Maybe it was because I sat in the front row for the digital edition. Level of detail was excellent in both versions.
I did notice another change in digital: the last shot of the Russians sequence, which for 50 years ended in a fade to black, is now a cut to black. I don’t know why changes like this have to be made, or if there’s any reason for them. The 70mm version has the advantage in this regard.
No trailers before the 70mm version or the digital version. There was an IMAX promo before the digital version, announcing they were going to show what will be coming soon in IMAX, but it led right into the overture of 2001.
I just saw the digital version in Clifton, NJ. It was quite beautiful. You could easily see all the incredible details in so many scenes. For example, the dinner recommendation on the wall of the kitchen on the Jupiter ship included roast beef, mashed potatoes, blueberry pie and coffee. I had never been able to read that before.
But it wasn’t perfect. One shot near the end, part of the “last meal” sequence, came out wrong somehow. It was too dark and a little blurry. Don’t know if all digital prints have this problem. The opening MGM logo also looked like the wrong color.
Overall, definitely worth seeing. Can’t believe it’s in 350 theaters across the US. What other 50-year-old movie could accomplish that?
Thanks, Al. Very funny. It reminded me of the time I saw the soundtrack album of Hello, Dolly!, not too long after its big 70mm premiere at the Rivoli on Broadway, in the cutout bin at a record store, selling for $1.99.
Pete: Thanks for answering Joe’s question better than I ever could. Seeing your name brings back great memories of a certain beautiful movie theater in Suffern, NY.
The logo came on screen at the very beginning. I guess Quentin thought: it was shot in Ultra Panavision 70, and if it was made in 1965, it would be shown on Cinerama screens. Just like The Greatest Story Ever Told and Battle of the Bulge.
The Blu-ray includes the roadshow cut as a special feature. It’s a non-anamorphic transfer. The short version has been properly transferred and looks much better on the screen, but the longer version is a much better movie.
markp, will you be running the 70mm IMAX show of “2001” at this theater? If yes, congratulations. I’ll be there on 8/24 for my 79th theatrical viewing. It should be astounding.
The long cut also played at the Capitol for a couple of days. Kubrick shortened the film in New York City, in the basement of the MGM building, about 7 blocks from the Capitol.
I’ve seen photos of the Capitol screen when The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm played there in 3-strip, and I’m pretty sure it was the same screen on which I saw 2001 in 70mm Cinerama.
I was wondering a similar thing. When a 70mm blowup like Doctor Zhivago played the Capitol, did it fill the entire screen space the way 2001 in 70mm Cinerama did?
Mark: I hope it does go into Lincoln Square. It’s still at the Village East (6th week) which proves it does well in Manhattan.
Pete: I tried measuring the screen with my feet pressed together and walking the length of it at intermission, but I gave up because people were still in the theater and I probably looked like some kind of a nut up there. Your method sounds much better.
alpinedownhiller: Sorry I overestimated the screen size in #15. When I sat in the front row and the movie started, it reminded me of the same scale I experienced from the front row of the Ziegfeld, where I saw 2001 many times, but even bigger. The Ziegfeld had a 50' screen, but the screen at the Garden State is positioned closer to the front row. Without taking that into account, I jumped to the conclusion that it was bigger than the Ziegfeld.
But it was still a great show, and I have new respect for AMC for bringing the 70mm print to NJ. Wish I could go again.
Next screening for me (unless it pops up somewhere else in the area like the Garden State engagement did): 7/29 in Queens, NY.
I looked through the porthole at intermission and was surprised to see the projector still running. Was that blank film or leader going through the projector for about 15 minutes? I always thought everything was turned off during intermission.
I tried to find a way into the projection booth at intermission, but I only saw doors for storage closets. I could have thanked you personally! But I’ll thank you from here. That is so cool the way you’re carrying on your dad’s tradition. Where did he project 2001 50 years ago, and was it in Cinerama?
I went to the 7 PM show on Tuesday night. About 30 people in the audience. Don’t know if Mark was running this show, but as far as projection and sound go, both shows at the AMC Garden State rank in the top tier of my 77 total theatrical viewings. Only way to improve it: a bigger, more enthusiastic audience (I missed the way the NYC audiences laughed at many of HAL’s lines), and curtains.
Mark, your colleague on Sunday did a fine job on the lights as well. Too bad there were no curtains, but I’m just happy the movie played here at all, with absolutely no advertising that I was aware of.
I would estimate the screen size in AMC Garden State theater #15 in Paramus as 60 feet wide, which was the same size as the screen at the original Stanley Warner Route 4 down the road, which played 2001 many times. Lots of head turning was necessary from the front row, which is a good way to watch 2001. About 30 people were there for the 3:30 PM show on Sunday.
Maybe it was because I sat in the front row for the digital edition. Level of detail was excellent in both versions.
I did notice another change in digital: the last shot of the Russians sequence, which for 50 years ended in a fade to black, is now a cut to black. I don’t know why changes like this have to be made, or if there’s any reason for them. The 70mm version has the advantage in this regard.
No trailers before the 70mm version or the digital version. There was an IMAX promo before the digital version, announcing they were going to show what will be coming soon in IMAX, but it led right into the overture of 2001.
