Michael Coate

I'm working on a "Brainstorm" retrospective article and am interested in correctly addressing the film's multi-format photography. While doing some research, I came across the Wikipedia page on the film, which includes the following passage: Now, that cannot be correct, can it? And since we're on the subject, anyone care to share any memories of working on or seeing "Brainstorm" during its (brief) theatrical release? Anyone see it in 70mm? Where? What did you think of the film?

From Fans of Showmanship

On the 15th, this article was posted on the Fans of Showmanship website. >>> So?what are your ?Die Hard? memories? What are your thoughts on Jan De Bont?s cinematography? <<<

It's not uncommon for directors to have fellow filmmakers appear in cameo and bit parts in their films. John Landis' and Joe Dante's movies, for instance, are fun to watch just for such appearances. This got me thinking: How often have cinematographers made a cameo appearance in a film they shot? Dean Cundey, ASC, for example, appeared (appropriately!) as the town square photographer in "Back To The Future Part III." And I recall Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC showing up in "Maverick." (Oh, and John Hora, ASC had a fairly big role in Dante's "Innerspace"...but he didn't shoot that one.) Any others???

"It all happens inside a computer." On July 9, 1982, twenty-five years ago today, Walt Disney's "Tron" was released on 1,091 theatre screens in the United States and Canada. The groundbreaking film, starring Jeff Bridges and directed by Steven Lisberger, cost nearly $20 million to produce (a huge sum in its day) and grossed, according to most accounts, a mere $30 million domestically. A visual and aural delight, "Tron" was nominated for two Academy Awards: Sound and Costume Design. But, more amazing than the film's amazing visual effects is trying to figure out why the film was not nominated for a Visual Effects Oscar! Of note to the film's history is that it was photographed in Super Panavision 70, reviving the process that had been popular with the 1960s roadshows but had been dormant for a decade. But despite the large-format origination, Disney struck only about 40 high-quality 70-millimeter prints for domestic distribution. A list of the venues in which the 70mm version was booked is provided below, and what some may find a surprise is the number of theatres in major markets denied an opportunity to showcase "Tron" in the best presentation manner available at the time. (Some theatres in cities absent from the list of initial 70mm bookings did, however, screen a 70mm print in the fall of '82 or spring of '83 when Disney re-issued the film with the hope it might find an audience during a less-crowded moviegoing season.) So...is "Tron" a good movie? After 25 years I still can't decide! But one thing is certain: the film was ahead of its time due to the innovative use of computer graphics, and its influence can be observed in countless movies, television programs and video games. I think anyone working in the film, computer and video-game industries owes a debt of gratitude to "Tron" and its talented production crew. Anyone have any "Tron" memories they care to share? Me? As a 13 year-old, I saw "Tron" in July or August of '82 at the Barstow Twin in Barstow, California. What I remember most was: (1) being confused by the character names and computer terminology, (2) thinking the movie was not as good as the video game, (3) seeing the trailer for the soon-to-open EPCOT Center and wondering why Florida instead of California would get such a thing, and (4) on the way out of the theatre, enthusiastically spotting the one-sheet for that summer's re-issue of "Star Wars" which included a banner in the corner of the poster promising the first glimpse of footage, in the form of a coming attractions trailer, for the next "Star Wars" movie due for release the following year. I would see "Star Wars" several (more) times during that re-issue, and "Tron" was quickly forgotten. Over the years, though, thanks to the fantastic Special Edition LaserDisc and subsequent DVD, and the 70mm print that surfaced in 1999 and made the rounds, I?ve come to appreciate "Tron" and think it deserves some recognition on this, the 25th anniversary of its release. _______________________________________________ A supplement to this reminiscence, for the film-history and technology enthusiasts: a list of the original, first-run 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo engagements of "Tron." Baltimore, MD: Westview Bloomingdale, IL: Stratford Square Calgary, AB: Chinook Cedar Grove, NJ: Cinema 23 Chicago, IL: McClurg Court Chicago Ridge, IL: Chicago Ridge Mall Edmonton, AB: Londonderry El Cajon, CA: Parkway Plaza Gretna, LA: Westside Grosse Pointe Woods, MI: Woods Hillside, IL: Hillside Square Honolulu, HI: Royal Las Vegas, NV: Cinedome Livonia, MI: Terrace Los Angeles, CA: Chinese Los Angeles, CA: Village (opened July 16) Milwaukee, WI: Spring Mall Triplex Montclair, CA: Montclair Montreal, QC: Claremont (July 23) New York, NY: State 2 Northbrook, IL: Edens Orange, CA: Cinedome Paramus, NJ: Route 4 Sevenplex Pittsburgh, PA: Warner Portland, OR: Bagdad Quebec City, QC: Canadien (July 22) Reno, NV: Century Sacramento, CA: Century San Antonio, TX: Northwest San Diego, CA: Glasshouse 6 San Diego, CA: La Jolla Village San Jose, CA: Century 24 Southfield, MI: Northland Springdale, OH: Tri-County Toronto, ON: Hollywood Tucson, AZ: El Con Vancouver, BC: Denman Place White Plains, NY: United Artists Winnipeg, MB: Metropolitan (July 30) Woodbury, NY: Cinema 150

