SOUTH PACIFIC 70MM OVERTURE (1 Viewer)

[cinemiracle]

I understand that SOUTH PACIFIC in 70mm did not have an overture when it was first released in many countries.
I found that this was most unusual as SP was the first 70mm film screened in most countries. Overtures were always played with 70mm musicals in the fifties/sixties. To have such a hugely successful film played without an overture is unbelievable. The film ran for several years continuously in both London and Sydney.
I worked at a 70mm cinema in Wellington,New Zealand and we always played an overture before SP. How many other HTF people can remember seeing SOUTH PACIFIC in 70mm in 1958 with or without an overture being played ?

 

[nara]

It played in 70mm at The Gaumont, Glasgow with an overture.

 

[wesaussie]

South Pacific screened in 70mm at Sydney's Mayfair theatre for over 4 years and had no overture. The short The Miracle of TODD AO began the programme and if you recall in that short the camera follows a police motor cyclists down the hills of San Francisco and as the cyclist goes over a hump a in the hill a furniture van pulls out in front of the camera and there is a crashing sound and the screen goes black ,then South Pacific began without the overture. It was very effective. However when the movie went on general release in 35mm theatre patrons who saw it at the Mayfair were disappointed as the short was not shown. They all thought it was part of South Pacific. I screened the 70mm version at the Theatre Royal in Lithgow NSW and the overture on the print was cut off the front of the movie and tagged on to the end play out music.
The print I screened was the one used at the Mayfair in Sydney.

 

[john a hunter]

The same at London's Dominion Theatre where it had its record breaking 4 and half year run.
I seem to recall it wasn't a furniture van "we" crashed into but a TV repair van!!!
When I went back to see SP a week or two before it finished its run, the house lights come up after the crash and the overture began. That was not the first shock.
Something seemed different and indeed it was!
It was now the cut version with scenes altered.

 

[rsmithjr]

I saw it in 35mm 4-track magnetic in 1959 and there was an overture. Des Moines, IA, at the Des Moines Theatre and a few months later at the Varsity Theatre.

 

[cinemiracle]

South Pacific screened in 70mm at Sydney's Mayfair theatre for over 4 years and had no overture. The short The Miracle of TODD AO began the programme and if you recall in that short the camera follows a police motor cyclists down the hills of San Francisco and as the cyclist goes over a hump a in the hill a furniture van pulls out in front of the camera and there is a crashing sound and the screen goes black ,then South Pacific began without the overture. It was very effective. However when the movie went on general release in 35mm theatre patrons who saw it at the Mayfair were disappointed as the short was not shown. They all thought it was part of South Pacific. I screened the 70mm version at the Theatre Royal in Lithgow NSW and the overture on the print was cut off the front of the movie and tagged on to the end play out music.
The print I screened was the one used at the Mayfair in Sydney.[/QUOTE

THE MIRACLE OF TODD-AO screened at the Mayfair was a shorter version-not the one screened in the USA with OKLAHOMA later in it's cinema run. Probably the reason that the overture was not played in many outlets was that THE MIRACLE OF TODD-AO was played at 30 f.p.s. whereas SOUTH PACIFIC was at 24 f.p.s. It probably was too much trouble for projectionists to change over the speed levels after the overture and before MOTAO started. They still had to do it at the end of the short.If you want to see the original MOTAO version (it had more footage after the fire engine scene)- then check it out on the bluray release. Not sure , but I think it is an extra with OKLAHOMA.

 

[cinemiracle]

I saw it in 35mm 4-track magnetic in 1959 and there was an overture. Des Moines, IA, at the Des Moines Theatre and a few months later at the Varsity Theatre.

This forum is about the 70mm Roadshow version of SOUTH PACIFIC-not the 35mm version.

 

[bigshot]

Define it all you want. We'll still keep talking.

 

[DP 70]

On You Tube put in South Pacific Premiere and you get the Todd-AO on the screen plus the Projection Box with those lovely projectors in the Dominion.

 

[Henry Gondorff]

Was it customary in the UK for film to be wound on reels emulsion-in?

 

[Everett S.]

It seems to me a 20th Century Fox thing. None have an overture !

 

[Ushabye]

A film running for 4 years is an amazing concept. Time enough for at least two sequels and a spinoff. I was a projectionist in a multiplex for 9 years and the longest single run I had was 6 months: Bridget Jones Diary. The joins virtually fell apart in my hand when I packed it off. Even six months today is mind boggling.

 

[john a hunter]

Four and a half years to be accurate. And with only two prints!!!

 

[rsmithjr]

This forum is about the 70mm Roadshow version of SOUTH PACIFIC-not the 35mm version.

Just trying to provide some context for those who may not know.

 

[cinemiracle]

A film running for 4 years is an amazing concept. Time enough for at least two sequels and a spinoff. I was a projectionist in a multiplex for 9 years and the longest single run I had was 6 months: Bridget Jones Diary. The joins virtually fell apart in my hand when I packed it off. Even six months today is mind boggling.

The French film A MAN AND A WOMAN ran for more than year at the same cinema in both New York and Sydney .DILWALE DU DULHANIA LE JAYENGE

 

[cinemiracle]

Sorry accidently entered my forum without finishing it. DILWALE DU DULHANIA LE JAYENGE ran at the same cinema in India for more than 10 years. A masterpiece .

 

[Stephen PI]

Was it customary in the UK for film to be wound on reels emulsion-in?

Yes.