Spielberg issues orders - no digital for Indiana Jones 4

[trekgeezer]

I heard him say once that he would never use the new Hi-Def digital movie cameras.

http://www.joblo.com/index.php?id=19949

[nshumate]

Will this lead to a blood feud between Spielberg and Lucas?  Stay tuned!

[Pilgermann]

I guess I can understand why he doesn't want to film in digital, but I don't see why he minds having it converted for digital presentations.  Most everything I've seen in digital looks beautiful (especially animation).  But the dust and scratches and noisy projector are part of the movie-going experience, I suppose...

[Mr_Vindictive]

WTF!?

I have a Carmike Cinema near me that shows films in digital only.  At first I was a bit skeptical of the idea, but I've found that I love it.  I enjoy it much more than standard projection.  The clarity of the films is absolutely superb.  Spielberg denying me a digital version of the film is a big letdown for me. 

[Jim H]

It might be clear, but it loses some of its soul.  And to date, film still looks better (at its best of course, which it often isn't). But, I avoid digital projection except when I have no other option - and even then, I always find the film versions more involving somehow.  I don't know why.  This is the case whether the film was originally shot digitally or on film.  Either way, I find the film projected version superior in terms of my own connection and emotional involvement with the film.  It also just "feels" different, whereas digital projections are just like a larger, better quality version of my own Optoma projector at home.

It's actually a known psychological effect (I recall a few studies on it that Roger Ebert discussed and linked to a couple years ago), though for me I must admit it may have as much to do with nostalgia as anything else. 

But yeah, I'd be seeing Indy 4 on 35mm no matter what.

[Doc Daneeka]

The best with few exceptions IMO is shot in film and restored digitally (Without any of those stupid colored filter-effects of course! ) My copy of Fright Night would not be the same without Billy's extraordinary melting in fairly-high-Def

Hmm, perhaps Spielberg wants to avoid stuff like Sin City or the Van Helsing intro. IJ films are based on classic serials, and contemporary imitations of those for the most part tend to look pop-arty.