Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Marcus Ultrascreen vs. Superscreen

This is topic Marcus Ultrascreen vs. Superscreen in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-16-2005, 08:54 PM:

Marcus converted the Imax room at Columbus Crosswoods to an Ultrascreen theatre.

It looks from the Marcus website that they converted the Addison IL Imax room to a SuperScreen.

Can anyone explain the difference between an UltraScreen and a SuperScreen? Why isn't Addison an UltraScreen?

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-17-2005, 12:56 AM:

The Marcus website "explains" it this way:

SUPERSCREEN:

quote:
Bigger than the average screen with big picture and big sound. The SuperScreen TM boasts a large, bright picture and digital sound featuring the Academy Award® winning Screen Array system.

ULTRASCREEN:

quote:
The UltraScreens®, with razor sharp three-story tall picture, crystal clear digital sound and comfortable stadium seats are Marcus movie magic at its best.

The UltraView® auditoriums, with seating for 500, boast a screen 75 feet wide by 32 feet tall.

The UltraScreens® take moviegoing to a totally a new level of excitement that can never be experienced at home. The UltraScreens® are more than 500 times bigger than a typical 19”television screen.

Some explanation, eh?!

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 10-17-2005, 09:34 AM:

Mike,

I read that, too. I asked here because I might be able to get some more specific information. Looks like Superscreens are smaller than Ultrascreens, but I'm puzzled about the Imax in Addison. Was that smaller then the one in Columbus?

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 10-17-2005, 04:49 PM:

The best I can tell from going through all of Marcus' PR is that Superscreens are in the 40-45' range while Ultrascreens are in the 75' range.

Here's an interesting bit of trivia: The original UltraScreen was a CDC dual 1570 projection system at the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario, California owned by San Bernadino County and run by Ogden Entertainment. The theater had difficulty competing against an IMAX 3D theater at the adjacent Edwards Cinema and closed after only a few years. In 1999, the County sold the service mark for UltraScreen to Marcus Corporation for $20,000.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 10-17-2005, 07:51 PM:

quote: Joseph L. Kleiman
In 1999, the County sold the service mark for UltraScreen to Marcus Corporation for $20,000.

And while they were selling things off they sold the 15/70 projection system to Thanksgiving Point for a song and two dances.

Mark

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 10-17-2005, 11:03 PM:

quote:
The UltraScreens® take moviegoing to a totally a new level of excitement that can never be experienced at home. The UltraScreens® are more than 500 times bigger than a typical 19”television screen.

This is marketing from the midwest at its best. Its not about getting those patrons out of other movie theaters, its about getting them out of their bedrooms! [Big Grin]

This whole confusing rhetoric could be avoided by placing a huge red 's' on the superscreens, and just continuing to take up two extra print lines in every daily newspaper ad for the Ultras.