Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How the West was Won at the Bradford Widescreen Weekend.

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » How the West was Won at the Bradford Widescreen Weekend. (Page 3)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: How the West was Won at the Bradford Widescreen Weekend.

Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God

Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 01-26-2009 07:13 PM

I was very fortunate to see THIS IS CINERAMA in the original three strip at the long defunct and demolished Princess Theatre in Honolulu in the late fifties and it was awesome! I saw it again at another theatre in the city that was set up for the three strip process long after the Princess stopped showing films in the format. This time, the Cinerama theatre ran a 70mm version on their deeply curved screen and it was terrible and very unimpressive. I was also not very impressed with the pseudo Cinerama process using a single 70mm projector when I was told it would be like the original three strip process. I did appreciate the fact that the films were shown in 70mm but it did not excite me like the three projection process did.

-Claude

| IP: Logged

Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-27-2009 02:44 AM

Brad hit it the nail on the head -- 3 projector digital presentation of HTWWW -- now THAT would be the knock-your-socks-off event. And I think it would give people the proverbial goosebumps that everyone admits was lacking from 70mm out-of-one hole Cinerama, which, sure that's what Todd wanted, but which most people agreed, next to 3 strip Cinerama, was yes, out-of-one-hole, but it was mostly arse.

Trying to mimic Cinerama with a single digital projector while no one doubts the techs have gone thru lots of trouble to get this to come to pass, still, will it really thrill anyone the way 3 strip does? My fear is that it will only give people already dubious of digital one more reason to point to it as a very expensive let down.

I actually surprised myself with how impressed I was seeing 2 projector digital IMAX, more than I could have imagined. It had the feeling of a really good top-notch 70mm roadshow presentation. I would guess that 3 projector digital Cinerama would be equally impressive and not have people walking away mumbling about the lack-luster nature of digital. Again, no disrespect to the dedicated guys who put heart and soul into this event.

| IP: Logged

Martin Brooks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 900
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 01-28-2009 10:32 PM

quote: Ramon Lamarca Marques
The original Cinerama sound is gorgeous, and albeit as Thomas says it is old, it still sounds powerful and full and warm.

I saw "How The West Was Won" at the Loews Cinerama on Broadway in New York City twice during the original run and the sound WAS spectacular. One scene that I recall in particular had a character in front of a glass window that had a performer behind either in a saloon or music hall or something and the sound of the music behind the glass was the most realistic thing I have ever heard in a movie.

The only other 60's-era presentation that came close to my ears was the Todd-AO 70mm 6-tk presentation of West Side Story at the Rivoli.

When I saw "It's A Mad World..." at the Warner Cinerama, there was no perceptible separation between channels. And I had the same feeling when I saw "2001" at the Boston Cinerama in 1968. I remember being very disappointed in that presentation after all the hype about the movie.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.