since discovering this wonderful site I decided to see what
grand old theaters built in the U.S. between 1914-1941 were still
alive and well. there is of course the Castro in San Francisco
but that was built from the get go as a 2nd/3rd run neighborhood
theater. I was interested in what grand old movie theater(s) built
from the get go as a 1st run venue had continued to operate as
such since the day it opened. the only one I have found so
far in my research is this theater.
to Al A.- your replies are lways welcome. a question- you don’t
think Porgy and Bess never having been released on home video has
anything to do with being to use a current term “a problematic film”?
as always I thank you for your quick reply. as you said the print
you saw was fine which prompts a question- why has it never been
issued om home video?
recently I was thinking about all the roadshow engagements this
theater hosted in the 1952-1972 period. many of the films won
Oscars. then I realized all the films have been released on
home video except Porgy and Bess. I then looked at the film’s
Wikipedia page to find out a reason why. it states no good
quality print of the film is known to exist. is that possible?
I guess great minds do think alike. I was just about to post my
review of the beyond stellar blu-ray of The Wonderful World of
the Brothers Grimm. it was quite nice to get it in both Letterbox
and Smilebox versions.
as vindanpar said since Eden, Bloom and Tamblyn though older are
alive and well why weren’t they interviewed?
many thanks for your learned take on the subject. an interesting
note on The Loves of Isadora. the only engagement the original
cut or proposed roadshow cut of the film in the entire U.S. was
at the now El Capitan Theater on Hollywood Blvd.
I would love to know why the big wigs at Landmark Theaters decided to build a theater soooooooo far west. I mean when you exit the theater walk a few feet to your right and you’re in the middle of the West Side Highway.
I have often lauded you on your considerable font of knowledge, to which a question. what are your thoughts on why a studio would exhibit a film on a roadshow basis in one major city but not another major city?
I went here twice in the first year and on both occasions the
staff outnumbered the patrons. I really liked the up to date
sound and projection facilities. as I stated previously even if
the pandemic had not happened this theater was on shaky
ground.
to Mikeoaklandpark- per your comment I find it fascinating that
a big studio film would open on a roadshow engagement in one big
city but not another big city. I wonder how often that happened?
to Al A. - thanks for validating me asking the question
that I asked about Hawaii. since the film’s theatrical life
is linked to this theater I thought it a perfectly
reasonable question to ask.
also to vindanpar- with current digital technology in
film restoration anything is possible. my point being
the original roadshow cut of Hawaii does exist(and in rather
decent condition) and was even listed as an extra in standard
def on the Twilight disc. so fans of the film would like
to know why two home video companies insist on using the
general release cut for the HD transfers for their
blu-ray discs.
to a fellow poster who obviously doesn’t know the history
of this theater. “Hawaii” is one of the most successful roadshow
engagements to play this theater.
a few years back Twilight Time released a blu-ray disc
of Hawaii but botched it by using the general release
cut rather than the original roadshow which did exist.
now another blu-ray disc of Hawaii is coming out but like
Twilight Time did the new company is botching it by
again using the general release cut. the original
roadshow cut exits why not use it?
South Pacific’s roadshow run which started at the Criterion
moved here at some point. it would be interesting for a 1st
person account of seeing it here on the curved screen installed
specifically for films shot in Todd-AO as opposed to what
I assume was a flat screen at the Criterion.
to bad a remastered blu-ray disc of WSS wasn’t issued for the 60th
Anni. last October 2021. the currently available blu-ray from say
10? years ago contains a huge mistake that did not occur on
any previous home video version of the film.
to Peter A.- thanks for the link. what I’m still a tad
confused by is if the water damage was as severe as
originally reported won’t that still appear to some degree
even on a “restored” blu-ray disc?
I just read the Warner Archive Collection is releasing a
blu-ray disc of The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
on March 29. shortly after the stellar blu-ray disc of
How The West Was Won was released the Fall of 2008 I asked
on several sites that reviewed blu-ray discs when The
Wonderful ……. would be coming out. most said probably
never since the original camera negative had bad/severe
water damage and Warner Bros. probably wouldn’t expend
the $$$ necessary to do a COMPLETE restoration. so what
is the Warner Archive Collection using as their source
for the HD transfer???
I am not aware of exactly when actual porn debuted. to which on
pg.1 of the photo section ads for such films as Vapors, Erotic
Salad and Post-Graduate. I’m guessing by the dates given for the
ads that they were exploitation films and not actual porn.
to MSC77- thanks for the new link. it worked perfectly.
a few comments/questions.
*after reading the article I’m assuming the reason the
Todd-AO 70MM print of the original roadshow cut used in the
festival wasn’t used for the blu-ray is it was too faded?
*also during this theater’s 70M festival in the late 70s
what print was used for South Pacific the original Todd-AO
roadshow cut or the general release print?
*The Agony and the Ecstasy is one of my favorite historical
epics. it would have been amazing to see the original
Todd-AO roadshow cut in 70MM on the large curved screen.
Hello-
since discovering this wonderful site I decided to see what grand old theaters built in the U.S. between 1914-1941 were still alive and well. there is of course the Castro in San Francisco but that was built from the get go as a 2nd/3rd run neighborhood theater. I was interested in what grand old movie theater(s) built from the get go as a 1st run venue had continued to operate as such since the day it opened. the only one I have found so far in my research is this theater.
