Cinemas and cinema appreciation or criticism. Film House Forum for your chance to write about cinema and movies

Did you think that your experience of sitting in a cinema auditorium, that had no sense of being a special place - and oh my friends, cinemas generally used to be special - with the feeling that you were sharing a converted broom cupboard with a hundred other punters trying to enjoy the latest Hollywood lowest-common-denominator-spectacular, was not worth the £8.75 + that you paid (more of course if it was in 3D)? Did you feel cheated that the sound quality on the movie was flat and dull? Did you know the that the picture could have looked sharper because you witnessed the picture focus being adjusted at the start of the feature but the projectionist (or "booth operator" as some cinema companies refer to them) had to rush off to start performances in several other screens and not leave the image at its sharpest focus? Did you feel that the film wasn't so much as presented but more served up like a burger at a fast food joint?

And then there's the critics ....

don't get us started! Too often - most of the time probably - they present their evaluation of a movie as if its objective insight, when ... come on gals and guys: it all depends on the mood you're in! And ... and ... while we're at it, what do we think of all the hype? Do we buy film magazines to be sucked into the adolescent "this summer promises to be the biggest box office boffo .... blah, blah, blah!"

Here at Rake, we love movies, we need movies and we have something to say. Rake Movies Film House Forum is your chance to discuss, name, shame or praise! We invite passionate, insightful, realistically provocative or witty submissions on any cinema and film-related topic to share with everyone whose lives are enriched by cinema!

Please email us your musings and speak your brains out:
rake@enterprise54.freeserve.co.uk
We look forward to receiving your contributions

Flip to the next page and take a look at these articles: Culture Club - Neil Fox's plea for a greater acknowledgement of cinema culture; The Black Box Auditorium - commenting on the lack of imagination in modern cinema architecture; and, a review of Almodovar's Talk to Her