to Al A. I see what you mean by it being sold as a light comedy based on the critics quotes you quoted.
another question about 55 Days at Peking. you said
based on the screening times given in the ad for its
run at the Trans Lux 85 St. that theater probably
didn’t use an intermission. now the other day I was
listening to the 55 Days….. soundtrack album
and it does have a track titled “Intermission”. so
did the Palace run it with an intermission?
to Al A.. you have been most helpful with replies
to my many questions but I simply can not believe
TDOAF was sold in Miami as a light comedy. that would
have been an insult to any Holocaust survivors living
in the Miami area.
I may have asked this question in the past if so
please so kind as to reply with any additional
thoughts on the matter. I like The Greatest Story
Ever Told which i saw twice during its roadshow here.
now at the time it was considered a financial
dud for United Artists. this is where my question
comes in. the film’s roadshow run at this theater
ran 44 weeks which is a decent run for a roadshow
film. so if it was such a $$$ dud for UA couldn’t
the Warner have gotten out of showing it? i can’t
believe they’d show the film for 44 weeks if it
wasn’t at least breaking even each week.
recently I watched TDOAF on blu-ray and its a quite
well made touching film. i don’t know if its non-
success every place except NYC and Miami is a sign
of subliminal anti-semitism or people just didn’t
want too see such a depressing film no matter how
good is was.
as always thanks to Al A. for your info. I can’t help
but wonder why 55 Days…… went the continuous
performance route whereas Kings of Kings, El Cid,
The Fall of the Roman Empire and Circus World had
traditional roadshow engagements.
you’ll find this interesting assuming of course I understood my friend out in Calf. correctly. whereas The Diary of Anne Frank had a roadshow engagement at this theater that lasted 5? months its sole first run engagement in San Francisco was a 2 week run at the S.F. Fox.
thanks to Ed S. et all for your replies about souvenir
programs. I was particularly interested in the prime
roadshow period from the Oct. 1955 premiere of
Oklahoma to the Dec. 1972 premiere of Man of La Mancha.
during this period the studios still opened continuous
performance films in single exclusive engagements. so
generally how big did a non-reserve seat film have to
be to have a souvenir program?
speaking of which the last souvenir program I bought
at a theater was a specially designed souvenir program
for the limited 2 week run of Hercules at the newly
renovated New Amsterdam Theater.
to Al A. thanks for the info on 55 Days at Peking. It
seems odd that of the five big epics Bronston produced
from 1961-64 its the only one not exhibited on a
roadshow engagement. if you don’t mind 2 additional
questions-did it even have a intermission and if you
know what were the other three NYC theaters many thanks
in advance.
I usually have a good memory when it comes to films having had roadshow engagements in Manhattan. to which didn’t 55 Days at Peking have a roadshow engagement at this theater?
I apologize if i have already asked this but if so
I would like any additional info on the matter. for
me souvenir programs were synonymous with roadshow
engagements. but on occasion even a film released
on a continuous performance engagement would have a
souvenir program. to which- how BIG did a continuous
performance film have to be to have a souvenir
program?
to takethemichael. while I wouldn’t bet my next
paycheck on it I could swear the theater that was
playing the 70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments
the Summer of 1972 was named the Shaftesbury
Cinerama. maybe it was the Casino Cinerama? who
knows.
I thank Ken R. and Howard B. for their replies. to
bad the Odeon Marble Arch was demolished. it was the
1st movie theater I’d ever been to that had a coffee
bar. also the theater where I saw the Summer 1973
70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments was most
definitely called the Shaftesbury Cinerama.
when i was in London the Summer of 1972 I went to two movie theaters-the Shaftsbury Cinerama where i saw a 70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments and the Odeon Marble Arch where I saw Nicholas and Alexandra. are the two theaters still standing?