The digital version is also showing at the AMC Kips Bay on 2nd Ave. and 32nd St. in Manhattan, as well as the Empire 42nd St.
I just saw the digital version in Clifton, NJ. It was quite beautiful. You could easily see all the incredible details in so many scenes. For example, the dinner recommendation on the wall of the kitchen on the Jupiter ship included roast beef, mashed potatoes, blueberry pie and coffee. I had never been able to read that before.
But it wasn’t perfect. One shot near the end, part of the “last meal” sequence, came out wrong somehow. It was too dark and a little blurry. Don’t know if all digital prints have this problem. The opening MGM logo also looked like the wrong color.
Overall, definitely worth seeing. Can’t believe it’s in 350 theaters across the US. What other 50-year-old movie could accomplish that?
Thanks, Al. Very funny. It reminded me of the time I saw the soundtrack album of Hello, Dolly!, not too long after its big 70mm premiere at the Rivoli on Broadway, in the cutout bin at a record store, selling for $1.99.
Pete: Thanks for answering Joe’s question better than I ever could. Seeing your name brings back great memories of a certain beautiful movie theater in Suffern, NY.
As for Exodus, I’m grateful that the Blu-ray looks as good as it does. The original DVD was a blurry mess.
Joe, I wish I knew. I’m just glad the long version is at least available. It wasn’t on the previous DVD release.
The logo came on screen at the very beginning. I guess Quentin thought: it was shot in Ultra Panavision 70, and if it was made in 1965, it would be shown on Cinerama screens. Just like The Greatest Story Ever Told and Battle of the Bulge.
I loved seeing the Cinerama logo. I even loved seeing it on Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, where it was totally unwarranted.
The Blu-ray includes the roadshow cut as a special feature. It’s a non-anamorphic transfer. The short version has been properly transferred and looks much better on the screen, but the longer version is a much better movie.
markp, will you be running the 70mm IMAX show of “2001” at this theater? If yes, congratulations. I’ll be there on 8/24 for my 79th theatrical viewing. It should be astounding.
The long cut also played at the Capitol for a couple of days. Kubrick shortened the film in New York City, in the basement of the MGM building, about 7 blocks from the Capitol.
I’ve seen photos of the Capitol screen when The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm played there in 3-strip, and I’m pretty sure it was the same screen on which I saw 2001 in 70mm Cinerama.
I was wondering a similar thing. When a 70mm blowup like Doctor Zhivago played the Capitol, did it fill the entire screen space the way 2001 in 70mm Cinerama did?
Mark: I hope it does go into Lincoln Square. It’s still at the Village East (6th week) which proves it does well in Manhattan.
Pete: I tried measuring the screen with my feet pressed together and walking the length of it at intermission, but I gave up because people were still in the theater and I probably looked like some kind of a nut up there. Your method sounds much better.
alpinedownhiller: Sorry I overestimated the screen size in #15. When I sat in the front row and the movie started, it reminded me of the same scale I experienced from the front row of the Ziegfeld, where I saw 2001 many times, but even bigger. The Ziegfeld had a 50' screen, but the screen at the Garden State is positioned closer to the front row. Without taking that into account, I jumped to the conclusion that it was bigger than the Ziegfeld.
But it was still a great show, and I have new respect for AMC for bringing the 70mm print to NJ. Wish I could go again.
Next screening for me (unless it pops up somewhere else in the area like the Garden State engagement did): 7/29 in Queens, NY.
They’d still do that during the movie. Imagine having to wait 90 minutes or more to check on your phone. :)
I wonder how many younger people (if any) attended one of the 2001 shows and if they knew what was going on when the intermission started?
An intermission makes a movie more of an event. It’s also good for bathroom breaks and concession sales.
I looked through the porthole at intermission and was surprised to see the projector still running. Was that blank film or leader going through the projector for about 15 minutes? I always thought everything was turned off during intermission.
I tried to find a way into the projection booth at intermission, but I only saw doors for storage closets. I could have thanked you personally! But I’ll thank you from here. That is so cool the way you’re carrying on your dad’s tradition. Where did he project 2001 50 years ago, and was it in Cinerama?
I went to the 7 PM show on Tuesday night. About 30 people in the audience. Don’t know if Mark was running this show, but as far as projection and sound go, both shows at the AMC Garden State rank in the top tier of my 77 total theatrical viewings. Only way to improve it: a bigger, more enthusiastic audience (I missed the way the NYC audiences laughed at many of HAL’s lines), and curtains.
An ad like this might be able to boost attendance. Still, it’s doing quite well for a movie that’s 50 years old.
Mark, your colleague on Sunday did a fine job on the lights as well. Too bad there were no curtains, but I’m just happy the movie played here at all, with absolutely no advertising that I was aware of.
I would estimate the screen size in AMC Garden State theater #15 in Paramus as 60 feet wide, which was the same size as the screen at the original Stanley Warner Route 4 down the road, which played 2001 many times. Lots of head turning was necessary from the front row, which is a good way to watch 2001. About 30 people were there for the 3:30 PM show on Sunday.