Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Intermissions added to Films? Seen or added yourself?

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Posted by Markus Lemm (Member # 3456) on 12-17-2005, 12:00 AM:

I was reading the 'Intermission in King Kong' topic and was wondering who has seen intermissions added to other films?

I remember that when we played "Apocalypse Now Redux" we added an intermission at the end of the 5th reel. Perfect spot since it is a fadeout of a scene and halfway through the film. Some people complained so we played it without the intermission then some people complained that we should add an intermission. Can't make everyone happy, eh.
I also saw an intermission added in the middle of "About Schmidt" at some local cinema in Amsterdam.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-17-2005, 12:56 AM:

There used to be 3 theatres in northern Montana that featured intermissions in every film. The people there were used to it and liked it, according to the owner. He died a few years ago -- one of his theatres closed, and the other two were bought out by a Montana circuit called Polson Theatres. They remodeled the theatres and did away with the intermissions.

Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-17-2005, 04:21 PM:

We actually had a lot of intermissions back in the 80s. In those days, we were a single screen changeover house with 6000' reels. Our projectors were Brenkerts. The number 2 machine would break down regularly, leaving us to show the whole film on one machine. So, we bought an intermission strip and placed it at the end of the first big reel until the repairs were made. Most of the time, no complaints. I think people were more easy going in those days. Also, we only charged $1.50.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-17-2005, 09:34 PM:

I would never add an intermission to anything except out of necessity. I've had to do it a few times in booths with 6000' reel capability where there was some issue or other with one of the machines. I just add an intermission snipe to the end of reel 3 and make sure that someone announces to the audience that there will be a brief intermission halfway through the film. I hate doing this, but it's better than having to cancel a show until parts can be delivered and/or installed.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-18-2005, 07:37 AM:

Scott, I agree to a point. A film's pace is dependent on continuity and a randomly placed intermission, especially just thrown in by a projectionist because it's at the end of a reel, is disrespectful to the film-maker's art and should never be done except, as you say, if it's purely out of technical necessity.

On the other hand, really long films like TITANIC, KING KONG, and many of the other near three hour epics, if the film-maker didn't have the foresight to put in his own intermission, then out of respect for my audience, I am not going to make a theatre full of people suffer due to some inflated ego or just plain arrogance of the film-maker who thinks he's more important than considering the physical comfort of the audience. I think there has to be a balance with those overly long films, tipping on the side of my patrons. And again my argument that if the film-maker can live with an intermission in the overseas markets, then he should be able to endure a fifteen minute intermission over here for the comfort of his countrymen.

And hey, as we say in Brooklyn, not for nuthin, Mr. Director, get over yourself....it's just a movie; we are not interrupting brain surgury.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-18-2005, 07:55 AM:

Back in days of old, many theatres added an intermission to GREASE in order to pump up concession sales. They dropped those quickly as they discovered that the teenage girls that were flocking to the film so hated the BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT number that they came running out in groups to by snacks.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-18-2005, 09:53 AM:

Titanic was so long (and the good parts were in the last 45 minutes) that no one would leave that late; the result was peeing in the seats. (too much Coke)

One theatre here in Kentucky anticipated this and ordered an intermission snipe "just in case." Ad mats were copied so that it appeared to be done by the film maker. This was "cut in" just as they realized they were sinking. Very well done. Louis

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 12-18-2005, 09:57 AM:

"Gettysburg" had intermission. It was almost 5 hours long.

Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 12-18-2005, 11:43 AM:

Ah, yes, "Gettysburg." Yep, we did do an intermission for that one. Especially when it was at our DTS house, so we could swap discs for the second half. I can still hear those cannons!

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 12-18-2005, 11:56 AM:

Gettysburg intermission was built in with black and music for about 6 mins. Same was done for Gods and Generals.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 12-18-2005, 12:19 PM:

It ran at what was then the ABC Shaftsbury Avenue in london in 70mm. They ran it in two parts; part one in screen one, and part two in screen two, so you actually had to change auditoria during the intermission. Never seen that done before. Going from one extreme to the other, I've also got the Laserdisc, which I've watched letterboxed on my 14 inch television.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-18-2005, 12:28 PM:

I sort of envy those of you who've seen more recent "official" intermissions. The last ones I even remember where on "Gone With The Wind" and "Dr. Zhivago". That train scene coming out of the break was impressive.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 12-18-2005, 12:46 PM:

We would get films like Dr. Zhivago in 2nd run with the intermission removed by the film exchange. We'd splice a snipe back in and go for it. The audience never complained.

Posted by John Koutsoumis (Member # 1855) on 12-18-2005, 11:32 PM:

With films like King Kong (which I have not seen and don't plan to) if their is no fade to black or a dissolve to the intermission tag or a good long scene ending shot, as their used to be, then a intermission tag simply spliced on the end of a shot or c/o to is kinda abrupt in my opinion. Not to mention some boofheads who just shut the dowser and turn the lights on full. I've seen this before and it surely lacks showmanship. And what about the music. Are theatres adding play out/play in music via non-sync that matches the film score or just their typical non-sync top 40 rubbish? That just ruins the illusion [Frown]

The best scene to intermission I've experienced is with Ben-Hur or the clever one in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I say leave the film alone, but yes you have to think of others and their possible discomfort. Can't please everyone.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 12-19-2005, 03:16 PM:

What about "How The West Was Won" as the riverboat sails off in the distance and the music swells, or Dr. Zhivago when the train rolls off to the horizon (matched by the opening shot of Act 2 with the tunnel exit and screaming whistles). And who can forget GWTW with Scarlett and the tree?