Hello. I'm the one who interviewed Bill Bennett for this article. Thanks, David, for posting the link here and initiating the discussion. Just chiming in to mention that Mr. Bennett has informed me that the demo is scheduled to be screened on June 21 at UCLA (right before CineGear as he mentioned in the interview). It'll be at the James Bridges Theatre in Melnitz Hall.

Here are links to a list of places showing "Spider-Man 3" in IMAX and Digital Cinema for those who care to seek out (or to avoid) a particular venue or presentation. IMAX: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/spiderman_3_imax.htm DIGITAL CINEMA: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/spiderman_3_d_cinema.htm

Really? The visual effects Oscar for "2001: A Space Odyssey" was awarded solely to Kubrick despite others credited on the film as Visual Effects Supervisors. Passage from my article "1968: A Roadshow Odyssey" ( http://www.in70mm.com/news/2004/2001/release.htm ):

Here's a link to FromScriptToDVD.com's coverage of the '07 VES awards. It's a page of photos from the event as well as a list of the award winners. http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/ves_2007_awards.htm And the '06 VES Awards: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/ves_2006.htm And the '06 VES Festival: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/ves_2006_festival.htm

Clicky clicky and find out... http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/meet_the_ro...gement_list.htm

Why, of course "Let's Spend The Night Together" had a theatrical release. It has gone under at least three different titles: (1) "Time Is On Our Side" (2) "Rocks Off" (3) "Let's Spend The Night Together." Earliest release I'm aware of was in (West) Germany during 1982. The U.S. release was in February 1983. Embassy, its U.S. distributor, even struck 70mm six-track stereo blow-up prints for major markets. U.K. release in March '83.

"Reservoir Dogs" was shot in Super-35. Coincidentally, I had a conversation with Caleb Deschanel, ASC a couple of weeks ago about The Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend The Night Together." He was the film's DP, and his recollection is that it was shot in 35mm (with an insane number of cameras). The IMDb, amazingly, claims it was shot in 65mm!

A link to a list of theatres showing "300" in IMAX: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/300_imax_dmr.htm

The American Society of Cinematographers held their annual awards show last weekend and they selected "Children Of Men," shot by Emmanuel Lubeski, ASC, AMC, as the best-shot film of 2006. The other nominees in the feature category were "Apocalypto" (Dean Semler, ASC, ACS), "The Black Dahlia" (Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC), "The Good Shepherd" (Robert Richardson, ASC) and "The Illusionist" (Dick Pope, BSC). I attended the awards show as well as the ASC open house event. Here's a link to some photos: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/asc_2007.htm

I experienced a glitch when attempting to edit my previous post. I meant to preface the link with the following: I attended last Saturday's ASC open house event as well as the awards show on Sunday. Here is a link to a page of photos taken by myself and my colleague, Bill Kallay. Enjoy!

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/asc_2007.htm

I attended the International Documentary Association awards event a few weeks ago and took some photos. As mentioned in the NEWS section, Haskell Wexler, ASC received a lifetime achievement award. (I tried to post this in that thread, but I guess news stories are not allowed to have follow-up posts.) Anyway, here's a link to a photo gallery from the event which included a few shots of Wexler (and a shot I like of actress Andie MacDowell, not that she had anything to do with documentaries). I thought I'd pass the link along for anyone with an interest (the images begin about halfway down the page). http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/ida_awards_2006.htm

If the U.S. sequences refer to both the Crescent City (the Ewok stuff) AND Yuma (Jabba's sail barge battle) shoots, then I'd say that comprised a significant portion of the film's shoot. Therefore, I want to know why Glennon did not receive a co-DP credit instead of the "smaller" credit which he received. Seems to me the Director of Photography credit should've read: Directors of Photogaphy Alan Hume, BSC & James Glennon