Hello-
to Al A.- your replies are lways welcome. a question- you don’t think Porgy and Bess never having been released on home video has anything to do with being to use a current term “a problematic film”?
Hello-
to Al A.-
as always I thank you for your quick reply. as you said the print you saw was fine which prompts a question- why has it never been issued om home video?
Hello-
recently I was thinking about all the roadshow engagements this theater hosted in the 1952-1972 period. many of the films won Oscars. then I realized all the films have been released on home video except Porgy and Bess. I then looked at the film’s Wikipedia page to find out a reason why. it states no good quality print of the film is known to exist. is that possible?
Hello-
Otto Preminiger’s film The Cardinal opened here Dec. 1963 on a roadshow engagement. did his film In Harm’s Way open here as well?
Hello-
to MSC77- since its not listed by such a name what theater listed was known as The Trans-Lix during the roadshow run of Those Magnificent Men………….
Hello-
as I asked in Nov. 2019 is the theater just boarded up sitting there gathering dust?
Hello-
I guess great minds do think alike. I was just about to post my review of the beyond stellar blu-ray of The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm. it was quite nice to get it in both Letterbox and Smilebox versions.
as vindanpar said since Eden, Bloom and Tamblyn though older are alive and well why weren’t they interviewed?
Hello-
to Al A.-
many thanks for your learned take on the subject. an interesting note on The Loves of Isadora. the only engagement the original cut or proposed roadshow cut of the film in the entire U.S. was at the now El Capitan Theater on Hollywood Blvd.
Hello-
I would love to know why the big wigs at Landmark Theaters
decided to build a theater soooooooo far west. I mean when
you exit the theater walk a few feet to your right and you’re
in the middle of the West Side Highway.
Hello-
to Al A.-
I have often lauded you on your considerable font of knowledge,
to which a question. what are your thoughts on why a studio
would exhibit a film on a roadshow basis in one major city
but not another major city?
Hello-
I went here twice in the first year and on both occasions the staff outnumbered the patrons. I really liked the up to date sound and projection facilities. as I stated previously even if the pandemic had not happened this theater was on shaky ground.
Hello-
to Mikeoaklandpark- per your comment I find it fascinating that a big studio film would open on a roadshow engagement in one big city but not another big city. I wonder how often that happened?
Hello-
to Al A. - thanks for validating me asking the question that I asked about Hawaii. since the film’s theatrical life is linked to this theater I thought it a perfectly reasonable question to ask.
also to vindanpar- with current digital technology in film restoration anything is possible. my point being the original roadshow cut of Hawaii does exist(and in rather decent condition) and was even listed as an extra in standard def on the Twilight disc. so fans of the film would like to know why two home video companies insist on using the general release cut for the HD transfers for their blu-ray discs.
Hello-
to Comfortably Cool- thanks for your reply. I can’t tell you where I read it but I can swear I read that Hawaii broke even.
Hello-
to a fellow poster who obviously doesn’t know the history of this theater. “Hawaii” is one of the most successful roadshow engagements to play this theater.
Hello-
a few years back Twilight Time released a blu-ray disc of Hawaii but botched it by using the general release cut rather than the original roadshow which did exist. now another blu-ray disc of Hawaii is coming out but like Twilight Time did the new company is botching it by again using the general release cut. the original roadshow cut exits why not use it?
Hello-
South Pacific’s roadshow run which started at the Criterion moved here at some point. it would be interesting for a 1st person account of seeing it here on the curved screen installed specifically for films shot in Todd-AO as opposed to what I assume was a flat screen at the Criterion.
Hello-
to bad a remastered blu-ray disc of WSS wasn’t issued for the 60th
Anni. last October 2021. the currently available blu-ray from say 10? years ago contains a huge mistake that did not occur on any previous home video version of the film.
Hello-
to Peter A.- thanks for the link. what I’m still a tad confused by is if the water damage was as severe as originally reported won’t that still appear to some degree even on a “restored” blu-ray disc?
Hello-
I just read the Warner Archive Collection is releasing a blu-ray disc of The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm on March 29. shortly after the stellar blu-ray disc of How The West Was Won was released the Fall of 2008 I asked on several sites that reviewed blu-ray discs when The Wonderful ……. would be coming out. most said probably never since the original camera negative had bad/severe water damage and Warner Bros. probably wouldn’t expend the $$$ necessary to do a COMPLETE restoration. so what is the Warner Archive Collection using as their source for the HD transfer???
Hello-
is this the theater where the 1928 part-talkie version of Showboat opened?
Hello-
does the supermarket occupy just the entrance and lobby areas or does it occupy the entire auditorium section as well?
Hello-
I am not aware of exactly when actual porn debuted. to which on pg.1 of the photo section ads for such films as Vapors, Erotic Salad and Post-Graduate. I’m guessing by the dates given for the ads that they were exploitation films and not actual porn.
Hello-
to MSC77- thanks for the new link. it worked perfectly. a few comments/questions.
*after reading the article I’m assuming the reason the Todd-AO 70MM print of the original roadshow cut used in the festival wasn’t used for the blu-ray is it was too faded?
*also during this theater’s 70M festival in the late 70s what print was used for South Pacific the original Todd-AO roadshow cut or the general release print?
*The Agony and the Ecstasy is one of my favorite historical epics. it would have been amazing to see the original Todd-AO roadshow cut in 70MM on the large curved screen.