Sennett: What is 16-millimeter film and why should we care?

The modern conveniences of Blu-ray discs, DVDs and even streamable videos has obscured the importance of 16-millimeter film. With a super-abundance of digital media, reels of 16-mm film have been collecting dust in the corners of forgotten classrooms, churches and university storage closets. While digital videos overload our senses at an alarming rate every day, old 16-mm film prints have been under our noses the entire time just waiting to be enjoyed again.

Most movie theatres used to project the larger, 35-mm film (now most theatres have converted to digital projectors). 16-mm film was the cheaper, smaller counterpart to theatrical prints. 16-mm was first used to train the army for instructional or propaganda purposes. Eventually, the 16-mm format found its way into the classroom and even homes. At the time, it was the only way to re-watch a film without waiting for another release in a movie theatre or on television. Like old books, film prints have an immortal quality.

The Toledo Department of Theatre and Film has finally rediscovered their old 16-mm film archive and are presenting it to the public once again. The first Friday of each month this school year, the public will be able to revisit important classics on good old celluloid film. The titles will include the screwball comedy classic, “His Girl Friday” (directed by the Shakespeare of screwball himself, Howard Hawks), the John Ford 1939 western, “Stagecoach” and even Jean-Luc Godard’s French New Wave film, “Breathless.”

This Friday, Toledo will be treated to Akira Kurosawa’s action masterpiece, “Seven Samurai.” This beloved classic not only helped put Japanese cinema on the map, but inspired many American films including “The Magnificent Seven,” “Star Wars” and even “A Bug’s Life.”

Of course, 16-mm film is prone to splices, scratches, pops in the optical soundtrack and jittery frames, but these “imperfections” only add to the charm. The experience of a film print is magical because of its history. While digital movies, created by pixels in a computer, are cold and harsh, film has a warm, organic quality. If taken care of, the images can be stunning. The argument for 16-mm film is much like that for vinyl record-collecting, where there is not only a nostalgic charm, but also a genuine argument for quality.

Toledo’s film department is moving in the right direction by encouraging film screenings, but is only one screening per month enough? It is understandable that after so many years of being locked away in a closet, many of the 16-mm film prints are not in the best condition, and only a handful are actually screen-able. Therefore, there can’t be a showing every day because there just aren’t enough films. However, I would like to see Toledo produce more screenings of important classics from around the world. Whether they are projected on film or on a digital format, classics are magical either way.

Treat yourself this Friday to an important foreign film you may have never seen. If you have seen “Seven Samurai,” enjoy the unique experience of a 16-mm projection. The magic flicker of the silver screen might even inspire you.

Evan Sennett is a first-year majoring in film studies, and he is also an IC cartoonist.