"A grainy circle flashes on the top-right corner of the screen at the Eagle Theater. The single-screen repertory cinema, run by the nonprofit organization Vidiots, was showing a 35-millimeter print of Paul Thomas Anderson's psychological drama "The Master." The faint warning is easily missed by most viewers, but it appears every 10 minutes, alerting the projectionist to change the reel."
"The auditorium was sold out. Audience members clapped as the film title appeared onscreen. There was a buzz in the air even before the lights faded to black with the standby line filled with hopefuls trying to grab a last-minute ticket. The stakes were high for the person manning the reel exchange. Michael Rousselet, a projectionist at the Eagle Rock theater, often drinks a lot of coffee to stay alert during late-night screenings."
Eagle Theater in Eagle Rock shows 35-millimeter prints, including Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, using a reel-change warning that appears every 10 minutes. The auditorium often sells out and the communal atmosphere includes applause, standby lines, and high expectations for projectionists during reel exchanges. Projectionists like Michael Rousselet rely on caffeine and vigilance to prevent visible mistakes. Repertory and independent cinemas persist despite pandemic-related closures and delayed reopenings of major venues. The summer box office declined from pre-pandemic norms, and some star-driven new releases underperform, while niche independent screenings attract dedicated audiences.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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