After the plexing, they didn't change the projector lens, so you had the choice of mostly focused in the center, and soft sides, or soft center and decent sides. I'm talking 1994 here. It was so disappointing. I asked the projectionist how in the world can he put up with it, and he said management doesn't want to spend any money on it for a once in awhile use, even if it doesn't focus right. Ugh.
The Norelco AA-II/Philips DP-70 was the Rolls-Royce of 70 MM projection. Elegant engineering. Great thread. This, folks is the real Big Picture here. And not Liemax.
One of the most amazing movie experiences I ever had was watching Star Wars in 70mm 6 track stereo at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco. The picture was stunning and the sound was amazing and very, very loud.
Those are some big head stacks, Matt! If you ever need new magnetic analog heads nowadays, I guarantee you, a company like Flux Magnetics could custom-manufacture them for you with no problem. There are a few others out there making heads for analog audio decks and film-sound recorders, and while they require great precision, it's not ridiculously expensive or complex to do.
Here is newsreel coverage of opening night at the now-demolished Cooper Cinerama in Denver, the first-ever built-for-Cinerama (as opposed to "remodeled for Cinerama") venue in the world. (Two virtually identical theatres were built later in Minneapolis and Omaha, and both theatres are now also demolished.) http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-wonderful-world-of-the-brothers-grimm-preview Matt
^ Ahhhh, is there anything more gratifying than watching VIPs being honored? Ya think they coulda devoted more than 3 seconds of footage to the projection booth? Amusing relic, however.
Neat film, and at one point someone holds up a copy of the late, great Rocky Mountain News. I shot a few photos of the Cooper's demolition when I was going to school in Denver. 1994 I believe? I recently scanned a few frames. In the last one you can make out decorative bits in the lobby. The mid-century coolness was no doubt long gone by this time anyway. There's a strip mall with a Barnes and Nobel anchoring, it now ironically also an endangered species. dan c
Dan, thanks for posting those. Here's a shot of mine from 1999 showing the stairs to the balcony at the Indian Hills Cinerama in Omaha. The Indian Hills was a clone of the Denver Cooper, and in the top of my photo, you can see the circular, teardrop-style light fixtures that are visible in your bottom photo.
I saw Blade Runner during its intial run, in 70 mm at Cinerama in Seattle. I thought the presentation was amazing, but at the time I didn't know the history of Cinerama. I'm glad the theater has been restored, but unfortunately I now live on the other coast. John
News today that the old King Cinema (now the King Kat Theatre -- mostly a live venue) in Seattle is going to be demolished: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017518305_clise16.html This was a very nice theatre in terms of comfort and atmosphere, built in 1974, but it was very odd in one sense. It was originally to be feature a large, curved screen for 70mm presentations, but at the last minute, the plan to use a huge, curved screen and 70mm was scrapped, but the curtains were already in place, so when you sat down, you'd see this huge, curved curtain, but then that curtain would part, and way back along the back wall was this little piddly flat screen! Here's a snippet from a pdf I got off the King Kat website today, and you can see where the curved curtains are along the stage area (the curtains are just left open at all times now), and the flat screen on the back wall, with the 5 screen channels for 70mm sound. Sad to see it go. I hope to get inside and get some pics before the wrecking ball hits. I remember going to opening night of THIS IS SPINAL TAP here, with people walking out in the second half. (I was having a cow, but some people didn't get the humor in it, I guess.)
Interesting! So sad so many mid-century buildings have been razed just as they age enough to become classic. What a waste. Of course, theaters are truly a strange beast. Once they outlive their original intent, it's very difficult to find a sustainable use for them. These monster-screen marvels are even more niche than the traditional movie palace. They're all but doomed at this point. Sad. dan c
More like "They're all but GONE at this point." Just looking at Cinerama, there were 295 facilities worldwide, and the vast, vast majority are demolished or have been repurposed entirely. The only ones, for instance, in the US that are still showing movies are (I think) Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and Washington. Seattle uses a flat screen 99.9% of the time, so that's kind of a quasi-legit experience; Portland's theatre is decrepit; Washington removed their film equipment and is having a heck of a time getting a decent image on that screen digitally; Los Angeles has a projection booth that's too high, causing geometric distortion that's more pronounced than some theatres in the chain. Time was, whenever I'd travel, I'd seek out the "big 70mm house" for a given city, and go check out a show, but those days are long, long gone. EDIT: I left San Jose off the list. The Century 21 is still showing movies, albeit on a smaller, flatter screen. (Check out the original screen at the bottom of this page!) Matt
The movie theater I was an usher at when I was a teen has now been turned into a tire store. Who'd have thought that? Derek
I saw "The Empire Strikes Back" in 70mm when it first opened. There were these huge speakers up front and in the rear that sounded absolutely amazing. What a wide-screen experience that was!
Rochester, NY. I hope I'm correct in my memory. It was a very wide screen with outstanding sound. It was advertised as being shown in 70mm.
I wasn't sure where to post this, so here it is. No big deal; just something that many filmgoers never get to see. The BOTTOM shot is a photo of the Uptown Theatre in Seattle, where I saw many a 70mm presentation back in the 80s. The photo is from February of 2012. That day, the first show of a double feature was HOUSE OF BAMBOO, original shown in 2.55 CinemaScope, but shown at this festival in a new 2.35 print. The second feature was UNDERWORLD USA, in 1.85. Between shows, they quickly ran a SMPTE RP40 test loop to readjust the masking, curtains, framing, etc. (All shows over the previous week or so had been 1.37 AR.) The TOP shot is a shot of the entire frame of film, for comparison. Geek out, film nerds!
That original photo of Loews Paradise ( displayed in your previous comment -No 46)is so incredibly like the 'old]' State Theatre in Melbourne Australia. I did 'a double take' jist looking at those photos. Even to the big blue sky , the walls, the same style stage proscenium the Roman statues and alcoves. I believe it seated 3300. .As a kid, I can remember going to one particular Saturday afternoon matinee there, at normal prices. It had a full width sunken pit /rising floor in front of the screen As part of the featurettes prior to intermission and the movie, up come a full live big band orchestra . This was a regular feature of that theatre. Imagine today the financial cost logistics, attempting the same thing!. .
There was a theatre in Melbourne that showed Earthquake in Sensurround. When they were demolishing it, the caused cracks in the walls and the plaster, then became quite evident. As an aside: I remember a Hi Fi reviewer writing about a then 70's new CD-4 record cartridge he reviewed. In order to provide its quadrophonic information it tracked a 40Kz signal, superimposed on top of the normal stereo information in the record grooves. The record he picked to test it, was the vinyl soundtrack from Earthquake , which 'unfortunately' had on its opening as well, low bass earthquake sounds. Needless to say, trying to reproduce such an extreme set of frequencies, disaster struck, The whole cantilever/stylus system was ripped out of the cartridge housing. He forgot to mention, whatever damage happened, to his speakers from the most likely 'feedback shock' ,
Dan (or anybody else), is this the Denver Cooper Cinerama in its latter days in the photo below, after being taken over by UA? I found it on Flickr, with no mention as to location.
Hmm. Interesting. Very well could be but I have no way of knowing. By process of elimination you could probably figure it out. Do you recall how many former Cinerama houses United Artists ended up owning? Couldn't have been many. dan c
Well, it's one of the three virtually-identical "hatbox" design original Coopers, which means it's either Denver, Minneapolis, or Omaha, and I know that it's not Omaha, which was never white. Update: I just peeked over at Cinematour.com, and I see that Kevin Dennis has posted some 1993 photos, and this does appear to be the Denver Cooper. See here: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/9608.html Matt
