This is topic 70mm in London. in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 05-27-2008, 03:27 PM:
 
Just received my July booklet from the BFI. They are running a David Lean season at the National Film Theatre. 'Lawrence of Arabia', 10th, 20th & 23rd July and 'Ryan's Daughter', 22nd and 26th July are shown as being 70mm screenings, though you have to look very closely at the listing to see it. I think the BFI have their own 70mm print of 'Lawrence of Arabia', if I remember correctly. All of these screenings are in NFT1. 70mm is rare in London now.

In the past 'Dr. Zhivago' has been shown as a 70mm blow-up, but there's no mention of that this time, so I assume it will be shown in 35mm this year.
 

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 05-27-2008, 04:50 PM:
 
The last 70mm screening I went too was "Wargames" in February at the NFT 3 (smallest Cinema).

The last time I had seen 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 70mm was at the Picturehouse Cinema in Greenwich several years ago.

There only 12 people there to see this great film as the Cinema Mangement never sold the 70mm Screening Experience there so 70mm screenings were never popular at Greenwich.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-28-2008, 08:55 AM:
 
I don't know if the BFI have a print of Robert Harris's restoration. I did once show a 70mm Larry from the Berkhamsted vaults which was a lot older and a lot pinker.

There is, however, a print of the restoration in circulation in Britain; or at least there was when Darren showed it in York a few years ago. My memory is that it was a little tatty around the reel ends, but otherwise in reasonably good shape.
 

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Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 05-30-2008, 01:20 AM:
 
New "Lawrence of Arabia" 70mm DTS print #04 has the new writing credit "Robert Bolt + Michael Wilson"

We ran that here in Copenhagen in April 2008. Looks stunning.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-30-2008, 03:40 PM:
 
The one I recall seeing at York was a mag print, not DTS.
 

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Posted by Ed Mauger (Member # 4813) on 05-31-2008, 04:56 AM:
 
Hello all!
The National Film and Television Archive has its own 70mm print of Lawrence - bought a few years ago when David Lean restored it. Still in excellent condition.
Ryan's Daughter is being played on 70mm 6-track sep-mag. It's the Warner's archive print; apparently the picture on this looks stunning - pity about the film though!
Ed.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 05-31-2008, 09:16 AM:
 
Ed, I see you're from London, are you involved with either the NFT or the BFI? Do you know what they're running for Dr. Zhivago, Is it 35mm or digital? What sound format?
 

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Posted by Ed Mauger (Member # 4813) on 06-03-2008, 04:03 PM:
 
Hi Stephen,
I do most of the installation work at the NFT, but am not an employee. Dr. Zhivago is in 35mm, print from the Archive. I think it's DTS sound. I don't think this was shot in 65mm, so not much is lost there.
Do try to see Ryan's Daughter - I believe this is an answer print off the original neg, and won't be shown much anywhere. Lawrence pops up from time to time, so there's always another chance to see that.

Ed.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 06-04-2008, 05:28 AM:
 
Yes, 'Doctor Zhivago' was shot on 35mm anamorphic. There used to be some very good 70mm blow-up prints of it at one time, but I'm guessing that either those no longer exist, or more recent 35mm prints are in better condition; I don't think any new 70mm ones have been made for a long time.

I haven't been up in the box at the NFT for years. The last time I was there the Vic.8s were still using the old xenon-converted Kalee President lamphouses which had been taken off the Kalee 21s which used to face the other way, into what was the old NFT3, now an office, I think. These were due to be replaced by new lamps within a few days. At that time the sound was CP-200 with all of the options; I think I heard somewhere that this has now been replaced. Is this the case, and what are they using now. They had SR-D and DTS, but I don't think they had the 70mm timecode readers then. The 16mm machines were Philips clover-leaf double band, though the sound side was disused in favour of dual gauge Maga-Tech followers anre these still there?

Where have they installed the digital; is it in the main box, or in the new one underneath, where the video projector was?

I don't often have time to get up to the NFT these days, though I am a member again now, I haven't been there since the documentary season in September (I think) last year. I seldom go to NFT1 anyway, most of the films I want to see are in NFT2.

I've never seen 'Ryan's Daughter', I think I'll try to get there, I probably won't get another chance to see it in 70mm.
 

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 06-04-2008, 07:01 AM:
 

quote: Ed Mauger

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I do most of the installation work at the NFT, but am not an employee.

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