Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Worlds Biggest Cinema Screen?

This is topic Worlds Biggest Cinema Screen? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 06-01-2000, 02:50 PM:

I was reading a UK National paper last week on opening later in June the Expo 2000 in Hanover Germany,

A part of the 6 month of this exhibition is what claims to the worlds biggest cinema screen that measures 350ft wide!, the film/video showing is Transport through the ages.

Is there any German users who know of the technical side of this installation, is it film, muiti-projection or DLP projection etc?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-01-2000, 02:54 PM:

For years the world largest was 155 feet Imax screen in Jakarta Indonesia made by Harkness

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-01-2000, 02:57 PM:

Wonder if any of the multi-panel shows at Disney World / Epcot or Universal theme parks come close? (e.g., the EPCOT Exxon World of Energy show that used multiple 70mm prints).

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-01-2000, 04:38 PM:

The Circlevision installation at Walt Disney World has to be close to that size around. Also the Imax at Marriots Great America has a screen thats the same size as the one in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Mark

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-01-2000, 06:30 PM:

What about largest conventional screen for comercial release pictures. Are any indoor screens larger than our 110 foot drive-in screen?

I know bigger is not always better, many large indoor screens on 35mm offer a washed out, soft look.

Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 06-02-2000, 04:08 AM:

The Colosseum theatre in Oslo, Norway, is supposedly the world's largest THX-approved auditorium. Their screen is more than 22 metres wide (sorry, you'll have to figure out the conversion to feet without my help), but whether that's the largest conventional screen I don't know.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-02-2000, 06:37 AM:

Ari:

22 metres is about 72 feet. Many new theatres have a few screens larger than this. I had heard that the Specktrum (?) in Oslo was over 100 feet (30.48 metres) wide.

IMHO, any screen wider than 60 feet deserves the quality and luminance of a 70 mm print. As good as 35 mm film is, you just can't put enough energy to light a huge screen through a frame the size of a postage stamp.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

Posted by Martin Frandsen (Member # 74) on 06-02-2000, 06:45 AM:

Take a look at the screen at the 'Spektrum' in Oslo, Norway.
http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm/cinemas/spektrum.htm

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 06-02-2000, 07:27 AM:

Martin:
Thank you for the link. Notice that somehow, the Spektrum was able to get 70 mm prints of movies like "Independence Day", "Godzilla", "Armageddon", "Tomorrow Never Dies", and "Jurassic Park - The Lost World"!!! It may be that they and theatres like Kinepolis make special deals with distributors to get the extra quality of 70 mm prints (note the involvement of David Kerr, European print manager for 20th Century Fox). At least the "Splendor of 70 mm" still lives somewhere in the world.

Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 06-02-2000, 01:45 PM:

John,

Thanks for the info. I sort of suspected that the Colosseum wouldn't have the largest screen, but the just pure size of that auditorium made me gasp. It's good to know that larger screens exist.

And Martin, thanks for the link. Didn't know that "Star Wars" (the Special Edition) screened in 70mm anywhere. I thought Lucas was more into video these days...

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-02-2000, 03:30 PM:

Those were special DTS 70mm prints. Personally, it seems like the trouble to blow the films up to 70mm would make the availability more here in the US, but that doesn't seem to be the case. As I understand it, all of those titles had ONE 70mmDTS print struck. What a waste. I would've liked to have played those titles in 70mm

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 06-02-2000, 03:42 PM:

This whole 70mm thing is sooooo stupid. There is no reason not to make 70's of the bigger films. Man, I know alot of chains that have offered to pay for 70mm prints only to be turned down. Just goes to show you that the Europeans definately have more class than we ever will. Thomas Huerslev e-mailed me a list of films playing in 70mm at the Norwegian film institute and the list reads like whats what in 70mm! And these are out of their private institute collection yet. Thats way cool. Perhaps I'll move back and live with Uncle Lars so I can attend these screenings too.
Mark

Posted by Serge Bosschaerts (Member # 298) on 06-02-2000, 04:28 PM:

I've seen pictures of a drive-in in South Africa with a screen of 36m W x 14m H.
Apparently the projection throw was 90m and
they used carbon arcs on 160 Amps.
Projectors used where Bauer B12.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-02-2000, 08:28 PM:

David Kilderry wrote:>>What about largest conventional screen for comercial release pictures. Are any indoor screens larger than our 110 foot drive-in screen?<<

Which Drive in are you talking about, David? Is this Coburg DI?

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Gene Wilder - Blazing Saddles

Posted by Stefan Scholz (Member # 147) on 06-04-2000, 01:19 PM:

Thinking of large screens, I d o have think of West-Berlin, Royal Palast. Fortunately still open, but who knows how long. During the 60's this was the largest indoor movie screen with 41 ft heighth and 120 ft width. Featuring about 1000 seats upfront this giant 70 mm screen, viewing distance about 100 feet. Quite impressing to watch a movie in there, but future uncertain.

Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 06-04-2000, 03:57 PM:

Just an update on this subject.
While viewing the official Expo2000 web site,
They have built a 2500 seater Open Air outdoor cinema, the screen is 32m x 14m is claimed the worlds largests roll up screen.

The 'Open Air Cinema'has just opened and is set to close in October, there is a programme of Film Premiers and special screenings like "Easy Rider",so I expect this is mainly 35mm.

More details can be found in the Events section of the Expo2000 Web Site, there is a option in English.
www.expo2000.de

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 06-05-2000, 04:52 AM:

JOHN WILSON:

Yes John, Coburg Drive-in field one is 33 meters in width. Field two and three are both just over 31 meters.

Some of the former Metro drive-ins were large, Chullora, Clayton, Marion etc Do you know how wide any of these were?

Two multiplex screens that have opened in the last 6 months here in Melbourne are both 70mm equipped - Village Rivoli and Hoyts Chadstone, would love to see a few of those European 70mm DTS prints here at those theatres.

David Kilderry