This is topic Signs in 70mm! in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-02-2002, 10:53 AM:
Anyone else have a 70mm print of Signs, apart from the Loews Lincoln Center in NYC?
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-02-2002, 11:28 AM:
What?Moving to FHF since if this is not a misprint, this would be a VERY good thing.
Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-02-2002, 11:42 AM:
No, it's true (at least that's what it says in the papers this morning). The Lincoln Center has a 70mm print for it's IMAX screen. Showtimes are 6, 9, and 12 mid. There are 3 35mm prints downstairs.
Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-02-2002, 11:45 AM:
Somebody go check it out and report back to us! 
Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 08-02-2002, 01:40 PM:
I looked on Loew Cineplex home page and it has Signs in a regular Auditorium and one in an IMAX theatre for 3 shows. Go to purchase Tickets on Fandango it says nothing about Signs in IMAX. I have a feeling it is a mis print, but I will be exstatically happy if it is true.
Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-02-2002, 05:30 PM:
I'm guessing it's a 35mm print shown on the IMAX screen. They have shown many 35mm films in the IMAX auditorium at Lincoln Square.Our local Imax is also showing SIGNS in 35mm.
Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 08-02-2002, 06:07 PM:
What's the point of speculating? Surely the thing to do is call and ask if you care, or say nothing if you don't?--jhawk
Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 08-02-2002, 06:10 PM:
This is just speculation, but maybe it's one of those special "enhanced" drive-in prints. Maybe the 70mm logo just means the theater is 70mm capable, not that they're actually running it in 70mm (like some theaters do with sound logos). Maybe they thought they were getting a 70mm print when the ad was made, but the print was defective and they had to switch to 35mm at the last minute. Maybe the 70mm print was hijacked in transit and is now in someone's private collection. 
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-02-2002, 06:17 PM:
Yes, somebody needs to CALL the theater and talk to someone who may, just possibly (although unlikely) know what they are talking about, preferably a projectionist of some sort.Please scan the ad or take a digital photo of it and we'll post it.
Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-02-2002, 06:19 PM:
Well, all the NYC papers this morning had a 70mm bracket over the Loews IMAX showtimes. I called the Manager's office, and she told me that it was a 70mm print. If you would like to call for yourselves: 212-336-5020.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-02-2002, 06:53 PM:
Does it have it listed as Mag or DTS 70?
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 08-02-2002, 07:26 PM:
Where is Charles Everett when you need him
Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 08-03-2002, 12:55 PM:
David said "Maybe the 70mm logo just means the theater is 70mm capable, not that they're actually running it in 70mm (like some theaters do with sound logos)." Hmmm....gee....I know a theater that does that with sound logos. 
Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-03-2002, 08:33 PM:
Eric Carter's site http://www.filmreleases.com lists a 70mm print at the Loew's Imax. (He also lists over 50 DLP sites.) It's looking like this actually might be real.Wonder if this is in response to the darkness of this film? Did the director have to pay for this himself?
Posted by Tal Marks (Member # 175) on 08-03-2002, 11:39 PM:
Just to clarify. I saw the ad in the paper too. I work at Lincoln Square and can confirm that there is NO 70mm print in the building. In addition to our normally scheduled 4 screens, we are showing a special print of SIGNS for large format screens in our IMAX auditorium, too.
It'll start to get really confusing when the papers advertise Apollo 13 in september, I assure you!-tal
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 08-04-2002, 12:34 AM:
But Apollo 13 is being transfered to an Imax print so it is 70mm just horizontaly not verticaly.
Posted by Tal Marks (Member # 175) on 08-04-2002, 12:50 AM:
That is exactly my point, Darryl.
Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-04-2002, 11:55 AM:
Tal: I'm sure everyone is thankful for your clearing this up. . . but I'm curious what the justification is from Loews management for using the 70mm brackets in the ads (and when I called 5030 the other nite, whoever answered repeated the misinformation). Any idea?
