International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1955)

nai ETTERS TO THE EDITOR Magnetic vs. Optical Sound To the Editor of IP: I am convinced that magnetic sound quality is far superior to optical. Contrast the orchestral passages in the film "Garden of Evil" (CinemaScope), wherein the sound fairly lifted one out of one's seat, with those in "Rhapsody" (MGM Perspecta). This latter film had all the opportunities for Hi-Fi musical reproduction, and while it was undoubtedly good, it was miles behind the magnetic four-track job. Unfortunately, all the local CinemaScope installations are using singletrack optical sound, the full stereosound installation proving too costly. A pair of anamorphic lenses and a new screen is about $1250. for a small suburban show, which can utilize its existing arclamps. David Bliss Townsville, Queensland, Australia By the Editor: Much of the enthusiasm for Cinema Scope stereophonic magnetictrack orchestral recordings is undoubtedly due to the fact that these recordings are truly stereophonic. Not so with Perspecta directional tracks, which are physically incapable of splitting up simultaneous sources so as to reproduce the natural effect of an orchestra. In Perspecta reproduction, the flutes cannot be separated from the violins, if both are playing at the same time at different parts of the screen. The most that Perspecta can do is switch all of the sound — all instruments — to one or more of the three sets of speakers. As regards fidelity of reproduction — and here we shall have to compare singletrack, non-directional optical sound — the differences are real but misleading. The writer recalls a theatre in which the non-sync scratch filters were accidentally shunted across the photocells of the soundheads, cutting off the higher frequencies. The audience was delighted by the deep, resonant response, and wondered if new equipment were responsible for the vastly "improved" sound! The sound engineer "blew his top" — not because of the projectionist's oversight but because of the public's stupidity and utter lack of appreciation of full-range reproduction. Hi-fi is not, and never was, the public's cup of tea. CinemaScope magnetic recording certainly suppresses the higher frequencies of audible sound high-frequency attenuation, however, is pleasing to the average listener. No surface noise — no shrill harmonics — relatively louder bass. Just soothing sound that gently caresses the eardrums. 'Natural' vs. 'Unnatural' Sound All that, however, is unnatural sound. It makes music sound better, but muffles voice harmonics just enough to interfere with intelligibility. It is the kind of sound which is deliberately built into commercial radios and phonographs. It is as unnatural as the tinted-base movie film which the public still prefers to clear-base film for black-and-white prints. Frequency-response tests in opticalsound systems have been a standard tool in the service engineers little black bag for many years. To date, the proponents of CinemaScope magnetic sound have kept suspiciously aloof from down-toearth field evaluations of the response characteristics of CinemaScope magnetic sound. And for good reason, apparently. A 10,000-cycle magnetic-track test film simply won't impart the slightest wiggle to the needle of a volume meter in the average theatre outfitted for magnetic reproduction. We Try to Please To the Editor of IP: Just a few words of complaint (and indirectly a boost) about the way some articles are handled in IP. For some time I have kept a file of IP articles LENS-CLEANING RULES 1. Remove dust. (Blow, brush or wipe off.) 2. Clean with water, detergent solution, or mild soap. Rinse scum-free. 3. Always use dust-free cloths, cotton, or lens tissue. 4. Never use cleaning powders. 5. Silicone-treated cloths, now being widely touted as "cleaning" aids, should never be used on coated lenses. Posf These Rules for Ready Reference that I feel may be of use to me at a later date. But some articles are printed with photos back-to-back or else overlapping in such a manner that it is not possible to cut them out and paste them in a scrapbook without destroying one or the other. Moreover, to save all the pages, advertisements included, fills a binder in short order. Is it possible to eliminate this condition for the aforementioned reasons? James A. Hindman Rochester, Penna. [Editor's Reply: Mr. Hindman's view has been expressed on various occasions by other readers of IP. Unfortunately, the exigencies of publication, particularly in a journal presenting technical data, militate against adoption of his suggestion, especially if a reasonable degree of continuity is to be realized. It would seem that the simplest procedure would be to use not a pasted-up scrapbook but a looseleaf binder, using the side margin for the punch holes.] IP Truly International To the Editor of IP: Mr. Jean Suquet of Societe Le Carbone-Lorraine, in charge of the Lorraine Orlux carbon manufacturing plant and responsible for the manufacture, production and design of all Lorraine Orlux carbons, has been visiting with me, and we in turn have been visiting with projectionists in the East, Midwest and Southwest areas. His discussions with projectionists have been most instructive. Mr. Suquet is a Paris, France, subscriber and an ardent reader of your publication. He advised me that the down-to-earth technical articles published in International Projectionist are most easy to read and understand, and are on the "must read" list for his engineers. He also stated that IP is widely read by projection technicians on the Continent. Edward Lachman Carbons, Inc., Boontoon, N. J. Todd AO Opening Delay Opening of the film, "Oklahoma" in the Todd-AO process at the Rivoli Theatre in New York City will probably be delayed until as late as July. The delay is due in part to uncertainty over the lease for the theatre which must be renewed within a year. Backers of the Todd AO process are reluctant to make the large investment for installing Todd AO projection equipment until the lease question is settled. 24 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • APRIL 1955