I agree though, if you are going to put in a break, at least pick a logical place, not just a reel break.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-20-2005, 05:06 AM:

CAMELOT -- speech by King Arthur after he finds out there's much hanky panky going on under his roof. The main "Camelot" theme swells to a really bombastic crescendo...cue curtain and warmers. And there's MY FAIR LADY -- off to the ball as "I Could Have Danced All Night" builds to a really impressive climax....cue curtain and warmers.

You just can't beat that stuff. Of course you have to have a curtain and curtain warmers to do it properly.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-14-2006, 02:12 PM:

THE RIGHT STUFF - most houses running in 70mm put thier intermission at the end of reel 6, the scene where astronaut Deke Slayton is in the mermaid tank behind the bar. Perfect for leadout as you had the "deedle-deedle" lounge music in the background. The opening of the next reel was a bunch of reporters climbing over Louise Shepard's fence.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 01-14-2006, 09:05 PM:

The now defunct Waikiki Twins had an opportunity to show "THE RIGHT STUFF" in 70mm in auditorium #1 but had to show it in 35mm because Warner Brothers did not allow Pacific to put in an intermission and insisted that the film played without any pause. From what I was told, the entire 70mm print of the three hour film could not fit on their platter so an intermission was necessary. On the other hand, "GANDHI" played in this same auditorium in 70mm only because it came with an intermission and entr'acte.

-Claude

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-14-2006, 10:25 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
On the other hand, really long films like TITANIC, KING KONG, and many of the other near three hour epics, if the film-maker didn't have the foresight to put in his own intermission

In the case of TITANIC, it not only was discussed, but nixed by Cameron.

From the book "Titanic: James Cameron's Illustrated Screenplay:"

quote:
Do to the film's running time an intermission was proposed. The portentious ending of Scene 156 seemed like a logical break point to create two seperate "acts." Cameron was vehemently opposed to the concept.

Cameron: I don't believe in an intermission because I've worked hard as a filmmaker to capture an audience's hearts and minds. I don't want to let them leave the dramatic space I've created for ten minutes so they can get more popcorn or go to the restroom. If they need a break, let them pick their own time to run to the lobby. If I do my job as a storyteller then no one will want to take a break, even after three hours. I told people "There will be an intermission in this movie over my dead body."

The proposed break for TITANIC happened during the discussion between Smith, Andrews and Ismay when discussing how much time before the ship sinks and closes on the Smith's line "I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay." Which is where the videocassette and new DVD version puts it.

quote: Frank Angel
And there's MY FAIR LADY -- off to the ball as "I Could Have Danced All Night" builds to a really impressive climax....cue curtain and warmers.

Actually the official intermission point of MFL comes after Eliza walks down the stairacse on the way dressed in white before they leave for the ball.

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
The now defunct Waikiki Twins had an opportunity to show "THE RIGHT STUFF" in 70mm in auditorium #1 but had to show it in 35mm because Warner Brothers did not allow Pacific to put in an intermission and insisted that the film played without any pause.

Ironically, when I saw the film in 35mm in Bakersfield at UA Movies 6, the local theatre stuck in it's own intermission, when their platteres could easily have held the whole 35mm print. The point came at the end of John Glenn's bedtime chat to his wife boasting that he would be the first man in space. (Another local theatre threw in an intermission in Sophie's Choice right after Sophie's husband/partner(?) demanded to know how she was able to escape the gas chambers. Very innapropriate jump-cut to an intermission snipe in the style used for the Feature Presentation snipe in Kill Bill.

NOTE: The Chinese Theatre handled the 70mm print of THE RIGHT STUFF by showing all but the last 2 reels on platter, then doing a changeover to second projector using a doubled-up reel.

Posted by Robert Harris (Member # 1712) on 01-16-2006, 10:12 AM:

The actual placement of ntermissions in roadshows were sometimes determined by test audiences.

The break in Spartacus was originally placed at the end of "We camp tonight by the sea," as opposed to "Put him on a horse!"

Also, from a technical standpoint, they were almost always physically cut in before striping and sounding, as were the Overture, Logo, Main Title sequence, Entr'Acte and End Titles.

As an example, original prints of Lawrence were made up of the following sections for Reel 1 A/B: Protection and Academy leader (which had been removed from 1A), Overture, Logo, Main Titles, Reel 1A, Reel 1B.

RAH

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-17-2006, 05:46 PM:

quote: Paul Linfesty
NOTE: The Chinese Theatre handled the 70mm print of THE RIGHT STUFF by showing all but the last 2 reels on platter, then doing a changeover to second projector using a doubled-up reel.

