Comments on: Kodachrome Fades—Out: But the Afterglow Lingers

By: Tim Kang

Tim Kang — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:23:32 +0000

to keep this conversation alive, here is a great read by NYTimes photojournalist Todd Heisler on his dad’s Kodachrome collection:

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/a-fathers-voice-through-kodachrome/

By: Stephanie Wilson

Stephanie Wilson — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:14:02 +0000

John Bailey, you have been one of my favorite cinematographers my entire life. You taught me a thing or two long ago on a Schlesinger set many, many years ago. I wish I had more time in my day to read every word again, and then all of the links, in an article that must have taken you WEEKS to write. We all owe thanks to you for lovingly and ELOQUENTLY documenting this life and death.

By: Cultural Weekly | John Bailey | Kodachrome | Cultural Weekly

Cultural Weekly | John Bailey | Kodachrome | Cultural Weekly — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 02:02:48 +0000

[...] More… [...]

By: AitchCS

AitchCS — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:17:21 +0000

There will always be people who want to work with film. I don’t see it completely dying out. Young people will go to Art School and want to do something “different” than everyone else.

The Polaroid Instamatic is having a bit of a comeback as a cult item. I think they are still being made in some factory in Switzerland.

By: Chris O'Kane

Chris O'Kane — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:33:29 +0000

I shot my first Kodachrome stills in 1977 I looked them out only a few days ago to find some family snaps. I was surprised at the colour and quality of the image. I have been shooting Kodachrome 35mm still and 16mm/super 8mm/standard 8mm since the 70′s. I shot my last roll ok K64 on the west coast of Scotland where I live and my last 4 rolls of 16mm K25 and K40 in November 2010.

I shot the 16mm in CinemaScope on the subject of cinema changing from film to digital. I have cut it together and will donate it to the Scottish Screen Archive at the National Library of Scotland. I’m sure that it will still be of educational value and look superb in 3011

It has been very sad, the passing of Kodachrome, but I think we now have a new love affair with all the existing images. A World library should be set up to to save all the exisiting Kodachromes packed away in attics and cupboards. They represent a stunning hi res colour record of life in the 20th and early 21st century.

Farewell old friend, you are gone but not forgotten.

By: Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 01:23:45 +0000

Forgotten in all this discussion is that Kodak also made a 35mm version of Kodachrome for Technicolor called Technicolor Monopack. It was first used by Elmer Dyer to shoot aerial scenes for DIVE BOMBER (1941) and consequently used on a number of films where it would be difficult to use a three strip Technicolor camera; the African sequences for KING SOLOMON’S MINES (1950) were among the films shot on this stock. Separation negatives would be made from the original for intercutting with the original negatives as was done with blowups from 16mm Kodachrome. THUNDERHEAD, SON OF FLICKA (1944) was the first feature shot entirely on the stock, by Charles G. Clarke, ASC and apparently all five of the color 3-D films RKO made in 1953 were shot on Monopack. It’s been confirmed that in he mid-Fifties, Kodak made a special run of 50mm Monopack for a wide film process 20th Century-Fox was experimenting with, which is still being researched.

Rick Mitchell

Film Editor/Film Historian

By: Raf Nazario

Raf Nazario — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:59:04 +0000

My friend Tony sent me this… At once heartbreaking and oddly, heartwarming. So many shared experiences from one single product… My dad, whose darkroom dimmed until he could no longer make prints would have been heartbroken.

Thank you. –R.

By: Bob Fisher

Bob Fisher — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:30:30 +0000

Thank you John for writing this sad story. It reminds me of the 1970s, when i travelled around the country interviewing news photographers at Tv stations, who were shooting amazing behind the scenes news stories and documentaries. Every station had archives for historical news and documentaries. Videotape killed newsfilm, because it was “cheaper and faster” and you could re-use the tape. It was goodbye to archives. News coverage became talking heads and local documentaries went away. Newsfilm cameramen belonged to IATSE. The switched to video killed that. Now it’s happening all over again in narrative filmmaking.

By: Tim Kang

Tim Kang — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:31:13 +0000

John, have you read/heard of this interview with Roger Deakins on the potential impact of the Arri Alexa?

http://www.slashfilm.com/roger-deakins-digital-35mm-im-ill-film/

as well as what he says on his website forum (http://www.rogerdeakins.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1440&sid=2e4d9edc79657b5b0e5f2169e8ed4a8d):

“The Arri specs on the Alexa seem totally honest and accurate. I was testing the camera yesterday and I found it the first (and right now the only) digital camera to produce an image with the resolution and range as one captured on film.”

John’s reply: yes, Tim. I have spoken several times with Roger, most recently at the Oscar telecast (where, sadly, once again he was not chosen by Academy voters). I know Roger and others are very keen on the Alexa. He has finished one project with it and is prepping another on which he hopes to use it. For my own part, I am certain to employ the Alexa soon enough. This is no way diminishes my love for film. Film is a different medium— that’s all.

By: Wolfgang Klein

Wolfgang Klein — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:58:49 +0000

Kodachrome ist ein eigenständiges Stilmittel in der Photographie.

Das Fade Out von Kodachrome ist eine Vergewaltigung der Photographen, ein Kulturverlust. Die DoPs waren Kodak immer treu, es ist ja auch ein gutes Produkt.

Kodak darf diese Compliance nicht einfach mit Füssen treten – wir sind keine Shareholder, sondern Kunden! Kapiert das endlich. Auch Produktmanager müssen Kultur leben.