As I mentioned in an earlier post, I attended the special screening last night in Chicago of "Public Enemies" hosted by Universal Pictures.
My guest was Jason DeWitt, movie buff and IT director at Kenneth J. Allen & Associates. The setting was the Lake Street Screening Room, an mini-theater of about 50 seats, 46 of which were unoccupied. You had to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild, or a few other industry organizations to be invited.
As the movie industry moves into its awards season, studios are beginning lobbying efforts to garner votes. Universal is pushing four films, including Public Enemies. That's why the special screening. There are two in Chicago, and many, many more in LA.
I suppose including Chicago on the PE screening locations was maybe more out of courtesy than anything, seeing as how Public Enemies was shot mostly in Wisconsin and Illinois, and a few days in Indiana. Because I am a member of the Screen Actors Guild, I do get to vote on the SAG awards.
Anyway, there were only four of us in the theater. Prior to running the film I spoke to the projectionist and asked about the sound. Anyone reading about Public Enemies in blogs or message boards surely have noted the complaints about the sound, and not being able the hear some dialogue.
The Lake Street Screening Room projectionist said, it not the film it's usually theaters. There is a setting for Dolby and often theaters set the volume less than what's called for...and even when they do set it correctly often it's a hair below what it should be, he said.
Now when I attended the Chicago premiere of the film, the sound was perfect. When I saw it in the local theater, it was barely audible.
Last night the sound again was perfect, so I must assume the guy knows what he's talking about.
Seeing the film for the third time was not at all boring. Every time I pick up something new. And I've got to tell you, if Johnny Depp is not at least nominated for an Oscar for best actor then I am convinced the Oscars are a sham.
His range and character development surpass any current actor, in my opinion. And that's not because I have a scene with him in PE. Just look at the characters he's played past and present.
So we'll see soon enough.