Last week we showed you the 2-perf Arriflex II C, and thought this week it would be fun to show you the II B. Both of these cameras were skillfully converted to the 2-perf Techniscope format by my friend Daniil Nevskij. The Arri II B has all of the same features are the II C, except that it does not have an interchangeable ground glass. In testing, the cameras run reliably at 24V DC from about 6 fps to 72 fps. The speed control replaces the old variable resistor type on the original Arri pistol-grip motor. The Techniscope format was introduced by Technicolor Italia in 1961 and was used to make more than 350 films between its introduction and 1980. This economical format continues to be used in modern films, such as “American Hustle” (2013) and “Titanic” (1997). The Techniscope format was a particular favorite of many Italian directors, including Leone, Antonioni, Fellini, Pasolini, and Visconti. The 2-perf format gained international popularity, and was used on such films as “Alfie” (1965), “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” (1966), and “American Graffiti” (1973), and is currently having a resurgence for movies shot on film and posted digitally.
