how to hook up the CP500 to an amplifier though so there's still some way to go. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Please reach out if you need any help! I work on the Dolby units quite a bit and would be glad to lend a hand!
Thank you John.
Thank you Cheekster. First as ever. John.
@@moviecollector5920 - Have you ever fancied some of the original seats out of Empire 1, LSQ? Someone is getting rid of some.
It must feel good to run your hands through the arc of history.
Cinemas are putting 35mm back in at an increasing rate here in the UK Joseph so the 35mm standard that commenced in 1895 still has a way to go. It's possible the success of OPPENHEIMER is going to fuel the return of film projectors and so it should. We won't benefit from being able to see films all the time but just occasionally there should be a reason to return to cinemas and once we all start to get back into the habit it's likely we'll begin to enjoy it again and even go to see the latest digital videos being projected. Given the largest seating capacity auditorium here is now only around 770 that has confirmed to me that the industry is in terminal decline and when you look at how awful most auditoriums are now (mainly black boxes in multiplexes) and the poor quality and lack of showmanship on display it's no surprise to me. But there is still hope and where there's hope...
But I have just run a reel of 35mm trailers and had it running through my original Dolby Stereo processor for matrixed four channel surround sound. It's going to be a while before I tackle the Dolby Digital hook up though.
John.
Thanks for sharing, John.. Lovely piece.. I lack a lot of knowledge when it comes to projectors, but I love idler drive turntables and tape machines (r-to-r and cassette) in my audio hobby.. The most recent film I saw was shot on 35mm, it’s called Past Lives.. Beautifully shot.
Evening Nick. All these mechanical pieces of equipment tend to hold more interest because there are moving parts and the media we run through them are tangible. Film in particular which you can look at and see every individual frame as a photograph.
There are still films being shot on film but the problem is that apart from OPPENHEIMER they are not being finished on film and that is why the quality of years ago is gone. OPPENHEIMER is the exception and let's hope it has shown the film industry the errors of their ways.
John.
Reminds me John. Sony is limited re releasing the 4K Lawrence of Arabia steenbok over here. Mine arrives next week. Can't wait!!
It's strange that it hasn't had a general release. I'll have another look here but last time it was only Zavvi and I'm not their biggest fan... prefer them to Amazon though. John.
Adding a sliding door might help reduce the noise from the projector. Just an idea. Interesting video!
Yes, yes, and yes! I couldn't agree with you more!
The portable is built into a case with a door but the Kinoton is intended for a booth. It will probably go to work in the living room when I get the ten foot wide screen up in there. Haven't really decided yet. It's not as loud as you think but video does make it seem much louder. John.
@@moviecollector5920
While I was a university student I worked as a part time projectionist. We had four FP30's running in a single booth. It was noisy, not to mention the heat!
Could you explain a little bit more about the light source? I recently converted one of my 16mm projectors with a 150W HID lamp. thanks - Paul
@@dutchflyingpilot That's exactly the lamp that's now in this FP20 Paul. I don't rate the colour temperature of HID lamps much but I think the compromise is worthwhile because it's punching fairly bright light through the gate with little heat and takes up hardly any space. Space was probably the most important factor given that I intend to occasionally use it in the position you see it in this video. John.
Congratulations on getting your 35mm up and running your Cinema Room looks Fantastic and I like the red Walls.
We weren't going to do it red originally but when it came to it we both chose a similar red to our previous home cinema. That was a British Museum colour and this isn't quite as dark but it seems to suit it better. Glad you like it.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 It looks very well John.
Awesome work, as always, John! The Others is so full of atmosphere, and the lighting is wonderful. I can't wait for the UHD BD to drop in the coming weeks. The prior home video releases left much to be desired!
We've had the DVD since it was first issued Ryan and we've watched it quite a few times. It doesn't come close to the quality of that 35mm trailer though but I hope the 4K disc will. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Same thing and agree 💯! I watched my DVD on the 55” LG UHD TV about a month ago, and the seams were clearly visible. I’m hoping Criterion does it justice! HDR done right could make this release glorious!
@@ryanbaker7404 It is a wonderful film. The director actually came over and stayed in my parents flat while he was arranging it all with Messrs. Cruise and Kidman. I didn't meet him but my parents did and said he seemed like a very nice chap. These days my parents live full time in that little flat but they do love it. John.
I have a couple pairs of those JBL Control Ones, great little speakers.👍👍
These are Control 1G and I ended up with eight of them. They've been quite handy over the years but I had to replace the woofers in every one of them as the foam surrounds rotted out in all of them. I have kept the original woofers just in case I ever feel like having a go at replacing the speaker foams.
John.
another great video 5:27, I never knew you could also see the picture through that part of the projector
It largely depends on the lens and how far away it has to be from the gate to focus on the screen but this lens is perfect for being able to shoot the frames going through the gate. Being able to see the images in the gate has always fascinated me. John.
Hi John! Great to see this thanks for letting us in. Really enjoying sharing this experience I hope you get it tuned just right and can begin screening films and reviewing them. Meanwhile all the best and just a fyi I was able to get to see Oppenheimer in IMAX a second time and really enjoyed it even more. To date no other Nolan screenings but fingers crossed. Sorry but I will mention Paradiso again even though I may be wearing it out but I think of it every time I watch one of your home cinema install videos hahaha Last time from me I promise lololol Cheers for now D in BC!!
Don't worry about mentioning Cinema Paradiso as much as you like to Dave because no film lover would ever object to a comparison to that little masterpiece. Good to know that OPPENHEIMER is even better the second time around. I must admit that I'm not looking forward to seeing that one on video as I fear it will spoil the memory of it as I did see it and how it should be seen. Other comments recently have been telling me that the BFI IMAX are putting INTERSTELLAR on again before the end of the year so if the BFI are going to be doing it then as long as your IMAX has a print stored in the booth then it's a pretty good sign that it's coming soon.
John.
The kinotons are great. The weakness as i understand it is the plastic/delrin gate. Designed to be easy on film…but it can wear out and scratch film. Not sure if there is a metal one out there or if you can maybe find spares.
There are plenty of Kinoton projectors still around but many are heading for landfill if the receivers for all the bankrupt cinema chains can't find purchasers for them soon. Saving the removable parts should be easier though so thank you for the advice and I will try to ensure I get some spares for mine. It's not exactly going to be flogged to death though so it will hopefully be good for a few decades. John.
Thank you for the video. Yes, "Gladiator" was filmed in Super-35 and interesting that you have a open matte trailer, thus revealing boom mics and other visual info. Anyway, I'm fortunate that there's a small non-profit movie theater in my city that often plays vintage 35mm prints and it was only recently in the last 3 months that I had seen a 35mm film. The last time was perhaps more than 15 years ago and honestly, I miss it and the medium is even better when you watch pre-DI films (pre-2000). For me, I'm a big Studio Ghibli fan and was fortunate to have seen many of their pre-digital animations on 35mm (pre-1995) in the late 1990s. Even my friends who are big fans of Studio Ghibli look at me funny when I say they're missing out, even with their super clean HD blurays, because viewing a 35mm print of these animated films on the big screen is like seeing the original hand-drawn cels with the inks and paints, where you can almost feel it. Anyway, I digress. Good luck with your new projector!
Film is tangible and looks alive. It has a natural, realistic look that is lacking in digital video. Cinemas need to get back to screening films when possible but to effect that means the industry needs to ensure the biggest releases get shot and finished on film. OPPENHEIMER should have just taught them that but I won't hold my breath. John.
Good work and enjoy 35mm.
Thank you. It's a lot of fun but also a bit frustrating at times so far. I've had the portable for about 25 years so I know that inside out but the FP20 is still a learning process and will be for some time I think. Hope your Westrex is giving you similar amounts of fun and little to no frustration. John.
Hi John, sorry for my late comment. Just wanted to congratulate you on this great achievement of a kinoton in your home. Absolutely excellent! Hope you enjoy some great movies on it.
I myself am looking for a portable 35mm projector at the moment, just waiting for a good deal to pop up.
Once again, congratulations on this great purchase!
Cheers,
Clark
This FP20 certainly isn't portable Clark and it's surprised me how heavy duty it is. I'm still getting to grips with it but I'm reaching the point of connecting the CP500 to see what that tells me once digital sound is going into it. A former BFCC colleague has given me some guidance on the Phoenix connector I'll need to get the sound out of it and ready for a pre-amp. I think this is all going to take me a while to get sorted but it will be good fun if a little frustrating at times.
I've just got home from HMV having gone there to purchase the new 4K disc of The Exorcist. Maybe you should review that one as it's sure to be a popular title and there haven't been too many popular ones released on 4K so far this year. But your projection booth videos are doing so well it might feel a little like a backward step returning to film reviews even for one of the most infamous movies ever made. I was only 9 years old when it was first released and I well remember the mass-hysteria that resulted. My brother and I hired the Super 8 400ft reel when it first appeared and that is so good that you feel like you've seen the entire film. We purchased the 3x400ft as soon as we saw that was out but it wasn't as good and was missing four or five minutes that were in the 400ft release so we had to then purchase that too and cut it all in. Wonderful memories. It was later released on VHS but I think it got banned here in the video nasty scandal era. We screened that Super 8 mini feature to all our school friends and one girl's parents came round to complain! My brother ended up marrying that girl so it couldn't have affected her that badly... or perhaps it did!
John.
Hi John, I had replied to this comment but it doesn’t seem to be here. It mag be in the “held for review” comments in the settings for this video. Cheers
@@ClarkTeddles There's nothing in the held for review section Clark. Maybe email me if it's gone missing in RUclips.
John.
Great video. Dennis
Thank you Dennis. You want to see the Amusement Licence we've got just inside the door too!!! John.
Good video John, good to see you back , i bet you have been very busy with your new toy .
Not really Paul. I'm working on too many other things at the moment, not least a documentary on the 1970 World Cup Rally and I did the last interview for that yesterday so I've got to really get on with that now to have it out for Christmas. John.
