It's pretty simple, really.

I often get asked "Are you screening it on 35mm."

In short, unless it has been stated, regularly, no.

If we had a 35mm, we'd be screaming about it, and you'd know it.

The first film we screened at the Rio Cinema was Danger: Diabolik, at the time I was super excited, and looked over the Atlantic, at the New Beverly and the Alamo Drafthouse, and what they were doing and said "We must have the 35mm of Danger: Diabolik."

I threw a bit of a fit, I'll admit it. Fortunately I knew where one was and we were able to source it without tooooo much trouble.

As the night got nearer and I was doing more research about DD, I found out that a scene was cut from the original UK prints. I started to get nervous...

We can't show a cut film! And who'd have thought DD was cut?!? Why hadn't I checked earlier!?

Well, we had the print, it was there and a test was run and the print was damaged, it showed signs of previous breaks and broke about 5 minutes into the test screening and the sound was pretty poor.

Balls!

Ok, fall back plan.

Hearts heavy with defeat, we screened the DVD.

After the screening, there wasn't a single person who complained. Fellow film geeks were stunned, the DVD looked and sounded great! Morricone wowed us with Deep Deep Down and Bava made us dizzy with his swirls and colours.

Success!

Second screening.

A big one this time, one you just don't fuck with.

Suspiria.

Right! Now. We must get the 35mm.

Ok... it's cut... hmmmm.... and every single review regarding previous screenings with this same print are dire and filled with venom....

But ho! what have we here? A gorgeous BluRay, fully remastered with love and care, over seen by the folks at Cine Excess?

Well... What choice have we got really?

We love the films we screen and we love being able to screen these films. Simple really.

Sure our whole world is becoming digitised and I hate that as much as anyone. But when the point is to share fantastic films with friends, who may or may not know them, they need to look and sound as good as they possibly can.

And it's that simple.

First port of call will always be, where is the best possible source, be it 35mm or DVD or BD.

Also, Cigarette Burns will never knowingly show a cut film.

If that means we can't show certain films, then so be it, sorry Ilsa.

That said, find me print collectors who want to show their films.