Comments on: Dennis Nyback, on Nitrate Film

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:22:07 +0000

I worked at the Venus Theater as a projectionist in Winnfield, LA in 1969 – 1970. We used carbon arcs for lighting and had the same sort of fire system with drop down metal plates over the view ports and heavy metal doors. We always heard stories of nitrate files fires and explosions, but to my knowledge we only had safety film. Sadly, the Venus closed in 1970 and was recently tron down.

By: Ferdy on Films

Ferdy on Films — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:58:01 +0000

[...] essential blog The Self-Styled Siren. Anne Richardson of Oregon Movies, A to Z has a fascinating interview with Oregon projectionist Dennis Nyback on what it was like to project nitrate film. The tech geek [...]

By: Tinky Weisblat

Tinky Weisblat — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:11:24 +0000

I loved this interview; it put together lots of pieces of information I ALMOST knew very clearly and concisely. Thanks to you and to Dennis Nyback.

By: Jacqueline T Lynch

Jacqueline T Lynch — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:04:52 +0000

“It is the difference between a Vermeer and a jigsaw puzzle.”

Oh, wow, this was a great piece. Thanks so much for this splendid interview.

By: Flickhead

Flickhead — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:54:04 +0000

Anne, that’s an interesting interview. I love the part about the projection booth shutting down to contain the fire — and the projectionist!

I know what he means when he talks about carbon arcs. I worked with carbon arcs for twenty years in printing before they were outlawed in New York State. You could go blind looking into them for just a few seconds. At the time I never gave thought to the air I was breathing, full of carbon dust.

By: Kassy

Kassy — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:02:27 +0000

That was absolutely amazing, thank you so much!!!

By: Joe Thompson

Joe Thompson — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:56:34 +0000

Thank you for Dennis Nyback’s nitrate stories. I remember San Francisco theaters with carbon arc lamps — I assume they were carbon arcs because the quality of the light was different. Your mention of film getting stuck brought back sad memories of my super-8 mm safety films getting jammed, turning brown, and melting.

By: Marilyn Ferdinand

Marilyn Ferdinand — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:44:27 +0000

This is a FANTASTIC post and very educational.

I used to run a carbon arc follow spot in high school. I guess our school thought it was safe enough in the 1970s. They replaced it, of course, with electric light soon enough.

By: The Siren

The Siren — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 03:29:59 +0000

What a great way to kick off this blogathon. Absolutely fascinating, and very educational for me. To my regret, and evident loss, I don’t think I have seen a nitrate print projected.