Not jealous at all :) been after an FP20 for the best part of 30 years but don't expect to ever find one, not for mortal money anyway. That looks like a beautifully kept example too
If you're in the UK I may be able to help you as there are quite a few in private hands now. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hi John, I am indeed, that would be brilliant :) - Joel
@@RetroRepair I don't tend to put my email address on here Joel but you'll find me on bfcc.biz. I'm the only 'John' on the contact page so try sending me an email and put another reply on here when you'd done so so that I can amend this as I try not to get inundated with emails. John.
@moviecollector5920 Got your email John, will ping an email over shortly 👍
Brilliant well done John.
I wish you were here Michael... but I am getting on alright with it really. John.
As allways - love it !
It's been frustrating at times Jacob but mainly great fun getting to grips with it all. Quite a way to go yet though. John.
awesome as hell! i wish i could get into 35mm. could never find a projector at a good price. i have a few snipes, shorts, and a network copy of a TV show - it's be nice to actually see their contents.
A portable machine would seem to be the solution for you then. They are around but like everything, some are better than others and some are more portable than others. John.
thank you for the great content and for keeping film alive. I know you said 35mm will be the furthest you will go with your home cinema. However, we do need you to get the Cinerama setup going in the home for a viewing of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
That could be done with 35mm though as 2001 A Space Odyssey wasn't a genuine Cinerama and only requires the curved, louvred screen to make it work. It wouldn't be the quality of 70mm but would generate the effect. Actually, the 4K disc would do it almost as well. John.
It looks like your FP20 was customized a bit. On my FP30 (that I'm refurbishing when I have the time) the motor starts at full speed right away, there is no "slow" startup feature like on yours.
Also, do you have the same issue as me that when you turn off the projector before the end of a reel, the sound head continues to pull the film after all the other parts of the projector have stopped?
It's certainly been customized Tomek but I'm not sure that slow creep first position has. It does facilitate checking all is as it should be before finally firing it up at full speed. I haven't noticed the film continuing to creep through the sound heads after everything else has stopped but I'll check for that next time I'm playing. I have filmed quite a lot with the FP20 recently as I'm getting much guidance from people who know more than me with regard to the digital sound and trying to get that fully sorted. It's almost there but something isn't quite right as the error rate on so many reels is high and then too high so displays 'F' for 'Fault'. It's possible the sound tracks are knackered but I'm hopeful it's down to alignment of the digital sound camera in the FP20. It I ever get it sorted I'll probably upload a video all about it because I haven't been able to find anything similar on RUclips.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes, it would seem that there is an alignment issue.
For the proper alignment of the digital reader head you need an oscilloscope (if you know someone whose hobby is electronics, there is a big chance they have one), it's explained in the installation manual of the Dolby processor how to do it (you should be able to find the manual easily online, film-tech has a lot of cinema related manuals on their website).
Very nice projector John.
Years of fun ahead I hope Craig. John.
I didn't see Laurence of Arabic on Ben's projector only a reel from Gremlins (2?) at Ealing Town Hall. Also remember that Cinerama was 6 perf pull down not 4 as with ordinary 35mm prints!!! you would need three new specialist projectors for that!! Good job you have ruled it out! 😀
I suppose I might be able to rig up Cinerama in the garden though! You've got me thinking now Brian. John.
I could to _see_ the analog *quality* of the *35mm* image when Oliver Platt was in the water at the end of the Lake Placid trailer _even_ in the video you shot of your cinema screen. You're fortunate to able to screen _35mm_ in your home.
You said you need to adjust the lenses on the projector. But are you happy with the image in general on your new 35mm projector?
Erik.
Morning Erik. Yes, its producing nice looking imagery and brighter than the portable 35mm owing to the barrel shutter in the portable which significantly reduced the light reaching the gate. I did manage to get the 'Scope lens in there and filling almost the entire width of the new screen so I'm almost there. Had trouble with the sound though but I think I've worked that problem out. Frustrating at times but jolly good fun.
That Lake Placid trailer is terrific but the funny thing is that I'd completely forgotten I had it on that reel. I'd forgotten all four of the trailers but had a vague recollection of Stuart Little. I can't recall where I got those trailers now but probably a BFCC where they would have been £2 each. What a wonderful hobby this is.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 "What a wonderful hobby this is."
Well put, John.
Erik.
Hi John, Loved your video,. The good ol' Fp20. Did you have a 1.85 masking plate inserted (might be the reason for the mics in view), not sure if you did. I loved the way you laced up, and well done for getting it in rack. Michael is amazing with his 15/70. No one does it better. And Ben is just amazing with his DP 70 at home. I have watched a couple of screenings with him (not feature films), a bit of this and that. I'll ask Ben to pass on my details to you (securely). Excellent video. Thank you.
I think I've got the hang of threading it up now but I'm not always succeeding in getting it in rack. It's been a wonderful learning process and great fun. Today I was going to hook up the CP500 for the first time but I was thwarted by the Allen key securing screws holding the cover firmly in place as none of my Allen keys would fit securely enough to turn them. I'll have to get another set and hope for the best there.
