Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Released on this day in...

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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-21-2011, 06:16 PM:

October 21st. Released on this day in 1983...

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-21-2011, 10:14 PM:

Very good movie. However, the novel from Tom Wolfe was even better. The movie was good at pushing 70mm into theaters.

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 10-21-2011, 11:05 PM:

I did a lot of screenings and some post work on this and saw it in several versions and totally loved it, all 180 minutes. So, it came as a real shock it opened to empty houses even in the Bay Area where Philip Kaufman resides.

There was another nothing film that opened that day (someone chime in here) to full houses so when I went to some multiplex in Redwood City to do some last minute setups and saw the long lines I assumed it was for "Right Stuff".

Silly me.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-21-2011, 11:49 PM:

Sam...

All The Right Moves (with Tom Cruise)?
The Dead Zone (with Christopher Walken)?
Under Fire (with Nick Nolte)?

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 10-21-2011, 11:54 PM:

On my list to see.

AJG

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 10-22-2011, 01:03 AM:

Michael,

Not ringing a bell.

Keep trying.

Posted by Jock Blakley (Member # 6552) on 10-22-2011, 06:08 AM:

We showed a 70mm print of that to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the moon landings in 2009... I do wonder if they've kept the print.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 10-22-2011, 01:12 PM:

I ran "The Right Stuff" 4 times on 35mm on Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Az. The coolest thing was the opening sequence, which is 1:33, then when the plane crashes the image jumps to full 'scope. We had curtains at that theatre for side masks, and I rehearsed this a couple of times so when I went to open the curtains for the feature, I stopped at the 1:33, then opened them up as the explosion hit to full open. The audiences cheered every time. [Smile]

I could never understand why this movie didn't take off (pun intended) as it was full of great human drama, humor and it was a bit of a history lesson. I think too many people were put off by the running time, thinking it would be boring. But it is far from it...

One of the worst 70mm presentations of this was at the Chinese in Hollywood. It was marred by missing channels, the cut of the intermission (necessary in 70mm because of the length) in the totally wrong place, and incompetent projection where the leaders (head and tail) were run onscreen, along with an upside-down piece of filler film....now THAT showing felt like it lasted forever. I gave a full account of this in another thread.

From that other thread: LINKY

quote:
......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.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-22-2011, 04:25 PM:

October 22nd. Released on this day in 1982...

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-22-2011, 05:12 PM:

Nice poster illustration by Drew Struzan.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 10-22-2011, 07:53 PM:

Tony had stated THE RIGHT STUFF played at the Chinese Theatre in 70mm with a intermission and I found that to be strange. The Waikiki twin Theatres had an opportunity to play the film in 70mm if they had a changeover system and can run it without interruption. Because they had a platter system that cannot play a three hour movie without a break, Consolidated had to play it it 35mm because Warner Broothers insisted the flim play without a intermission . That was a bummer!

BTW, THE RIGHT STUFF is slated to be released on Blu-Ray sometime next year.

-Claude

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-22-2011, 10:10 PM:

That might be my cue to finally see The Right Stuff. We never did play it, and I've always wanted to see it, but it just didn't seem like "home video" material to me.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 10-22-2011, 10:44 PM:

quote: Claude S Ayakawa
Tony had stated THE RIGHT STUFF played at the Chinese Theatre in 70mm with a intermission and I found that to be strange. The Waikiki twin Theatres had an opportunity to play the film in 70mm if they had a changeover system and can run it without interruption. Because they had a platter system that cannot play a three hour movie without a break, Consolidated had to play it it 35mm because Warner Broothers insisted the flim play without a intermission . That was a bummer!

I had not heard of such a requirement and Mr. Ladd never mentioned it in our conversation over the Chinese' theatre debacle.

I saw it in 4 different 70mm houses and they all (except the Chinese) had the intermission thus:

quote: me
THE RIGHT STUFF - most houses running in 70mm put their 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.

The break done at that point was quite smooth and seemed like it was planned editorially.

However, all 35mm runs (including when I ran it at the base theatre) were run straight through.

Mike, even on DVD the movie plays well on a good home system. I definitely say go for it!!

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-23-2011, 02:18 PM:

October 23rd. Released on this day in 1992...

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 10-23-2011, 02:40 PM:

Ahhhh, good old Quentin.......strange man (I've met him) but brilliant filmmaker!!

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 10-23-2011, 10:41 PM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
Consolidated had to play it it 35mm because Warner Broothers insisted the flim play without a intermission

I've heard that to. I saw THE RIGHT STUFF gthe day after it opened at the main Chinese with no intermission (or previews, either). It was a flawless presentation. The first 10 reels were spliced together on a platter, while a changeover was employed for a doubled up reel. I'm surprised gthis wasn't done when it moved to the smaller Chinese, since all three screens had 2 Norelco's capable of either platter, changeover or both.

BTW, I had never been in the Chinese before with such a tiny audience. Very surprising considering the reviews.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-24-2011, 01:06 PM:

Released on this day in 1960...

San Antonio Express, October 24, 1960

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 10-24-2011, 03:46 PM:

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr regarding The Right Stuff
The coolest thing was the opening sequence, which is 1:33, then when the plane crashes the image jumps to full 'scope.

The Right Stuff was 1.85:1...but I agree it was effective never the less.

It only came to our small town for one night in around 1984 and I was working elsewhere (dammit) so was pretty pleased when the Orpheum management told me that they'd gone looking for some 7Omm prints from the distributors to add to their growing successes with the re-release of certain films in the format.

