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Topic: "The Projectionist"

Gordon Bachlund
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 696
From: Monrovia, CA, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 04-20-2002 10:35 AM

My long-awaited DVD of “The Projectionist” arrived yesterday from Amazon, and I viewed it last night in the company of several friendly martinis. What a hoot! Apart from being what one reviewer called “a cult film in search of a cult,” it appears to have been Rodney Dangerfield’s first film, and his role was far from comedic. My heartiest congratulations to the New York Museum of Modern Art for keeping this sleeper alive!

The projectionist, Chuck McCann, fantasizes to escape the boredom of his booth job in a faded, second-run NY “movie palace” whose despotic manager, played by Dangerfield, makes life generally miserable for the entire floor staff. It follows, then, that Dangerfield become the villain in McCann’s fantasies. There’s a little of Buster Keaton’s “Sherlock Junior” here, and viewers will recognize many other films from which ideas were borrowed. Perhaps the best and most surprising bit is the ending, and I won’t spoil the surprise.

Another film that depicted an “interesting” theatre personality is “It Runs in the Family” (1994), based on the writings of Jean Shepherd. Here, the unctuous house manager, Leopold Doppler, manages to alienate his housewife following by royally screwing up his weekly dinner china promotion, with a most fitting climax.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-26-2002 01:51 PM

That is still one of my favorites along with "The Smallest Show on Earth" with Peter Sellers as Mr Quill the drunk projectionist

Also The Picture Show Man from down under is another classic

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-26-2002 11:36 PM

Is the Smallest Show On Earth available on VHS, or DVD?
Mark

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Gordon Bachlund
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 696
From: Monrovia, CA, USA
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 04-27-2002 10:42 AM

Mark, I bought "The Smallest Show on Earth" from Amazon in VHS. The video was obviously made from a 16mm print, but the quality is not that bad, and the story more than makes up for any technical deficiencies in the tape.

You might also look for "Hellzapoppin," the Olsen and Johnson 1941 comedic romp in which Shemp Howard plays a distracted projectionist. It is available in VHS from Amazon UK or Amazon Germany. Be sure you don't get a PAL tape! I made this mistake when I purchased a video of "The Titfield Thunderbolt" from Amazon UK, and I had to have it dubbed by a copy house into VHS.

-Gordon

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 04-28-2002 03:31 AM

One of my favorites was "The Party" with Peter Sellers.

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Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 04-28-2002 05:43 AM

Mark

Smallest Show on Earth is available in a DVD boxed set of Sellers'comedies but only on Region 2 I think.
The fullset includes "Carlton-Browne of the F.O.", "Hoffman", "The Smallest Show on Earth" and "Two Way Stretch".

It's listed on www.amazon.co.uk

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 04-28-2002 10:57 AM

Paul, "The Party" has to be one of the funniest movies ever made! It's a little dated now but still Peter Sellers is incredibly funny to watch in that movie.

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