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WOW !!! the screen must be lying on the floor

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Okay, I'm a little embarassed now because the picture has been photoshopped. It was flipped vertically before uploading. The installation actually looks like this:

The projectors are angled upwards. It is from the Star-Lite DriveInn Motel & Movies in Summerdale, Alabama. In the 70s, after the 2nd hurricane in one year destroyed another booth, the owner got fed up & excavated a bunker for the projectors. They are bolted to the ceiling (you can see in the larger photo) because even though the booth is now out of the wind & debris path, heavy, frequent rain is a given in the area & flooding of the booth occurs. There is a wheeled library ladder in the booth that is used for threading up.

John Pytlak wrote:

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At those projection angles, you must have cropped half of the image, and vertical lines almost met at the top of the screen due to keystone distortion.

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It's not that bad, strangely enough. Running 35-PA & checking 1:1.85, it looks like less than 2 feet come in at the sides. Keystone isn't really noticeable at 1:1.85 probably due to perceptual ajustments made because of viewing angle. On a credit roll, though, it gives it away. There are no 1:1.37 lenses, & I sort of shudder to think.

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Did any of those installations use custom lenses/mounts to partially correct the geometric distortion?

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I'm really interested in that topic! What equipment & modifications have been applied at what installations to reduce keystone?

Tim Reed asked:

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how do you keep from cracking the reflector at that angle?!

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I'm resuscitating this one, but it had seen regular service with those lamps. The reflector on #1 was cracked, but not #2. I found that #1 is missing its reflector blower, #2 is not. Apparently, the reflector blower really does what it's supposed to do.

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Prince Of Wales Theatre, in Londons West End. I was on loan there for four weeks from my base cinema in 1958. Mainly a variety theatre, no films had been shown for 12 years, the last being an RKO Radio Pictures season. Large box, with 4 Stelmer spotlights and a slide lantern. Houselights, stage lights, curtains could only be operated by the stage crew.

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Bernard, H+C arcs, with rotating positives, aren't they? Obviously an old style Kalee badge on the top box, but what model are the machines?

The Astoria Finsbury Park, which became a music venue called the Rainbow, now a church of some sort had a very steep projection angle. The sister theatre at Brixton, now another music venue, the Academy, was almost level, the projection box being under the circle. I was told that they wanted to do the same at Finsbury Park, but that the licencing authority wouldn't permit it there.

The Brixton Astoria has a famous proc. arch, based on a bridge, the Rialto, I think, It is possible to walk across this, but, if you do, take care; it is dark, and there is an R.S.J. painted black half way along, at just the right height to bash the top of your head on!

Regret that yesterday I didn’t have time to finish the posting, wife shouting upstairs, ‘turn that b****y computer off I’m waiting to go out’.

I have never worked on the H+C arcs. You see, when ABC leased the Prince Of Wales Theatre to unable a West End run of an Associated British Pictures, “Wonderful Things”, because nobody else would book it! ABC decided much to all the six (three per shift) temporary projectionists disappointment, the Kalee 11 projectors would be temporarily replaced with Ross GC3 projectors, and the H+C arcs with Peerlees Magnarcs. The existing RCA sound with 1041 soundheads was used. As the theatre had never been on films since the academy ratio days, a temporary wide screen frame masked to 1.75 was also installed. As there was no scope, the picture was made as big as possible, and what a fantastic picture it was in spite of the huge rake! And the best RCA sound I’ve ever heard. Wonderful theatre to see a film in, and what an atmostphere believe you me. The supporting programme was a Pathe Pictorial, Harold Baim short, Peter Sellers featurette, Pathe News. No Adverts or Trailers of course, there was a sales interval before the feature. The presentation was, as you would expect in a West End cinema at that time. The stage crew were excellent, tabs & various colours were used on every item, the cues from a red light from the box. Very long throw, from the projection box the picture looked as though it was on the floor. I did, as all the others, very much enjoy working there. On the early shift before opening we would sneak into the Odeon & Gaumont staff canteen which was housed in the old Leicester Square Theatre, for a three course lunch for 1/9d in the old money. Happy days!!!

In later years Indian films were shown on Sundays, the H+C arcs were replaced with Peerless Magnarcs, and the Kalee 11s with Westar 2001 projectors, and not long after with Philips FP 20s. I didn’t do anymore projection, but I did see all the equipment changes. All projection equipment has since been removed completely. The box is now solely used for sound, lighting, and spotlights.
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Follows is a very poor quality photo of the steep projection rake at the Carlton Theatre, Haymarket 1969.