Warners got back to us saying they'd found a 7Omm of The Right Stuff but had no idea what condition it was in. This was around 1994. So we got it over for me to examine it...

There was not a mark on it.

It transpired that it had been originally released in Sydney in 7Omm but due to the completely underwhelming response from patrons had been dropped to a 35mm house within the first week so all those years later, I was essentially running a brand new 7Omm print of this amazingly good film. Our screenings were a huge hit and we regularly sold out all 750 seats with it. I used to ponder that more people probably saw it then than on its initial release.

BTW, it fits (just) on a Speco platter.

If it's on BR next year, I'm in. [thumbsup]

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-25-2011, 02:01 PM:

Released on this day in 1978...

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-26-2011, 10:08 AM:

Really??? Not a single comment for one of the most famous and popular horror films ever made? And the day before, no comments for a film shot in Todd-AO despite this forum being populated by a number of large-format fans?

Guys, this thing doesn't work without comments!

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-26-2011, 10:24 AM:

If you had done it like I first suggested (a separate thread for EACH DAY) then it wouldn't matter when comments were made.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-26-2011, 10:56 AM:

Having separate threads for each day IS how I did this the first time a couple of months ago, and it didn't go over well then, either.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-26-2011, 11:01 AM:

I don't know why I keep arguing this because some people just don't seem the grasp the concept. I'll try it one more time and then give up:

If there was one thread for each day, then it WOULDN'T MATTER if comments were made today or tomorrow or in 10 years or never. But the threads would always be there and easy to find by date. Then in a future year somebody might get curious about "what movies came out today," come to this forum and find that date.

What difference would it make if comments are made today or in 20 years from now?

But it would be a lot easier if the whole project was given its own forum, so the dates (and nothing else) were there. Less confusing that way.

One final point: You do realize, don't you, that the way you're doing it now was suggested by Tom Petrov. If that isn't incentive to do it my way, then I'm really giving up. [Big Grin]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-26-2011, 11:25 AM:

..also, "Mr. C" is mirroring these posts on FB, and there is tons more traffic on that site than over here...

Irwin Yablans - exec/produced quite the few picts in the short years of Compass Films.

I did run this original back in 1978, but just not a fan of slasher flicks, yet John Carpenter knew how to get the message across.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 10-26-2011, 11:25 AM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
some people just don't seem the grasp the concept.

Are you implying that I don't understand my own concept? You make it sound like this whole thing was your idea.

quote: Mike Blakesley
If there was one thread for each day

Again, that is how I did it before both on this site and on other sites.

quote: Mike Blakesley
What difference would it make if comments are made today or in 20 years from now?

Um, because I want to read people's comments on the day of. As an analogy, when it's your birthday or anniversary, do you prefer to receive "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Anniversary" wishes on the actual day?

quote: Mike Blakesley
But it would be a lot easier if the whole project was given its own forum

I agree, but nothing has been done about it. Brad?

quote: Mike Blakesley
One final point: You do realize, don't you, that the way you're doing it now was suggested by Tom Petrov. If that isn't incentive to do it my way, then I'm really giving up

I thought it might get Tom to participate and/or Brad to create the sub-forum.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 10-26-2011, 01:49 PM:

I've been busy and haven't kept up. I'm also spoiled on Facebook like notifications for a given thread of communication.

That being said, I never got to see Halloween theatrically on film. Pardon the pun, but I'd kill to see a restored 35mm print of it, in mono of course.

AJG

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-26-2011, 03:09 PM:

quote: Michael Coate
Having separate threads for each day IS how I did this the first time a couple of months ago, and it didn't go over well then, either.

The Right Stuff = [thumbsup]

I guess it's a hard act to follow. Note that TRS still gets comments...

What an amazing score! It's one of my all-time favorites.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-26-2011, 05:42 PM:

quote: Michael Coate
Are you implying that I don't understand my own concept? You make it sound like this whole thing was your idea.

Having the dates in their own separate forum was my idea.

Anyway, it looks like you and I are after two separate goals. I'm after having a searchable database/forum that would be looked at for many years; you are after getting comments after everything you post.

Back on topic - I never saw "Halloween" but it's a cool looking one-sheet. I don't think we ever played it...we don't play too many horror movies, because they are so "hyped up" that the target audience goes out of town to see them on opening weekend -- and said target group isn't big enough here to sustain the show for two or more weeks. (Same reason we haven't played any "Twilight" movies on the break.)

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 10-26-2011, 09:37 PM:

Has Mike gotten any requests for the 6hr "Twilight" marathon at his theatre any? [Big Grin]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-27-2011, 12:06 AM:

Nope.

I've had people ask about the new movie, but (like all Twilight movies) the studio won't let us have it for less than 3 or 4 weeks, so we've never played one on the break. Hence, they have all flopped here.

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 10-27-2011, 09:02 AM:

We're showing Halloween at midnight on Friday and Saturday night this weekend. Yes, off a Blu-Ray.

Halloween was great the first time I saw it, when I was 10. But for me, it doesn't hold up under multiple viewings. The less you know going in, the more "fun" it is.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 10-27-2011, 09:39 AM:

I think a thread for each day is a bit much. What's next? A whole forum for this? I dunno...

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 11-08-2011, 02:07 PM:

I was at the Atlanta premier of The Right Stuff at the Fox Theatre. I got to meet Chuck Yeager that night, too! I've still got the ticket stubs in my Beta copy of the movie!

The only bad part was, I had to sit on the 2nd row... down front... in an aisle seat. Had a sore neck for days afterward, but wouldn't have missed being there for anything. It's fun being part of a full house screening!