This theater did open in 1977, as claimed, but certainly not as an 8-plex. (I bet the number of 8-plexes in existence in 1977 can be counted on one hand.) I believe it opened, as a twin, on December 23, 1977, with the debut features being “Oh, God!” and “The Choirboys.”
<<< “The Metro Center Cinema III opened in 1980” >>>
The Metro Center Cinema I-II-III opened several years before 1980. The mall in which the theater was located opened in 1973, and the theater opened shortly thereafter (either 1974 or 1975).
<<< Ballou Park 4 (Also known as Ballou Park Twin) >>>
Actually, its original name was, simply, Park. (The “Ballou Park” name may have been what was used in recent years or perhaps what locals called it in conversation since it was located in the Ballou Park section of town.)
<<< “This theater opened…around 1970” >>>
A more precise opening date is May 16, 1969. And, for those who care about such details, the debut feature was “My Side of the Mountain.”
<<< “I took a very close look at the ‘Zodiac’ movie last night. The Northpoint appears at approximately 1-hour and 35 minutes into the film. The exterior is definately the Northpoint. However, the Marquee was reconstructed with errors. For one thing, as you look at the two photos on this site [snip] You will notice that the Marquee in the photos faced both Powell and Bay Streets. In addition, there was no large black band with ‘Northpoint’ at the top and another black band at the bottom with ‘Theater.’ ” >>>
Another error the “Zodiac” filmmakers made in recreating the Northpoint was they spelled it “Theater” on the marquee whereas photographic evidence indicates it was spelled “Theatre.” And an even bigger error was why they even featured the Northpoint when, as I pointed out a few comments up, that “Dirty Harry,” the film featured in “Zodiac,” did not even play at that theater!
<<< *“As far as the interior is concerned, it was gutted when the theater closed. The real Northpoint did not have side wall curtains extending from the screen to the entrance. Another single-screen operating theater, probably in the L.A. area, was substituted for the audience shots.” * >>>
<<< * It once had seven screens; it last operated as a quad* >>>
Really? If that is correct it means this theater went from four screens to seven and then back to four.
As for successful engagements at this theater… While known as the UA Movies at Briarwood, they ran “Star Wars” for 33 weeks during 1977-78. For 13 of those weeks it was shown on two screens. “Star Wars” ran even longer at the similarly-named and designed UA Movies at Woodland in Grand Rapids (no page on Cinema Treasures, as far as I can tell).
“The Sound of Music” played here 82 weeks during its 1965-66 roadshow run. I imagine that is the longest engagement ever to play at the Tower or anywhere in Oklahoma City.
“Star Wars” ran 42 weeks here during its original 1977-78 release, which I imagine is the long-run record for the theater. A Dolby sound system was installed for the engagement, one of four in the Redstone/National Amusements circuit to do so.
(For the Pittsburgh market, “Star Wars” ran a longer period of time – 59 weeks – at the downtown Bank Cinema I & II, though it didn’t open there until July 20, 1977, whereas Showcase Cinemas began theirs several weeks earlier on May 25.)
Countryside 6 played “Star Wars” for 39 weeks during 1977-78, the second-longest run of that film in the Tampa Bay region and third-longest in all of Florida. I would imagine it also is the longest run of any film ever to play in Clearwater.
The stuff you’re writing about, techman, reminds me of the crackpot ideas that R.M. Hayes wrote about in the pages of early issues of Widescreen Review magazine and in the book he co-authored, Wide Screen Movies.
<<< “Hard to believe that ‘The Sound of Music’ played here for almost a year during the 1960’s.” >>>
It’s hard to believe because it’s not true! The Lakewood engagement of “The Sound of Music” played ten weeks during late-1966/early-‘67 following the close of the original 90-week, reserved-seat run at the Martin Cinerama.
<<< “I will always have fond memories of the old King Theaters though, as that was where my parents took me to see this new film that was out, that everyone was talking about…‘Star Wars.’ ” >>>
The La Crosse first-run engagement of “Star Wars” was actually at the Plitt Hollywood, not at the King. Perhaps it was during one of the film’s numerous re-issues that you saw it at the King?
<<< The Parkview wasn’t [a] twin until the late-1970’s or early 1980’s when it was under the Martin Theatres chain. When “Jaws” played here during its general release in 1975, the Parkview was still a single screen theatre. >>>
I disagree. The Parkview was a twin when “Jaws” played here in 1975. I have a copy of the opening-day ad for “Jaws” from the Winston-Salem newspaper and “Parkview 2” is how the theater in which it played is listed. Also, 1975 Winston-Salem telephone directories identify the theater as “Parkview Twin.” That, to me, seems satisfactory evidence the place was a twin at the time.
ChrisD…If you are aware that many roadshow films were 35mm, why then are you focusing only on the 70mm era of 1955-1972? (Roadshows began long before ‘55 and went on beyond '72.)
