Regarding the possible presentation of STAR WARS in mono — the Cine Capri had state-of-the-art (for its time) six-track stereophonic sound system that was very good. This was used in a lot of the hard-ticket road show films shown at the theatre including (THE BIBLE IN THE BEGINNING, SOUNG OF NORWAY, PAINT YOUR WAGON, etc). My guess is that there was some kind of stereo sound print available for STAR WARS in this type of system. If I’m correct, early DOLBY in the theatres was a sound clarity and noise reduction system — not like today’s DOLBY digital on synched CD so perhaps the initial prints of STAR WARS were six-track or something similar and the Dolby that was initially added a few months later was the noise reduction system. In any case, I was at the screening of STAR WARS on the opening day at the Cine Capri (w/ASU Prof. Nick Salerno’s film club) around 5 PM and there were two things I distinctly remember — 1) the amazing crowd — I knew nothing about the film and wondered how all these people knew to show up fo the opening day and 2) the incredible sound — when that opening music came on with the credits at the beginning it was definitely high-fidelity stereo and LOUD!
The movie critic on channel 8 (the PBS station) was Nick Salerno. He became chairman of ASU’s English department before retirement. The theatre you are thinking about near the Art dept. buiding was called Neeb Hall. They would often show classic and foreign films there and Salerno presented many of these there. I attended ASU from 1974 to 1978. I think the theatre you are remembering in Tempe might have been the University II, but it was on University (East of Rural in the direction of Minder Binders). They had 2 screens, side by side. I remember seeing The Spy Who Loved Me there as well as several others including THX-1138, The Demon Seed, and Annie Hall (I think—might have been Love and Death)!
Does anyone have a photo of the theatre when it was running Cinerama films? Especially when the theatre had the Cinerama logo on it? Thanks!
Regarding the possible presentation of STAR WARS in mono — the Cine Capri had state-of-the-art (for its time) six-track stereophonic sound system that was very good. This was used in a lot of the hard-ticket road show films shown at the theatre including (THE BIBLE IN THE BEGINNING, SOUNG OF NORWAY, PAINT YOUR WAGON, etc). My guess is that there was some kind of stereo sound print available for STAR WARS in this type of system. If I’m correct, early DOLBY in the theatres was a sound clarity and noise reduction system — not like today’s DOLBY digital on synched CD so perhaps the initial prints of STAR WARS were six-track or something similar and the Dolby that was initially added a few months later was the noise reduction system. In any case, I was at the screening of STAR WARS on the opening day at the Cine Capri (w/ASU Prof. Nick Salerno’s film club) around 5 PM and there were two things I distinctly remember — 1) the amazing crowd — I knew nothing about the film and wondered how all these people knew to show up fo the opening day and 2) the incredible sound — when that opening music came on with the credits at the beginning it was definitely high-fidelity stereo and LOUD!
The movie critic on channel 8 (the PBS station) was Nick Salerno. He became chairman of ASU’s English department before retirement. The theatre you are thinking about near the Art dept. buiding was called Neeb Hall. They would often show classic and foreign films there and Salerno presented many of these there. I attended ASU from 1974 to 1978. I think the theatre you are remembering in Tempe might have been the University II, but it was on University (East of Rural in the direction of Minder Binders). They had 2 screens, side by side. I remember seeing The Spy Who Loved Me there as well as several others including THX-1138, The Demon Seed, and Annie Hall (I think—might have been Love and Death)!