We've invited Michael F. to come along to Film Is Fabulous! and Ben is coming but I'll have to wait to hear back from Michael as he's also been asked to appear on one of the discussion panels which may frighten him off! Everyone would just be happy for him to come along as a guest though so whatever he wants to do.
Ben's got all my contact details so we'll talk soon.
John.
I forgot to say, I didn't have the 1.85:1 plate inserted. Had it full frame as I've not entirely got the lenses sorted yet. We might use the FP20 in the living room in the end but I've got to put the roll down screen in there first. It's ten feet wide so roughly the same size of screen we now have in the cinema room. Shame it's not that 25 metre wide roll down screen you showed us in that great Paris cinema yesterday. That must have had a very powerful motor to haul that up and down. John.
Which MGM/VIRGIN/UGC/CINEWORLD multi did that come from as I used to work on Kinoton FP20's at the Liverpool multi back in the day.
I don't know. I think I did ask Noel where it came from but it was one of a batch that he was offered some years ago. I spotted it in his workshop alongside two others but this one had the Dolby Digital reverse scanner on it so that was why it piqued my interest. Ben Wales has now got all the sound fully sorted for me and it's been jolly exciting watching 35mm films with better sound than anything I enjoy from any video disc format. He's currently trying to achieve the best possible Dolby Stereo sound from my portable 35mm projector so we can use that at collector conventions again. That's the plan anyway.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 yes, ours had a reverse scanners but only the number one unit had DTS/Dolby Digital. I left the company in 2004 to persue other careers but the FP20 is I think the most reliable, best made 35mm machine ever made. They were built like tanks! Although I got the opportunity to see the DP70 machines that where still installed in ABC Lime st (later cannon etc) when it was tripled in 1982, great machines and 70mm could still be shown in the number 1 hall until that cinemas closing. Not that 70mm was shown there for years before closure. I believe that the FACT cinema in Liverpool city centre now has 70mm facilities. I have great memories of the FP 20 as they just ran and ran and ran…..ad infinitum 🤣
@@trubshawuk The DP70 might well be the most highly regarded projector of all time though. It is the only piece of cinema equipment even, I believe, to win an Oscar. And that was in the days when winning an Oscar really meant something. But I'm very pleased with my FP20. It was the diminutive footprint that drew my attention and with the possibility of an HID150 lamp installed it was irresistible. That HID lamp only added about 3 inches to the rear so the projection actually fits into place... just about.
John.
LOVE IT!!!!
It's a lot of fun Bob. I didn't get any time to play yesterday but I hope to stick a trailer reel through it again today as I still haven't fully got the hang of lacing it up. I'm getting there and some tips from experienced projectionists have come in to help so I might start to do a better job from now on. John.
This was really interesting. What have you watched using your new toy?
Only trailer reels so far but I did try to put a 'Scope reel on yesterday - the opening reel of Speed 2 but something misaligned on the sound which caused only the right hand channel to work while the left had a nasty drumming noise so that required investigation. The same on the next reel I tried - trailers again - so I stopped and played about with the bottom loop which did the trick. There's still a lot to learn. John.
@moviecollector5920 well then, I hope you enjoy the learning process. Is there a particular title that you are looking forward to seeing? The whole thing has left me quite curious. As usual, I really appreciate your responses.
@@timothymathetes I'm mainly looking forward to getting Alien onto a pair of 6000ft spools and having that play with the Dolby Digital sound. It's a way off yet. Spider-Man 2 also. John.
@@moviecollector5920 interesting!
Another great video @Movie Collector ! And saw you bought Crawl 4K. Really nice movie. Not a masterpiece but, to me, a genuine surprise when I got it recently.
We both very much enjoyed Crawl Pieter. A wonderful atmosphere and convincing computer effects (apart from one or two long distance shots which spoiled the overall impression) that prove that it can be done. The sound was exceptionally good too. I also purchased Plane recently but that's the first 4K disc with the 4K fault from new that I've come across so far. It's going back to HMV today. The Exorcist is out today so I'm hoping to get a copy of that at the same time. Shame I almost know the script off by heart for that one but it should make for a worthwhile review video...I hope. John.
@@moviecollector5920 hi John,
Great the two of you enjoyed Crawl aswell. Unfortunately I recently bought a collectors edition of The Exorcist on blu ray. So skipping that one although I imagine it is a majot upgrade but I can only spend my money once. 😊 So with 4K’s of The Equilizer 3, MI:7, A Haunting in Venice and The Creator (hopefully) before the end of the year I put my money on those. Also I believe I was one of the few people who actually enjoyed Meg 2 so that could also be at least a Blu Ray purchase.
Look forward to your Excorsist review though and am afraid, like many of your reviews, that will cost me money again!😄 Have a great week!
@@moviecollector5920 PS: my latest 4K purchases are the beautiful digibook 4K releases of Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta and Donnie Yen’s Sakra. Both are visual masterpieces, great quality discs and really interesting and (especially Sakra) visually striking movies. Both come highly recommended. I will post the trailers for you below.