And, Chris, did you even see my response to your comment on the Grauman’s Chinese page?
And regarding your question posed on the Cinerama Dome page, had you bothered to scroll through the existing comments, you would have found the answer to your question (see my comment of Feb. 4, 2008) and thus would not have needed to ask it.
Frankly, at this point, your questions are getting annoying since you’re essentially posting the same question on multiple pages and then not always bothering to check up on subsequent comments.
Internationally, “Taras Bulba” and “Bye Bye Birdie” were among the first 70mm blow-ups. In the United States, “The Cardinal” was the first 70mm blow-up.
“The Longest Day” played its 33-week New York roadshow run at the Warner, not the Rivoli. The presentation would have been 35mm, not 70mm, as a technique for blowing up 35mm-shot films to 70mm had not yet been developed.
There were 70mm prints for the film’s 1968/69 re-release.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – Fox Wilshire
NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA – Loew’s Beverly
MAN OF LA MANCHA – Fox Wilshire
For more information on this subject, including opening-date and duration details for the titles you asked about, see the 70mm in Los Angeles and 70mm in New York articles. Included is a year-by-year breakdown of the stuff shown in 70mm with notations on which ones were roadshows (i.e. reserved-seat engagements). These lists would’ve been where William got the info he posted on the other pages where you recently posted similar questions.
Coate
commented about
Cinema 70on
Dec 17, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Wow, this page is a mess!
Let me take a stab at getting things corrected. The fact is the Cinema 70, Cooper 70 and Ute 70 are three different theaters. They are not alternate names for one another. A simple check of 1960s era issues of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph prove this.
To clarify…
Cooper 70 was opened in 1963 by the Cooper Foundation. It was located on South Nevada Ave.
Cinema 70 was opened in 1965 by Westland Theatres. It was located on Chelton Road.
Ute 70 was opened in 1967 by the Cooper Foundation. It was located on North Nevada Ave. (This is not to be confused with the original Ute Theatre located on Pikes Peak.)
<<< “Metro Park 8 Theatres opened in 1977” >>>
This theater did open in 1977, as claimed, but certainly not as an 8-plex. (I bet the number of 8-plexes in existence in 1977 can be counted on one hand.) I believe it opened, as a twin, on December 23, 1977, with the debut features being “Oh, God!” and “The Choirboys.”
<<< “The Metro Center Cinema III opened in 1980” >>>
The Metro Center Cinema I-II-III opened several years before 1980. The mall in which the theater was located opened in 1973, and the theater opened shortly thereafter (either 1974 or 1975).
<<< “This theater opened as a twin” >>>
No, it didn’t! It opened as a single.
<<< Ballou Park 4 (Also known as Ballou Park Twin) >>>
Actually, its original name was, simply, Park. (The “Ballou Park” name may have been what was used in recent years or perhaps what locals called it in conversation since it was located in the Ballou Park section of town.)
<<< “This theater opened…around 1970” >>>
A more precise opening date is May 16, 1969. And, for those who care about such details, the debut feature was “My Side of the Mountain.”
Source: The Danville Register, various issues.
<<< “I took a very close look at the ‘Zodiac’ movie last night. The Northpoint appears at approximately 1-hour and 35 minutes into the film. The exterior is definately the Northpoint. However, the Marquee was reconstructed with errors. For one thing, as you look at the two photos on this site [snip] You will notice that the Marquee in the photos faced both Powell and Bay Streets. In addition, there was no large black band with ‘Northpoint’ at the top and another black band at the bottom with ‘Theater.’ ” >>>
Another error the “Zodiac” filmmakers made in recreating the Northpoint was they spelled it “Theater” on the marquee whereas photographic evidence indicates it was spelled “Theatre.” And an even bigger error was why they even featured the Northpoint when, as I pointed out a few comments up, that “Dirty Harry,” the film featured in “Zodiac,” did not even play at that theater!
<<< *“As far as the interior is concerned, it was gutted when the theater closed. The real Northpoint did not have side wall curtains extending from the screen to the entrance. Another single-screen operating theater, probably in the L.A. area, was substituted for the audience shots.” * >>>
The interiors were shot at the National.
Was the 8-screener an expansion of the original twin, or was the twin demolished to make way for an all-new build?
<<< * It once had seven screens; it last operated as a quad* >>>
Really? If that is correct it means this theater went from four screens to seven and then back to four.
As for successful engagements at this theater… While known as the UA Movies at Briarwood, they ran “Star Wars” for 33 weeks during 1977-78. For 13 of those weeks it was shown on two screens. “Star Wars” ran even longer at the similarly-named and designed UA Movies at Woodland in Grand Rapids (no page on Cinema Treasures, as far as I can tell).
“The Sound of Music” played here 82 weeks during its 1965-66 roadshow run. I imagine that is the longest engagement ever to play at the Tower or anywhere in Oklahoma City.
