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Topic: 4-track mag festival at the Egyptian

Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 11-18-2002 06:15 PM

quote:
I ran a 4 track mag 35mm version of The Empire Strikes Back in 1983, just after Jedi came out. Still on six reels, man they were VERY full and the trunks had trouble closing.

Do you remember if the 4-track Empire print was Dolby or non-Dolby?

124 minute film on six reels! And wasn't the revised 127-minute Special Edition version of Empire also on six reels? (I don't recall the changeover cues appearing in different scenes compared to the original version. In fact, I think only a single reel change occured in a different scene out of the 19 total reels of the three original trilogy Special Editions.)

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 11-18-2002 06:20 PM

With acetate film back in the 80s, you could cram about 22-23 minutes onto a shipping reel. Now with polyester film being thinner, you can cram 26-27 or so minutes onto a shipping reel. I would assume that mag print would've been flush with the edges of the reels or slightly over, since that adds to the thickness.

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 11-18-2002 09:43 PM

Indeed. Although we are inclined to think in terms of 20 minutes max it's really a 2000' reel and that's over 22 minutes. Even with triacetate stock that still left you more than a quarter inch smaller than the flanges.

I've said this before but I wish they'd made more use of 4-track during the heyday of 70mm. Not that I don't love 70mm but with the print budget unchanged making 10 fewer $15-20K 70's could have paid to upgrade a very large number of 35's to 4-track. (I can't be too specific without knowing the pricing.) As for the playback venues don't forget that the huge installed base of 70mm was fueled primarily by the Lucas, Spielberg, Star Trek and similar films being available in that gauge. If it had been announced that those would be available in 4-track for those who want it I'm sure a lot of penthouses would have been resurrected and fitted with new Teccons. Water under the bridge now.

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