Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Military Theater Booking Question

This is topic Military Theater Booking Question in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 04-16-2012, 11:34 AM:

A question for those of you who served in the military or were a child dependent of military parents:

Does anyone recall the original STAR WARS playing any military base theaters during the 1977-78 timeframe?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 04-16-2012, 02:23 PM:

You might be able to get this information with an FOIA request to AAFES and the Navy Motion Picture Service.

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 04-16-2012, 04:36 PM:

I don't really know but as a former Air Force base projectionist my guess would be yes as Special Services always got the bases top rated films before they hit the civilian screens.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 04-16-2012, 04:43 PM:

You could contact these guys , they may have some info you could use. It's a museum in Corpus Christi that I did a Megasystems 8/70 install in.
Rick

Posted by Jonathan M. Crist (Member # 413) on 04-16-2012, 07:17 PM:

By the time Star Wars came out many of the military post theatres here in the United States had become part time often weekend only operations. Since these were reduced price theatres they ended playing more or less date and date with the second run (or discount) theatres.

If I recall correctly Star Wars was not made available for second run theatres until the the summer of 1979 and then for a limited three week engagement. So I would doubt that Star Wars played in many (if any) military theatres in the US while it was in still in the first run engagements in 1977-1978.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 04-23-2012, 01:01 AM:

Okay, allow me to modify my question.

Does anyone recall the original STAR WARS ever playing as an in-flight movie on a commercial airline? What about any 16mm prints for non-commercial or special booking situations?

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 04-23-2012, 01:43 AM:

Check with Criterian, Swank or Modern Sound Pictures Michael.

Posted by Jim Henk (Member # 3628) on 04-26-2012, 10:09 PM:

You don't tend to see a lot of things that fly and go boom in in-flight movies...