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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Oliver! -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Rob_Ray

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Charles Smith said:
These do-it-yourself intermissions sound horrible. Talk about disruptive!

They might as well have inserted commercials. Oh -- they surely played "let's all go to the lobby" or some such...
The worst ones were in former roadshow attractions where the general release prints had no official intermission and the theatres created one anyway at a convenient reel change. Sometimes, the break would be in the middle of a scene.
 

Dan_Shane

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Charles Smith said:
As for the very existence of intermissions, and the genius of planning the best position for them in the service of actual suspenseful situations, look no further than those of Doctor Zhivago and 2001: A Space Odyssey. I treasure the memories of audiences audibly gasping at these moments. Talk about inspiring good intermission conversations... They knew how to do it.
A well-placed intermission absolutely can heighten the drama. Sometimes they are just a break in the action and a chance for bladder relief, but often they perform the same cliffhanger function that the old serial films did. At least we did not have to wait a full week to see how the kids got along without Maria.

One especially jarring intermission I recall was with the original run of Zeferelli's ROMEO AND JULIET. Romeo and Tybalt are going at it tooth-and-claw, Romeo begins to chase his foe thru the streets of Verona, takes a huge leap, and all of a sudden BANG! The intermission card appears on the screen with no music or lead-in of any kind. After returning from the restroom we waited for the lights to dim, and when they did Romeo finally landed back on the cobblestones and resumed swordplay.

What an actor!
 

WilliamMcK

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Rob_Ray said:
The worst ones were in former roadshow attractions where the general release prints had no official intermission and the theatres created one anyway at a convenient reel change. Sometimes, the break would be in the middle of a scene.
And speaking of poorly handled general release screenings: During the 1973-74 re-release of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, every showing I saw -- and I saw it at least eight times in five different theaters in two different cities -- regardless of whether they used the intermission or not, cut the Entr'acte. BUT, they didn't cut the brief lead-in shot of the Von Trapp villa... and since the tail end of the Entr'acte plays over that first visual in the second part of the film, the audience was always treated to a REALLY ugly sounding aural cut. This was particularly painful for the exhibitions that played the film straight through without intermission, because it was jarring to hear the swell of the first part finale and then immediately cut to the last few bars of the Entr'acte.

Question... Between 1973 and 1975 I was living in places that had no 70mm equipped theaters... Did the re-release of THE SOUND OF MUSIC go out in 70mm? And in the larger venues was it treated as an "event" picture? (I know genuine roadshow exhibition was probably already dead).
 

Rob_Ray

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WilliamMcK said:
Question... Between 1973 and 1975 I was living in places that had no 70mm equipped theaters... Did the re-release of THE SOUND OF MUSIC go out in 70mm? And in the larger venues was it treated as an "event" picture? (I know genuine roadshow exhibition was probably already dead).
Yes, Houston's Tower Theatre ran a beautiful 70mm print, complete with proper intermission and entr'acte. I saw it there twice. In general release, it ran in 35mm at the Garden Oaks Theatre, with a reel-change intermission after Edelweiss while the children are saying goodnight, but before the scene ended with the little one's line about the upcoming party.

In later years, I saw 35mm prints with a proper intermission and entr'acte, including one at the Windsor Cinerama and sometime before it became a television staple, a properly presented 70mm print ran at the Gaylynn Terrace.
 

John Maher_289910

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WilliamMcK said:
And speaking of poorly handled general release screenings: During the 1973-74 re-release of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, every showing I saw -- and I saw it at least eight times in five different theaters in two different cities -- regardless of whether they used the intermission or not, cut the Entr'acte. BUT, they didn't cut the brief lead-in shot of the Von Trapp villa... and since the tail end of the Entr'acte plays over that first visual in the second part of the film, the audience was always treated to a REALLY ugly sounding aural cut. This was particularly painful for the exhibitions that played the film straight through without intermission, because it was jarring to hear the swell of the first part finale and then immediately cut to the last few bars of the Entr'acte.

Question... Between 1973 and 1975 I was living in places that had no 70mm equipped theaters... Did the re-release of THE SOUND OF MUSIC go out in 70mm? And in the larger venues was it treated as an "event" picture? (I know genuine roadshow exhibition was probably already dead).
The Fox in Philadelphia showed the re-released TSOM in its original road show version. 70MM 6-track stereophonic sound, Entr'acte in tact.
 

Erik_H

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I saw "The Sound of Music" twice during its 1973 reissue. In the Boston area, the film was initially screened exclusively at the Sack Cinema 57 in 70MM (intermission and entr'acte included). I saw it again a few months later during the initial suburban run at the Sack Cinema in Natick, Massachusetts; this time in 35MM (intermission and entr'acte included). Side note: the Sack Cinema in Natick had just been converted to a twin, and the first films shown there post-twinning were "The Sound of Music" and "Last Tango in Paris." Somewhat ironically, "The Sound of Music" was shown on a grind basis, whereas "Last Tango" was presented on a semi-roadshow basis (specific seats weren't reserved but tickets could be ordered in advance, one evening showing, matinees on weekends only, and higher admission prices) as was the case with many of "Last Tango"'s initial engagements.
 

bryan4999

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I vividly recall seeing the 1973 re-release of SOM, I am pretty sure it was at The Wilshire Theater in L.A. We had to wait in line for quite a while. It was big deal. I recall seeing a special Merv Griffin show at the time celebrating its return.

It took about two years for it to finally get to our little neighborhood theater and they showed it as a double-feature with Airport '75. Well, I guess they both had singing nuns. I also recall that the entr'acte played just as black screen, with no break for an intermission, just as if you watched the DVD. I remember that clearly because I thought I would have a chance to visit the restroom (which I urgently needed) and was surprised when the film didn't pause.
 

