Cinema as communal experience (Mick Corfield)

Mick Corfield interviewed by Richard Wallace

Projectionist and BECTU representative Mick Corfield outlines the difference made to the cinema-going experience by viewing a film with an audience.

I used to have to preview films. Bridget Jones’ Diary. So, now I’d never heard of it, didn’t think my wife had ever heard of it. So I went to work and they said, “Oh we’re gonna put Bridget Jones’ Diary on and the press are here.” So I sat and watched it and thought, “Haven’t a clue what that’s about,” you know, “It’s alright, I suppose, women’s film, no problem.” So I went home, like, and my missus said, “What you done today?” and I said, “Ooh not a great deal.” She went, “You’ve got Bridget Jones on tonight, haven’t ya?” I said, “Yes.” She went, “I wouldn’t mind seeing that, we haven’t been out to the cinema for a while, let’s go and see that.” So I said, “Oh okay then.” So we turned up on the night, watched Bridget Jones – packed audience – what a cracking film. Because a film is there to watch it with an audience ‘cause you cry, you laugh, you jump, you’re scared. Your 40 inch TVs, your surround sounds mean absolutely nothing, watching a well projected film on an opening night with a packed audience who are willing to enjoy it as well, you cannot get... And that’s why cinema will survive, because... that’s it, because that is the ultimate, that is. So we sat there and I laughed and it was an absolutely cracking film and I thought, “How bizarre is that, I saw it earlier on today and never rated it all, saw it with you laughing, joking, everybody laughing with it, everyone getting... you know, and thought.. Well that’s just… It just goes to show how strange cinema is, isn’t it?

Title

Cinema as communal experience (Mick Corfield)

Subject

cinema-going
audiences

Description

Projectionist and BECTU representative Mick Corfield outlines the difference made to the cinema-going experience by viewing a film with an audience.

Creator

The Projection Project

Source

Interview with Mick Corfield

Publisher

The University of Warwick

Date

08/12/2015

Contributor

Richard Wallace
Mick Corfield

Relation

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/25915

Format

.mp3

Language

English

Type

Sound recording
interview extract

Coverage

2001

Interviewer

Richard Wallace

Interviewee

Mick Corfield

Date of Interview

03/08/2015

Location

Coventry

Transcription

I used to have to preview films. Bridget Jones’ Diary. So, now I’d never heard of it, didn’t think my wife had ever heard of it. So I went to work and they said, “Oh we’re gonna put Bridget Jones’ Diary on and the press are here.” So I sat and watched it and thought, “Haven’t a clue what that’s about,” you know, “It’s alright, I suppose, women’s film, no problem.” So I went home, like, and my missus said, “What you done today?” and I said, “Ooh not a great deal.” She went, “You’ve got Bridget Jones on tonight, haven’t ya?” I said, “Yes.” She went, “I wouldn’t mind seeing that, we haven’t been out to the cinema for a while, let’s go and see that.” So I said, “Oh okay then.” So we turned up on the night, watched Bridget Jones – packed audience – what a cracking film. Because a film is there to watch it with an audience ‘cause you cry, you laugh, you jump, you’re scared. Your 40 inch TVs, your surround sounds mean absolutely nothing, watching a well projected film on an opening night with a packed audience who are willing to enjoy it as well, you cannot get... And that’s why cinema will survive, because... that’s it, because that is the ultimate, that is. So we sat there and I laughed and it was an absolutely cracking film and I thought, “How bizarre is that, I saw it earlier on today and never rated it all, saw it with you laughing, joking, everybody laughing with it, everyone getting... you know, and thought.. Well that’s just… It just goes to show how strange cinema is, isn’t it?

Original Format

One-to-one interview

Duration

00:01:05

Bit Rate/Frequency

320kbps

Cinema

MGM/Virgin/UGC, Arcadian Centre, Birmingham

Citation

The Projection Project, “Cinema as communal experience (Mick Corfield),” Cinema Projectionist, accessed April 26, 2024, https://cinemaprojectionist.co.uk/items/show/409.

Output Formats