@@moviecollector5920
Benedetta
ruclips.net/video/DW5wOtLSfPs/видео.htmlsi=5L2i2U8-BDy5x9Ka
Sakra
ruclips.net/video/gFowzp3b4uQ/видео.htmlsi=1OqoYxGgDeSCgGmg
@@pieterbalk-ht7kq I've just returned from HMV and have The Exorcist 4K disc so I'll probably watch it this evening. I haven't seen Benedetta or Sakra. Verhoeven can be a little too pornographic for my liking a lot of the time but I do have The Black Book on Blu-ray awaiting me. I haven't seen that since it first appeared on DVD but I do remember quite a lot of it. I came home with The Flash today as HMV had a single copy of the steelbook in and so they sold that one copy before it even went out on the shelves. I'm expecting a complete load of tosh of course but I'm curious to see Michael Keaton at Batman again so that's why I went for it. MyFireMovies reviewed it and actually liked it so you never know. John.
Amazing!
And frustrating at times too. I'm getting to grips with it all now though. Just got to sort out a 'Scope lens that will fit and the Dolby Digital sound capabilities. John.
Hi John. Great to see you and you getting to grips with your new Home Cinema setup. I'm trying to figure out how I can do something similar in my small flat. I also just recieved the 4k Ultra + Blu Ray. Cine Edition release from HMV of the 50th anniversary release of the iconiic "Enter the Dragon".
I think the first home movie feature release of Enter The Dragon was issued by Columbia on Super 8 on 4x400ft reels. My brother and I hired it I think and that was the last time I ever saw it. Probably 1979 or 1980. John.
What a set up John, amazing. Can I ask about the noise from the projector, does the sound from the movie drown that out.
I suppose he's just testing it out so the sound would defininately be heard in the background no matter how high the movie sound volume is. He would have to keep the projector in an isolated cabin. Not sure if he really wants to do that but anyway, as a cinema enthusiast, I love his videos.
Yeah, John is dedicated that's for sure.@@novoredsi
Or completely nuts! John.
Sorry, didn't answer about the noise of the projector which you can't really drown out as it's a 35mm projector designed for use in a multiplex, hence the small footprint. The portable can have the casing door closed to silence most of the noise so when that's in place the other side of the porthole it's just a bit of drumming most of the time but during loud action films it's usually drowned out. We might be using the newer machine in the living room once I'm fully au fait with it and have the ten foot roll down screen up in there. That will be a while though. John.
Nice one John, movie nights at your house must be amazing.@@moviecollector5920
Nice projector. Are you going to make a sound barrier for the projector?
Nope. The portable already has that so anytime we want 35mm in quiet mode I'll use that one. This one is a real cinema projector so big reels and Dolby Digital sound... when I get to grips with all that side of things. John.
I'm also having a 35 mm projector made on a Victoria base or a Victoria IV-E
That will be a lot of fun Marco. Ben Wales visited a few weekends ago and as a result we now have the Dolby CP500 working and giving us Dolby Digital sound. There's still more to do before it's all ready for the first feature screening and one of those things to tick off the list is to work out how the equalizer function within the CP500 works so I can set it to the KEF THX speakers. John.
Certainly adds to the ceremony and occasion of watching a film. wouldn't fit in my living room though
It's not something I like to do all the time but I do love to play with it all and just watch a film running on screen. I've got to get the lenses fully sorted and I made some progress with 'Scope this afternoon. Getting a 'Scope lens to stay in place is the current issue. It will probably live in our living room when I've got to grips with and and we'll put the ten foot wide roll down screen in there for it. I'm looking forward to watching our 35mm of Alien on just two big reels and with the Dolby Digital sound working. It's a while off yet though. John.
Would be amazing to have that in my home but oh my god that noise from the projector. What would you have to do?.
There's not much noise really. This is a video camera with a Rode NTG microphone picking up every last detail. It's going to be a lot of fun. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I bet. I'm very jealous! Enjoy!
Fablous video ahem film.
Good one Terry. Thank you. John.
i love the others! i'm waiting for october to start so i can enjoy horror movies. i try to watch at least one horror movie a day for the entire month! and its of course my favorite month :)
Turn The Others up louder than you normally would for any other film and it will make you jump out of your skin quite a few times. A genuinely scary, atmospheric film the like of which we don't get any longer. John.
so very cool
Every home should have one Jeremiah... and a 35mm print of Jeremiah Johnson to go with it! John.
I see a strand of hair in your film gate. I hope my wife will let me install a 35MM projector in our home theater.
There's nothing else quite like having real film at home and 35mm is something extra special. It's also great fun and a proper hobby whereas I view video as more of a pastime. John.
Fantastic video as always. I'm freaked out when you said you know someone with a cinerama set up at home. As far as I'm concerned, to experiment 70mm; I'll have to settle for a viewing of Interstellar at the BFI Imax in London next year, which I hope to visit. No 70mm theatres left in Spain :(
I hope you do get to see INTERSTELLAR in 15/70 at the BFI IMAX because as far as I'm concerned it's the ultimate cinema experience. TENET and DUNKIRK are close though so maybe you'll be lucky and get to see [and hear!] all three. John.
