4K Technology

“I think if you’re making a high school movie, you can’t not watch John Hughes movies for reference,” said cinematographer Hillary Spera (Duck Butter, Submission). “Even if it’s subliminal, they’re woven into the language.” Filmmaker John Hughes had a string of hit films in the 1980s that were a true depiction of high school life in middle class suburbia. Movies like 16 Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink portrayed teen characters with depth and intelligence but were also comedic.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations are known for introducing firsts to their customers, and they can add another to the list: the first U.S. installations of Sony’s 4K laser projection systems, installed at the just-opened Alamo Drafthouse Lake Highlands theater in Dallas, Texas. According to the location’s owner and COO, Bill DiGaetano, rolling out the new projectors is right in line with the Alamo Drafthouse approach of putting the customer experience first.

The Reel Thing, a symposium that supports the Association of Moving Image Archivists, will open with the U.S. premiere of a new restoration of the Oscar-nominated 1960 film La Verite (The Truth). Two additional new 4K restorations also will be shown during The Reel Thing, including the U.S. premiere of Howard Hawks’ Scarface and the world premiere of Alex Cox’s Sid and Nancy. The Reel Thing takes place August 24-26 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.