Film critic Barry Hertz has ruined many a movie for filmgoers over the years (and no, we’re not talking about his sometimes scathing reviews ). As a teenager he worked as a film projectionist, splicing together reels and threading film through a projector at the movie theatre. He was bad at it, he writes. He once played the opening scene of a horror movie to an audience expecting to see Shrek. But the days of the film projection booth are over, with cinemas moving to digital and ushering in a new kind of movie-theatre experience. But what did we lose when we said goodbye to the film projectionist? Read Hertz’s story.

Also this week: The cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s late night show means television is losing the voice of accountability, writes Johanna Schneller. Plus: a rave review for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which our critic calls the revival of a lifetime.

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