Wow wow wow John. You lucky, and dedicated person with a passion for all film. That is awesome. Wished I lived closer to help you build a larger dedicated theatre to hold all your equipment, and view your films in the best possible way. Thanks. Wondering if you could get an anamorphic lens for 70 MM films. - Toronto, Canada.
Morning Mike. 70mm film had a frame already 2.20:1 wide. However, TODD-AO I think had a 1.25X squeeze so that would require a 1.25 anamorphic lens and I think this was the big thing with Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT because he shot it with a 1.25:1 squeeze meaning all the cinemas around the world who had kept their 70mm film projectors or were re-installing 70mm as a result of Mr. Tarantino's imminent release also had to source the very rare anamorphic lenses.
I ran my 35mm print of Stat Trek X: Nemesis yesterday on the Kinoton. Apart from a few minutes at the start the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is flawless but it was nearly shaking the house to the ground so I had to turn it right down. Clearly I have some more sorting out to do there to get the best out of it.
John.
Thanks John. But could you also get different lenses. Looks like you had a spot for another lense on that projector. I haven't played with anything beyond 16 mm. So there is a lot I don't know. WOW. Star Trek! How many films do you own, and I'm guessing you have to change reels, and how much do they actually cost to get a film?
PS: I just checked Star Trek Nemisis and it seems to be 70mm. So you do have a lense? I am confused or I missed something, cause your example trailers all looked 35 mm.
@@mikekaye3874 That double lens barrel rotates over by hand so it's easy to switch from a flat film to a 'Scope film but there is also the matter of the aperture plate because I use a different aperture plate for flat 1.85:1 films and that doesn't work for full frame 'Scope films. I have the relevant different lenses mounted in both now which took some working out to get the best out of it. All these things take a while but I always get there in the end. I don't have many features as 35mm takes up a lot more space than even a 16mm feature print, let alone a Super 8. All of them are still 2000ft spools as that was all my Spectra 90 35mm projector was designed to handle but the Kinoton can take a 6000ft spool so I intend to get many of the features onto just two reels. I haven't started that process yet as the spindles on the Kinoton are different to the Spectra and I therefore need to obtain different rewind arms first. The reels can be adapted so it's possible I'll go down that route but I haven't looked at that possibility yet to see if it can be done to all the 6000ft and 5000ft other enthusiasts have kindly given me.
Star Trek X is 35mm. It's not exactly top 35mm quality either probably owing to all the computer effects in it but it's special to have any Star Trek print in 35mm. I think the tenth film is one of the best but other opinions are available. I've only ever seen it on film and it's possible it doesn't look as impressive on any of the video releases. Alien Resurrection seems to be similar in that regard as that's another people tell me looks poor but I've only ever seen it on 35mm film and it looks impressive... because it is impressive. Now there's another I'd like to run soon.
John.
How does a print cost?
@@mikekaye3874 Probably a lot of money now but I used to find them with fellow collectors all over the world years ago and the shipping cost of around £150 would cost more than some of the prints. I would expect to pay around £1K for a top film today. Super 8 top titles can go for more than that so it's funny how film has become so fashionable now.
John.
Fantastic machine John! I hope it serves you well. Wish I could add one of these to my home cinema experience. Sadly the cost of 35mm features is prohibitive, at least in the UK judging by prices these reels fetch on ebay! How do you control heat & noise from the projector in your current setup?
Afternoon Michal. I'm not really aware of heat so far but that's probably because more comes off the THX amp when I've got that on so I wouldn't notice. The noise is fairly low for 35mm but not as low as the portable which is in a case that the door can be closed on. The camera picks everything up and exacerbates it but sitting in the room and watching those trailers with the sound up loud drowns out most of the projector noise. I do like having projector noise audible though as that's part of cinema for me. I always try to hear the projectors in the booth when I'm in a real cinema that's running a film rather than a video.
35mm may be too expensive now but it wasn't when I was importing features from around the world. I think the shipping of a few prints was more than the actual prints!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Makes perfect sense, I love my traditional super 8 projector for exactly the same reason, the Bauer T600 is just audible enough to augument the cinematic experience and not be too obtrusive. During my recent trip to see family back in Poland I visited my local cinema and I finally realised a small childhood dream of stepping into the projection room! I’ve been coming to that cinema ever since I was a little kid and all through my later years to experience the magic of celluloid. To that effect, the cinema still operates the Kinoton F30 35mm with Dolby Digital soundhead which was a beauty to look at! Its 100% digital Barco brother doesn’t have any of the charm but it’s impressive in terms of automation. The third beast was the now defunct Prexer - 35mm projector made in Poland, once a staple workhorse of every cinema in the country - left as a relic from the cold war era :) The Kinoton had pipe connected to it to dissipate the heat, hence my question as I was curious if it is needed for most 35mm machines.
I forgot to ask, would you say that the new one is an upgrade over your previous portable machine in terms of performance?
@@michal.florczak Yes, no doubt about that. But it's not as easy to lug around, nor to use actually. John.
