Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site qubix.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!decvax!decwrl!sun!qubix!msc From: msc@qubix.UUCP (Mark Callow) Newsgroups: net.movies Subject: Re: Movie Curtains Message-ID: <1388@qubix.UUCP> Date: Sat, 29-Sep-84 18:44:26 EDT Article-I.D.: qubix.1388 Posted: Sat Sep 29 18:44:26 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Oct-84 07:26:20 EDT References: <1309@ucla-cs.ARPA> <4332@fortune.UUCP> Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA Lines: 29 > Does anybody know why they close the curtains in a movie theatre after > showing the "coming soons" and the main feature? They must stay closed for, > oh, say, 3 second. >> 1) If the trailers are in a different aspect ratio than the feature >> (flat vs cinemascope, for example), closing the curtain will >> provide a better transition when the changover is made. The >> audience won't notice that the picture just got twice as wide! This particular use of the curtains ("tabs" to the trade), in England at least, hides the motion of the automatic masking when changing from standard ratio to wide-screen or 'scope. Automatic masking is something I have never seen in a cinema in the U.S. More often than not the masking is permanently at the widest position and you have ugly expanses of white screen when a wide-screen or (very rare today) standard feature is shown. Or, much worse, the cinema shows all films at the same aspect ratio by using different levels of magnification and gate plates which chop off parts of the picture to make it fit the screen. That's as bad as television. It is just one more reason why I find the presentation quality so low in U.S. cinemas. I worked part-time as a projectionist for several years in England so I know something about how to put on a good presentation. -- From the TARDIS of Mark Callow msc@qubix.UUCP, qubix!msc@decwrl.ARPA ...{decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!qubix!msc, ...{amd,ihnp4,ittvax}!qubix!msc "Nothing shocks me. I'm an Engineer."