Page 538 of 538
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 3:55 pm
by The Elegant Dandy Fop
Gregory wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 3:36 pm
Don Iwerks, 96. I was more familiar with his father, Ub, but it was interesting to learn of Don's technological innovations
I’ve met quite a few people who worked for Iwerks Entertainment and have looked up multiple articles about them. It was a direct competitor to Showscan, Douglas Trumbull’s company doing 70mm/60fps projections that he attempted to patent as a concept.
I’ve had the concept of “expanded cinema” on my mind a lot the last few years and it’s interesting to see the two biggest applications for this are gallery spaces (think of a Bill Viola installation for an early version of this) and theme parks. Iwerks Entertainment built and designed multiple film projection systems including the Soarin’ ride at Disney California Adventures, done originally with two 70mm projectors placed together and ran at an extra high frame rate to create a wide and immersive projection. Unfortunately, pictures are hard to source, but here’s a
good blog post with information about them. Not sure who owns the drawings and films they help produced. Would be a great subject for a book one day.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:04 pm
by beamish14
The Elegant Dandy Fop wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 3:55 pm
Gregory wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 3:36 pm
Don Iwerks, 96. I was more familiar with his father, Ub, but it was interesting to learn of Don's technological innovations
I’ve met quite a few people who worked for Iwerks Entertainment and have looked up multiple articles about them. It was a direct competitor to Showscan, Douglas Trumbull’s company doing 70mm/60fps projections that he attempted to patent as a concept.
I’ve had the concept of “expanded cinema” on my mind a lot the last few years and it’s interesting to see the two biggest applications for this are gallery spaces (think of a Bill Viola installation for an early version of this) and theme parks. Iwerks Entertainment built and designed multiple film projection systems including the Soarin’ ride at Disney California Adventures, done originally with two 70mm projectors placed together and ran at an extra high frame rate to create a wide and immersive projection. Unfortunately, pictures are hard to source, but here’s a
good blog post with information about them. Not sure who owns the drawings and films they help produced. Would be a great subject for a book one day.
It’s a shame that those Iwerks Entertainment and Trumbull films are basically unusable now and sitting in storage (the Academy has ShowScan materials). If VistaVision projectors can come back to life, why not this stuff?
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:20 pm
by The Elegant Dandy Fop
Lot of reasons why, unfortunately! Because of the high frame rate and scale of the 70mm frames, it required special cabinets where the film would essentially zip through barely touching the rollers. As a result, you were limited to specific lengths due to the scale of these cabinets. A lot of them used heavily modified projectors as well that used servo motors and replaced parts in order to both synchronize and run in unusual configurations. I experienced immersive projections like this the way I absolutely experienced IMAX documentaries back in the 90s, but had no appreciation for design, concept, or film as a medium as a kid. I remember the experience, but I was not looking at frame rates or image scales the way I do now.
One of the Iwerks technicians said the only place still operating one of their old systems was a theme park in Texas and that they still order 70mm prints from Fotokem when they need to change prints.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:48 pm
by beamish14
The Elegant Dandy Fop wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:20 pm
Lot of reasons why, unfortunately! Because of the high frame rate and scale of the 70mm frames, it required special cabinets where the film would essentially zip through barely touching the rollers. As a result, you were limited to specific lengths due to the scale of these cabinets. A lot of them used heavily modified projectors as well that used servo motors and replaced parts in order to both synchronize and run in unusual configurations. I experienced immersive projections like this the way I absolutely experienced IMAX documentaries back in the 90s, but had no appreciation for design, concept, or film as a medium as a kid. I remember the experience, but I was not looking at frame rates or image scales the way I do now.
One of the Iwerks technicians said the only place still operating one of their old systems was a theme park in Texas and that they still order 70mm prints from Fotokem when they need to change prints.
I wish I’d been able to experience more of those IMAX documentaries that were produced prior to the formatting being co-opted by Hollywood. I’ll never forget catching
Beavers around 1995, and I almost had a panic attack because of how overwhelming the sound was
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 7:23 pm
by hearthesilence
Actor Randolph Mantooth. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything - he was mainly a TV actor, and a highly prolific one at that - but what a name!
Re: Passages
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 8:33 pm
by domino harvey
hearthesilence wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 7:23 pm
Actor Randolph Mantooth. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything - he was mainly a TV actor, and a highly prolific one at that - but what a name!
I always remember him from Talk Soup in the Skunk Boy years when they’d have him come on to do random things where he’d always say his own name several times. Couldn’t find any examples on YouTube though
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 6:38 am
by hearthesilence
Lindsey Graham.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 6:45 am
by beamish14
Unfortunately, his constituents will probably elect someone as vile to replace this piece of shit
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 7:02 am
by Finch
I don't know. They need to have a special primary election because Graham had already secured the nomination for November so whoever wins still needs to beat Annie Andrews who has got to have better chances now.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 2:28 pm
by Roger Ryan
domino harvey wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 8:33 pm
hearthesilence wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2026 7:23 pm
Actor Randolph Mantooth. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything - he was mainly a TV actor, and a highly prolific one at that - but what a name!
I always remember him from Talk Soup in the Skunk Boy years when they’d have him come on to do random things where he’d always say his own name several times. Couldn’t find any examples on YouTube though
Those who are my age will have likely seen him on one or more episodes of
Emergency! which ran for seven seasons throughout the 70s. Both of the lead paramedic characters were largely colorless as they went through the machinations of attempting to save lives. The truly extraordinary twist is that Mantooth’s scene partner throughout the run of the show, Kevin Tighe, became a memorable character actor with excellent performances in
Road House,
Freaks and Geeks, and even Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 3:33 pm
by dx23
Waiting for Mitch McConnell's statement about Lindsey's death
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 3:36 pm
by hearthesilence
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 4:16 pm
by denti alligator
In many ways he was one of the absolute lowest of the low, because he knew what he was doing. I'm not sure I buy the argument of that piece that he somehow convinced himself of the contrary. He started as a man of incredible integrity and ended as a more ruthless and relentless fascist who was worse than most of those he had fought against. A breathtaking transformation. If McCain had lived longer, I suspect it would have been a lot harder for him to go this route.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 8:09 pm
by pistolwink
I don't think he was ever a man of "incredible integrity" (or any integrity whatsoever). He was always
a follower; his palatability to people like us(?) just depended on who he was following. (Also, I feel like McCain's legacy has been whitewashed after his death. He did some good things as a politician; a lot of what he did, and said, was remarkably bad. The latter far outweighing the former. In fact, the one McCain habit that Graham remained steadfast in apeing, and one point where he occasionally diverged from the MAGA party line, was his unwavering support for any and every conceivable U.S. "military intervention.")
Imagine leaving a legacy as worthless and mockable as Lindsey Graham's. It's chastening. Unfortunately he will likely be replaced in the Senate with a different species of cretin.
Re: Passages
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2026 8:54 pm
by denti alligator
Ok, I overstated it, though I do think he was a LOT more reasonable than most Republicans, especially during the Obama years. And it impressed me how hard he came out against Trump at first--though in hindsight, yes, he was really only concerned because he thought he would definitely lose.
Re: Passages
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 6:16 am
by ellipsis7
Re: Passages
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 5:26 pm
by The Fanciful Norwegian
Re: Passages
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 6:34 pm
by beamish14
An incredibly huge loss. She completely changed the Hong Kong film industry forever
Re: Passages
Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2026 8:07 pm
by Gregory
Gilda Love, 100
The Wikipedia page is worth reading.
"By some miracle they never killed me."