Maybe during the first part of its run, but when I went to see it near the end of the run (dragging my sister and some friends thru the hideous LA traffic) they managed to totally screw up the presentation from beginning to end! No n/sync, threading with the penthouse hot, putting the leader on the screen, out-of-frame, soft focus, bad sound, etc.

And they took intermission at the end of the scene where the astronauts march up toward the camera! The film then tailed out to white screen!

Coming out of the intermission was even worse! Same threadup and this time, instead of the SMPTE leader, we were treated to an upside-down image of a "pagoda" style building until we got into the film, with the last few notes of the previous scene's music heard before the picture opened on the rocket Al Shepard was to ride.

Needless to say I was more than a little pissed, as was most of the 300+ in the house. My post-show tirade had the manager in fear of his life and got most all the house refunds! I also sent a scathing letter to the Ladd Company.

Several years later I met Alan Ladd, Jr. and he remembered me from that letter and asked if it was really that bad. I told him it was. He offered me a job as a secret screener for his future productions.

[Big Grin]

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-17-2006, 06:44 PM:

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr
No n/sync

This was policy from Mann Theatres from the point they took over the NGC chain in 1973 until at least the late 80's. I never heard pre-show music at any Mann house I visited during this time period (Fox Bakersfield, Tower Oakland, all the Mann's in Westwood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills (Fine Arts). I visited the LA sites frequently.

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr
Maybe during the first part of its run

I saw it on the Saturday matinee the day after it opened at the original theatre. The presentation was just about perfect, although the recently re-lit red lighting cast a low glow on the corners of the screen. Other than that the presentation was flawless. There seemed to be a pathetically low turnout, however.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 01-17-2006, 09:11 PM:

quote: Paul Linfesty
The proposed break for TITANIC happened during the discussion between Smith, Andrews and Ismay when discussing how much time before the ship sinks and closes on the Smith's line "I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay." Which is where the videocassette and new DVD version puts it.

I saw the movie in a theater several times and I've always thought that's exactly where an intermission would have been most appropriate.

Posted by Wayne Keyser (Member # 2420) on 01-17-2006, 10:28 PM:

How about a "lost intermission"?

JEREMIAH JOHNSON, a favorite of mine - saw it first-run, second-run, revival, maybe a dozen times in all, 108 minutes straight through, no problem.

DVD version "restores" a never-shown overture, intermission and entr'acte bringing the new running time to 116 minutes (according to IMDB).

And, to me, it "feels wrong" - no need for it, and it breaks the rhythm I've grown used to - never noticed "something missing" when I saw it originally.

Posted by Grant Davies (Member # 579) on 01-17-2006, 11:28 PM:

We ran an intermission for the first Lord of the Rings film during it's second week of screening. We had more than a few complaints that the film was too long and needed to have a break. Was mildly successful at alleviating some patrons concerns at purchasing 1020ml of pepsi for themselves and surviving. Funnily enough the very next week it went straight back to having no intermission.

It was a hell of a lot easier to move though. Wasn't the smoothest transition but certainly wasn't clumsy enough to be ugly.

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 01-18-2006, 06:54 AM:

quote: Paul Linfesty
The proposed break for TITANIC happened during the discussion between Smith, Andrews and Ismay when discussing how much time before the ship sinks and closes on the Smith's line "I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay." Which is where the videocassette and new DVD version puts it.

Was this at a reel change or did the intermission have to be cut into the film?

Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 01-18-2006, 10:12 AM:

In addition to the three screens Mike mentioned in Montana, there are two more in Northern Montana that originally ran 1 projector w/6000ft reels thus an intermission was necessary! Even after I installed platters, They tried running an entire show but the customers complained about the loss of the 'pee break' in the middle of the show!! So, they still run an intermission every show to bolster snack bar sales! There are two theatres in N. California that are single projector w/ 6000 ft reels, they have run with intermissions for years and like Mike said, the customers are used to it! I guess its just a matter of what you are conditioned to...it didn't take very long to 'condition' people for TV commercials...

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 01-18-2006, 10:43 AM:

There was (apparently) only 1 projector at the Cinema Paradiso (the Italian movie) and they were running off 2000 foot reels!

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 01-18-2006, 01:39 PM:

The Ohio Theatre Classic Summer Film Series always runs with an intermission. Even short films get an intermission. They usually have the intermissions right on the reel changes (there are no platters in the booth). Worst moment was the break right in the middle of the crop duster scene in NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

Note that much of the audience is older, and it is a LONG way to some of the rest rooms. It isn't an easy place to manage in the dark.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 01-22-2006, 09:35 AM:

Moved to the more appropriate The Afterlife forum.

[ 01-24-2006, 03:52 AM: Message edited by: Frank Angel ]

Posted by Timothy Eiler (Member # 383) on 01-22-2006, 10:28 AM:

The Theatre in Medford Wi. ran With one Projector and 6000 ft. Reel until about 6 years ago. When the new owner put a plattter in.

I ran titanic with a intermission after reel 5 as the ship started sinking in reel 6. I had lines for the bathroom and snack bar with many customers thanking me for The bathroom break. If King Kong is Not on Video when I reopen for the season I will single bill and run an intermission.