Robert Harris

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John Maher_289910 said:
Not sure I know what you're asking, but I saw ZHIVAGO in the winter of 1966, at The Boyd Theatre, which was Philadelphia's original Cinerama venue. It was presented in 70MM and 6-track stereophonic sound.
I also saw it in 70mm at the Boyd. Great venue. Pity Philly is no longer a first class cinema city.

I asked because anyone who saw it from December 1965 into February of 1966, did not see the final cut version. Numerous shots, sequences were changed / deleted over a 12 week period, with replacement reels going out one a week to theatres screening the film.

RAH
 
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ahollis

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Charles Smith said:
These do-it-yourself intermissions sound horrible. Talk about disruptive!They might as well have inserted commercials. Oh -- they surely played "let's all go to the lobby" or some such...
The worst one I remember was with Poseidon Adventure. Just as Rodney McDowell fell of the ladder, the curtains closed and one of those generic Intermission snips came on the screen. When the intermission was over they just lowered the lights and started back with everyone looking down after him. Of course it was a reel change.
 

SteveJKo

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...In the Boston area, the film was initially screened exclusively at the Sack Cinema 57 in 70MM...
Great sound system at the Sack Cinema 57, but overall what an ugly theatre.
 

Paul Rossen

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Robert Harris said:
I also saw it in 70mm at the Boyd. Great venue. Pity Philly is no longer a first class cinema city.

I asked because anyone who saw it from December 1965 into February of 1966, did not see the final cut version. Numerous shots, sequences were changed / deleted over a 12 week period, with replacement reels going out one a week to theatres screening the film.

RAH
I saw Doctor Zhivago during it's first week which I believe was Xmas week 1965 at the Capitol Theatre in NYC. I do not remember differences in the film from what is now the 'final cut'. Is there anywhere one can read of the differences? I recall that the Robert Bolt screenplay was once available. Would that be helpful?
Thanks
 

Robert Harris

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Mr. Bolt's screenplay would probably not be helpful, although simply brilliant.

Do you recall the burial of a baby or people eating horse meat?

RAH
 
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JoshZ

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Charles Smith said:
I kid you not, I could read an entire book consisting of notes to theater managers and projectionists.

But I'm wondering -- besides road show presentations -- how many other movies would such things have been created for? Maybe not a lot? Were instructions regarding elements of presentation other than overtures and intermissions, etc., very common?
Two of note for different reasons:


lyndon-letter.jpg


michaelbay-letter.jpg
 

Paul Rossen

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Robert Harris said:
Mr. Bolt's screenplay would probably not be helpful, although simply brilliant.

Do you recall the burial of a baby or people eating horse meat?

RAH
Unfortunately I do not recall those scenes but recall reading them in the published Bolt screenplay many, many years ago. I recalled many of the cut Lawrence scenes/sequences prior to your restoration but I don't recall the differences in Zhivago. I guess Lawrence made more of an impression on a 14 year old.
 

JohnMor

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Rob_Ray said:
Yes, Houston's Tower Theatre ran a beautiful 70mm print, complete with proper intermission and entr'acte. I saw it there twice. In general release, it ran in 35mm at the Garden Oaks Theatre, with a reel-change intermission after Edelweiss while the children are saying goodnight, but before the scene ended with the little one's line about the upcoming party.

In later years, I saw 35mm prints with a proper intermission and entr'acte, including one at the Windsor Cinerama and sometime before it became a television staple, a properly presented 70mm print ran at the Gaylynn Terrace.
Sigh. I saw TSOM at the Tower as well. Absolutely beautiful. Loved going to the Windsor, Gaylynn, Gaylynn Terrace and Alabama, too. Miss those theaters. So glad my parents loved to see movies in the best theaters available. It was always such a treat.
 

John Maher_289910

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Finally got my OLIVER! disc. Listened to the Overture and watched a couple numbers. Just as I remember it. Fantastic! I was on a first date, and she wanted to go see a movie, but wasn't sure what she wanted to see. When we got to Center City, she said she wanted to see a musical. There was FUNNY GIRL at The Goldman (she wanted to see it, I didn't); STAR! at The Boyd (I wanted to see it, she didn't); so we went to see OLIVER!, at The Midtown.
 
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KPmusmag

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John Maher_289910 said:
Finally got my OLIVER! disc. Listened to the Overture and watched a couple numbers. Just as I remember it. Fantastic! I was on a first date, and she wanted to go see a movie, but wasn't sure what she wanted to see. When we got to Center City, she said she wanted to see a musical. There was FUNNY GIRL at The Goldman (she wanted to see it, I didn't); STAR! at The Boyd (I wanted to see it, she didn't); so we went to see OLIVER!, at The Midtown.
Knowing what a Julie fan you are, I bet there was no second date. ;)
 
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AnthonyClarke

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I went to MFL in its premiere season in Melbourne with my girlfriend (still my partner!) after we'd been 'seeing each other' for a few days and nights.
We arrived at the cinema in a very rumpled (but clean) condition and I will always fondly remember a little old lady coming up to us during the intermission saying 'you two dears look so hungry .. can I buy you a sandwich?'. Oh the charm. And funny to think I'm probably that little old lady's age right now .... anyong want a sandwich?
 

Panavision70

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Worse intermission I ever saw was the 1969 re-release of "South Pacific" at the Hays Theater in St. Cloud, MN. It was a battered 35mm print with mono sound. The overture, intermission, exit music were not included. But theater management put a generic "Intermission" title card at the end of a reel half way through the film. Problem was it was not at the end of Act I. It was placed at the moment Bloody Mary first introduces Liat to Lt. Cable. The very moment! Bloody Mary says "you like?" And, bang! INTERMISSION.
 

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