Digital Movies

* “Digital Movies Not Quite Yet Coming to a Theater Near You” (Dec. 19) correctly points out the financial problems of rolling out digital films in the domestic market. However, the real benefits of digital film distribution will be realized in foreign territories such as China when and if China drops its restriction on imports of U.S. film products.

In the case of China, distribution (and box office receipts) of digital films is controlled by uplinks in the U.S., so the “plug” can always be pulled. Piracy is eliminated via existing technology that prevents filming in the theater by camcorder. While digital films are not Academy quality, most, if not all, viewers cannot discern digital from 35mm projections.

RAYMOND T. BENNETT

Woodland Hills