This theater was mentioned in my recently-posted 35th Anniversary JAWS retrospective, but I listed it as being located in Big Flats instead of Horseheads.
I realize you just updated the theater names, but I think they should be reversed. “Windsor” ought to be the primary name; “Windsor Cinerama” ought to be the AKA.
By the way, Houston’s Cinerama history can be found on this page.
<<< So far I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice items about the opening, but the Twin Theatre was in operation by spring of 1965 >>>
Joe:
When Bill Kallay and I worked on 70mm in New York we learned “Cleopatra” played at this theater beginning in May of 1964. I’m not sure if it was the theater’s debut booking, but, whatever the case, the “Cleopatra” info offers evidence the theater was open at least a year before the time-frame you cited.
The Opera House during 1977-78 had a 39-week engagement of the original “Star Wars,” the second-longest single-theater run of the movie in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. (The longest was a 54-weeker at Northpark I & II.) The Opera House booking included a mid-run upgrade to Dolby Stereo, which probably contributed to the unusually long engagement.
Dolby’s install records indicate a Dolby CP-100 was installed at Buena Vista in late 1978. “Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom” (1984) was advertised as a 70mm presentation.
<<< * Does anyone know when TESB opened @ Plitt Parkway 3 in Las Vegas, NV? I think it was in 70mm. * >>>
June 18, 1980. (Yes, it was in 70mm.)
And speaking of June 18 and 70mm, I may as well provide a list of the 70mm engagements of “Empire” that started after the initial release since it was brought up in the question I just answered and because a couple of you asked me about it in private email correspondence. I left these out of the article because I felt the article was too long and the list of bookings I did provide focused on the initial May 21 release.
So…during the week beginning June 18, 1980, Fox broadened the release of “Empire” by adding about 700 bookings in the U.S. and Canada, about 99% of which were 35mm. The handful of 70mm prints that I’m aware of are cited below. These all started on June 18 (or later), and it’s anyone’s guess as to why Fox didn’t book these in the original May 21 batch.
CALIFORNIA
La Mirada —– Pacific La Mirada 6 (June 27)
Lakewood —– PacificLakewood Center (June 27)
Los Angeles (West Los Angeles) —– PacificPicwood (December 17, moveover)
Los Angeles (Woodland Hills) —– UAWarner Center (June 27)
Modesto —– RedwoodBriggsmore (June 18)
Montclair —– UAMovies 6 (June 27)
Monterey —– KindairCinema 70 (June 18)
West Covina —– SanbornWescove Twin (December 19, moveover)
MASSACHUSETTS
Brookline —– National AmusementsCircle 1-2-3 (June 18)
<<< I went to see Empire on its opening night at Milwaukee’s Southgate Theatre>>>
“Empire” played at Southgate during its 1981 re-release, not during the original 1980 release.
I suspect you may be confusing Southgate with the similar sounding Southtown (where it did play in its original release and was cited in my list in the article), or perhaps you are confusing “The Empire Strikes Back” with “Return Of The Jedi.” (“Jedi” played first-run at Southgate…)
So what, MikeRogers, the James Bond movies were not in 70mm here in the United States, either (except for “Octopussy” and, if you wish to count it, “Never Say Never Again”).
Thirty years ago today the Odeon Leicester Square hosted the Royal Premiere of “The Empire Strikes Back.” Several cast and crew members were in attendance as were members of the Royal Family.
About 95% of “Empire” was shot in England, so London was selected, as a token of appreciation, to host the film’s official premiere.
This drive-in had a 34-week engagement of the original “Star Wars” during 1977-78, which was (tied with the Winchester Drive-In as) the longest drive-in run of “Star Wars” in the United States. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the all-time record for a drive-in booking of any movie. Anyone know of any films that played at a drive-in for longer than 34 weeks?
<<< On a Friday evening, in the spring of 1975, Steven Spielberg and the executives from Universal choose the UA Cine 150 to have the first sneak preview of JAWS for an audience. >>>
This sneak-preview “test” screening took place on Wednesday, March 26, 1975 and was at the Medallion, not this theater.