I know I’ve asked this question before so I hope you don’t mind answering it a second time. i frequently used the TKTS booth since its creation June of 1973. to which
my query. considering you’re looking straight at
the theater’s marquee while on the TKTS line I honestly
never remember seeing Mark 1,2,3 on the marquee. to
which anyone ever been able to find a photo with Mark
1,2,3 on the marquee?
thank you to Simon S. for your reply. the reason I
asked is simple. I’ve always considered souvenir
programs an integral part of a roadshow engagement.
this is especially true in the prime Sept. 1952 to
Dec. 1972 period. to which I wonder how many films
the studio involved thought highly enough of that
they had a souvenir program as well even though they
were being released on as regular continuous performance
basis to use an old term.
I’m guessing like the Music Hall the Roxy handed out
a two page leaflet with each film playing there. to
which my question. did many of the films that played
the Roxy sell souvenir programs?
thanks to Escot O. Norton and MSC77 for their replies.
I am fascinated as to how long roadshow engagements of
films lasted in L.A. as opposed to Manhattan. for instance the shortest roadshow engagement in Manhattan
I can remember is Half A Sixpence which ran at the
Criterion for a grand total of 6 weeks.
Cleopatra is one of my all time favorite epics. on
blu-ray disc its the definition of !!! WOW !!!. it had
a healthy roadshow run at this theater lasting 64 weeks.
how how long did they use the original 4hr. cut?
to digital3d. I thank you for your reply. its just
that since CMBYN only opened in 2 theaters in
Manhattan I don’t see how that can be classified as
a “wide release”. I thought a “wide release” was
when a film opened in 2,000-3,000 theaters on the
same day.
Hello-
to Al A. I see what you mean by it being sold as a
light comedy based on the critics quotes you quoted.
another question about 55 Days at Peking. you said based on the screening times given in the ad for its run at the Trans Lux 85 St. that theater probably didn’t use an intermission. now the other day I was listening to the 55 Days….. soundtrack album and it does have a track titled “Intermission”. so did the Palace run it with an intermission?
Hello-
to Al A.. you have been most helpful with replies to my many questions but I simply can not believe TDOAF was sold in Miami as a light comedy. that would have been an insult to any Holocaust survivors living in the Miami area.
Hello-
I may have asked this question in the past if so please so kind as to reply with any additional thoughts on the matter. I like The Greatest Story Ever Told which i saw twice during its roadshow here. now at the time it was considered a financial dud for United Artists. this is where my question comes in. the film’s roadshow run at this theater ran 44 weeks which is a decent run for a roadshow film. so if it was such a $$$ dud for UA couldn’t the Warner have gotten out of showing it? i can’t believe they’d show the film for 44 weeks if it wasn’t at least breaking even each week.
Hello-
recently I watched TDOAF on blu-ray and its a quite well made touching film. i don’t know if its non- success every place except NYC and Miami is a sign of subliminal anti-semitism or people just didn’t want too see such a depressing film no matter how good is was.
Hello-
what exactly is the schedule of 2001 being shown
in the IMAX auditorium?
Hello-
as always thanks to Al A. for your info. I can’t help but wonder why 55 Days…… went the continuous performance route whereas Kings of Kings, El Cid, The Fall of the Roman Empire and Circus World had traditional roadshow engagements.
you’ll find this interesting assuming of course I
understood my friend out in Calf. correctly. whereas
The Diary of Anne Frank had a roadshow engagement at
this theater that lasted 5? months its sole first
run engagement in San Francisco was a 2 week run at
the S.F. Fox.
Hello-
thanks to Ed S. et all for your replies about souvenir programs. I was particularly interested in the prime roadshow period from the Oct. 1955 premiere of Oklahoma to the Dec. 1972 premiere of Man of La Mancha. during this period the studios still opened continuous performance films in single exclusive engagements. so generally how big did a non-reserve seat film have to be to have a souvenir program?
speaking of which the last souvenir program I bought at a theater was a specially designed souvenir program for the limited 2 week run of Hercules at the newly renovated New Amsterdam Theater.