@@moviecollector5920Hi John, what was the make of your previous 35mm ma machine, if you don’t mind me asking?
salut super se 35 mm et belle vidèo comme toujour bien
Merci bien Alain. John.
do you think a 70 mm projector could fit in your new projection booth
No. A 35mm doesn't really but it's got to be done! John.
@@moviecollector5920 okay then
Excellent addition to any home cinema John is the "Kinoton FP20" projector you have, its ideal. Its a very quiet and smooth running projector, we bought a new one while I worked at the cinema, and was most impressed with it. If film had continued we did have plans to replace the other two projectors with "Kinoton" as well. However while I was there, we did shoot a bit of video of the place "and glad I did" which includes the threading up our FP20. I up-loaded that video to you-tube a while back under my name and title "Movieland Cinema" if your interested .
I saw it when you uploaded it Graham. If I'm remembering the correct video then I think I left a comment. I'll have to have a look and check but if you have the link maybe email it to me and I'll put it on here. John.
I would love to see Blade Runner on that projector. Our local cinema showed classics like Blade Runner and 2001, I watched them both, but somehow, digital projection has no soul. Not sure if I can make the comparison with 35mm since I haven't seen 35mm for such a long time.
Morning Roland. There are 35mm prints of Blade Runner around but the trouble is that the original film in 1982 didn't have all the prints struck onto low fade stock. When they were sent over here following their run in America many prints were made up from two or more and not all had low fade reels across all six. It's a shame because it's the best version and if you haven't seen that one first then there's not much chance of following what the hell is going on with the re-worked versions. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I must admit I've never seen the voiceover version... But I just checked the 5 disc collector's edition I have and it appears to have the 'U.S. Theatrical Cut (1982)', 'International Theatrical Cut (1982)', 'Director's Cut (1992)' and the 'Workprint'. I think I'm going to watch them all now :)
You might know "rob's nostalgia projects", who scanned old Blade Runner prints and put them on blu-ray, and indeed, the prints were very faded.
noisy the projector should be isolated
is the CP500 fully operational
yeah watch the loop size as i recall at UCI warner bros , place two fingers between the loop with just tiny fraction ,
wider angle lens
I like to hear the projectors Andy. Whilst I'd prefer to have it in the next room it's not always possible and therefore sometimes you have to compromise. I have the CP500 hooked up to the projector but it looks like I have to get a six channel pre-amp to make it work into the THX system so that's going to have to wait. How are you getting on at your own Empire? John.
Very nice projector there John. Quite noisy though. One forgets in the cinemas and that imax cinema at how noisy the projectors are and how sound proofed the projection rooms must be. Still a fun thing.
It does come out louder on the video Stephen so it's not quite as noisy as it seems. Neither is the IMAX GT. John.
Can you watch a whole movie in one sitting? Thought I've heard that a movie comes in something like 6 reels that must be stitched together by a projectionist.
Spliced together. Two hours is six reels but any more than that and you're into the seventh reel and beyond. This machine takes 6000ft spools so that's three to four reels on one spool. It's called a 'splice' when you join to pieces of film together. One of the reasons I wanted this machine was to be able to watch films like Alien with just one break in the middle. And Dolby Digital sound if I ever get that sussed out.
John.
Was that rush hour playing on the theater
The trailer to the sequel Rush Hour 2. John.
@@moviecollector5920 okay in that case I recommend you check out Jackie chans Hong Kong movies such as police story and project a the action scenes and the stunts are way more impressive than his American films mostly due to less safety regulations and the studio allowing more time to perfect his fight scenes and stunts
Great
Thank you. The Kinoton now has flawless digital sound which seamlessly fails over to the Dolby Stereo analogue tracks on the rare occasions the digital can no longer be processed. It's been a lot of fun going through all the prints.
John.
The lost art of film projection years ago in empire magazine mentioned the projectionists of the empire cinema once dropped a 70mm print down the stares
That would have taken some clearing up! John.
Nicely done, keep it up. Think I’ll stick with discs …a lot less work.
Film is more of a hobby Gary. Video is more of a pastime. That's how I've always looked at it because film has to be looked after and everything to make it work requires manual labour. Discs are placed in a drive and that's it. I enjoy both but there's something about 35mm film in particular.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I thought vintage sports cars was your hobby? How many hobbies does your wife allow? You lucky dog!
@@garyharper2943 Classic British cars is how i'd describe my automotive interest Gary as they're not all sports cars. I've also made documentaries on vintage tractors and even the Leyland National bus. Besides all that you want to see our telescope! John.
@@moviecollector5920 I have a telescope also! Although ambient light is getting so bad, hard to use. Much better twenty years ago.
I am interested films l have a good selection of blu ray and DVD movies but my be one day I will have my own cinema with 35mm film 😊
Good morning Simon. I've been playing with the Kinoton 35mm projector quite a lot lately and currently have The Fifth Element made up onto two big reels. I've run the first and it's quite something to have an hour of 35mm film go through without a break. The second reel is slightly longer so that will be even more fun. Might get some shots of it to include in the next RUclips video I do. John.