<<< The following evening, Universal took the picture for a second sneak to the Lakewood Center Theatre in Lakewood , CA. >>>
The Lakewood screening was on March 28, two nights later.
The IMDb’s April ‘82 date for “The Road Warrior” is correct but fails to point out that it was only for a film festival screening in New York. The earliest commercial engagements in the U.S., that I’m aware of, began May 21, 1982 and its release from that point was staggered.
“The Road Warrior” opened in Chicago on August 20, 1982.
<<< I just remembered that in the summer of ‘81, I saw RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in June, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK in July, and THE ROAD WARRIOR came out in August. If memory serves, RAIDERS and ESCAPE both played on screen 2 and ROAD WARRIOR was in the center auditorium. All of them were in 70mm on those huge screens in six track Dolby! >>>
“Escape From New York” was in 35mm. “The Road Warrior” was released (in the U.S.) in 1982.
The Buena Vista did have 70mm projection capability…at least according to trade reports and projector manufacturer ads. As well, Dolby installation records show a CP100 was installed in the late 1970s.
The theater name at the top of the page is misspelled (as is the city name in the first sentence of the introduction).
As I pointed out in my 35th anniversary JAWS retrospective, this was a six-screener by the summer of 1975.
This theater was mentioned in my recently-posted 35th Anniversary JAWS retrospective, but I listed it as being located in Big Flats instead of Horseheads.
I realize you just updated the theater names, but I think they should be reversed. “Windsor” ought to be the primary name; “Windsor Cinerama” ought to be the AKA.
By the way, Houston’s Cinerama history can be found on this page.
I think this theater opened in December of 1976.
<<< So far I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice items about the opening, but the Twin Theatre was in operation by spring of 1965 >>>
Joe:
When Bill Kallay and I worked on 70mm in New York we learned “Cleopatra” played at this theater beginning in May of 1964. I’m not sure if it was the theater’s debut booking, but, whatever the case, the “Cleopatra” info offers evidence the theater was open at least a year before the time-frame you cited.
The Opera House during 1977-78 had a 39-week engagement of the original “Star Wars,” the second-longest single-theater run of the movie in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. (The longest was a 54-weeker at Northpark I & II.) The Opera House booking included a mid-run upgrade to Dolby Stereo, which probably contributed to the unusually long engagement.
Dolby’s install records indicate a Dolby CP-100 was installed at Buena Vista in late 1978. “Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom” (1984) was advertised as a 70mm presentation.
Wow, Justin, a sixty-eight word sentence! Shall I call the folks at Guinness? :–)
Thanks, guys, for the great compliments and comments.
Am I the only one amazed that we went the whole weekend without any of the anti-“Star Wars”/anti-George Lucas folks hijacking the discussion?
<<< * Does anyone know when TESB opened @ Plitt Parkway 3 in Las Vegas, NV? I think it was in 70mm. * >>>
June 18, 1980. (Yes, it was in 70mm.)
And speaking of June 18 and 70mm, I may as well provide a list of the 70mm engagements of “Empire” that started after the initial release since it was brought up in the question I just answered and because a couple of you asked me about it in private email correspondence. I left these out of the article because I felt the article was too long and the list of bookings I did provide focused on the initial May 21 release.
So…during the week beginning June 18, 1980, Fox broadened the release of “Empire” by adding about 700 bookings in the U.S. and Canada, about 99% of which were 35mm. The handful of 70mm prints that I’m aware of are cited below. These all started on June 18 (or later), and it’s anyone’s guess as to why Fox didn’t book these in the original May 21 batch.
