Film catching fire in cinemas...

[Mark Orme]

It happened to me last week (which forum member was it that worked in the Swindon Cineworld?). We were watching the trailers before Ocean's 11, and the film melted. Never seen it before, but most people would know what it looked like anyway.

It was pretty funny though, cos it happened right at the end of the trailer for new spooky film Thirteen Ghosts. Initially everyone thought that it was part of the trailer, and then we waited, and waited. It all felt a bit Dom Jollyish cos there was no staff around. So we just stared at this blank screen with burnt celluoid on. In the end after about 5 minutes, someone went to go and get a member of staff. It just seemed really funny the way that it took that long to dawn on everyone.

Didn't realise that this sort of thing still happened.

[Michael Brooke]

<B> Didn't realise that this sort of thing still happened.</B>

Ironically enough, it’s more likely to happen these days because the projectionist is less likely to be on hand to notice – most multiplex cinema projectionists are only physically there to make sure the film’s started running, but at other times they’re dealing with other screens.

It’s just as well film stock is no longer as flammable as it was, otherwise we’d have far more accidents!

[stephen]

I've never seen it a cinema but I had this happen when I was watching one of Dad's old cine films a few months ago.

[Spangled]

Having a film burn and jam can be quite common - it only takes for a dodgy bit of splicing tape and the mylar gets caught up in the projection system and the lamp quickly burns it out.

In my past reincarnation as a projectionist, I had it happen twice. Once in a midnight show of Perfect Storm, right at the end of the credits (so an empty screen), and once on the Asterix Movie in a packed house of kids on a Saturday morning. Not amusing.

Sheeesh, I'd forgotten how much mylar stinks when it burns. Not pleasant.

[Narshty]

It happened during the Prince Charles Cinema's 2001 Halloween Horror Bash during Friday the 13th Part 2 - during a chase sequence near the end.

It really spoiled the atmosphere - nearly everyone stopped laughing almost instantly. :D

[Gary Couzens]

Projectionists should not panic at the beginning of <i>Persona</i> or the end of <i>Two-Lane Blacktop</i>...in these cases the film "burning" is an intentional part of the film!

[Narshty]

Originally posted by Gary Couzens
Projectionists should not panic at the beginning of <i>Persona</i> or the end of <i>Two-Lane Blacktop</i>...in these cases the film "burning" is an intentional part of the film!

I love the anecdote on the Two-Lane Blacktop commentary about the projectionist at Universal splicing out the final shot from the official studio print, thinking he'd look quite the fool to leave it in!

:brickwall :clap: