Around The World In 80 Days (1956) (2 Viewers)

[ahollis]

I worked for United Artists Comunucations (United Artiste Theatres) before, during, and after Malone. Never at any time did they own Cinerama. Yes to Todd-AO and D-150, and I had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Vetter. Cinerama is currently owned by the Forman family (Pacific Theatres)

 

[Will Krupp]

How may Cinerama theaters have you installed ? How may 70mm prints have you run ? How may Todd-AO installs worldwide ? How many 70mm prints do you own ?

Well aren't you FUN.

 

[John Carver]

Well aren't you FUN.

The real fun is the revenue from patents, stock trusts that rolled over from Paramount-Publix and consulting fees. I will run a 70mm print of Altered States Easter Sunday night- but mostly the accomplishment of the image on the screen - or wiring hook up and having everything working with no troubleshooting - ever count the wires in a 70mm projection room ? A 3 strip install with controls and interlocks was the ultimate pleasure. I had much fun in Eindhoven at Philips - more fun in Amsterdam - Touring the Heineken brewery cost 1 guilder- and the tour turned you loose at the spigot and smorgasbord till 5 PM
.
I retired at age 37 growing weary of the 66.66 % tax bracket- and now past my mid 70s - see 2+ year old avatar picture --- my work was always fun -- I enjoyed the time alone in a peaceful projection room.

But let us pay homage to Mike Todd - Cinerama,Todd-AO and the effect 80 Days made for 70mm growth - and for the Philips DP70 unequaled to this day and the first moving picture machine to merit a technical Oscar- print life unknown before- I derive much more fun from the laws of physics and math - and whole bean Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee - the radix of all Arabica coffee.

 

[haineshisway]

Well aren't you FUN.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was noticing the "fun."

 

[haineshisway]

Your sources are wrong. You are wrong.

If the sources are wrong then it would follow that I would be wrong since I believed them. But thanks for the post anyway.

 

[John Carver]

I worked for United Artists Comunucations (United Artiste Theatres) before, during, and after Malone. Never at any time did they own Cinerama. Yes to Todd-AO and D-150, and I had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Vetter. Cinerama is currently owned by the Forman family (Pacific Theatres)

Excuse my modifiers- and the Win 10 "edition" - Western Theatrical sold some equipment to the Forman holdings - the few Cinerama library titles ended up with Anchor Bay. Much 3 strip became sound slugs. The real estate is there- but what was Cinerama, Inc. is no longer. I am close by in Jefferson Parish- I have Wally Vetter 's D-150 Super Curvulon mated to ISCO T-Kiptagon primes. He came along after Schuler Sanford Were you with UATC when Teddy Solomon Gulf States was with UA ? That would be before uniting with AMC - The Solomon 's had the Columbia Theater in Macomb, MS. next to the Solomon Brothers dry goods store - I have the AA-II from the Orpheum install - in 1964 - one of my real fun installs- the new Ballantyne "transistorized" sound system - broadcast every electrical noise in 6 channels- the coin in the soda machine- the light switch in Mr. Booksh' s office- the relay in the Futura II, the machine tool relay for motor start and the centrifugal switch on the motor - I do not know if the 1 DP7is still functional at the Saenger or if McAlester Hall has their two - but mine are fully functional - if you want to come by for a 70mm something or the 80 Days Cinestage print - before I send it to Ohio for a performance - I learned how to find a PM- or send word by David at Manny Jacobs old uptown theater- originally wired by my grandfather and re-wired during the remodeling by his son Old Martin Rotary Converter behind the booth.

Did you work with any PA techs ?.

 

[John Carver]

If the sources are wrong then it would follow that I would be wrong since I believed them. But thanks for the post anyway.

It is astounding how much information, printed manuals are lost and sometimes inaccurate. One of the best deposits of some manuals is FT web site - thanks Brad
One tech rationalized ( incorrectly) that 6 track Todd-AO had Perspecta tones - that was impossible by the switch selection on the Westrex custom built pre amp rack. I always figure if a man does not err once and a while he is doing nothing.

 

[ahollis]

Edit

 

[atfree]

This thread has gone wildly, although entertainingly, astray.

 

[Will Krupp]

This thread has gone wildly, although entertainingly, astray.

To quote one of my favorite parties, "The atmosphere in here is positively Macbeth-ish"

 

[cinemiracle]

Indeed. The dome has a 120 degree curved screen so avoided the light spill problem that necessitated the louvered construction of true 180 degree cinerama screens.

