A year ago, when Joel Johnson blogged about The Impossible Project at Boing Boing Gadgets, it seemed, yes, an impossibility, or maybe one of those conceptual art projects that never actually come to life: The re-introduction of instant-picture film made on Polaroid’s original factory equipment. This week it’s real, and while it may not have been impossible, it sure can’t have been easy. A group described by the AP as “enthusiasts” had to lease the old Polaroid plant in The Netherlands, navigate a thicket of technical issues, and actually bring the product to market. The result, at last: The first new black-and-white film packs go on sale this week, with color to follow this summer.
Is the idea practical? Not very. As Johnson pointed out a year ago, you can get a very close approximation of Polaroid film by digital means for a fraction of the cost. (The first new films will sell for almost $3 a shot). But is it weird, cool, even inspiring as a tale of perseverance against technical obsolescence, against time itself? Absolutely.
