Graflex.org

Baker · Joined: 08 Apr 2002 Posts: 85

The Untouchables, with Kevin Costner as Elliott Ness, has lots of Speed Graphics. Several closeups of the front of one particular one that has a black (not chrome) square-topped sportsfinder that appears to be telescoping round wire (WWII-made Anniversary, right?) with what looks like a Graflite (slots 'round the top end, 2 clamps holding it onto the camera).

Didn't see the others (and there were lots of 'em in the press conference scenes) close up, but they definitely weren't top-handles.
They did seem to be actually using flashbulbs, though--the bulbs glowed orange and faded out after the flash.

jpmose · Joined: 29 May 2001 Posts: 164

In the movie "Road to Perdition" a Pre Anniversary Speed Graphic was used by one of the stars (Jude Law). This is a great movie, set in 1931. The shots of the camera are close up! So....go enjoy this great movie and see a Speed Graphic at the same time! Enjoy.

J P. Mose

klotz · Joined: 13 Mar 2001 Posts: 74

I'm surprised nobody mentioned The Public Eye:

It's based on Weegee, rather loosely, but hey, where else can you find a movie about a Speed-Graphic toting photographer?

Leigh.

[ This Message was edited by: klotz on 2002-07-22 22:28 ]

sobahguy · Joined: 09 Oct 2001 Posts: 173

Add the 2000 Kevin Costner movie "Thirteen Days" to the list. It's about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Several scenes of press men photoraphing the President and others. Many speeds,crowns,a few supers and rolleis. No doubt the same cameras from scene to scene. Does Hollywood have some kind of big prop room somewhere resembling Graflex Heaven?
SG

[ This Message was edited by: sobahguy on 2002-08-18 07:09 ]

45PSS · Joined: 28 Sep 2001 Posts: 4081

Hollywood's prop room is a group of set people who know or know how to find the collectors that have the excellent equipement and rent it.
Charles

AWT · Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 57

Recently we rented "Kundun", Martin Scorsese's tribute to the Dalai Lama. In a scene depicting a press conference with the young DL we see several PJs with Graphics all flashing away.

DavidD · Joined: 28 Aug 2002 Posts: 5

I don't think anyone has mentioned "Hoosiers" yet. There are dosens of them in the scenes that involve the state press covering the "finals"

-David

clnfrd · Joined: 26 Mar 2002 Posts: 616

And let's not forget the reason King Kong broke loose from his chains and went on a rampage in New York City, climbed the Empire State Building, etc...all those flash bulbs, some flash units with three #22's...from Speed Graphics...when he was displayed on stage by Robert Armstrong, Fay Wray, and Bruce Cabot.

Graflex Sid · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 221

If Im not mistaken,take a look at the Golden Globe winner CHICAGO outside the courtroom scenes...did I spot a GRAPHIC or two (perhaps more)...or turn the clock back to 1964 for the movie 7 DAYS IN MAY to the press conference with the 'President'the mighty S.G.appears again.
This camera is part of American folklore..

Discpad · Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 81

And there was another Stooges episode when Joe used a Polaroid...

Quote:

{CUT}
And one last one, since the Stooges were mentioned -- let's not forget the famous publicity shot with the boys as street photographers, and Curly is holding an Anniversary Speed with front standard and logo in plain sight. Only he's holding it waist-level, like a Graflex, but I guess that's so you can see his goofy mug.

rsdean · Joined: 27 Jun 2002 Posts: 52

I spent a couple of days in icy Arkansas on business this week and was idly watching TV (which I don't have at home). I caught an ad for a "Humphrey Bogart" line of furniture that included flashing Graphics--it was pretty fast but looked to be a Pacemaker. My father reported that some McDonald's ad this summer included a photographer popping out of the crowd with a press camera of some sort.

Rob Dean

Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682

CHICAGO with Richard Gere and Catherine z'Jones. Just finished watching it and while I admit this isn't exactly a documentary, I only found one Pre-Ann in the whole movie, but a lot of Pacemakers.

And while the Pacemakers in the movie will be explained away by saying they couldn't get that many Pre-Anns, I'm sure they will say they conciously over-rode historical accuracy for visual effect purposely used flash bulbs that wouldn't have been brought in to the US for another 5 years or so.

sobahguy · Joined: 09 Oct 2001 Posts: 173

Last night had another yell from my wife downstairs while i was browsing these threads upstairs....went running down to a tv screen full of Graphics in the movie "The Majestic" with Jim Carrey, airing on hbo right now. It even looked like a good enough movie for me to block out some time in order to sit & watch the whole thing, it seems like a nice 1950's period piece.

[ This Message was edited by: sobahguy on 2003-02-28 04:01 ]

sobahguy · Joined: 09 Oct 2001 Posts: 173

Hey Now......
Another great "period" set piece now out is "SEABISCUIT" which features alot of Pre-Anniversary Graphics and even a close-up of the viewing hood of what appears to be a Super D. There is not a mis-placed Anny, Pacemaker or Graflite to be seen anywhere in the film, so obviously some research must have gone into the cameras for historical accuracy, specific to the 1930's era of the film. The movie was very good; it would be well worth seeing even if it didn't star all these great cameras.

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853

Re: accuracy - I have yet to see a modern film depiction of a Graphic being used correctly - for some ungodly reason, they seem always to extend the bellows way out, as if they think the thing should look like a view camera. THAT's what irritates me [easily irritated].