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Belguiral's Max Linder Panorama |
Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
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Written
and photographed by: Pascal
Belguiral, Paris, France |
Date:
20.11.2010 |
My
relationship with the Max begins in 1988. In September this year, I am back
to school again. Last year of high school. There, I meet Yves, a fellow
classmate. Soon we become good friends. One weekend, we go out and he suggests having a long and
memorable night. I say: OK! Let's go! So here we are on the Grands
Boulevards, near the Grand Rex.
In front of me, a neon sign says: "Max Linder Panorama". Yves tells me
about the program: a Kubrick festival from midnight till dawn, with the
showing of "2001", followed by "A Clockwork Orange", closing with
"Dr.
Strangelove." To me, this is just Chinese. I have to admit that at that
time, my culture in films and my interest in movie theaters is close to
zero. Kubrick? Never heard!
70mm, THX sound? We end up getting in after
a long wait outside. And there I am in for a shock: giant screen,
pristine white... and a room, dark like hell. A unique design as Yves
tells me. Which will be widely taken up by other rooms thereafter. The
architecture is just as innovative: a real theater in a movie room. One
orchestra and two upper levels for three visual perspectives. Ingenious!
To my big surprise, the room is packed despite the late hour. The show
can begin.
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More in 70mm reading:
Me and the Max - French
Gallery 2010:
Max Linder Panorama Gallery:
A
collection of pictures 1990-2008
70mm Cinema and
Film in France
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The THX logo sticks me down to my seat right away. Physical sensation of
pressure! Opening of "2001"... closing titles of "Dr. Strangelove". To
make it simple and short, I would say that this night was like a
rebirth. From that moment I discovered myself a passion for movies (in
original version), movie rooms, technology and broadcast quality. The
following years consisted in a surfeit of films of all kinds, all
backgrounds, from all periods. A primary need... like a drug.
April
2001: after an unusual career path, I decided to get a cinema
projectionist diploma. With the degree in my pocket, I started out in
the Latin Quarter.
November 2001: the Max is looking for a
projectionist. Through my relationships, I come to meet its projection
manager Christian. The chemistry works between us from the beginning.
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After one month of training on a DP70, I am hired in December for the
release of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings". It has been just
happiness since then. I had the opportunity to project 70mm prints of "Lawrence of Arabia",
"Indiana Jones", "Play Time", etc. great times.
In
the end, it is as much the fun to watch as the fun to project movies
that motivates me. I am a spectator before everything and each session I
run must be perfect: focus, framing, immobility, sound level. It is the
respect of the public and of the work being projected that are at stake,
as well as the pride I take in providing quality to each projection.
For sure, the switch to digital changes somewhat the situation. But the
fun, the multiple sensations when visioning a cinematographic piece are
always the same. This is what matters most to me. Voila! That's all I
had to say in short! So… enjoy the movie! and see you very soon... at
the Max Linder Panorama.
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28-07-24 |
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