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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Author
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Topic: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 70mm showing
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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-20-2003 09:32 PM
quote:
the distributors just said don't use the 70mm word to protect themselves
To protect themselves from what? A lawsuit? This is ridiculous. Dolby (the company) does not own any trademarks or copyrights on the term "70mm" so there's no reason why a theatre couldn't advertise they were running a 70mm print if that was what they were in fact runnning. What's wrong with advertising simply, "70mm six-track stereo" or some variant of that? Which, of course, is what has been done in the years prior to the introduction of Dolby, as well as in modern-day cases where a 70mm print was either non-Dolby-encoded or when a Dolby print was played in a theatre with a Dolby-compatible, non-Dolby-brand cinema processor.
At any rate, I'm not disputing your claim that some 70mm presentations over the years went unadvertised, but, in my mind it seems foolish to have done so given the marquee value of the "70mm" term.
More specifically, Gordon, through your post are you suggesting that the two Arizona engagements of Star Wars being discussed in this thread were run in 70mm unadvertised? Was that the point of your post? Just wondering since I have information to the contrary.
How many Dolby-compatible, non-Dolby-brand cinema processors were on the market in 1977?
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Will Kutler
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1506
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-24-2003 03:14 AM
Well, I did do some research in the AZ Daily Star up through August 1977. Star Wars opened in Tucson at the El Dorado on Fri August 17, 1977 I believe. (I went through the microfische at the Tucson Public Library). "Star Wars" replaced "A Bridge Too Far".
The newspaper ad did not list 70mm Dolby. However, it did list prints by both Deluxe and Technicolor and having been filmed in Panavision. So maybe this will give a clue?
As I previously stated, I saw this film 3 times at the El Dorado. Media coverage regarding this film was big news, and as I said, unless I am senile alltogether, that the marquee stated 70mm and that I had visited the booth and do remember this. But, I will see if some of the IATSE projectionists remember, maybe I am mistaken? If I am, then I stand corrected.
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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 08-24-2003 03:16 PM
quote:
I did some research in the AZ Daily Star up through August 1977.
Will,
Why did you search only up through August??? I already stated in an earlier post that I had done a search through December 1977. I also stated that Tucson began their run of Star Wars in the film's 11th week of release, and that it did not open in 70mm (which is explained in plain-and-simple English in my articles also previously mentioned in this thread). Only a few markets opened the movie in 70; most large markets got their 70mm prints later in the run.
The thing is, Tucson simply wasn't a large market and not likely to get 70mm prints except on titles where a large print run was made. Following Star Wars, for instance, Tucson theatres didn't run Close Encounters Of The Third Kind or Superman in 70mm. And in 1979 and '80, when Alien and The Empire Strikes Back had then-record 70mm print runs and exclusive initial wave 70mm platform releases, Tucson still didn't play them. (They did play Empire in 70mm, but started it in its second wave release a month following the initial release.) To futher state my case, I also gave a bit of information on install dates related to Dolby cinema proessors in Tucson theatres, a piece of information you have failed to offer any comment on both here and in separate private emails.
quote:
Star Wars opened in Tucson at the El Dorado on Fri August 17, 1977 I believe.
And I think that claim is incorrect, too. I believe it opened August 5. Geez, how difficult is it to look up simple items like this??!!
quote:
The newspaper ad did not list 70mm Dolby.
Are you surprised??? See my previous comments re the 70mm release of Star Wars. The thing is, Star Wars is generally acknowledged as the movie that kickstarted a "comeback" of 70mm (as an exhibition format) BUT there weren't that many 70mm prints made for it despite what people may think they remember. It was the Star Wars sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi, that had huge 70mm print runs that played in dozens of large and medium-size cities, and it is those two Star Wars movies whose 70mm experiences most people are likely to remember.
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unless I am senile
Would you like me to respond to that? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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the marquee stated 70mm and that I had visited the booth and do remember this.
You also stated you were nine years old at the time, an age I find difficult to believe one would have a firm grasp of technical production and exhibition concepts. I also asked if it was possible that you were confusing your memories of seeing Star Wars in 1977 with that of Empire three years later? A memory that, in light of your most recent reply and Empire's 70mm status in Tucson, seems more and more likely.
quote:
But, I will see if some of the IATSE projectionists remember
Why? I've stated numerous times here that the concept of memory is overrated.
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