The Post - Forthcoming Movie - With Linotypes!

[Dave Hughes]

There's a new film coming out in December, it looks like a big one, and it's got Linotypes in it!

Here's what 20th Century Fox have to say about it:

Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in The Post, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post's Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers – and their very freedom – to help bring long-buried truths to light.

The Post marks the first time Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on a project. In addition to directing, Spielberg produces along with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger. The script was written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and the film features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.

In Theaters December 22, 2017

The Linotypes were filmed at Davin Kuntze's Brooklyn, NY print shop. Here's what Davin had to say:

I've been sitting on this for a few months now, but now that the trailers out I wanted to share it.

Earlier this year I was approached to create a couple props for an upcoming major motion picture. The item in question was a front page lockup of the Washington Post from 1971 just how they would have created it back then. With a lot of help and advice from a few experts (namely Frank Romano at the Museum of Printing and John Christensen from Firefly Press) I pretty much managed to it pull it off with as much authenticity as I was able. I cut a few corners, mainly with the banner information, but everything else was done with a sharp eye to making it as true to an original as possible.

The creation of these props led to a three day shoot here in our shop where we were decked out to look like an early seventies composing room at a major newspaper, smoking pipes and high waisted pants included. They shot the up close and personal operation of our Blue Streak Comet and Model 31 as beautifully as I've had the pleasure of seeing on film (and they were shooting onto actual film).

While I'm not allowed to share photos of the two front-page lockups I created just yet, the trailer just landed yesterday and, much to my surprise and enjoyment, a number of the inserts from our shop were used. Starting at about the 2 minute mark you can catch brief glimpses of my hands, John Christensen's hands, some mats spelling out a dramatic phrase and the distribution mechanism.

So, here's the trailer, keep your eyes peeled!

[Dave Hughes]

I've now had a chance to see this film, and found it very enjoyable. It has, of course, the odd error which would probably pass unnoticed by the general public, but not here!

When the front page of the Washington Post was being made up to spill the beans on the Pentagon Papers the type was absolutely clean, having never been inked!

It would, of course, have been very thoroughly proof-read, requiring it to be inked several times before being placed in the page.

I'm sure there will have been a few more "errors."

Please feel free to add any you have spotted on this thread.

[Mechanic]

 I doubt that the owner of a newspaper would be standing above the press during a run.

[listohan]

There was a lot at stake for that edition of the paper.

In a closing scene, Ben Bradlee and Katherine Graham are talking to each other while standing next to a linotype operator setting type. There were only two linotypes in shot; in a paper of that size, there would have been many more in the room even if not seen. But more importantly, the room would have been much NOISIER.

Ben and Katherine ruminate on the fact over time the other of them had come too close to the political players and therefore put their independence at risk. The implication is that the media had also been a party to misleading the public over Vietnam.

Sadly the same thing happened years later when the New York Times and others became cheerleaders for Bush, and to a lesser extent, Blair and Howard and the attacks on Iraq. At least the NYTimes belatedly apologised. But will it happen again? I fear nothing has been learnt.

[Dave Hughes]

I think you are right, particularly over Blair and Bush's "Dodgy Dossier" on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Our "free press" were nothing more than stenographers to the politicians.

[listohan]

It goes back to how the press cheer led during the Gallipoli disaster...admittedly largely due to military censorship. But the press should have learnt how dodgy official sources can (and tend) to be.

In the interest of balance, it was the press (Murdoch and Ashmead-Bartlett) who subsequently blew the whistle.