In the mainstream of movies that tear down the screen
There have been movies before and after The Projectionist that tear down
film's equivalent of Theatre's fourth wall by lifting the barrier between the movie and the real world. Buster Keaton did it most brilliantly in Sherlock Jr. (1924, 44 mins., also featuring a projectionist), and Woody Allen pulled off a reversal (character steps out of the screen) in The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). Steve Martin duked it out with Cagney and others in Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982). The Projectionist is an amusing and annoying combination of a sweet schlub played by Chuck McCann, very reminiscent of John Candy, Rodney Dangerfield's film debut as a dictatorial movie theatre manager given to delivering incredible dressing-down speeches at his hapless ushers (shades of Full Metal Jacket), a nostalgic look at Times Square before it became "Times Square", and a melding of our hero with his screen idols, including his eye-popping drop-in at Rick's Cafe Americain. So what's to be annoyed at? A running super-hero theme is weak, and once you realize it will return again and again it's stomach tightening time while you anticipate the enjoyable sequences being interrupted by this underwritten motif. But without question The Projectionist is not to be missed in a time when imagination has been sucked out of Hollywood. And so I appreciated this film last night even more than when I saw it in a theatre 31 years ago, not excluding a hilarious trailer for a faux end-of-the-world flick that's a little too predictive of 9/11 for comfort.. 
Chuck McCann shows us all the Old Movies and Succeeds!
In this lovingly wonderful tribute to old movies and the unsung hero of the
movie theaters:"The Projectionst!".Chuck McCann creates a unique character and fantasy world all his own.Here.McCann plays a dilligent,hard working movie theater projectionist.Who has to put up with his obnoxious and crazed go by the book boss:Theater Manager:"Rinaldi"(Played by Rodney Dangerfield in his movie debut)."Rinaldi"forces his staff to try and turn a dilapidated little movie house.(Which has probably seen better days in the l930's)into a glowing movie palace and he expects everyone to shape up.Chuck Tolerates Dangerfield's abuse and manages to do his job.The rest of the film has McCann having a relationship with a beautiful girl(Ina Ballin)and dealing with his dislike for his Boss and the changes in late l960's NYC Via his fantasies of being a old movie serial Superhero"Captain Flash".Who defeats a power mad supervillian"The Bat"(also played by Dangerfield) and his henchmen.as "The Bat"and his gang try to steal an Old Scientist/iventor's(Jara Krohout .Who also plays a candy butcher in Dangerfield's movie theater)"Death Ray Machine"and kidnaps his daughter(Also played by Ms.Ballin).The battle between McCann's"Capt.Flash"and Dangerfield's"Bat"is done in pantomime and is a brilliant piece of comic acting,psyhicial comedy and farce.Truly worthy of Keaton,Semon and Chuck's two idols and mine:Laurel & Hardy(McCann does a brief L&H impression in the film)Harry Hurwitz(The film's guiding genius plays a small cameo in this film as a put upon theater usher).Filled with great film clips of classic old movies,brilliant pantomime , comic acting and insightful wit.This film is more funny and heartwarming than Mr.Allen's"Purple Rose Of Cario"and more faithful to old movies.Forget Woody Allen.Stick To Harry Hurwitz's "The Projectionist".This is a real tribute to old movies.. |
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