Lawrence of Arabia in 70 MM at the Aero Theatre

posted by Ross Melnick on April 15, 2005 at 4:55 am

SANTA MONICA, CA — The following press release was sent in by the American Cinematheque which operates the Aero Theatre:

“The American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre will present an exclusive four night return engagement of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962, Columbia, 216 min.) in 70 mm!, May 5 – 8, 2005. Peter O'Toole (GOODBYE MR. CHIPS) stars as the tortured, near God-like Lawrence in director David Lean’s (A PASSAGE TO INDIA) absolute masterpiece. An epic film that takes place during World War I and Lawrence’s adventures in North Africa.

The film features one of the finest casts ever assembled in a motion picture: including, in his first major English-speaking role, Omar Sharif (DR. ZHIVAGO), Anthony Quinn (ZORBA THE GREEK), Jack Hawkins (LORD JIM), Claude Rains (CASABLANCA), and Alec Guinness (THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI) as Prince Feisal. Freddie Young’s 70 mm. photography is considered to be a work of genius, as is the screenplay written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. Maurice Jarre’s moving score and John Box’s production design only serve to add more layers of excellence to the film. Winner of 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. “When you’re in the desert, you look into infinity … It makes you feel terribly small, and also in a strange way, quite big.” – David Lean.

All screenings are at the Max Palevsky Theatre at the Aero Theatre (1328 Montana Avenue at 14th Street) in Santa Monica. This is an Aero Theatre exclusive.

Critical Acclaim
“The film’s genius is its marriage of intimate portrait and big-screen epic. T.E. Lawrence, a repressed 29-year-old British mapmaker, becomes a desert Napoleon, worshiped as a self-proclaimed demigod."
– Rita Kempley, Washington Post.

“Lean’s mastery of composition, of fashioning exactly the right images from the immensity of the desert, its rocks and shadows and hillocks of sand, surpassed anything even he had attempted before.”
– Janet Moat, BFI online

SHOWTIMES:
Thursday, May 5 – 7:30 PM
Thursday, May 5 – 7.30 PM
Friday, May 6 – 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 7 – 2:00 PM & 6:30 PM
Sunday, May 8 – 4:00 PM"