On July 2, 1978, the last hot lead edition of the New York Times rolled off the presses.

[Major Nikon]

Weiss, a proofreader for the Times, documented the phasing out of this historical process, and what impresses us now, beyond the Ludlow machine (which casts the lead at 535 degrees), the Linotype machine (operated for the last time by Carl Schlesinger, who also narrates the film), and the presses, is the incredible noise generated by all these people and devices. The process is fascinating and sad, and the new computers seem baleful in the fluorescent lights of the new composing rooms. The film is as much about the passing of the mechanical age as it is about the newspaper biz, as told by those who were there that day...

[elleng]

1. Thanks!

[Mr.Bill]

2. I operated Linotype machines in the 70s.

Not for a newspaper, but for a check printing company. I enjoyed working with those machines.