Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Hollywood Theatre upgrades to 7Omm projection

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-14-2014, 06:21 PM:

In 7Omm

The Hollywood Theatre is adding 70mm projection in January
Hollywood Theatre
By Jeff Baker | jbaker@oregonian.com

The Hollywood Theatre plans to start projecting movies in 70mm in January, making it the only theater in Oregon to use the old-school format favored in the 1950s and '60s.

The Hollywood already shows movies in 16mm and 35mm as well as digital, going counter to a trend that has seen national chains convert exclusively to digital. Using film was becoming a lost art until the last couple of years, when it made a comeback and prominent directors including J.J. Abrams and Quentin Tarantino fought to preserve it. Keanu Reeves made a documentary about it, and The new "Star Wars" movie is being shot on film and Tarantino says his New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles will only use film projection. Until the Hollywood gets its 70mm projection up and running, the closest 70mm theater is Cinerama in Seattle, owned by Paul Allen. (Cinerama is closed for upgrades.)

The Hollywood Theatre's head programmer, Dan Halsted, has been collecting 70mm parts for years and is the driving force behind the upgrade. He noted in a press release that Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" was released on 70mm in 2012 and Tarantino is rumored to be shooting "The Hateful Eight" on 70mm.

The Hollywood plans to screen "Vertigo" on 70mm in January. The nonprofit theater is raising money through a public campaign to help pay for the upgradge.

The announcement by the Hollywood is the latest in a series of upgrades by local theaters. Cinema 21 just completed a $70,000 campaign for new seats in its main auditorium, the McMenamins St. Johns Theater and Pub added new projection system, screen, and seats, and the Bob White in Southeast Portland is attempting a renovation.

-- Jeff Baker

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 10-15-2014, 08:40 AM:

well now I feel comfortable moving to Portland now.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 10-15-2014, 09:14 AM:

The Hollywood Theatre in Portland
was equipped with DP-70 915 & 917 at one time.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-15-2014, 11:17 AM:

This was also Portland's Cinemiracle and Cinerama theater for a period of time.

I don't know about you, but I sense the current theater personnel and the reporter haven't a clue about the venue's history. More importantly, if the original 70mm gear hadn't been removed, then they wouldn't be needing to scramble to re-equip.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-15-2014, 04:47 PM:

The fact that they have a pair of DP70s - assuming that they still have them - does not mean that substantial upgrading won't be needed. Even if the mechanisms are in good shape, they may not have the wooden box with the 70mm gate and pad roller components and spindles, or lenses and plates for 70mm ratios, or a lamphouse with a properly adjustable reflector and a powerful enough lamp for 70mm, or working mag preamps, or DTS readers and players ... the list goes on. And at the very least, a thorough overhaul of the booth infrastructure plus some serious training for the projectionists (if they have no recent experience handling and projecting 70) will be essential.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 10-16-2014, 07:09 AM:

quote: John Wilson
The Hollywood Theatre plans to start projecting movies in 70mm in January

What movies? They'll need more than 70mm projectors; they'll need to find 70mm prints that are in presentable shape -- a proposition that will be a lot harder than installing hardware.

Posted by Thomas Hauerslev (Member # 566) on 10-16-2014, 07:27 AM:

Come on folks, positive waves! Help them, rather than always be smarter or better knowing.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 10-16-2014, 01:00 PM:

I agree with Thomas. Even though the current situation regarding film is rather hopeless, we see a renewed interest in 70mm film all around the globe.

So, in my very humble opinion, it might be just a tad better to cheer those people who are seriously trying to bring it back to at least a considerable audience, instead of telling them that they're dorks for even trying. The fact that they're even trying is worth something. And no, free passes to screwupland aren't included, if you do it, you should do it right.

The major downside to this? Indeed, maybe a few prints get damaged in the process. But, what good is a 70mm print if nobody will ever be able to see it?

