About a month ago several media outlets prematurely and erroneously reported OPPENHEIMER had become the Chinese’s top-grossing movie. At the time OPPENHEIMER’s accomplishment was simply that it had become the venue’s top-grossing movie for the TCL/IMAX period of the past decade or so, but it got mis-reported as being the record for the venue’s near-100-year history. It probably is #1 by now.
OPPENHEIMER being #1 for the venue’s near-100-year history is a dubious accomplishment, though, when you consider the decades of inflation and the IMAX surcharge. In terms of tickets sold, OPPENHEIMER can’t be anywhere near being the venue’s record.
Anyway, what was the Chinese’s final box-office gross for OPPENHEIMER? For it to be the venue’s #1-grossing booking I believe it needed to exceed $2,414,972, which is what STAR WARS earned there during 1977-78.
The Orlando THX certification, at Fashion Square (not the Park), for the release of RETURN OF THE JEDI did not happen as originally planned. Ultimately, the initial THX certifications in May 1983 were only at the Avco in Los Angeles and Northpark and Prestonwood Creek in Dallas. The JEDI 70mm release (with THX locales noted) is documented here. The Orlando 70mm presentations history is documented here.
The first THX certification in Florida was GCC’s Northdale Court 6 in Tampa in 1985. The first THX certification in the Orlando market was at Cineplex Odeon’s Sand Lake 7 in 1987. The Park in the Orlando suburb of Winter Park finally got THX certified during its 1991 renovation.
Rock Rapids is mentioned in the book “The Making of Star Wars” by J.W. Rinzler (Ballantine, 2008, p299) as the final city in which “Star Wars” played during its record-breaking original release. Only problem is the Rapids in Rock Rapids was not the final theater in which it played. One of numerous exhibitions-released errors in the book.
Nice try, 50sSNIPES. I am not disputing Rivest’s claim that Oakridge Centre in Vancouver was Canada’s first THX theater. My point was both you and Rivest seemed to be under the mistaken impression that the University was Toronto’s first THX theater. You wrote you were “pretty sure that this [University] could be the first [THX] in Canada.” Not only was it not the first THX theater in Canada, it was not the first in Toronto, either.
And your math is wrong about the number of days between the Oakridge and Eglinton THX certifications. The run of “Cocoon” at the Eglinton upon becoming THX certified commenced July 5th (not June 21st when the film opened throughout much of North America) and you could have easily determined this had you bothered to check the Toronto 70mm Presentations article I linked to a few comments ago or by checking my “Cocoon: The North American 70mm Presentations” article.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Ann Arbor: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1967-Present”.
About a month ago several media outlets prematurely and erroneously reported OPPENHEIMER had become the Chinese’s top-grossing movie. At the time OPPENHEIMER’s accomplishment was simply that it had become the venue’s top-grossing movie for the TCL/IMAX period of the past decade or so, but it got mis-reported as being the record for the venue’s near-100-year history. It probably is #1 by now.
OPPENHEIMER being #1 for the venue’s near-100-year history is a dubious accomplishment, though, when you consider the decades of inflation and the IMAX surcharge. In terms of tickets sold, OPPENHEIMER can’t be anywhere near being the venue’s record.
Anyway, what was the Chinese’s final box-office gross for OPPENHEIMER? For it to be the venue’s #1-grossing booking I believe it needed to exceed $2,414,972, which is what STAR WARS earned there during 1977-78.
Woodland screened a lot of second-run 70mm. These screenings are included in my historical article 70mm presentations in Indianapolis: A Chronology of Large Format Exhibition, 1956-Present.
The Orlando THX certification, at Fashion Square (not the Park), for the release of RETURN OF THE JEDI did not happen as originally planned. Ultimately, the initial THX certifications in May 1983 were only at the Avco in Los Angeles and Northpark and Prestonwood Creek in Dallas. The JEDI 70mm release (with THX locales noted) is documented here. The Orlando 70mm presentations history is documented here.
The first THX certification in Florida was GCC’s Northdale Court 6 in Tampa in 1985. The first THX certification in the Orlando market was at Cineplex Odeon’s Sand Lake 7 in 1987. The Park in the Orlando suburb of Winter Park finally got THX certified during its 1991 renovation.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in New Haven: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1960-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in New Haven: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1960-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in New Haven: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1960-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in New Haven: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1960-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Madison: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1984-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Waco: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1962-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Waco: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1962-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Dothan: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1984-Present”.
I admit being surprised to learn this theater had 70mm.
What the hell, Rivest! I just posted that link yesterday. It’s the comment right before yours.
The newer/replacement Lakeside (aka Lakeside 4) now has an entry in the Cinema Treasures database.
I worked here during much of 1994. I regret not taking any photographs or snooping around more to ascertain the venue’s history.
Rock Rapids is mentioned in the book “The Making of Star Wars” by J.W. Rinzler (Ballantine, 2008, p299) as the final city in which “Star Wars” played during its record-breaking original release. Only problem is the Rapids in Rock Rapids was not the final theater in which it played. One of numerous exhibitions-released errors in the book.
Here is the link to a new 8-minute short-form documentary about the history of Cine Capri.
Nice try, 50sSNIPES. I am not disputing Rivest’s claim that Oakridge Centre in Vancouver was Canada’s first THX theater. My point was both you and Rivest seemed to be under the mistaken impression that the University was Toronto’s first THX theater. You wrote you were “pretty sure that this [University] could be the first [THX] in Canada.” Not only was it not the first THX theater in Canada, it was not the first in Toronto, either.
And your math is wrong about the number of days between the Oakridge and Eglinton THX certifications. The run of “Cocoon” at the Eglinton upon becoming THX certified commenced July 5th (not June 21st when the film opened throughout much of North America) and you could have easily determined this had you bothered to check the Toronto 70mm Presentations article I linked to a few comments ago or by checking my “Cocoon: The North American 70mm Presentations” article.
50sSNIPES and rivest266: Toronto’s first THX cinema was the Eglinton, certified during summer ‘85 for “Cocoon.”
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Toronto: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1956-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Toronto: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1956-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Toronto: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1956-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Hamilton: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1969-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Ottawa: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1959-Present”.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in London: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1966-Present”.