Paul Allen paid to have new 3-strip film prints made for This is Cinerama, and How the West Was Won, so I would think that the theater would have those two films, and the rights to show them. No page has been created yet on Cinema Treasures for SIFF Cinema Downtown. Maybe someone with the time might want to do it.
That’s great news that the theater will finally be reopened. They said that the Cinerama name will be dropped, but I sure hope that they will retain the equipment to show 3 strip Cinerama films, as that is a bit of film history that deserves to be preserved.
I hope it is 3 strip also, Roger. Being on a weekday, it will probably be an evening showing, but I sure wish they would do it in the afternoon. Evenings are OK for local residents who can drive there, but for someone from out of town who needs to use public transportation, it’s not so good.
The in70mm.com website reports that the Dome will show the Cinerama flicks Windjammer and Seven Wonders of the World with digital projection on Sept 9, and How the West Was Won (maybe in 3 strip) on Oct 1st.
John Sittig , on the Cinerama Dome page, said that they hope to have a three-strip Cinerama showing next year, after he has had a chance to get the projectors in shape. Is there any hope that Seattle Cinerama might do it again, or is that a lost cause ? The digital restorations are great, but for Cinerama old timers like myself, it's all about the process, not the content.
A little research with Google turned up the fact that Warner did consider restoring Brothers Grimm, which they had done with HTWWW. They concluded that the demand for Brothers Grimm would not be as great as for HTWWW, and that the cost could not be justified.
Brothers Grimm was shown last October at Bradford’s Widescreen Weekend in 3 strip Cinerama. They used the only known surviving 3 panel print, which I believe belongs to a fellow in Australia.
Roger – I wish they would show 3 strip again at the Dome, but I think that they are more likely to show the new second digital restorations of TIC and Windjammer that are being released on Bluray by Flicker Alley on May 8. Seems like the only place left to see authentic Cinerama these days is in Bradford, England, and their 3 strip showings are much less frequent than they used to be.
Re: Silver,
“Hi RussM, Just curious: in your comment you commented that the 3-strip setup in Seattle was more original than the Arclight Dome. Could you elaborate on that, please? How so?”
The original Cinerama process provided a 146 degree field of view, and the screens were designed to duplicate that experience for the viewer. It is my understanding that the Dome was built when the Super Cinerama single lens 70 mm process was introduced, and the field of view was somewhere around 120 degrees. I thought that the presentations during the Cinerama Fest were excellent, but did not quite have the full impact of the original. Seattle has the screen to do it, if they want to. On another subject, I read that a new, much improved version of Windjammer will be made avilable on Blu-ray next Spring.
I was a huge Cinerama fan from the days of my youth. I saw all the 3-strip films when they were originally released, starting with “This Is Cinerama” at the Broadway Theater in NYC in 1952. I attended the Cinerama Fest at the Dome in 2012. I thought it was fantastic. Dave Strohmaier did a fabulous job of restoring the films, but for me, the experience of Cinerama was about the process, not the content. John Sittig’s retirement probably put an end to 3-strip showings at the Dome, but I hold out hope that the Seattle Cinerama might do it again. I think that their set up is more like the original than the Dome’s.
According to the Flicker Alley website, there will be special events starting about Oct. 22 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Dome. Anyone heard anything about this ?
The upcoming Cinerama Film Festival has showings scheduled with a gap of about 40 minutes between each film. Does anyone know how they will handle persons staying for more than one show ? Will it be necessary to exit the building, and re-enter ?
I am traveling 3000 miles for this festival, and have bought tickets for seven Cinerama films. Thanks to all the folks that have made this great event possible. Also, thanks to Arclight for releasing the schedule and starting ticket sales this far in advance.
For those who did not attend the showing of Windjammer on Sept. 5th, some very interesting tidbits of news were revealed by Mr. Sittig. 1) There are tentative plans to have some special events in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Cinerama. 2) One of the Cinerama cameras is currently being refurbished by a camera expert, and there is the possibility that there may be some fresh footage to show in 2012.
Thanks, John, for the heads up on Windjammer. I saw that film in the original Cinemiracle process at the old Roxy Theatre in New York in 1958. I live in Connecticut, but I will be in Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend for a jazz festival, and will definitely attend the showing at the Dome.
About this time last year, John Sittig gave us advanced notice of the Cinerama showings that were planned for early September. Is anything in the works for this year ? Any chance that they will show the new digital restoration of the Cinemiracle film, “Windjammer” ?
The schedule and ticket purchase links for the Cinerama showings on Sept. 8, 9, and 10 are now on the Arclight website. Click on the link in the lower left corner of the homepage that says “Arclight Presents”.
I have read that the Cinerama screen at the Dome is 126 degrees of an arc, while the Cinerama process was shot with a 146 degree field of view. If that is the case, how does the Dome setup deal with the difference ? Is there cropping ? I have seen Cinerama presentations at both the Dome, and in Seattle. I could be mistaken, but it was my impression that Seattle was more like the original Cinerama experience that I remember. In any case, I have my ticket for Sept. 7th. See you there !