James Glennon, 64; cinematographer won an Emmy for the HBO series 'Deadwood' By Valerie J. Nelson Times Staff Writer November 4, 2006 James Glennon, a cinematographer known for his evocative camera work on the 1983 film "El Norte" and who also won an Emmy last year for the HBO series "Deadwood," has died. He was 64. Glennon died of prostate cancer Oct. 19 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said Barbara Halperin, his agent. "He was the king of all sets," actress Laura Dern told The Times earlier this week. "He was the stand-up comic of the set, the meditative easer of all tensions for the crew. And he was the greatest gift to any actor &. He made the performance better, always." His "masterful photography" helped turn "El Norte" into a "brilliant film," the Omaha World-Herald said in 1995. Gregory Nava's independent film, which follows the plight of a brother and sister who illegally emigrate from Guatemala to Los Angeles, is credited with helping to bring the immigrant experience to Hollywood's attention. For "El Norte," Glennon had to figure out how to light the set in Central America without using electricity. At night, he moved around groups of lighted votive candles, and during the day he relied on mirrors to reflect light onto the set, he recalled in an interview on Kodak.com. Of the more than 40 films he worked on, Glennon made a trio "Citizen Ruth" (1996), "Election" (1999) and "About Schmidt" (2002) with director Alexander Payne that he felt were among his best work, his agent said. "Above and beyond his remarkable talent as a cinematographer, he was so full of positive energy," Payne told The Times on Thursday. "He was the master of the art of the possible and one of the funniest men I have ever met. "I make comedies, and I felt so blessed to have such a visually funny man working with me." Dern, who worked with Glennon on "Citizen Ruth" and other films, said he had an intuitive approach that came from growing up on film sets. His father, Bert, was a noted cinematographer who received an Oscar nomination for "Stagecoach," the 1939 John Ford western that starred John Wayne. Glennon "could problem-solve in the great old-school way," Dern said. "If you didn't have the money, time or equipment, he had an unbelievably inventive way to get the shot. It could be using a wheelchair or a skateboard. He didn't need a dolly." He remained proud of his cinematography on the 1986 science-fiction adventure "Flight of the Navigator," his agent said. The Times' review called the film "handsome" and his work "first-rate." For the title sequence of "Ordinary People" (1980), Glennon had a visitor to the set his wife, Charmaine pose in a red coat on a bench, he said in the Kodak interview. He also shot the U.S. sequences for "Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" (1983). In television, Glennon got his start on two shows from the 1960s, "Batman" and "Gilligan's Island," and listed about 30 series among his credits, including HBO's "Big Love." James Michael Glennon was born Aug. 29, 1942. His mother, the former Mary Coleman, was a script supervisor. At UCLA, he earned a bachelor's in filmmaking in 1968 and started his career in the mailroom at Warner Bros. He often delivered mail to studio President Jack Warner because "the other mail boys were terrified to walk into his office," Glennon recalled in the Kodak interview. Warner advised him to buy a camera, rent it out for $100 a day and throw in his services for free. That led to Glennon's first feature film, "Jaws of Death" (1977), about killer whales off Vancouver Island. Combined, the careers of Glennon and his father spanned 90 years in the film business, A.C. Lyles, a longtime producer at Paramount who worked with Glennon on "Deadwood," told The Times. Glennon is survived by Charmaine, his wife of 29 years; children Meghan, Allison, Andrew and Juliet; and three brothers. A public memorial service will be held at 9 a.m. today at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Memorial contributions may be made to the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Box 951622, Los Angeles, CA 90095; or the Cedars-Sinai Prostate Cancer Research Institute, P.O. Box 48750, Room 2416, Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Here's the link to a list of where "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is playing in 3-D. http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/nightmare_xmas_3d.htm

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/monster_house_d_cinema.htm

Care to give an example of a scene or two shot on film?

IMAX Locations http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/superman_returns_imax_dmr.htm D-Cinema Locations http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/superman_returns_d_cinema.htm

Not a cinematography discussion per se, but here's a link to a list of theaters showing Disney & Pixar's "Cars" in digital projection. http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/cars_d_cinema.htm

Just wanted to mention that the From Script To DVD website has posted a Photo Gallery from the ASC's recent Open House (and awards show). Over 50 images are featured, including shots of many of your favorite DPs. Enjoy! http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/asc_2006.htm