Also, I'm a little bit hopeful here, because if you invest in bringing back 70mm, you probably also realize you need functioning equipment and qualified operators to do the job. If you do not want to do it properly, why would you care for 70mm otherwise? Any thirteen-in-a-dozen digital presentation looks and sounds better than a botched up film presentation and doesn't cost you another dime.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 10-16-2014, 07:12 PM:

quote: Marcel Birgelen
If you do not want to do it properly, why would you care for 70mm otherwise?

Because celebs such as Tarantino and Nolan have jumped on the "film is cool" bandwagon and are popularizing it. Therefore, venues who aim for a more arthouse/culty audience see it (both 35 and 70) as an incentive and a selling point; but the risk is that some will invest the bare minimum of time, money and effort to get some sort of a picture on the screen.

From the horror stories we've encountered upon opening a can or shipping case (e.g. Jason's mangled reel of 2001), we know that such places do exist.

Sorry if my previous post appeared overly negative. I think what's motivating some to sound a note of caution here is that the stock of circulating 70mm prints is not large anymore, and realistically, the chances of new prints ever being made of non-new release titles (except, just possibly, the really corny favorites like Lawrence of Arabia is somewhere between very low and zero.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 10-16-2014, 07:36 PM:

Unfortunately, hype will be needed to get traction. No marketing, no customers. If "hip" does the trick, why care?
Personally, I would love to see a REAL comeback of 5/70 as a real premium format, coupled to some modern digital sound system. Combine the best of the analog realm with the best of the digital realm and create one big "premium experience". What's not to like?

We all know that prints of many classic 70mm features are rare and rather precious. With minimal to zero chance for reprints for those, maybe they should also be handled as something extra special and not just be send out to anyone who asks for them. But that's not only true for vintage 70mm productions, but for anything rare and therefore in dire need of preservation.

For those new releases, the situation is somewhat different. Not that I'm promoting mistreatment of uber-expensive prints, but a damaged print in this case will still be very regrettable, but not a potential catastrophe.

Posted by Terry Lynn-Stevens (Member # 7349) on 10-17-2014, 02:46 AM:

quote: Leo Enticknap
Therefore, venues who aim for a more arthouse/culty audience see it (both 35 and 70) as an incentive and a selling point; but the risk is that some will invest the bare minimum of time, money and effort to get some sort of a picture on the screen.

Leo, I am going to have to be a little more positive on this. I think I would have more faith in the 9 cinemas that are doing 70mm for Interstellar than I would any of the big chains. It is interesting that it appears that 3 locations are bistros/diners and one is a dome. Nevertheless, the 70mm release is exciting and worth being positive about.

quote:
Come on folks, positive waves!

Agreed.

Posted by Terry Monohan (Member # 8285) on 10-17-2014, 12:18 PM:

Great 70mm news for the Hollywood in Portland OR. They still have all 3 Cinerama booths A B C in the large downstairs theatre(Pink cement blocks) The large screen is curved a little. The only thing they need is a nice set of curved curtains that work and re do the bad lights that are boring WHITE above the middle projection booth. They don't add anything to this great old Cinerama Theatre. I told them last year to put some Blue/Green bulbs in and the ast manager told me they don't want people to fall, they do make bright color led bulbs these days. When the movie is on a little color light adds so much to a large theatre. Color LED lights add ambiance to a dark cinema yet most chains today only have boring White lights and so bright they bleed onto the screen. Bring on the 70mm roadshows with pre show music, intermission and exit music at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. The young movie crowd will see huge crisp 70mm prints like they have never seen before. Many studios have restored some 70mm in the past few years and now they are making a few new ones each year again. Todd-AO & Super 70mm Cinerama are coming back in Jan 2015 to the Fox Hollywood Theatre.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 10-17-2014, 12:36 PM:

> The large screen is curved a little.

CinemaScope originally required a slightly curved screen.

Cinerama requires a more deeply 146° curved screen which was made up of thin vertical strips angled slightly forward.

Sounds like what is there is an original CinemaScope screen.