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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. In Conference remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you're a weirdo for film history or someone who finds the early technical growing pains of Hollywood fascinating. If you’re looking for a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat, you’re in the wrong place. But, if you like watching the exact moment an industry realizes it’s in over its head? You’ll probably dig it.
The whole thing feels a bit like being trapped in a room with people who are trying to solve a puzzle they don’t actually understand. Watching Romaine Salisbury’s voice reveal is less of a cinematic climax and more like watching someone trip over their own shoelaces on stage. It's cringe-worthy in a way that feels surprisingly modern.
I found myself staring at the background extras more than the main actors. There’s a guy in the back near the projector who looks like he’d rather be literally anywhere else. Maybe he’s just thinking about the craft, like in The City Chap, where everything felt just a bit more grounded. Here, things feel slightly off-center.
The transition to sound is treated like a magic trick that might explode in their faces. It’s a bit like the frantic energy in Black and Tan Mix Up, but with way more stiff collars and worried producers. The dialogue is... well, it’s functional. It gets the job done, but it’s not exactly poetry.
It’s not a masterpiece. It’s barely a glimpse at a changing world. It doesn't have the grand sweep of Glorious Betsy, but it has this weird, frantic heartbeat. It feels like someone took notes on a disaster as it was happening.
I probably wouldn't recommend this to my casual movie-going friends. They'd ask why the pacing is so jumpy. I’d just shrug and tell them it’s a relic, and relics don't always need to be smooth. 📽️