Showcase Presentations in Nashville
A Chronology of Large Format and Roadshow Exhibition, 1959-Present
Compiled by Michael Coate
Part 1: The Cinemas
ANTIOCH
Bell Forge
FRANKLIN
Thoroughbred
GOODLETTSVILLE
Rivergate
NASHVILLE
Belle Meade
Crescent
Fountain Square
Harding Mall
Part 2: The Engagements
The reserved-seat engagements (i.e. roadshows) have an asterisk after the title.
IMAX and other special venue presentations have not been included.
YYYY-MM-DD TITLE Cinema (duration in weeks) [notes or projection process if other than 70mm]
1959-12-25 THE BIG FISHERMAN Crescent (5)
1960-02-25 SOUTH PACIFIC Crescent (4)
1960-03-24 OKLAHOMA! Crescent (4)
1960-04-21 SOLOMON AND SHEBA Crescent (2)
1960-05-05 AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS Crescent (2)
1960-06-16 BEN-HUR* Crescent (13)
1960-09-15 CAN-CAN* Crescent (5)
1961-05-10 EXODUS Crescent (5)
1961-06-15 SPARTACUS Crescent (6)
1961-12-22 KING OF KINGS Crescent (5)
1962-02-27 THIS IS CINERAMA* Crescent (13) [Cinerama]
1962-05-31 SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD* Crescent (18) [Cinerama]
1962-10-04 CINERAMA HOLIDAY* Crescent (5) [Cinerama]
1962-11-08 THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM* Crescent (13) [Cinerama]
1963-02-07 WINDJAMMER* Crescent (9) [Cinerama]
1963-04-12 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY* Crescent (8)
1963-06-06 HOW THE WEST WAS WON* Crescent (20) [Cinerama]
1963-06-13 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA* Green Hills (7) [35mm]
1963-10-24 CLEOPATRA* Crescent (20)
1964-03-26 ITS A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD* Crescent (27) [Cinerama]
1964-10-01 THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE Crescent (3)
1964-10-22 BECKET Crescent (3)
1964-11-12 CIRCUS WORLD* Crescent (8) [Cinerama]
1965-05-21 MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY* Crescent (4)
1965-06-03 MY FAIR LADY* Green Hills (19) [35mm]
1965-06-23 THE SOUND OF MUSIC* Belle Meade (69)
1965-08-05 THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES* Crescent (11)
1965-12-22 BATTLE OF THE BULGE* Crescent (12) [Cinerama]
1966-04-07 RUSSIAN ADVENTURE* Crescent (3) [Cinerama]
1966-06-09 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO* Green Hills (22) [35mm]
1966-11-02 THE BLUE MAX* Belle Meade (12) [35mm]
1967-02-09 THE BIBLE* Belle Meade (13)
1967-03-01 GRAND PRIX* Crescent (14) [Cinerama]
1967-03-17 THE SAND PEBBLES* Green Hills (15) [35mm]
1967-05-02 ULYSSES* Melrose (3 days) [35mm]
1967-06-08 THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE* Crescent (18) [35mm]
1967-08-03 HAWAII* Belle Meade (12) [35mm]
1967-12-21 GONE WITH THE WIND* Belle Meade (27)
1968-01-26 FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD* Green Hills (7) [35mm]
1968-06-13 CAMELOT* Green Hills (12) [35mm]
1968-06-27 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY* Belle Meade (13) [Cinerama]
1968-12-19 ICE STATION ZEBRA* Belle Meade (9) [Cinerama]
1968-12-25 FINIANS RAINBOW* Green Hills (5) [35mm]
1969-02-12 THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN* Green Hills (5) [35mm]
1969-02-20 STAR!* Belle Meade (6)
1969-03-27 THE LION IN WINTER* Green Hills (8) [35mm]
1969-06-06 SWEET CHARITY* Belle Meade (7)
1969-06-18 OLIVER!* Green Hills (13) [35mm]
1969-07-25 KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA Belle Meade (7) [Cinerama]
1969-08-07 FUNNY GIRL* Martin (13) [35mm]
1980-05-21 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Belle Meade (12)
1982-01-01 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK Belle Meade (11)
1982-03-19 QUEST FOR FIRE Belle Meade (6) [70mm from Week #3]
1982-06-04 STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN Belle Meade (8)
1982-11-12 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL Belle Meade (5)
1983-05-25 RETURN OF THE JEDI Belle Meade (18)
1983-09-30 BRAINSTORM Belle Meade (8)
1984-05-23 INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM Bell Forge (10)
1984-05-23 INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM Belle Meade (12)
1984-05-23 INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM Rivergate (16)
1984-08-24 STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK Belle Meade (3)
1984-09-14 GREYSTOKE: THE LEGEND OF TARZAN Belle Meade (2)
1984-09-28 GHOSTBUSTERS Belle Meade (2)
1984-10-12 GREMLINS Belle Meade (2)
1984-12-07 2010 Bell Forge (8)
1984-12-07 2010 Belle Meade (9)
1984-12-07 2010 Rivergate (9)
1985-03-29 RETURN OF THE JEDI Belle Meade (6)
1985-06-21 COCOON Belle Meade (15)
1986-05-16 TOP GUN Belle Meade (25)
1989-05-24 INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE Belle Meade (12)
1989-09-15 THE ABYSS Belle Meade (1)
1989-09-22 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Belle Meade (9)
1990-06-15 DICK TRACY Fountain Square (8)
1990-07-18 ARACHNOPHOBIA Fountain Square (5)
2015-12-25 THE HATEFUL EIGHT Thoroughbred (2)
2017-07-21 DUNKIRK Thoroughbred
Note that some of the 70mm presentations included in this listing were presented in 35mm during the latter weeks of engagement due to print damage and the distributors unwillingness to supply a 70mm replacement print or because the booking was moved to a smaller, 35mm-only auditorium within a multiplex. As well, the reverse may have been true in some cases whereas a booking began with a 35mm print because the lab was unable to complete the 70mm print order in time for an opening-day delivery or the exhibitor negotiated a mid-run switch to 70mm. In these cases, the 35mm portion of the engagement has been included in the stated duration figure.
References: Various issues of Boxoffice, The Tennessean and Variety; Dolby sound system installation records; and projector and sound system trade advertisements.
Special Thanks: Vince Young.
If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor.