[periphrasis]

As an example, I recently saw Full Metal Jacket on 35mm. The last Boot Camp scene, the one in the bathroom, while unsettling in any context becomes positively haunting in 35mm. The lower light conditions introduce artifacting even in digital, but the slightly wobbly frame motion and the scratches and dust marks exaggerate that artifacting further. The resulting image is almost expressionistic, as though reality has become so horrifying our very perception of it is starting to breakdown. The same sort of effect recurs with the sniper at the end of the film. In between, the rougher, less pristine frames create a sense of grittiness that amplifies the mood of the film. In short, I thought seeing Full Metal Jacket on 35mm was a fully superior experience over watching it on digital (although I’ve only seen digital presentations of it at home and not in a theater).

[chrisseaton]

You can recreate all those in digital, can't you? If that's actually the artistic effect that the auteur wants.

[periphrasis]

You certainly can recreate something very similar in post, although that’s a bit like saying chiaroscuro lighting is achievable in charcoal, oil paint, and photography: the effect is still going to be distinct depending on the medium. Digital has a whole host of unique qualities and even some distinct advantages over film. But the image of film has a different quality to it as compared to digital: it simply looks different than digital projection or home video, even if you had a pristine, flawless film print. The difference in image is subtle, but your brain recognizes it the moment the projector starts: “oh, yeah, this is how movies used to look.” Just as photography hasn’t superseded all other 2d visual arts, I think it would be a mistake to treat film as unnecessary in the age of digital. I can certainly understand why a director and DP would choose to work with digital for the average case project these days though.

[mrguyorama]

The vast majority of that is just personal perception, and has nothing intrinsic to do with an analog technology.

For example; maybe for me the perfection of digital reproduction is actually MORE haunting than an "alive" 35mm version.