I have seen many movies (as I am sure many of you have) and love all kinds of film. From silent to foreign to independent to big budget, there is always room for a movie. In my late teens to early 20s, I'd see anything and everything, attend the Chicago International Film festival annually, and averaged viewing over 180 movies in the theater for years. I don't see nearly as many movies today, but I always try to squeeze them in whenever I can. When I viewed The Projectionist: A Collector's Journey a rush of emotions filled my soul. I felt like I was travelling through time with Soterios as I learned of his unique story and how film changed his life and the lives of the world.
In the film, The Projectionist: A Collector's Journey, we are invited to see Soterios's amazing array of film projector's and aptly go on "A Collector's Journey" with him. We learn about his unique past, his standing in the dwindling projector collecting community, various projectors' unique qualities, and receive a brief history of film and its impact on the world. Then, I was reminded of the true beauty of film with a montage of wonderful clips and film memories that created chills in my body.
John Cornelissen's direction manages to weave one man's story of personal survival with a parallel to the survival of film itself by blending a story of machines that gave us film with the humanity that made it all possible. As these histories unfold, we magically get stitched into Cornelissen's masterful needlework and feel we are as much of a part of this story as the Lumiere's, Edison, Soterios, and the exhibition in the film. This is the magic the director creates. He takes a unique man's story and collection, a history over 100 years old, and reminds us we are a part of this story.
Who doesn't have memories of their experiences viewing film in the theater? Maybe it was a space ship crossing the galaxy, a jump scare in your seat, or a tear running down your cheek as you related to a character's plight or joy. But seeing a film in the theater is much more than that. It is an experience that blends the viewing of a film with your life. Maybe you had a birthday party with childhood friends, reminisce about the last film you saw with your dad before he passed, or held a loved one's hand for the first time. Cornelissen's The Projectionist: A Collector's Journey is a masterful reminder of this and the magic of film. It his love letter to the lasting impact film has on all of our lives. Fortunately for us, his wizardry will forever now be a part of the tapestry of film, and we are part of it too.
