Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cinema 180

This is topic Cinema 180 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 11-02-2001, 11:09 AM:

Would any Film Tech people know the history of 5/70mm Cinema 180 and which year was it invented by Omni Films?.

There are still several Cinema 180 screens in the UK and I belive a few left in the US, there was also a version from Italy called Vision 180 that used the same process.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 11-02-2001, 11:27 AM:

Cinema 180 was built by the Ferretti Brothers in Italy around 1980. Many were bought by traveling carnival companies. They came equipped with either Cinemeccanica or Ballantyne 35/70 projectors. The ones in my area only had Ballantyne projectors installed.

Funtastic Rides in Portland, Oregon still operates a Cinema 180 I believe.

I think all films for Cinema 180 are now handled by Iwerks.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 11-02-2001, 12:18 PM:

Some links:
http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm/magazine/lister/formats/cinema180.htm
http://www.bksts.com/posters.htm#theme

And if you speak (as well as eat) Danish:
http://hjem.get2net.dk/in70mm/cinemas/70mm_i_dk/sjaelland/cph/cinema180.htm

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-02-2001, 04:35 PM:

Cinema 180 - Omni films predate the Italians ( they where a licensee )
We where involved with some of the Omni projects in the middle 1970's.The films are now leased through Iwerks or the now "retired" producer through other sources. In the 1970's there where several people active in USA / Europe / Brazil building portable and stationery shows........
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 11-02-2001, 06:49 PM:

Also there was super 70 producing similar product at the same time
<ost were taken over by Iwerks which is now part of SimEx

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-02-2001, 07:10 PM:

I have a Cinema 180 70mm rollercoaster ride film in my collection. The color is still even passable after all these years. Of course its pretty lame by todays roller coaster standards.
Mark @ GTS

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 11-02-2001, 10:50 PM:

Gordon, Gordon, please it's not a done deal yet....

Anyway, I have a TON of Cinema 180 lenses on the shelf....

>>> Phil

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-02-2001, 10:59 PM:

Omni films actually produced some films in the late 70's early 80's for Six Flags called "The Chevy Show". The prints were 35mm scope, 4 track mag, 24 FPS. While not 70mm, they were very enjoyable (although cheezy by today's standards.)

I want to say it was around 1983 that Omni started using the 70mm system spoken about above for Six Flags. I never liked that system, for the projector was in the front row and shot straight up. The aspect ratio looked like a windshield wiper's path...flat across the bottom, yet domed for the side and top (flat screen).

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 11-03-2001, 07:11 AM:

Brad,

The Chevy Show was also a traveling promo for Chevy in the '60's. I saw it at a State Fair. 35mm front projected onto a dome-shaped screen, much like Imax Dome (Omnimax). Projector sat on the floor, as did the operator. Jam Handy produced it.

Mark L.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-03-2001, 07:18 AM:

Wow, how long did that go on? The ones I saw were specific to the model cars being sold that year. Also, the 35mm presenatations I saw were a normal flat scope front projected screen.

Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 11-03-2001, 08:31 AM:

I have a Cinema 180 70mm rollercoaster ride film in my collection.

Hi Mark,

I hope you have the projection equipment to show this film, and where did you build the Cinema 180 dome screen at home?

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-03-2001, 12:06 PM:

The early Jam Handy Chevy shows that traveled around the country in mini semi ridged tent domes where 35mm on a custom low boy pedestal and the eariest one had Ashcraft carbon lamps with a flex hose to carry out the exhaust and usually a Simplex XL head. Jam Handy had a contract with General Motors for over two decades to supply promotional and training films. In the early 1970's the 35mm dome lens they used ( which was their own product ) was also available as a custom order from Kowa Optical in Japan. It was very inefficient light wise, so large lamphouses where required.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-03-2001, 02:06 PM:

I also have one of the Jam Handy dome films as well. Its I.B. Tech too and It's full of 1960 Chevys and is pretty cool just to run on a plain flat screen. If only one could still buy those cars today! I don't remember where I got all these wierd films but they are fun to run once in a while.

Phil, The cinema 180 film projects fine on a flat screen too. I'd be interested in buying one of the lenses for to add to my bent glass collection.
Mark @ GTS

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 06-16-2011, 10:54 PM:

It has been 3512 days since the last post.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-16-2011, 10:54 PM:

10 years later another thread was opened up on this subject here.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 06-16-2011, 11:21 PM:

I'll continue this thread with more frame shots for Hillary:

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 4784) on 06-17-2011, 04:24 AM:

Brad, that shot of Colossus in the photo you uploaded is from a Showscan film. [Big Grin]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-17-2011, 10:10 AM:

Looks to me like a Cinerama film [Smile]

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 4784) on 06-17-2011, 10:29 AM:

wrong roller coaster [Big Grin]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-17-2011, 11:35 AM:

No it isn't. It is from the 1982 Chevy Show.

