How the West Was Won (1962) (1 Viewer)

[usrunnr]

Costner stated that he saw "HTWWW" at the Cinerama Dome, but I believe he is mistaken. I'm pretty sure he saw it at the Warner Cinerama Theater on Hollywood Boulevard (see picture and info above).

It was shown later at the Dome but not first run.

 

[Matt Hough]

Kevin Costner talks at the 2022 Oscar ceremony about how he saw How the West Was Won at the age of 7, and how much he loved the movie.

That was a beautiful moment last night, and I certainly could identify with him seeing that film at a young age (a little older than he was) and being bowled over by it.

 

[DP 70]

The Dome opened with Single Strip 70mm Cinerama in 1963 with DP70s.

 

[Bernard McNair]

I really appreciated the comments of Kevin Costner on HTWWW. I saw it on its initial release in Cinerama with my mother at the Plaza Theatre in Sydney (a glorious cinema that’s just entering it doors was a great experience- sadly now a McDonalds store). I was entranced by the settlers ride down the rapids and buffalo stampede and the closing scene in Monument Valley made this then seven year old want to see It “for real”- a dream achieved about 10 years ago.
I have revisited then film many times over the years and have always enjoyed it (and viewed it again in the great Smilebox version only a few moths ago. I love the storytelling of the film and the sheer spectacle of the film. However, nothing will beat the Cinerama experience for which I will always be grateful to my mother for taking me (particularly as westerns were her least favourite genre).

 

[cinemiracle]

I really appreciated the comments of Kevin Costner on HTWWW. I saw it on its initial release in Cinerama with my mother at the Plaza Theatre in Sydney (a glorious cinema that’s just entering it doors was a great experience- sadly now a McDonalds store). I was entranced by the settlers ride down the rapids and buffalo stampede and the closing scene in Monument Valley made this then seven year old want to see It “for real”- a dream achieved about 10 years ago.
I have revisited then film many times over the years and have always enjoyed it (and viewed it again in the great Smilebox version only a few moths ago. I love the storytelling of the film and the sheer spectacle of the film. However, nothing will beat the Cinerama experience for which I will always be grateful to my mother for taking me (particularly as westerns were her least favourite genre).

I also saw HTWWW at the Plaza-such a magnificent cinema in which to see cinerama.. I managed to see Cinerama in New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, San Francisco,Los Angeles,Atlanta and New York. I saw all the 3 strip films in Cinerama many times.

 

[usrunnr]

The Dome opened with Single Strip 70mm Cinerama in 1963 with DP70s.

Yes, with "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" . I'll never forget it.

 

[Desslar]

I was lucky to have seen it about eight times in 3-strip Cinerama upon it's first release and we also screened it where I worked in cinemascope and much later in 70mm at our cinerama cinema where I also worked. One can still see it on rare occasions in 3 strip at Bradford in the U.K.. I still have fond memories of being in a television mini series with Karl Malden

I'm way behind on this but would love to hear more about this Karl Malden story.

 

[Jim*Tod]

So would Costner have seen HOW THE WEST WAS WON at the Dome? I thought is played in its initial three projector format in a different LA theater.

 

[usrunnr]

So would Costner have seen HOW THE WEST WAS WON at the Dome? I thought is played in its initial three projector format in a different LA theater.

Correct. Warner's Cinerama Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. Picture above.

 

[David Weicker]

From his story, its hard to tell when he saw the film. He claimed he was seven when he saw it. However the film came out (in the US) in Feb 1963 - after he had just turned eight (Jan '63).

So whether he saw it on its original release at its original theater, or sometime later is unknown.

 

[ponset]

 

[Garysb]

I don't understand why Warner Bros. removed the smilebox version of the film after the first release, digi-pack, of the blu ray . Fortunetely I bought it then. It's the only version I watch. It was nice that TCM showed that version recently after they showed the restored version of "The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm". The smilebox version is not available for streaming even as a separate purchase from the standard version. The smilebox version should be more widely available as it best approximates Cinerama for home viewing, "Brother's Grimm" includes the smilebox version in the current blu ray. Who knows whether they will remove it like a digital code eventually.