MovieChat Forums > High Anxiety (1977) Discussion > boom mic

boom mic

posted 18 years ago by teefus87
10 replies | jump to latest

in the airport bathroom scene you can see a boom mic. this was done as a joke right.
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[–] chrispkorman 16 years ago

yes mel did it on purpose for what reason I have no idea unless it was to give everyone the idea that this was going to be a silly pre airplane movie.Its the same thing when the camera breaks the glass in the dining room and everyone turns around and pauses.

You can address me as hedleyjr or higgy jr.

[–] malcomforbes 16 years ago

No, the boom mic was not one of the fourh wall gags. It is matted out in the widescreen version, the way themovie was framed. Full frame releases of widescreen movies often expose things that weren;t meant to be seen. Watch the movie on youtube (where thevideo is taen formt the dvd) and it isn;t tere.

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] SunCanyonRoad 9 years ago

The camera breaking the glass is a spoof of the Hitchcock movie Rope. The glass doors are supposed to open, allowing the camera to float in without cutting the scene. Of course in High Anxiety, the doors don't do as they should and the camera breaks the glass.

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[–] chrispkorman 16 years ago

If you are referring to High Anxiety in the scene with the stripper played by Bob Ridgely who also played the hanging hutchback man in Blazzing Saddles then you are correct.I have no idea why mel did that unless he wanted everyone to know that this wasn't to be taken seriously,Who Knows!Mels mind works differently then all of ours.I hoped that helped.

You can address me as hedleyjr or higgy jr.

[–] malcomforbes 16 years ago

You are NOT correct. this err is NOT visible in the proper matted widescreen version. It was absolutely NOT a gag, as there was no way of people seeing it ( when maated in a dvd or theater for proper 1.85:1 ratio), considering he wasn't psychic and wasn't playing a joke on people in the future watching it on full frame vhs.

This bill is outrageous. If I were you I wouldn't pay it.

[–] chrispkorman 16 years ago

well considering my dad was in the movie and I know mels sense of humor pretty well I will venture a guess that Iam correct.If Mel didn't like it he would have re done the scene again or better yet you can write him yourself.
You can address me as hedleyjr or higgy jr.

[–] malcomforbes 16 years ago

Doesn't anyone understand what I am saying? THere is no way you are able to see that in its correct version. When this movie was made there was no such thing as a full frame release. There was no home video that opened up the top and bottom to fill a screen and tv used Pan and scan.
I know this because I have the widescreen DVD and the full frame VHS. When the mandatory 1.85 letterboxing is applied, they are not visible. Films do this often, because the extra headroom wasn't meant to be seen. Here's a link to a clip from the letterboxed version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5zGWJdxw5A No boom mic anymore, is there? BTW Chris, how was the mood on the set? Was everyone good humored about the production?

This bill is outrageous. If I were you I wouldn't pay it.

[–] chrispkorman 16 years ago

when mel came up his this idea about the boom being frame there were no preconceived notions about what will be happening with home viewing or dvd boxed frame issues as there is today.Mel made it for wide screen release he didn't think it was going to be a big deal then because in 1977 there wasn't those issues of movies being edited or chopped up for tv viewing.As far as the mood on the set Mel always kepted it light.You cannot do comedy with a tense and stressed set.Mel really like a fun and nurturing set.

You can address me as hedleyjr or higgy jr.

[–] puirt-a-beul 16 years ago

I understand what you're saying, malcolmforbes. I've just watched the movie on DVD, where the transfer is in the original aspect ratio of the theatrical release, and the boom mike isn't visible in that scene. It would seem it wasn't intended to be, and it's only when they opened up the matte to make a full-frame version for TV and the American home market that the mike can be seen.

With all due respect to chris korman, I'm suspecting he's misremembering things according to what he assumed happened. We all do that, however unintentionally. In two posts he's gone from saying "I know Mel Brooks' sense of humour well, and I'm sure this is what he intended" to speaking as if he was actually present when Brooks allegedly devised the mike "gag". Memory can be so unreliable, especially when we feel we have a point to prove.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.