Paul Allen paid to have new 3-strip film prints made for This is Cinerama, and How the West Was Won, so I would think that the theater would have those two films, and the rights to show them. No page has been created yet on Cinema Treasures for SIFF Cinema Downtown. Maybe someone with the time might want to do it.
That’s great news that the theater will finally be reopened. They said that the Cinerama name will be dropped, but I sure hope that they will retain the equipment to show 3 strip Cinerama films, as that is a bit of film history that deserves to be preserved.
I hope it is 3 strip also, Roger. Being on a weekday, it will probably be an evening showing, but I sure wish they would do it in the afternoon. Evenings are OK for local residents who can drive there, but for someone from out of town who needs to use public transportation, it’s not so good.
The in70mm.com website reports that the Dome will show the Cinerama flicks Windjammer and Seven Wonders of the World with digital projection on Sept 9, and How the West Was Won (maybe in 3 strip) on Oct 1st.
A little research with Google turned up the fact that Warner did consider restoring Brothers Grimm, which they had done with HTWWW. They concluded that the demand for Brothers Grimm would not be as great as for HTWWW, and that the cost could not be justified.
Brothers Grimm was shown last October at Bradford’s Widescreen Weekend in 3 strip Cinerama. They used the only known surviving 3 panel print, which I believe belongs to a fellow in Australia.
Roger – I wish they would show 3 strip again at the Dome, but I think that they are more likely to show the new second digital restorations of TIC and Windjammer that are being released on Bluray by Flicker Alley on May 8. Seems like the only place left to see authentic Cinerama these days is in Bradford, England, and their 3 strip showings are much less frequent than they used to be.
Re: Silver, “Hi RussM, Just curious: in your comment you commented that the 3-strip setup in Seattle was more original than the Arclight Dome. Could you elaborate on that, please? How so?”
The original Cinerama process provided a 146 degree field of view, and the screens were designed to duplicate that experience for the viewer. It is my understanding that the Dome was built when the Super Cinerama single lens 70 mm process was introduced, and the field of view was somewhere around 120 degrees. I thought that the presentations during the Cinerama Fest were excellent, but did not quite have the full impact of the original. Seattle has the screen to do it, if they want to. On another subject, I read that a new, much improved version of Windjammer will be made avilable on Blu-ray next Spring.
I was a huge Cinerama fan from the days of my youth. I saw all the 3-strip films when they were originally released, starting with “This Is Cinerama” at the Broadway Theater in NYC in 1952. I attended the Cinerama Fest at the Dome in 2012. I thought it was fantastic. Dave Strohmaier did a fabulous job of restoring the films, but for me, the experience of Cinerama was about the process, not the content. John Sittig’s retirement probably put an end to 3-strip showings at the Dome, but I hold out hope that the Seattle Cinerama might do it again. I think that their set up is more like the original than the Dome’s.
Does the Dome still have the equipment to show 3-strip Cinerama, or did they remove that ?
According to the Flicker Alley website, there will be special events starting about Oct. 22 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Dome. Anyone heard anything about this ?
The upcoming Cinerama Film Festival has showings scheduled with a gap of about 40 minutes between each film. Does anyone know how they will handle persons staying for more than one show ? Will it be necessary to exit the building, and re-enter ?
I am traveling 3000 miles for this festival, and have bought tickets for seven Cinerama films. Thanks to all the folks that have made this great event possible. Also, thanks to Arclight for releasing the schedule and starting ticket sales this far in advance.
For those who did not attend the showing of Windjammer on Sept. 5th, some very interesting tidbits of news were revealed by Mr. Sittig. 1) There are tentative plans to have some special events in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Cinerama. 2) One of the Cinerama cameras is currently being refurbished by a camera expert, and there is the possibility that there may be some fresh footage to show in 2012.
Thanks, John, for the heads up on Windjammer. I saw that film in the original Cinemiracle process at the old Roxy Theatre in New York in 1958. I live in Connecticut, but I will be in Los Angeles on Labor Day weekend for a jazz festival, and will definitely attend the showing at the Dome.
About this time last year, John Sittig gave us advanced notice of the Cinerama showings that were planned for early September. Is anything in the works for this year ? Any chance that they will show the new digital restoration of the Cinemiracle film, “Windjammer” ?
The schedule and ticket purchase links for the Cinerama showings on Sept. 8, 9, and 10 are now on the Arclight website. Click on the link in the lower left corner of the homepage that says “Arclight Presents”.
I have read that the Cinerama screen at the Dome is 126 degrees of an arc, while the Cinerama process was shot with a 146 degree field of view. If that is the case, how does the Dome setup deal with the difference ? Is there cropping ? I have seen Cinerama presentations at both the Dome, and in Seattle. I could be mistaken, but it was my impression that Seattle was more like the original Cinerama experience that I remember. In any case, I have my ticket for Sept. 7th. See you there !
They just announced a showing of HTWWW for Sunday, Sept. 7th.