This is topic Shadow Box Screens in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 07-16-2000, 08:05 AM:
Ten years ago, I was managing a three screen theatre for General Cinema in Peabody, Mass. There was one shadow box screen in this theatre, and I loved it. I've always thought this was a unique design that makes the screen seem bigger than it actually is; it works as almost a 3D kind of effect.
What made me think of this is that I happened to be watching The Poseidon Adventure on AMC last night, and I remember as a kid going to see it at the Westgate Cinema in Brockton, MA on just this very kind of screen(I also saw Sound Of Music there). Even as a child, I was impressed with these screens.
Are there any of them left anywhere? I know the Brockton theatre is still open(last I knew it was a Haney; it may be Hoyts now), but this place has been renovated so many times, I'm not sure if the screen is still there.
Has anyone else seen any of this wonderful design?
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 07-16-2000, 11:10 AM:
Actually, a lot of people did not care for that design, which is why there are very few, if any, left today.I belive the concept was pushed by Ben Schlanger, a well known and respected theater architect in the 1950's and 60's. He wrote several papers for SMPTE.
While I think he did a great job designing theaters, sharing his ideas (he also wrote articles encouraging good quality exhibition- we could really more guys like that today!) I can't agree with the shadow box concept- but I also must admit I've never seen it. It seems like it would lower the viewer's contrast.
See: "The Synco-Screen as a Stage Setting for Motion Picture Presentation" SMPTE (58) June 1952 pp. 522.
and an sort of update: "Criteria for Motion Picture Viewing and for a New 70mm System: It's Process and Viewing Arrangement" SMPTE (75) March 1966 pp. 161.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-16-2000, 01:09 PM:
When the shadowbox is painted black, it is incredible. It boosted contrast, colors and really did make it seem much larger than it really was. The original design of it being white was foolish. GCC Northpark 1&2 was like that (pics in the warehouse).
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-16-2000, 02:28 PM:
There is an excellent article in a SMPTE journal by Ben on the shadow boxes at williamsburg for The Story of the Patriot (VV)
The copy I sent martin hart is up in his library under vistavision in the widescreen museum site
Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 07-16-2000, 02:40 PM:
The old GCC Framingham theatre had the shadow-box screens. The current one does not, however.
If anyone cares about the Williamsburg film, I have some information at http://www.redballoon.net/~snorwood/soap/ . This page has actually been getting quite a few hits lately, since people who want to find information about "The Patriot" are typing things like "+movie +colonial +patriot" into various search engines.
Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 07-17-2000, 02:09 AM:
Excuse me for asking... just what the hell is a shadow box?------------------
"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"
Posted by Martin Frandsen (Member # 74) on 07-17-2000, 02:44 AM:
I can not find any information about shadow boxes on Martin Hart's VV page. 
Posted by Nicholas McRobert (Member # 205) on 07-17-2000, 06:30 AM:
A cinema that I used to visit on a regular basis had an RKO synchro-screen installed in the 50's. You can read all about Belfast's Curzon cinema at:
http://freespace.virgin.net/nicholas.m/curzon.htm Unfortunately, I don't have any other details about the screen, apart from the fact that it was eventually removed in favour of the introduction of CinemaScope.
Nicholas 
Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 142) on 07-17-2000, 06:59 AM:
General Cinemas Cinema One in St. Louis MO had a reflective surround screen. These were built by Hurley and attempted to display the looking in a window effect.A photo of one is on page 89 of the SMPTE Motion Picture Projection and Theatre Presentation Manual.
Black does sound like a much more sensible surround to white. Think about all that unwanted light on the screen, or as John calls it "contrast killers".
David
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-17-2000, 09:28 AM:
This is the link and the article I sent him was from the international projectionist http://www.simplecom.net/widefilm/widescreen/williams.htm
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 07-17-2000, 10:28 AM:
I filled in at the GCC Boulevard Mall Cinema in Buffalo in the late 1960's, which had a pair of "shadow box" screens. Idea was sort of like the old Sylvania "halo light" television sets, that surrounded the picture with light to supposedly ease eye strain. Neat looking idea, until you see how the picture washes out from the re-reflected light. A real "Contrast Killer":
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/december99/pytlak.shtml ------------------
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 Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 07-17-2000, 11:12 AM:
Eastern Hills mall in buffalo also had and I think still has a shadow box
The biggest problem I had with them was the non format changablity issue
Posted by Mitchell Cope (Member # 32) on 07-17-2000, 11:34 AM:
'Neat looking idea, until you see how the picture washes out from the re-reflected light. A real "Contrast Killer".'Back in the late 60's, nobody cared about contrast. ...let's flash that film just a little bit more. 
Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 07-17-2000, 01:32 PM:
I liked the shadow box for the scope. The flat looked bad because you had no masking to make a crisp edge.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-17-2000, 03:16 PM:
Due to the design of a small "projectionist's balcony" of the old GCC Shadowbox auditoriums, two strategically placed vertical poles at the front end would make edges as sharp as a 1.85 70mm matted print. 
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 02-18-2012, 07:51 AM:
It has been 4232 days since the last post.
Posted by Mark Campbell (Member # 4411) on 02-18-2012, 07:51 AM:
Jump starting this thread after a 12 year gap! Now that we have advanced in digital photography and scanning I was curious if anyone had links to any images of GCC Shadow Box screens. I have fond memories of the Villa Plaza I-II-III in Lakewood, WA where as a kid I saw Return of the Jedi, Romancing the Stone, Big Trouble in Little China and others in scope on the Shadow Box screen. And yes, it sucked for flat movies.
Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 02-18-2012, 10:26 AM:
FWIW, the ex-GC unit at Eastern Hills Mall in Buffalo (now run by local operator Dipson Theaters which is owned by Michael Clement) still has the shadow box in the largest house which Gordon mentioned earlier in the thread.
Posted by Mark Campbell (Member # 4411) on 02-19-2012, 05:59 AM:
Is that in Williamsville? Somebody should really get some good pictures of that.
Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 02-19-2012, 10:38 AM:
Yes, it's Williamsville. I bought that mall years ago but am no longer involved with it. I did put a new front/sign/concession/lobby on the cinema, however.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-19-2012, 12:16 PM:
Posted by Mark Campbell (Member # 4411) on 02-19-2012, 01:05 PM:
Brad, I was never certain if Northpark was Shadow Box. Hard to tell from the photo. They painted the box black then?
How did it look for 70mm and flat films if the screen was 2.35:1?
Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 02-24-2012, 03:16 PM:
Classic Cinemas' Cinema 12 in Carpentersville, IL had a shadow box when I was there years ago. Pic can be found on Cinematour.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-24-2012, 06:11 PM:
The one Brad posted looks like it has a blue shadow box. Either that or the slide is too big for the screen. Either way, it looks kind of awful. You Welcomes! So does the one Scott posted. Lots of stuff being reflected from the screen there.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-24-2012, 10:34 PM:
Joe, that was a long exposure. The overspill was impossible to see in real life. Photoshop wasn't available back then.
Posted by Jim Henk (Member # 3628) on 02-24-2012, 10:38 PM:
General Cinemas in Santa Anita, CA had one in each theatre. (4-plex) Cours it's been about 25 years since I've been back there. The shadow box and the screen seemed to meld together when the whole frame was lit in a soft blue, and somehow I wasn't distracted when it was just the movie. And yes, it was white.
Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 02-26-2012, 11:30 AM:
The one I wrote about above was painted matte black, not lit, and frankly was no asset.