Takes me back to my projectionist days! I was 16mm though. Often with anamorphic lenses. Great stuff John.
It's a lot of fun Rob. I don't think it's going to stay in its current location as I have it in mind to put it in the living room on a more permanent basis. The ten foot screen will go back into use in there. That's the current plan anyway.
John.
Could You Review Batman Mask Of The Phantasm on Ultra 4K blu ray
I don't have it Daniel. Sorry. Never seen it actually as I'm not the biggest cartoon fan unless it's old style Disney animation such as Lady and the Tramp. John.
Wow the noise from it sounds horrendous is it as loud as it sounds ?
No. Video does exacerbate projector noise whenever I shoot any film projector whether 35mm or IMAX. John.
@moviecollector5920 thank gawd for that..setup is coming along nicely..I look forward to your video's.
@@theeggman4806 I have made quite a bit of progress given that I don't really get much time. A similar story for most of us I expect but I've got to get a documentary finished now so that's going to see most of my time gone for while. John.
Very cool John, love the mechanical sound this thing kicks out. On the subject of 4K discs, I've got Time Bandits here to watch. Not seen it for the while, so I'm looking forward to watching this new Arrow release.
I was looking at the details for TIME BANDITS last week so you've given me a good reminder there. John.
Life needs a sense of ceremony
I think I get your meaning Donald. I find that doing things I enjoy such as projecting film helps me to enjoy everything else. Well, not quite everything. John.
Wow, really awesome, John but a bit too complicated for me haha. I’m fine with watching stuff digitally on 4K Blu-ray, etc. at home. I’m only 26 though so I didn’t really grow up with film projection. I am seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey on 70 MM in about a month in Los Angeles so I’m excited about that. I’ve been wanting to see that one in a theater for a while as I missed the 2018 IMAX re-release.
Have a great time with 2001 A Space Odyssey Sean. I still want to see it on a Cinerama screen but I'm not very sure about the 70mm prints still extant in the world because quite a bit of the original negative had to be duped (maybe all of it by now to preserve the remainder of the original as best as possible) and probably off the interpositive or maybe even the internegative for those sections of the original camera negative that were too far gone. What I'm saying is that it probably won't look quite as good as it did back in 1969 and 1970 but it should still be a magical cinematic experience. Digital video still hasn't matched the best of film, not by a long way, but home video and home video projection is so good now that it does mean a very good facsimile of film can be achieved for comparatively little. It's a shame cinemas haven't quite yet realized they should be offering something different and genuine film print screenings occasionally would probably do the job to get people back in and keep them coming back even when most movies are being video projected. People need to be reminded of how much fun cinema can be. John.
2001 in 70 mm is something every fan of cinema should see. You're in for a treat.
The elephant in the screening room: very loud.
Yes, but nowhere near as loud as it seems. The portable is almost inaudible at times as the door to the casing can be closed and silence most of it. All terrific fun and a good learning process. Every home sound have one! Certainly every cinema should. John.
You know what maybe if you wanted you could use your equipment build a bigger single screen theater and open it up as a business if you wanted that would be cool but I’d imagine you prefer having it as just a hobby
It's too heavy to move around much but my wife and I managed to get it out of the hire van and into the house without too much trouble. It's not possible to life it but we 'walked' it in and it went surprisingly well. We'll probably use it in the living room where it will be surprisingly quiet for a real cinema booth projector rather than a portable which can be closed up and almost completely silenced. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I was thinking more along the lines of buying a building or shed that could function as a public theater and you could sell tickets
That projector needs to be in a room by itself with all the noise it makes.
Not really Muchosa because the video exacerbates the noise. We're probably going to use it in the living room once I've put the ten foot wide roll down screen up in there. The sort of films we own mean any noise is largely drowned out but the drumming is part of the fun. I think the portable will do most duty in the cinema as it fits in the porthole and the because it's a portable it has a case with a door to completely enclose it. There's nothing else quite like 35mm in the home but it's not for everyone, you've probably got to know and love film. John.
Many home cinema enthusiasts say they have better sound and image than a commercial cinema, what do you think about that??? Do you think they are right or are they tricked by marketing into buying their speakers and subwoofer???
Go to the BFI IMAX and hear the sound system first. Smaller rooms to mean such a big sound system isn't possible but I really can't imagine any way the BFI IMAX system could be matched. I don't suppose there are many cinemas that even come close to that but some local cinamas are poor by comparison so that's probably what people are comparing against their own home cinema. I haven't heard another home system as good as my own but there are better ones out there for sure.
John.
I don't know much about film, but shouldn't you wear gloves so that the film doesn't get damaged or dirty? Just an observation.
That's the worst thing you can do as with gloves on you then don't know if you've got any grit on your hands that could scratch the film. John.
Your upper loop is to big, watch out about this, or when you move the image the film could start hitting the metal part on top.
Thanks for the tip. Another projectionist advised of this and I've played with it today and can make it a little shorter without anything going awry. At no point have I had it close enough to bang on the metal part above and I have been checking all of that thoroughly and will continue to do so until I can do all this with my eyes closed... well, almost.
John.