ARIZONA
Tucson —– Plitt El Dorado 1 & 2 (opened June 18)
CALIFORNIA
La Mirada —– Pacific La Mirada 6 (June 27)
Lakewood —– Pacific Lakewood Center (June 27)
Los Angeles (West Los Angeles) —– Pacific Picwood (December 17, moveover)
Los Angeles (Woodland Hills) —– UA Warner Center (June 27)
Modesto —– Redwood Briggsmore (June 18)
Montclair —– UA Movies 6 (June 27)
Monterey —– Kindair Cinema 70 (June 18)
West Covina —– Sanborn Wescove Twin (December 19, moveover)
MASSACHUSETTS
Brookline —– National Amusements Circle 1-2-3 (June 18)
NEVADA
Las Vegas —– Plitt Parkway 1-2-3 (June 18)
NEW YORK
New York —– Loews New York Twin (June 18)
VIRGINIA
Bailey’s Crossroads —– KB Cinema 7 (June 18)
Vienna —– Neighborhood Tysons (June 18)
<<< Does anyone know when TESB opened @ Plitt Parkway 3 in Las Vegas,NV? >>>
June 18, 1980.
<<< I went to see Empire on its opening night at Milwaukee’s Southgate Theatre>>>
“Empire” played at Southgate during its 1981 re-release, not during the original 1980 release.
I suspect you may be confusing Southgate with the similar sounding Southtown (where it did play in its original release and was cited in my list in the article), or perhaps you are confusing “The Empire Strikes Back” with “Return Of The Jedi.” (“Jedi” played first-run at Southgate…)
So what, MikeRogers, the James Bond movies were not in 70mm here in the United States, either (except for “Octopussy” and, if you wish to count it, “Never Say Never Again”).
Thirty years ago today the Odeon Leicester Square hosted the Royal Premiere of “The Empire Strikes Back.” Several cast and crew members were in attendance as were members of the Royal Family.
About 95% of “Empire” was shot in England, so London was selected, as a token of appreciation, to host the film’s official premiere.
This drive-in had a 34-week engagement of the original “Star Wars” during 1977-78, which was (tied with the Winchester Drive-In as) the longest drive-in run of “Star Wars” in the United States. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the all-time record for a drive-in booking of any movie. Anyone know of any films that played at a drive-in for longer than 34 weeks?
<<< booked by Harry Brant of New York City >>>
I believe “Brandt” is the correct spelling.
Yes, tlsloews, there are photos. Scroll up to my comment from Jan. 16, 2007, where you’ll find a link to a page of photos and ads.
<<< On a Friday evening, in the spring of 1975, Steven Spielberg and the executives from Universal choose the UA Cine 150 to have the first sneak preview of JAWS for an audience. >>>
This sneak-preview “test” screening took place on Wednesday, March 26, 1975 and was at the Medallion, not this theater.
<<< The following evening, Universal took the picture for a second sneak to the Lakewood Center Theatre in Lakewood , CA. >>>
The Lakewood screening was on March 28, two nights later.
The IMDb’s April ‘82 date for “The Road Warrior” is correct but fails to point out that it was only for a film festival screening in New York. The earliest commercial engagements in the U.S., that I’m aware of, began May 21, 1982 and its release from that point was staggered.
“The Road Warrior” opened in Chicago on August 20, 1982.
<<< I just remembered that in the summer of ‘81, I saw RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in June, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK in July, and THE ROAD WARRIOR came out in August. If memory serves, RAIDERS and ESCAPE both played on screen 2 and ROAD WARRIOR was in the center auditorium. All of them were in 70mm on those huge screens in six track Dolby! >>>
“Escape From New York” was in 35mm. “The Road Warrior” was released (in the U.S.) in 1982.
The Buena Vista did have 70mm projection capability…at least according to trade reports and projector manufacturer ads. As well, Dolby installation records show a CP100 was installed in the late 1970s.
<<< It was run by ABC North Central Theaters and by Plitt from 1980-1984. >>>
The transition to Plitt ownership happened before 1980.
(What’s your source that the transition took place in 1980? Movie-Theatre.org?)
This theater opened several years before 1980. (What’s your source, Bob, that it opened in 1980?)