Before CHUCK McCANN left for Hollywood to co-star alongside ALAN ARKIN in THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, he made an amazing film here in New York City called THE PROJECTIONIST. Chuck played a lonely fella who literally escapes into the films he unspools. The incorporation of Chuck into different, pre-existing period films was way ahead of it's time (at least since Buster Keaton!) Filmed in the late 60's but released in 1971, it co-starred INA BALIN, and also marked RODNEY DANGERFIELD's film debut.
Try and find a copy of THE PROJECTIONIST, and you'll enjoy a remarkable film by a remarkable talent.
Here are three scenes:
Try and find a copy of THE PROJECTIONIST, and you'll enjoy a remarkable film by a remarkable talent.
Here are three scenes:
CAPTAIN FLASH TO THE RESCUE!
Chuck, working the projection booth, does dead-on impressions of his filmic heroes, back when stars had faces with voices to go along with them. . .
A legend in his own mind, the Projectionist imagines himself arriving at his own movie premiere, where he has to cut-out, in order to roll the film.
My friend Paul Rubin and I were with Chuck for several days, and one night they were going to shoot the "premiere" scene. The director, Harry Hurwitz, wanted "Chucks people" all around him, so he positioned me in front and said "be in awe when you see him." So, if you watch the left side of your screen at about :31, you'll see 15 year old . . .me.
Here's a really good write-up about the film: http://www.qwipster.net/projectionist.htm
