Page 25 - CR31R.pdf

Hammers And Film Spools by Rod Cook

My interest in cinemas and projection, was spawned by ters of the way up and due to the earth's gravity, to the
my Uncle Len, who had worked the Hoyts Lygon Theatre ground the feature plummeted.
in East Brunswick. His stories of what happened in 'the
box' were told many times and are still vivid after many One thinks of projectionists' toolkits including such things
years. as pliers, cutters, spanners etc. A solid hammer may seem
out of place. Not really! Remember projectors in those
Matinees may have been a nightmare for 'front of house days had enclosed spool boxes and clearance inside them
staff' where kids of all types from mild mannered to seem- was made for a conventionally sided spool to turn. Once
ingly direct descendants of the devil descended on a Sat- retrieved from below, the spools were anything but sym-
urday afternoon. metrical in shape.

You might think that in the bio box, which in the case of Starting with the next spool to be threaded, the hammer
'The Lygon' was perched precariously on the back wall, wielded by Len was employed to bring back some sense of
would be a form of sanctuary. From the kids, yes, but symmetrical shape to the spool to allow it go in the spool
other fom1s of mental torture were placed in front of the box. With the time allowed between the films arriving
projectionist and his assistant. and screening, the condition of the print itself became sec-
ondaiy. He did not tell me how the film looked on the
The feature films, particularly revivals, were in need of screen, presumably as he was too busy beating the next
reviving themselves. Len recalled that some reels had more reel into submission whilst the first one ran. As with all
splices than complete frames and pleas to the great pro- projectionists, as long as what the audience sees on the
jectionist above seemed to be the only way of ensuring the screen is fine, that is all that cotmts.
show went smoothly.
A feature was screening at a nearby cinema in the chain
One of the problems was that the matinee arrived only a and a number of projectionists had gathered to discuss a
matter of hours before it was due to screen. Shorts were problem with a particular reel of film. It appeared to be
not spooled and had to be before screening. They were getting damaged during screening.
usually spliced to make a 2000 foot spool full. If prLnts
are in goods condition, this should not present a problem. After some discussion, an alternative path, after the sound
head, was devised to try and cure the problem. The pic-
However, as unfortunately, some projectionists were less ture was steady but unfortunately for this reel of film, it
than diligent and figured the next projectionist would fix was being slit into two by a guard on the top of the sprocket.
the problem, and therefore did not make splices to last. No doubt it was very embarrassing for the chief at this
With the older prints, a film could be in many pieces , theatre, (I wonder if the other 'expe1ts' made a hasty re-
with each piece bidden within the confme of the spool just treat?) and meant the urgent need for a new part for the
waiting for someone to wind it too quickly allowing the feature was hastily ordered from the exchange for the next
end of the break to lash out. session.

Splicing was not done with tape, but using cement and a I have not seen my uncle for 20 years, having drifted apart
razor blade. The splicer, as we know it, was disdained by after my aunt died. However the theatrette in my parents
many veterans whose eye and skill with a razor blade was backyard, in which we bad many enjoyable hours screen-
said to produce better joins. (Saliva on the scraped area of ing films (fortunately without the hassles outlined above)
the film apparently helped the cement to bind). remains. These recollections may seem a hifle embel-
lished but after listening more recently to some of the 'old
ff all went well, the show went on without a hitch (but not hands' of projection, I'm not so sure!
without some jumps in the action).

Two other experiences Len recollected were a little less I Annual Roxy Cinema Nostalgia Night
mundane than splicing film. They were retrieving spools
that had dropped from ground level to the ground below On the 2nd of March a full house greeted the legendary
and an incident at the nearby 'Padua'. screen siren, Mae West, in "She Done Him Wrong", cour-
tesy of member Ken Tulloch's Roxy Cinema.
The first involved films being raised to bio box by block
and tackle. Usually an uncomplicated task, but once in a After almost seventy years Mae is still good for a laugh as
while things go dramatically wrong. On one occasion, she ogled a very youthful Cary Grant. Mild weather, a good
the films were being lifted up to the box after being selection of featurettes , and a delicious supper rounded
switched. Unfortunately, the film shifted about three quar- out this popular event.

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