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Author Topic: "Smallest Show On Earth" showing this week on TV in UK Howard Johnson Film Handler Posts: 87 From: Felpham , West Sussex, UK Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-16-2003 01:56 PM                     If you haven't seen this film or want to record it , it's on BBC2 on Wednesday afternoon at 2.00pm. There won't be any commercials to spoil your recording. I think it's a great film and really shows what "fleapit" cinemas were like in the 1950s and 60s. I have loved this film since being taken as a child when it was first released.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-16-2003 05:57 PM                     You're right Howard. The best part is when Sellers shows the silents while there are just the old staff there. (sniff)  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-16-2003 06:20 PM                     I have this on videotape. It's a great little movie. I like when Peter Sellers starts the front shutter fitted projectors by spinning the front shutters with his hand!  |  IP: Logged Chris Markiewicz Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland Registered: Aug 2002 posted 02-16-2003 06:59 PM                     I picked this up a couple of weeks ago in a Peter Sellers DVD boxed set at Borders. It's a much better transfer than the EP videotape that I used to have. Does anyone know anything about Mr Quill's "equipment" in the box? Was it faked up for the film, or was it actual projection equipment?  |  IP: Logged Hugh McCullough Expert Film Handler Posts: 147 From: Old Coulsdon, Surrey, UK Registered: Jan 2003 posted 02-17-2003 05:38 AM                        I was told by a retired projection engineer that the machines used in 'The Smallest Show on Earth' were Kalee 7. The other cinema in the film is the Odeon Hammersmith. A great film. I have three copies just in case I damage one.  |  IP: Logged Bernard Tonks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-17-2003 06:44 AM                     I actually knew one of the projectionists, Jeff Mist at Shepperton Studios where the “The Smallest Show On Earth” was made. Jeff told me that the projection room set was equipped for real with Kalee model 7 front shutter projectors, and he advised and showed Peter Sellers and Bill Travers, how to handle film, lace up and operate. The exterior location shots of the GRAND SUPER cinema, was the Gaumont, Hammersmith. The interior of the GRAND, showing a sales film, and the sales girl spotlighted, followed by an organ recital, was filmed at the Odeon, Richmond. The mock up frontage of the BIJOU was a location by railway arches in Kilburn. One of the fleapits for real in the 1960s was the Electric Cinema, Portobello Road, then renamed the Imperial. The BTH projectors were so bad that the renters threatened to refuse product. In an emergency I helped to install Simplex projectors with RCA sound, originally installed as a gift to Sir Winston Churchill in his Chartwell home cinema. I bought the equipment from 20th Century Fox for £400. The Electric Cinema did see better times with new seating, decor and Cinemeccanica Victoria 5s. And it survives today as a luxury venue with Kinoton etc. installed. The website is interesting and well worth a visit. www.electriccinema.co.uk  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-17-2003 07:40 AM                        I wish someone would send me a bottle of Scotch in a nitrate transit case!  |  IP: Logged Chris Markiewicz Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland Registered: Aug 2002 posted 02-17-2003 04:51 PM                     Johnny Walker no less! I love the Ealing-type comedies from the 50s.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 02-18-2003 08:42 AM                     These is a still from the film on the rear window of the projection box of the former MOMI cinema, now NFT3 in london. You walk past this window to enter the auditorium. The cinema now has Vic. 8s, but at the time it was the museum cinema it had DP70s, which would have been just about the same age then as the front shutter Kalees were at the time the film was made, 1957, I think. They obviously chose ancient looking equipment for the film, at the time it was made, yet the DP70s still looked quite modern when they were removed, about three years ago. Thinking about it, the DP70s would have been just over 40 years old when removed, and the Kalee 7s would have been from about the mid '20s, I think, something over 30 years old when the film was made, so the DP70s were several years older. [Note to moderator] Sorry about the duplicate post, I got a message saying that the system hadn't accepted the post, so I sent it again, and it swowed up twice. Please delete the second copy. Thank you. [ 02-18-2003, 11:44 AM: Message edited by: Stephen Furley ]  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 02-18-2003 08:43 AM                     These is a still from the film on the rear window of the projection box of the former MOMI cinema, now NFT3 in london. You walkpast this window to enter the auditorium. The cinema now has Vic. 8s, but at the time it was the museum cinema it had DP70s, which would have been just about the same age then as the front shutter Kalees were at the time the film was made, 1957, I think. They obviously chose ancient looking equipment for the film, at the time it was made, yet the DP70s still looked quite modern when they were removed, about three years ago.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-18-2003 10:44 PM                     You mean Imax hasn't blown that one up for the big screen yet? Mark  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-19-2003 04:24 AM                     Hi Bernard I worked at the Electric in 1993/94 during its 'Black' phase. Every film had to be made by black artists. Of course, this was a rediculous and unsustainable concept and before I left the UK, I noticed they were running films even if they had just one black character. This of course meant any American film could be screened.  |  IP: Logged Alan Plester Expert Film Handler Posts: 209 From: great yarmouth england Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-19-2003 05:15 AM                     Given up how many times I`ve seen this film, and this time will be no exception. I`m working the afternoon shift,so will record it to watch when I return at 10 30. The projection equipment in the booth I think, is Kalee.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-19-2003 05:42 AM                        quote: I worked at the Electric in 1993/94 during its 'Black' phase. Every film had to be made by black artists. Thank goodness the days of such politically correct codswallop are almost behind us. My most painful memory from NFT days was the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. In particular, they would always show dreadful porn films made by someone called Bruce LaBruce, usually shot on super 8. Once you've seen one buggery scene the rest really aren't very different! I once nearly missed a changeover out of sheer boredom. I've got no problem with responsible adults watching this stuff if it's their idea of entertainment, but calling it art and subsidising it with taxpayers' money is another thing altogether. If anyone attempted to raise funding for a similar film only with heterosexual protagonists, there would be an outcry.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-19-2003 03:58 PM                       Wow, Bernard. That's some great inside info. Thanks!  |  IP: Logged

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