Night vision goggles used to catch film pirates at Harry Potter screenings

recorder dot ca/cp ^ | June 2004

[Riley]

Usher, wearing NODs, accidentally looks up into the projection lightstream. Usher's head explodes.

I'd expect that the current technology has a cut-off for excess light coming into the Image Intensifier Tube. back in the old days though, some nitwit shining a flashlight at you was a Really Bad Thing.

[js1138]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/HarryPotterandthePrisonerofAzkaban-1132921/reviews.php

[Cagey]

Kramer: There's Brody. Brody! Over here.

Brody: Hey Kramer. And you must be Jerry. Thanks for the ticket.

Jerry: That's quite a feed bag you're workin' on there.

Brody: It's for all of us. Is there a problem?

Kramer: Brody, c'mon. He's just kidding. He's a joke maker. Tell him, Jerry.

Jerry: I'm a joke maker.

Kramer: All right, here we go, Death Blow. (Brody takes out video camera)

Jerry: (To Kramer) Hey, hey, what the hell is he doing?

Kramer: Relax, he does that all the time.

Jerry: Does what?

Kramer: He's making a copy of the movie for sale on the street, huh?

Jerry: May I see you outside for a moment please?

Kramer: But I want to--

Jerry: Outside!

[Riley]

For those among you who haven't played with Night Observation Devices or NODs, the'd amplify whatever the available light was x about 10,000, and pass that along to your eyeballs. If the lightsource is an anglehead flashlight, amplified ten thousand times and fed into your brain through your eyeballs, then the victim, when he recovers, is allowed one free combat-boot clad field-goal kick in the 'nads, with my full blessings.

[Young Werther]

1976: I was living in Minot North Dakota. Star Wars had opened to unbelieveable reviews in June of that year but it didn't make it to Minot til Oct. We waitied in the obligatory long lines at the one showhall in town where it was screened. One screen no multiplex!

As the film started one idiot sitting behind me stood up and started snapping pictures of the show. His flash bulbs were as intense as the morning sunrise, (I'm sure he washed out the screen!) The managers ushered him to the door and we went back to that Galaxy Far Far Away!

[ExSoldier]

Heck I remember hearing folks scream when somebody lit a match or puffed on a cigar near an old style NOD.

[zahal724]

What was he planning to do, film the movie one click at a time?

[js1138]

I Saw Star Wars with my wife and unfant son. I Spent most of the time in the lobby with my son. A few weeks late I was traveling for work and sat through two showings in one evening. The effects look clunky now, but I don't think any movie has ever equaled it for pure showmanship. All action movies are either pre-SW or post-SW.

[Riley]

As the film started one idiot sitting behind me stood up and started snapping pictures of the show. His flash bulbs were as intense as the morning sunrise, (I'm sure he washed out the screen!) The managers ushered him to the door and we went back to that Galaxy Far Far Away!

Amazing.

I lived in the middle of nowhere then, too. Gasquet, California. We had to wait for months for it to come around. People in the real world had already stopped talking about it when it got there. I almost never got to the movies- it was only for something that was a really big deal.

When I did see it, I was about fifteen. Talk about capturing the imagination! It looks cheesy now, but back then it was mind-blowing.

[11th Earl of Mar]

LOL.

My first thought was about Brody and Seinfeld.

[Henk]

Can't you people see an obvious marketing ploy when it hits you right in the face?

[Riley]

What was he planning to do, film the movie one click at a time?

LOL!! Maybe he was going to staple the prints together and make one of those flip-show movies that we used to make as kids, and memorize the script to read out while doing it.

[Riley]

Heck I remember hearing folks scream when somebody lit a match or puffed on a cigar near an old style NOD.

ROGER THAT. Imagine looking up into a movie-house projector with those on. Theater projectors put out some serious candlepower. I can't imagine that WB is springing for third-generation for movie ushers. You'd probably be agonisingly permanently blinded with old NODs.

[Young Werther]

When I moved to Dallas I can remember the wait for the Episode 6. (originally Star wars was # 4 of a triple trilogy but now just 1-6 is planned in Lucas' doofus order 4,5,6 then 1,2,3!) We had a pre 6 party at our VP Ops and he had a pirated copy of 4. It was poor quality by today's standards but in 82, on his wide screen, it was somethin' else!

You know with today's DVD cam corders a show quality copy can be made. I can appreciate the concern. Heck, the VHS and DVD copies will be released this Christmas! On to "The Goblet of Fire"! Book six is slated for June of '05.

[Ronin]

What is that???

[Ciexyz]

It won't be people in the audience making the pirated copies, it will be prople in the projection room.

[ClearBlueSky]

Here, here! I agree 1000% percent. And it's not nostalgia for me.I wasn't a kid when I saw the OT SW films.
There was HEART, and that indefinable 'something'- especially in the first two-ANH and ESB.
You can't copy that. SPFX don't make up for it.
It's what makes a phenomenon un-copyable.

[ExSoldier]

For stuff like ANPVS 5's I'm sure you are correct. I'll bet they wouldn't even spring for the head bands! But you'd be surprised at what is available from the Russkies. I've seen Russian stuff at gunshows that runs less than two bills. Good stuff, too. Hand held, some of it is a little bulky, but effective.

[ASA Vet]

I Spent most of the time in the lobby with my son

Your son couldn't help it, after he was an unfant. ;o)