To King Biscuit. 7 Wonders of the world played here in Boston for a totalof 76 weeks also. 64 on its 1st time and then on a return visit of 12 more weeks. What I am surprised at is Windjammer. iT OPENED HERE IN bOSTON 2 weeks after St Louis. It only played there for 11 weeks. Here in Boston its 1st run was for 33 weeks and its 2nd week was for 23 weeks for a total of 56 weeks. The Boston Cinerama(our only Cinerama theatre) showed Cinerama both 3 strip & 70mm for 20 yrs with only a short break to show the road show version of Far from the maddening Crowd in 70mm blowup for a few weeks. I believe that Boston was the only city that had Cinerama in one theatre for that long.
Sorry, MC, no slight intended; When I wrote the comment, I remembered your 2001 engagement list on the in70mm site and I was only looking at that list on when I wrote my comment and did not think to compare it against your more detailed and meticulous data on your NYC Cinerama retrospective entry. Twenty-four weeks is the number listed for the Capitol run on the in70mmm site and I did not think to scan down to the information on the later moveover in NYC. My apologies.
CWalczak: The New York City roadshow run of “2001: A Space Odyssey” went for 37 weeks, not 26 (24 at the Capitol + another 13 on a direct moveover to the then-newly re-named Cinerama). I’m not sure why you claimed 26 since the New York entry in this series and the in70mm article of mine you just cited both list its duration as 37.
You’re correct, though, that in many markets the release of “Ice Station Zebra” cut short the runs of “2001.” This wasn’t the case in St. Louis, though, as “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” is what followed “2001.”
I think it has to be remembered that ‘2001’ was not always seen by folks in 1968 as deserving the milestone status it has achieved in the decades since its original release. A great deal of revisionism has occurred with regard to the esteem in which this film is held. (I saw it at the State in Cleveland in Cinerama, and although I loved it, I still remember some people muttering and shaking their heads as they left the theater). The original reviews ranged from “masterpiece” to “boring”. There was actually a great deal of variation with regard to the original engagements of “2001.” It only played 26 weeks in NYC and 37 in Chicago (see list of enagagements here: http://www.in70mm.com/news/2004/2001_in_70mm/chapters/engagement.htm( )
I also recall reading in a book about the film, that at the time, MGM, aware of the original mixed critical reaction, was anxious to get “Ice Station Zebra” into Cinerama houses. This may have have caused some runs to end prematurely, at least from the perpective of the present day. After the film gained real traction, there were a number of 70mm re-releases of 2001, especially in the late 60s and early 70s.
Actually, Chris, of all the cities Mike has given us so far, the average number of weeks played by 2001 was 30, so St. Louis was actually pretty typical.
Why were the engagements so short in comparison to other Cinerama cities? 29 weeks for “2001” is rather insane! What in the world could they have possibly replaced that with? Or did the place become a one-stop-shop for all things 70MM by the close of the 60’s?
Bill, I’m hoping to at least catch “This is Cinerama”. It all depends on a pending business trip that has been tentatively scheduled for that week. Ironically, the trip is to Seattle, and I would be staying not too far from the Seattle Cinerama!
Too bad you can’t join us in the fun this time. Hopefully next time you’ll be able to make it!
Michael: I assume you will be at every Cinerama show, even “The Golden Head”. How lousy could that movie be to have never been released in the US? (unless it was for other reasons).
JSA: I’m glad you appreciated and enjoyed the hype. Like I said to Michael, St. Louis' ads seemed to have more and funnier Cinerama hype than most other cities so far. Maybe because it’s in the Show Me State, so the ads went all out to show ‘em? I sure miss movie ad hype …
Will you be attending any of the upcoming Cinerama shows at the Dome? This will be the first time since 2003 that they’ll be showing Cinerama in LA and I won’t be able to go see it.
Let’s not forget encore engagements of “2001” from 10/21/69 to 12/24; 9/29/70 to 10/5; 12/1/71 to 12/13; and 9/13/72 to 10/3. As well, “Mad World” back from 10/13/71 to 10/19.
Reading the hype for some of these presentations is a hoot, specially “South Seas Adventure”, “Battle of the Bulge”, “Circus World” and “Grand Prix”. But they saved the best one for last: “Krakatoa”.
“YOU will want your money back!”