Cinema 4 South played “Star Wars” for 36 weeks during 1977-78, the longest run of the movie in Tennessee.
“Star Wars” ran 42 weeks here during its original 1977-78 release, which I imagine is the long-run record for the theater. A Dolby sound system was installed for the engagement, one of four in the Redstone/National Amusements circuit to do so.
(For the Pittsburgh market, “Star Wars” ran a longer period of time – 59 weeks – at the downtown Bank Cinema I & II, though it didn’t open there until July 20, 1977, whereas Showcase Cinemas began theirs several weeks earlier on May 25.)
MikeRogers… “Jaws” played 14 weeks first-run in Clearwater (at the Capitol).
Countryside 6 played “Star Wars” for 39 weeks during 1977-78, the second-longest run of that film in the Tampa Bay region and third-longest in all of Florida. I would imagine it also is the longest run of any film ever to play in Clearwater.
Grand opening: March 12, 1976.
The stuff you’re writing about, techman, reminds me of the crackpot ideas that R.M. Hayes wrote about in the pages of early issues of Widescreen Review magazine and in the book he co-authored, Wide Screen Movies.
That would be August of ‘79. :–)
I’m surprised no one has challenged Techman’s “Spartacus” 30fps claim from a couple weeks ago.
<<< “Hard to believe that ‘The Sound of Music’ played here for almost a year during the 1960’s.” >>>
It’s hard to believe because it’s not true! The Lakewood engagement of “The Sound of Music” played ten weeks during late-1966/early-‘67 following the close of the original 90-week, reserved-seat run at the Martin Cinerama.
<<< “I will always have fond memories of the old King Theaters though, as that was where my parents took me to see this new film that was out, that everyone was talking about…‘Star Wars.’ ” >>>
The La Crosse first-run engagement of “Star Wars” was actually at the Plitt Hollywood, not at the King. Perhaps it was during one of the film’s numerous re-issues that you saw it at the King?
<<< * it was later acquired by United Artists Theaters and expanded and modified to become a triplex.* >>>
Actually, this was a triplex while still under Ogden-Perry ownership.
<<< The Parkview wasn’t [a] twin until the late-1970’s or early 1980’s when it was under the Martin Theatres chain. When “Jaws” played here during its general release in 1975, the Parkview was still a single screen theatre. >>>
I disagree. The Parkview was a twin when “Jaws” played here in 1975. I have a copy of the opening-day ad for “Jaws” from the Winston-Salem newspaper and “Parkview 2” is how the theater in which it played is listed. Also, 1975 Winston-Salem telephone directories identify the theater as “Parkview Twin.” That, to me, seems satisfactory evidence the place was a twin at the time.
ChrisD…If you are aware that many roadshow films were 35mm, why then are you focusing only on the 70mm era of 1955-1972? (Roadshows began long before ‘55 and went on beyond '72.)
And, Chris, did you even see my response to your comment on the Grauman’s Chinese page?
And regarding your question posed on the Cinerama Dome page, had you bothered to scroll through the existing comments, you would have found the answer to your question (see my comment of Feb. 4, 2008) and thus would not have needed to ask it.
Frankly, at this point, your questions are getting annoying since you’re essentially posting the same question on multiple pages and then not always bothering to check up on subsequent comments.
Internationally, “Taras Bulba” and “Bye Bye Birdie” were among the first 70mm blow-ups. In the United States, “The Cardinal” was the first 70mm blow-up.
ennis… It would appear you are misremembering.
“The Longest Day” played its 33-week New York roadshow run at the Warner, not the Rivoli. The presentation would have been 35mm, not 70mm, as a technique for blowing up 35mm-shot films to 70mm had not yet been developed.
There were 70mm prints for the film’s 1968/69 re-release.
ChrisD… See 70mm in New York and Remembering Cinerama (Part I: New York).
Chris D…
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – Fox Wilshire
NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA – Loew’s Beverly
MAN OF LA MANCHA – Fox Wilshire
For more information on this subject, including opening-date and duration details for the titles you asked about, see the 70mm in Los Angeles and 70mm in New York articles. Included is a year-by-year breakdown of the stuff shown in 70mm with notations on which ones were roadshows (i.e. reserved-seat engagements). These lists would’ve been where William got the info he posted on the other pages where you recently posted similar questions.
Wow, this page is a mess!
Let me take a stab at getting things corrected. The fact is the Cinema 70, Cooper 70 and Ute 70 are three different theaters. They are not alternate names for one another. A simple check of 1960s era issues of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph prove this.
To clarify…
Cooper 70 was opened in 1963 by the Cooper Foundation. It was located on South Nevada Ave.
Cinema 70 was opened in 1965 by Westland Theatres. It was located on Chelton Road.
Ute 70 was opened in 1967 by the Cooper Foundation. It was located on North Nevada Ave. (This is not to be confused with the original Ute Theatre located on Pikes Peak.)