I understand that the screen is too small for 3 strip Cinerama and a couple of feet of the projected image on each side , are not seen. The only time that I saw a film at the Dome was in 1978 and it was in 70mm. True Cinerama screens should be 145 degrees not 120. The effect is vastly different. I saw all of the 3 strip Cinerama films on screens that were 145 degrees .Cinerama screens were never 180 degrees as you mentioned. Seattle Cinerama screen has about 18 inches of the top of the projected image masked out when they use their Cinerama screen.Light awnings on the ceiling caused the problem. They Bradford Cinerama screen does not extend out into the audience on each side but is on a stage. Of the 3 existing Cinerama screens still in use, not one is authentic.

 

[OliverK]

Indeed. The dome has a 120 degree curved screen so avoided the light spill problem that necessitated the louvered construction of true 180 degree cinerama screens.

Regarding the light spill: I have to wonder how they work it out with the new non-louvered screen as there will be light spill even with screens with lesser curvature. It is both visible and measurable, just not as pronounced. The solution with one projector is very easy: Just use a screen with some directionality / gain - very good for reducing cross-reflections / light spill. I they did that with multiple projectors it would not work that well but maybe they used a bit of gain anyway and went for a better experience with the vast majority of content compared to the few 3-strip movie screenings.

 

[cinemiracle]

Cinerama covered 135 degrees not 180- FOV
The f/l of the taking lens did not allow that wide a field. Cinerama had 1 f/l taking lens for 3 strip.

As screen size and angle of coverage goes- MMMMW used a 56 degree field of vision taking lens
D-150 really covered 150 degrees - the circle of confusion is exceedingly small - meaning if you were in the frame - you were in focus.

Another Cinerama fact- if a person in the distance crossed from one panel to another- they would disappear- if closer they did not. The panel overlap was 2 degrees.

I am now in my late 70s and was an SMPTE member before the T word was added- and an electrical engineer with MS dual majors in math and physics. Further, multi generation family ties date back to Paramount-Publix - my avatar is a 2 year old picture- me by my favorite toy- a Philips / Norelco AA-II.


My favorite of the old 3 strip was 7 Wonders of the World - the Arabs in a Cadillac out of gas and the Floral Umbrellas sequence of Takarazuka dance theater and Junior's $ 27.00 ( cost of filming) roller coaster ride in This Is Cinerama --- if you look closely you can see the roller coaster sequence was shot with magazine ends and spliced together - the reason $ was tight.

One comical screw-up was Wonderful World Brothers Grim - the Baker booth projectionist bleeped-up and threaded R2 instead of R1- after the overture Leo was missing- Saturday full house- when you had a Cinerama stop - everything had to be rewound and started over - if a film repair was required- black frames had to be substituted- everything A-B-C and the 7 track dubber had to be in sync- anyhow the fan blades were heavily bent. When the Selsyn motors were interlocked for start - the motors would vary in speed and then hold sync in about 20 seconds- as the field windings were in series for all 4 motors.

Cinerama was 145 degrees not 135

 

[Allansfirebird]

This thread has gone wildly, although entertainingly, astray.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Thread.

 

[RolandL]

I understand that the screen is too small for 3 strip Cinerama and a couple of feet of the projected image on each side , are not seen.

From the Arclight web site:

"The deeply curved (126 degree) screen was replaced to its original size and shape - all 32 by 86 feet of it! "

The screen's aspect ratio is about 2.7 and 3-panel Cinerama is 2.6. I don't think "the screen is too small"

 

[B-ROLL]

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Thread.

Fasten your seatbelts ...

 

[cinemiracle]

From the Arclight web site:

"The deeply curved (126 degree) screen was replaced to its original size and shape - all 32 by 86 feet of it! "

The screen's aspect ratio is about 2.7 and 3-panel Cinerama is 2.6. I don't think "the screen is too small"

Roland, the screen is not too small but does the projected image extend beyond the screen on both sides?

 

[RolandL]

Roland, the screen is not too small but does the projected image extend beyond the screen on both sides?

I saw a number of 3-panel Cinerama films at the 60th anniversary. I don't remember seeing the image beyond the screen on either side.

 

[nara]

Cinerama screens were never 180 degrees as you mentioned.

See post #350.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Around the World in Eighty Days was on BBC2 HD today. I caught the last 30 minutes and was surprised how good it looked.