To King Biscuit. 7 Wonders of the world played here in Boston for a totalof 76 weeks also. 64 on its 1st time and then on a return visit of 12 more weeks. What I am surprised at is Windjammer. iT OPENED HERE IN bOSTON 2 weeks after St Louis. It only played there for 11 weeks. Here in Boston its 1st run was for 33 weeks and its 2nd week was for 23 weeks for a total of 56 weeks. The Boston Cinerama(our only Cinerama theatre) showed Cinerama both 3 strip & 70mm for 20 yrs with only a short break to show the road show version of Far from the maddening Crowd in 70mm blowup for a few weeks. I believe that Boston was the only city that had Cinerama in one theatre for that long.
Sorry, MC, no slight intended; When I wrote the comment, I remembered your 2001 engagement list on the in70mm site and I was only looking at that list on when I wrote my comment and did not think to compare it against your more detailed and meticulous data on your NYC Cinerama retrospective entry. Twenty-four weeks is the number listed for the Capitol run on the in70mmm site and I did not think to scan down to the information on the later moveover in NYC. My apologies.
Whoops! “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” followed “2001” at the same-named Trans-Lux Cinerama Theater in New Orleans.
“Star!” was the film following “2001” in St. Louis, opening 12/18/68. “Chitty, etc.” was shown at the Esquire.
CWalczak: The New York City roadshow run of “2001: A Space Odyssey” went for 37 weeks, not 26 (24 at the Capitol + another 13 on a direct moveover to the then-newly re-named Cinerama). I’m not sure why you claimed 26 since the New York entry in this series and the in70mm article of mine you just cited both list its duration as 37.
You’re correct, though, that in many markets the release of “Ice Station Zebra” cut short the runs of “2001.” This wasn’t the case in St. Louis, though, as “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” is what followed “2001.”
Oops – a stray parenthesis slipped into the URL above;it should be: View link
I think it has to be remembered that ‘2001’ was not always seen by folks in 1968 as deserving the milestone status it has achieved in the decades since its original release. A great deal of revisionism has occurred with regard to the esteem in which this film is held. (I saw it at the State in Cleveland in Cinerama, and although I loved it, I still remember some people muttering and shaking their heads as they left the theater). The original reviews ranged from “masterpiece” to “boring”. There was actually a great deal of variation with regard to the original engagements of “2001.” It only played 26 weeks in NYC and 37 in Chicago (see list of enagagements here: http://www.in70mm.com/news/2004/2001_in_70mm/chapters/engagement.htm( )
I also recall reading in a book about the film, that at the time, MGM, aware of the original mixed critical reaction, was anxious to get “Ice Station Zebra” into Cinerama houses. This may have have caused some runs to end prematurely, at least from the perpective of the present day. After the film gained real traction, there were a number of 70mm re-releases of 2001, especially in the late 60s and early 70s.
Actually, Chris, of all the cities Mike has given us so far, the average number of weeks played by 2001 was 30, so St. Louis was actually pretty typical.
Why were the engagements so short in comparison to other Cinerama cities? 29 weeks for “2001” is rather insane! What in the world could they have possibly replaced that with? Or did the place become a one-stop-shop for all things 70MM by the close of the 60’s?
The Golden Head makes its US premiere next month.
Bill, I’m hoping to at least catch “This is Cinerama”. It all depends on a pending business trip that has been tentatively scheduled for that week. Ironically, the trip is to Seattle, and I would be staying not too far from the Seattle Cinerama!
Too bad you can’t join us in the fun this time. Hopefully next time you’ll be able to make it!
I’ll be attending the Aug 24 “Mad World” show.
JSA
Michael: I assume you will be at every Cinerama show, even “The Golden Head”. How lousy could that movie be to have never been released in the US? (unless it was for other reasons).
JSA: I’m glad you appreciated and enjoyed the hype. Like I said to Michael, St. Louis' ads seemed to have more and funnier Cinerama hype than most other cities so far. Maybe because it’s in the Show Me State, so the ads went all out to show ‘em? I sure miss movie ad hype …
Will you be attending any of the upcoming Cinerama shows at the Dome? This will be the first time since 2003 that they’ll be showing Cinerama in LA and I won’t be able to go see it.
Let’s not forget encore engagements of “2001” from 10/21/69 to 12/24; 9/29/70 to 10/5; 12/1/71 to 12/13; and 9/13/72 to 10/3. As well, “Mad World” back from 10/13/71 to 10/19.
Reading the hype for some of these presentations is a hoot, specially “South Seas Adventure”, “Battle of the Bulge”, “Circus World” and “Grand Prix”. But they saved the best one for last: “Krakatoa”.
“YOU will want your money back!”
JSA
According to Mike’s lists so far, SEVEN WONDERS is the second most popular CINERAMA film after THIS IS CINERAMA, measured by total weeks played.
Wow, 76 weeks on Seven Wonders Of The World. I’m surprised that one was that successful.