Cinerama (the real kind) at the Dome (1 Viewer)

[Paul Linfesty]

I don't think anyone has ever disputed that 2001 was advertised in Cinerama, just questioning whteher a 70mm Super Panavision production could legitimately be called "Cinerama." Depends on one's point of view. Certainly , license-wise it was. And it was shot with full knowledge that it would be projected on the Cinerama screen. Even the film magazines used on the shoot had the Cinerama logo attached to the Super Panavision cameras. There were a lot of barrel distortion lense shots used throughout the film, in many ways creating the "rectified" look that had been optically introduced on those "Cinerama" films shot in Ultra-Panavision. And of course the usual care went into making sure necessary information was kept out of the bottom and top of the image to accomodate butterfly projection plates. 2001 probably was more designed for Cinerama screens than any other Super Panavision screen (Grand Prix used some barrel distortion lenses for the racing sequences, but split screen fx probably ruined the "you are there" illusion of the format.)

Now many purists will say that all this wasn't really Cinerama at all, but just making the film work as best as it could on a Cinerama screen. This is certainly a legitimate stance as well. I would tend to agree. But I can also see why directors of narrative films would want to stay clear of 3-strip.

BTW, I hope Im not too close, but my Saturday 1pm show for TIC is for 6th row center.

 

[Peter Kline]

IAMMMMW was a "rectified" 70mm print with the sides of the image squeezed so when projected on the deeply curved screen the image would not be stretched. For non-Cinerama 70mm showings a unrectifed print was used. The film was not made with Cinerama in mind, it was only a late decision on UA's part to license the name. Interestingly, 2001 did not have rectified prints - according to Martin Hart of Wide Screen Museum. In all cases when 70mm films were projected on Cinerama screens, the top and bottom center of the image was missing slightly. Pacific Theatres, who purhased Cinerama Inc., licensed the name for a bunch of films with only a few using a Cinerama-like perspective in certain scenes. The 3 panel original Cinerama was the only presentation which always presented a 146 degree view (except for some scenes in HTWWW). The excuse that caused the process to die is that narrative films didn't work in 3 panel Cinerama - although HTWWW was a top-grossing film. It was expensive to film and present in theatres in the process. In 1965 the technicians at Cinerama had produced a single lens capable of showing 146 degrees of view without barrel distortion. They were a year or two away from perfecting the camera to be used with the lense. The film was to be a single strip running sideways in the camera (ala VistaVision) along a curved gate. They would even split the image into three to show with three projectors until a projection lense was developed. Pacific Theatres abandoned the project and switched to standard 70mm for "Cinerama" films.
Two films were started in the original Cinerama 3 camera process and were switched over to 70mm: "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "The Golden Head" a/k/a "Millie Goes To Budapest". In the former the 3 panel scenes were reshot, in the latter they were printed down to 70mm and used in the film.

The truth is in the viewing. 3 camera Cinerama pulled you into the picture with it's ultra wide view. None of the single lense movies presented on the Cinerama screen did that. Today the same thing is happening with IMAX. Original films photographed in the process are rarer and rarer. Non-IMAX films are being prepared for IMAX projection. They're not the same.


P.S. Row 6 should be fine as it is approximately the 10th row in the theatre as the screen to first row distance is large. (I have seats in that row for the 7:30 PM show!).

 

[Jack Briggs]

RobertR reports Oct. 5 works best for him (see above).

Peter is limited to the one weekend, so what about any others? Would a Saturday screening in addition to the Friday screening be acceptable to you, Peter?

Or, I could plan on meeting up with Peter on the 4th, and the rest of us could do another screening on the next weekend? Julie could be able to attend that one.

Either way, I'm not going to miss the opportunity to meet Mr. Kline!

 

[Peter Kline]

Jack, I can go to a screening on Saturday as well, the 1 or 4:30 shows. I only have tickets for the Friday show at 7:30 however. The run ends on the following Thursday as currently scheduled and will not play the next weekend. For first-timers seeing 3 panel Cinerama it is probably best that one sits as close to the sweet spot - center 10 to 15 or so rows back, if possible. Rear center is OK as well but not as good. Side seats are not the best except if they're way back. All individual seats to the showings are reserved.

 

[Peter Kline]

Courtesy American Wide Screen Museum

 

[RolandL]

For those of you interested in Cinerama, I just added 139 Cinerama theatres to the Cinerama web site.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

AM I the only one who noticed the endorsement of P&Sing films for IMAX because it "fills more of the screen" below the article?

How long is This is Cinerama running? I may be in LA the week after, and would LOVE to see it

 

[Peter Kline]

Jeff,

Just got back from a two week trip. This Is Cinerama is scheduled to run between Oct 4 and Oct 6 only. Go to arclightcinemas.com for up to date info.

Peter