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Remembering Cinerama (Part 42: Albany)
posted by
Coate
on
October 9, 2009 at 8:14 am
REMEMBERING CINERAMA
Part 42: Albany
The following is Part Forty-Two in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable screenings took place.
Part 1: New York City
Part 2: Chicago
Part 3: San Francisco
Part 4: Houston
Part 5: Washington, DC
Part 6: Los Angeles
Part 7: Atlanta
Part 8: San Diego
Part 9: Dallas
Part 10: Oklahoma City
Part 11: Syracuse
Part 12: Toronto
Part 13: Columbus
Part 14: Montreal
Part 15: Northern New Jersey
Part 16: Charlotte
Part 17: Vancouver
Part 18: Salt Lake City
Part 19: Boston
Part 20: Philadelphia
Part 21: Fresno
Part 22: Detroit
Part 23: Minneapolis
Part 24: Albuquerque
Part 25: El Paso
Part 26: Des Moines
Part 27: Miami
Part 28: Orange County
Part 29: Pittsburgh
Part 30: Baltimore
Part 31: Long Island
Part 32: Kansas City
Part 33: Milwaukee
Part 34: Nanuet/Rockland County
Part 35: Denver
Part 36: Worcester
Part 37: Toledo
Part 38: St. Louis
Part 39: Tampa
Part 40: Calgary
Part 41: Hartford
And now…Part 42: Cinerama Presentations in Albany, New York!
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Hellman
Premiere Date: May 25, 1960
Engagement Duration: 5 weeks
Projection Format: CineMiracle
Promotional Hype: “Only CINEMIRACLE Tickets Put You Right In The Middle Of Thrill-Packed Adventure!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Super 50 Drive-In
Premiere: July 6, 1960
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Hype: “For The First Time In The World At A Drive-In Theater and First Time At Popular Prices!” “In 3 Panel Projection As First Developed By CINERAMA” “Now In The Sensational Screen Process CINEMIRACLE”
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: March 24, 1961
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The only really new wonder of the entertainment world!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: May 24, 1961
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD as seen through the greatest wonder…CINERAMA!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: July 8, 1961
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s Every Holiday You Ever Dreamed Of…Come True! See Winter In Switzerland, Autumn In New Hampshire, Daybreak In The Desert, Dancing In Paris, Jazz In New Orleans, Thru The Fabulous Medium Of CINERAMA!” “First Time At Popular Prices! No Reservations Needed! Now Everyone Will Have An Opportunity To See And Hear The Wonder Of CINERAMA.”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: August 11, 1961
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Newest CINERAMA!” “The Story of 6 Who Surrendered to the Lure of the South Seas!”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: September 22, 1961
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Newest CINERAMA Adventure!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: October 10, 1962
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Miracle Entertainment Of Our Time Wraps The World Around Your Theatre Seat” “Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and CINERAMA present The First Full Length Dramatic Story In CINERAMA With A Dazzling Array Of Stars In Fascinating Roles…It Puts YOU In The Picture!”
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: December 25, 1962
Duration: 2 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Newest, Never Before Shown Adventure!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Hellman
Premiere: June 26, 1963
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “24 Great Stars & 3 Academy Award Directors Combined To Bring You…The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE ALBANY MARKET:
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (general release)
CIRCUS WORLD (general release)
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY (roadshow engagement at Hellman)
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (roadshow engagement at Hellman)
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL (general release)
BATTLE OF THE BULGE (general release)
KHARTOUM (general release)
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
GRAND PRIX (roadshow engagement at Hellman)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general release)
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (roadshow engagement at Hellman)
ICE STATION ZEBRA (general release)
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA (general release)
THIS IS CINERAMA 1973 re-issue
Compiled by Michael Coate
References: Boxoffice, The (Albany) Times-Union, The Troy Record
Comments (2)
The Twin Drive-In in Cincinnati opened a 3-strip engagement of WINDJAMMER 2 weeks after the showing at the Super 50. So, there must have been at least 2 portable units out there showing WINDJAMMER. I’ve never seen any other engagements listed, and would be VERY interested if it showed at any other drive-ins in 3-strip. These were almost 3 years before the CINERAMA engagements at the Century Drive-In in LA.
I wonder why the Hellman Theater apparently stopped being or advertising itself as a Cinerama house after the 3-strip enagements, especially as it showed “Grand Prix” and “2001” on a roadshow basis. Was its curved screen perhaps removed after “HTWWW”?