Posted by Tal Marks (Member # 175) on 08-04-2002, 12:24 PM:
Some of the management team at this theater are not aware of all the things going on upstairs. They'll sometimes confirm things without double checking to make the customer go on their merry way. It's scary to think that if our current contract negotiations fail, they'll be the ones up here running things!
If you ever want to contact an NYC theater for technical questions, ask to speak to the projectionist and 99% of the time they'll put you right through and we love to talk shop!
As for the 70mm brackets, I think it was a mistake made by the papers. They usually get it right by stating that it's a print made especially for the IMAX screen (within a similar bracket).
Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 08-04-2002, 12:49 PM:
With such poor support of 70mm these days I'm surprised the newspapers still have any 70mm logo artwork --or perhaps maybe they got hold of some of the 70mm logo vector art thingies I put together.
Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 08-04-2002, 05:30 PM:
I must be missing something here. If the print is not 70mm, what's so special for it? Why is it unique for the IMAX screen?
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-04-2002, 05:51 PM:
Ken it has been discussed on the site before there are prints struck for IMAX theatres that are printed point lighter to allow for the massive underlite images. They are basically the old drivein prints
Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 08-04-2002, 06:14 PM:
Bobby Henderson wrote:With such poor support of 70mm these days I'm surprised the newspapers still have any 70mm logo artwork --or perhaps maybe they got hold of some of the 70mm logo vector art thingies I put together.
Bobby, you can relax. No one stole one of your logo vector art thingies you put together. The ad used standard type for the notation. All it said was "Special 70mm Presentation."
Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 08-05-2002, 03:23 PM:
This is probably a stupid question, but what is the advantage of having a 70mm print of something which was shot in 35mm? I thought that 35mm print stocks were capable of producing more detail than the original negative. It seems like even though 70mm is better, it wouldn't matter because 35mm would be past the point of "as good as it gets." I was always under the impression that the big advantage of 70mm for films which originated on 35mm was the sound, and that the reason why there are very few 70mm presentations today is because we have digital sound. I'm sure that I'm wrong about all of this, so if someone could clarify, it would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-05-2002, 03:32 PM:
Mike I would sugest doing a search of the site as it has been regularly been discussed that issue
in a nutshell
70mm prints have more than double the image area of a 35mm print so they have
greater resolution
can handle more heat hence more light
larger apperture size means more light can get through
longer focal length projectin lens mean greater back depth of focus
faster linear speed so analgue sound is better (for the same track width)
less print magnification so less visable grain
Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 08-06-2002, 03:27 AM:
Thanks, Gordon. But now I'm confused about lenses. When projecting an image, is there a greater depth of focus with short lenses or long lenses? I don't even know if depth of focus would be the correct term, but I'm referring to the range of distance between the projector and the screen in which the image will still be in focus. I get all confused about the differences between lenses when it comes to projecting as opposed to photographing an image.Also on the subject of lenses, are there zoom lenses for projectors, and if not, why?
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-06-2002, 05:42 PM:
Typically the longer focal length exhibit less dept of focus issues not always for the same reason as camera lens
There are variable focal length options such as the variable primes and the magnacoms but because projectors and screens are fixed and Aspect ratios are standardised zooms would serve little purepose
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 08-06-2002, 09:39 PM:
A zoom lens on projection would be pointless. I do remember using a lens at the drive-in years ago that I could adjust these two knobs on top of it and project both flat and scope images using the same lens. I can't remember the name of the lens but we would use it to project the intermission trailer that was flat and then turn the knobs to spread the picture out for the scope.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-06-2002, 09:49 PM:
That was a variable prismatic anamorphic If it had 2 knobs it would be a Hilux
Posted by Mike Schindler (Member # 1309) on 08-06-2002, 10:09 PM:
I was just thinking that a zoom lens would allow you to easily change from one aspect ratio to another.
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 08-06-2002, 10:10 PM:
That's what it was Gordon, thanks for reminding me of what it was called. It was the two knob type.