stevenj and bigjoe59: The San Francisco Cinerama history can be found here. And you’re overlooking a 1973 roadshow release: “Last Tango in Paris” (which, in SFO, played seven months at the Royal).
bigjoe59: Click the link to the San Francisco Bay Area 70mm & Roadshow article that I provided in my earlier comment and you’ll find much of the info you’re seeking.
bigjoe59: By “heyday of roadshow engagements” I assume you’re referring to the 1952-73 period, in which case I’m aware of three (Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, The Agony and the Ecstasy, The Blue Max). See: 70mm and Roadshow Films in San Francisco.
vindanpar and DavidZornig: The Egyptian did not host the world premiere of “The Poseidon Adventure.” The world premiere was held at the National in NY on December 12th (1972), which doubled as the National’s grand opening. It premiered in L.A. two days later.
“Funny Girl” premiered here 50 years ago today in what was an industry first: a simultaneous three-screen roadshow booking. The film would go on to play five weeks on screen #3, nine weeks on screen #1, and a very successful 42 weeks on screen #2.
bigjoe59:
Audiences in as many as eight cities would’ve seen the original cut (during the initial days of their lengthy engagements). Benson’s new “Space Odyssey” book addresses this as do I in my 1968: A Roadshow Odyssey article.
Is it just me or are there others who wish the site owners/moderators would make it a rule when members post links that they need to provide an active (i.e. clickable) link, rather than a text-based link one then needs to copy and paste into a browser. Anyway, here’s a clickable link to the Uptown Oral History story HowardBHaas posted earlier today.
Fifty years ago today Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” opened its exclusive Silicon Valley roadshow run at Century 21. It ended up running 87 weeks, making it the longest, continuous run of the film in the United States (and second longest in the world just behind Toronto’s 127-weeker).
RogerA: It seems highly unlikely the Astor (or any venue) would’ve booked only prints with a magnetic soundtrack for an entire decade (save for the one example you cited). Even the Gary, which played more roadshows than the Astor, didn’t play mag exclusively. I think the closest example of a decade’s worth of mag-only titles would’ve been the Boston Cinerama.
shthead: I’m sure any of the numerous Cinema Treasures members who reside(d) in Northeren New Jersey can chime in and offer a confirmation. I reside on the west coast and the only evidence I can offer is what I’ve seen in trade reports and newspaper promotion that were referenced for the many historical articles I’ve written on the movie in question. I’m sure if the newspaper ads were wrong they would’ve been corrected within a day or two and couldn’t possibly have remained wrong day after day for the many months the movie played there.
It was 50 yeas ago today that Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” opened here in what went on to be the film’s (and venue’s) long-run record with a 127-week engagement.
moviebuff82: There were three theaters that were THX certified for the “Return of the Jedi” release. The THX details (and lots more) can be found in my recent “Jedi” 35th anniversary retrospective article.
Somerville’s recent 70mm screenings are noted in this new article on Boston’s large format and roadshow history.
stevenj and bigjoe59: The San Francisco Cinerama history can be found here. And you’re overlooking a 1973 roadshow release: “Last Tango in Paris” (which, in SFO, played seven months at the Royal).
bigjoe59: Click the link to the San Francisco Bay Area 70mm & Roadshow article that I provided in my earlier comment and you’ll find much of the info you’re seeking.
bigjoe59: By “heyday of roadshow engagements” I assume you’re referring to the 1952-73 period, in which case I’m aware of three (Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, The Agony and the Ecstasy, The Blue Max). See: 70mm and Roadshow Films in San Francisco.
vindanpar and DavidZornig: The Egyptian did not host the world premiere of “The Poseidon Adventure.” The world premiere was held at the National in NY on December 12th (1972), which doubled as the National’s grand opening. It premiered in L.A. two days later.
“Finian’s Rainbow” premiered here (Penthouse) 50 years ago today.
patryan6019: Were the Tacoma Mall engagements of the “last 4 ‘Cinerama’ pictures” advertised/promoted as being “in Cinerama”? Even Song of Norway?
“Funny Girl” premiered here 50 years ago today in what was an industry first: a simultaneous three-screen roadshow booking. The film would go on to play five weeks on screen #3, nine weeks on screen #1, and a very successful 42 weeks on screen #2.
“Funny Girl” premiered here 50 years ago today. It would go on to play 72 weeks.
“The Robe,” the first film in CinemaScope, premiered here sixty-five years ago today.
^Are the titles in the 3rd Annual 70mm & Widescreen Film Festival known yet?
bigjoe59:
Audiences in as many as eight cities would’ve seen the original cut (during the initial days of their lengthy engagements). Benson’s new “Space Odyssey” book addresses this as do I in my 1968: A Roadshow Odyssey article.
Is it just me or are there others who wish the site owners/moderators would make it a rule when members post links that they need to provide an active (i.e. clickable) link, rather than a text-based link one then needs to copy and paste into a browser. Anyway, here’s a clickable link to the Uptown Oral History story HowardBHaas posted earlier today.
Fifty years ago today Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” opened its exclusive Silicon Valley roadshow run at Century 21. It ended up running 87 weeks, making it the longest, continuous run of the film in the United States (and second longest in the world just behind Toronto’s 127-weeker).
Comfortably Cool…. The Avco at the time was a triplex. City Center was a twin.
bigjoe59: Other roadshows at the Chinese included “Half a Sixpence” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
luftweg: There was a 70mm run of “2001” at Beacon Hill in the summer of 1974 (though I can’t say if that was the only time it ever played there).
luftweg: The Boston Cinerama had an area exclusive during the initial roadshow run of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The film did not play any other area theaters until many months later. For a breakdown of the film’s original run, see (Page 2 of): Still the Ultimate Trip: Remembering 2001: A Space Odyssey On Its 50th Anniversary.
RogerA: It seems highly unlikely the Astor (or any venue) would’ve booked only prints with a magnetic soundtrack for an entire decade (save for the one example you cited). Even the Gary, which played more roadshows than the Astor, didn’t play mag exclusively. I think the closest example of a decade’s worth of mag-only titles would’ve been the Boston Cinerama.
shthead: I’m sure any of the numerous Cinema Treasures members who reside(d) in Northeren New Jersey can chime in and offer a confirmation. I reside on the west coast and the only evidence I can offer is what I’ve seen in trade reports and newspaper promotion that were referenced for the many historical articles I’ve written on the movie in question. I’m sure if the newspaper ads were wrong they would’ve been corrected within a day or two and couldn’t possibly have remained wrong day after day for the many months the movie played there.
The overview indicates the Ace was twinned in the 1990s. Does anyone have a more specific date?
Does anyone know in what year the 10th and 11th screens were built/added?
shthead: “Return of the Jedi” played at the Route 4, not here.
It was 50 yeas ago today that Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” opened here in what went on to be the film’s (and venue’s) long-run record with a 127-week engagement.
moviebuff82: There were three theaters that were THX certified for the “Return of the Jedi” release. The THX details (and lots more) can be found in my recent “Jedi” 35th anniversary retrospective article.