Hello-
to Al A. thanks for the info on 55 Days at Peking. It seems odd that of the five big epics Bronston produced from 1961-64 its the only one not exhibited on a roadshow engagement. if you don’t mind 2 additional questions-did it even have a intermission and if you know what were the other three NYC theaters many thanks in advance.
Hello-
I usually have a good memory when it comes to films
having had roadshow engagements in Manhattan. to which
didn’t 55 Days at Peking have a roadshow engagement at
this theater?
Hello-
I apologize if i have already asked this but if so I would like any additional info on the matter. for me souvenir programs were synonymous with roadshow engagements. but on occasion even a film released on a continuous performance engagement would have a souvenir program. to which- how BIG did a continuous performance film have to be to have a souvenir program?
Hello-
to takethemichael. while I wouldn’t bet my next paycheck on it I could swear the theater that was playing the 70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments the Summer of 1972 was named the Shaftesbury Cinerama. maybe it was the Casino Cinerama? who knows.
Hello-
I thank Ken R. and Howard B. for their replies. to bad the Odeon Marble Arch was demolished. it was the 1st movie theater I’d ever been to that had a coffee bar. also the theater where I saw the Summer 1973 70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments was most definitely called the Shaftesbury Cinerama.
Hello-
when the Loews auditorium has finished its conversion to a Dolby Cinema what will the screen size be compared to the original screen?
Hello from NYC-
when i was in London the Summer of 1972 I went to two
movie theaters-the Shaftsbury Cinerama where i saw a
70MM re-issue of The Ten Commandments and the Odeon
Marble Arch where I saw Nicholas and Alexandra. are the
two theaters still standing?
Hello-
I know I’ve asked this question before so I hope you don’t mind answering it a second time. i frequently used the TKTS booth since its creation June of 1973. to which my query. considering you’re looking straight at the theater’s marquee while on the TKTS line I honestly never remember seeing Mark 1,2,3 on the marquee. to which anyone ever been able to find a photo with Mark 1,2,3 on the marquee?
Hello-
its a shame that no print of The Rogue Song one of the earliest Technicolor musicals has been known to exist for decades.
Hello-
thank you to Simon S. for your reply. the reason I asked is simple. I’ve always considered souvenir programs an integral part of a roadshow engagement. this is especially true in the prime Sept. 1952 to Dec. 1972 period. to which I wonder how many films the studio involved thought highly enough of that they had a souvenir program as well even though they were being released on as regular continuous performance basis to use an old term.
Hello-
I’m guessing like the Music Hall the Roxy handed out a two page leaflet with each film playing there. to which my question. did many of the films that played the Roxy sell souvenir programs?
Hello-
thanks to Escot O. Norton and MSC77 for their replies. I am fascinated as to how long roadshow engagements of films lasted in L.A. as opposed to Manhattan. for instance the shortest roadshow engagement in Manhattan I can remember is Half A Sixpence which ran at the Criterion for a grand total of 6 weeks.
Hello-
Cleopatra is one of my all time favorite epics. on blu-ray disc its the definition of !!! WOW !!!. it had a healthy roadshow run at this theater lasting 64 weeks. how how long did they use the original 4hr. cut?
Hello-
how many roadshows would have to have opened after HD for it to be one of the last roadshows? roadshow engagements lasted another 3 years.
Hello-
why is it interesting the film only had 2 screenings
a day? roadshow films rarely had more than 2 screenings
a day regardless of the film’s length.
Hello-
were the engagements of Windjammer, West Side Story
and Hello Dolly the only roadshow engagements the
Chinese has held?
Hello-
if I am not mistaken the Abbott and Costello “Rio Rita” had very little to do with the original operetta or the 1929 film version.
Hello-
to digital3d. I thank you for your reply. its just that since CMBYN only opened in 2 theaters in Manhattan I don’t see how that can be classified as a “wide release”. I thought a “wide release” was when a film opened in 2,000-3,000 theaters on the same day.