This is topic Kit Parker Films Looses All 70mm Prints in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-14-2000, 03:21 PM:
I just talked to a booker at Kit Parker and he informed me that Warner Brothers had just taken back all their 70mm prints. Kit Parker now has none. He didn't know why, or if they were now available from another source. Does any one know if these are now available from another source?
Mark
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-14-2000, 03:42 PM:
That was a smart move on Warner's end. However, I would like to know where to get them from now as well.
Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 04-14-2000, 04:12 PM:
Its probably the same thing that is happening with the classic Warner Bros. cartoons. They are no longer being handled by Kit Parker and all the prints, etc. are being transfered to Warner Bros. Classics division. Here at Rialto Lakeside in Santa Rosa we played a beautiful print of North By Northwest that is handled by Warner Classics. I have heard from my bookers that Warners is packaging a lot of its classic product into mini-festivals and has produced a very nice brochure detailing the films and packages (I haven't seen the brochure yet but my booker described it as quite nice). Ultimately, having the prints out of Kit Parker's hands is probably a good thing.
FYI, Sony also has a "classics" division which is not Sony Pictures Classics - which is the arthouse division. The classics are handled by Sony Repertory. This week we are playing 6 Columbia Classics - "Gilda" "His Girl Friday" "It Happened One Night" "The Awful Truth" "Pal Joey" and "From Here To Eternity". So far the first four prints are in and all are in excellent shape. We were a little scared when the first print of His Girl Friday showed up - it was bad, very splicy - but a call to Technicolor (of all people) resulted in a gorgeous brand new print of His Girl Friday.
But I guess I've strayed off the 70mm topic, so enough rambling about classic films.
By the way, Warner Classics can be reached at 818-379-1814.
All for now...Ky
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-14-2000, 04:24 PM:
Thanks Ky! I'll give them a call on Monday. We have been asked by the County Park District to run a small festival at our minor league ballpark here in Salt Lake City. Its a really nice place, and quite a number of other things go on there every year. A big title in 70mm would create a big draw so thats what led me to call them. Am just feeling out what titles are available for them to rent. They used to have around 30 titles a number of years back.
Mark
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-14-2000, 04:32 PM:
Hey Mark, would love to help you with that mini festival if you need any. Haven't seen any 70MM prints in a LONG time, not since T2.------------------
"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-14-2000, 04:48 PM:
For what it's worth, Paramount is EXCELLENT at working with you on repertory 70mm prints. Give Dominique a call at (972) 387-4400.For some reason, most studios won't simply give you a list of what's available in 70mm. Instead you have to keep "do you have this title", "do you have that title", "how about this one", no then "how about that one"? A list would be so much simpler and Paramount will do that for you as well as make sure you have a good print.
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 04-14-2000, 05:02 PM:
Every print I ever got from Kit Parker was total crap and many times un-playable (especially 16mm prints).
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-14-2000, 06:00 PM:
Thanks Brad, I will call her Monday. Actually we're wanting to get Raiders for Friday night, and another we have not decided on for Saturday night. But Perhaps Vertigo.
Thanks again!!
Mark
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-14-2000, 06:04 PM:
It's a "he"...and the only existing 70mm print of Raiders for rental is chewed to all hell, faded and the mag track has severe damage. Don't book that one.
Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 04-14-2000, 06:26 PM:
FYI, Vertigo is a Universal title. By the way, the transition of the cartoons from Kit Parker back to Warners made most them unavailable for a period of time. I suspect Warners wants to inventory and assess what they are getting, plus there must be some due diligence work involved in such a transaction.
Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-14-2000, 07:23 PM:
On a semi-related subject....The Senator Theatre in Baltimore will be presenting not only three recently restored 70mm film, but the restorer himself, Bob Harris.
They will be showing Lawrence, Spartacus and My Fair Lady
It will be the last weekend in April.
Check http://www.senator.com for details as they become available.
Steve
------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 04-15-2000, 03:37 AM:
quote:
Originally posted by Brad Miller:
It's a "he"...and the only existing 70mm print of Raiders for rental is chewed to all hell, faded and the mag track has severe damage. Don't book that one.
Just wait on Raiders until next year when it comes out in 70mm dts with gorgeous color and stunning new prints for its 20th anniversary.
...I can dream, can't I?
------------------
"It's not the years honey, it's the mileage".
Indiana Jones.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-15-2000, 06:07 AM:
If Lucas cared about quality, he would ONLY allow 70mm DTS prints to be made and issued only to those theaters who could properly present them. That's what I would call a spectacular reissue."If" anything is done at all, I'm sure it'll just be 35mm prints with digital tracks.
Posted by Chris Erwin (Member # 176) on 04-16-2000, 09:32 AM:
I feel so left out. I still haven't seen a 70mm film. 
I don't there is a theater close that is setup for 35/70.--Chris
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 04-17-2000, 02:23 AM:
I beg to differ about your opinion re 70mm and DTS, Brad. Mag strip 70mm can be quite extraordinary when handled right.But then, Lucas isn't going to care about 70mm one way or the other. He's in for the money. Let's hope Spielberg can talk some sense into him.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-17-2000, 04:53 AM:
Ari, give me a 70 mag print and I'll be a happy camper. Give me a 70 mag print some bozo has run with his magnetized heads and I'll be screaming for a DTS print.Let's face it, 70 mag is DEAD. With the substantial cost savings of 70 DTS, it will be the only 70mm 5 perf format we will ever see again on a new release. Personally, I'm quite fond of it and wish more studios would release in that format.
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 04-17-2000, 05:36 AM:
I know, I know. That's what our tech always says to me. I'm trying to face the facts, I really am. 70mm mag is dead, 70mm mag is dead, 70mm mag is dead, 70mm-
WAAAAAAHHHHH!!!
You know, they never even considered installing DTS 70 anywhere near this town. The comments we got were the same as when we were begging for 70mm mag prints: nobody will notice the difference anyway, so why bother?
Sigh.