Posted by Hillary Charles (Member # 769) on 06-17-2011, 12:23 PM:

Thanks for those Sean! [thumbsup]

You're really jogging my memory with those; more exercise than it's had in a while! [Big Grin]

Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 06-18-2011, 04:43 AM:

When I visited New Zealand late last year I stumbled across what was described as the last Cinema 180 left in the world. It's at a great amusement park called "Rainbows End". The print was in good condition.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 06-18-2011, 01:40 PM:

I have yet to see a DP75 without the elastic band holding the intermittent pad closed

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 09-16-2011, 10:00 AM:

I remember seeing a Chevy Show in the parking lot of a local shopping center in the mid 1960's. I distinctly remember standing there to see the show. I wanted to see it again, but the operators told me to buy another ticket!

I miss things like this today.

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 11-24-2015, 07:42 PM:

It has been 1530 days since the last post.

Posted by Martin Daian (Member # 1779) on 11-24-2015, 07:42 PM:

Hello, i think this is the projection system that Mr. Lensenmayer speaks.

Posted by David Buckley (Member # 2600) on 11-24-2015, 08:45 PM:

quote: Cameron Glendinning
When I visited New Zealand late last year I stumbled across what was described as the last Cinema 180 left in the world.

In the way that coffins attract that final nail...

Out with the old and in with the new

quote:
After 32 years, Rainbow’s End is saying a fond farewell to the Cinema 180 that was housed in the iconic red dome at the Auckland theme park.

The last surviving cinema of its kind in the world, Cinema 180 opened in 1983 and was specifically built to cater for the unique 180 film system which allowed movies to be screened using a bug eye lens that projected movies onto the dome shaped screen. This coupled with Motion Master technology, meant that visitors to the Cinema 180 were given an all sensory experience.

Projectionist Tom Freeman has overseen the running of the Cinema 180 for the past 22 years and reflects that in its heyday you would get 120 people in the dome. “It was fun watching people’s reactions, with so many people inside the dome you would get some start swaying and then they would all start, it wasn’t long before many fell” says Tom.

Sadly there are no films made for the cinema 180 process anymore and the whole projection system has been sold to film buffs. This leaves a large empty space in the park, but fear not say Rainbow’s End staff, as plans are well underway for a new attraction. “We can’t reveal what the new attraction is just yet,” says CEO Chris Deere, “but rest assured it will be amazing and having visited similar attractions overseas I know it will be very well received here.”

Posted by Martin Daian (Member # 1779) on 11-24-2015, 09:46 PM:

Hello David, yes, dome looks like was dismantelled, the projector lenses and films from Rainbow's end are right now for sale on ebay without any bids, starting price for $ 5000, i like to have it for my home but need to make a dome, problem also will be that the prints maybe have lots of scratches due to the quantity of times that was projected at the Rainbow's end, when i was a boy i go to see the dome here in Uruguay "Italian Park" comes and install the Siemens Dome with a kinoton projector and the show was incredible, no seats on the dome, you need to see the film stopped on the floor, some people scream on the dome for the effect caused, very nice to recreate today, but i think that if you seat the effect is not the same, Imax dome looks like be a better thing but seated, i like to see one Imax Dome anyday.

Posted by Terry Monohan (Member # 8285) on 11-24-2015, 10:58 PM:

You can still find a few of these 70mm type theatres around at tourist places ect. The problem is they have very old scratched up 70mm faded prints. Someone must be making a similar type in digital video to give a wrap around look plus stereo sound. Last year I saw this great video game that had a large curved screen and very crisp images that did a wrap around effect while you sat in a chair putting in coins.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 11-29-2015, 12:00 PM:

The only one I have seen was a touring dome that showed up at the CNE in Toronto a few times. One year the operators annoyed the other carnies somehow, and "persons unknown" urinated on the pavement beside the blower intakes. Not so nice a smell inside.

Posted by David Buckley (Member # 2600) on 11-29-2015, 02:32 PM:

quote: Terry Monohan
Someone must be making a similar type in digital video to give a wrap around look

It would actually be almost trivial these days; there are several manufacturers of media servers that can stitch together a number of projectors to form one big image, bent to fit almost any geometry imaginable.

Posted by Martin Daian (Member # 1779) on 12-11-2015, 08:51 PM:

Hello Everybody, here is a old picture of the Cinema 180 that was installed in our country "Uruguay" arround the year 80.