Well, next year will be “2001”’s 40th anniversary. It must be seen on the big screen, period. Since at this point it’s unlikely that it will screen at the Dome, the trip to Seattle is a possibility. I travel frequently to the city for business, so hopefully scheduling will not be an issue. And figuring out if they are using the curved screen for the special presentations should not be a problem. The only question remaining is will Warner strike a new 70 mm print (s) for the occassion. My guess is that they will not.
As far as the Aero and Egyptian, well, the issues are well known. But really they are the only ones screening 70 mm regularly around LA. I saw “Baraka” at the Aero a few weeks ago, and the place was packed. Did it feel like a basement? Probably, but not during the show. And last year the Egyptian featured the only remaining 30 fps Todd-AO print of “Around the World in 80 Days”. Granted it was faded, but fun. Just ask my 9-year old son!
There’s an audience for this type of presentation, and in my opinion Arclight is not capitalizing on this opportunity.
Well, guess I’m heading to Seattle. The Cinerama Theater there will showcase a 70 mm series through 2008 that includes “2001”, “Tron” and “Lawrence of Arabia”.
Chris: I would venture to say that many times the “lust for greed” doesn’t even pay off. Which makes such indulgence even more puzzling. Just a few weeks ago you could not find a seat for a 70 MM screening of “Baraka” at the Aero, and “Lawrence of Arabia” plays there to capacity crowds. Go figure…
“Blade Runner” playing at the Ziegfeld: NYC got it right. Here at LA it’s screening at one of the Landmark theatres. Not to diss Landmark, but it would have been cool to see this at the National, Chinese or the Dome.
Jodar, I agree 100 %: As to why this did not get a Special FX Award (and in my opinion, production design) baffles the imagination.
And as far as Deckard being an android, excuse me a “replicant”, yes, it’s just plain nonsense.
Thanks for sharing! Indeed sounds like it was a lot of fun, despite the late starts and the micro-intermission for Spartacus . When this all came about, I was on a business trip back in the Midwest, and by the time I got to my hotel, the shows were sold out.
I’m wondering about those empty seats at the Dome…
Most of the newly restored 70 MM prints, such as “Cleopatra”, are in DTS. I could be wrong, but the more recent prints of “Baraka” and “2001” are 6-track mag.
Well, I partially agree with Roadshow. As much as I love the Dome, the fact of the matter is that recent presentations have been lackluster (for example Spiderman 3). But when they screen a classic, it is done with absolute professionalism. I’ve seen “Ben-Hur”, “West Side Story” in 70 MM there, “How the West Was Won” in 3-strip Cinerama, and you can’t get any better than that. These days anyway. With regular fare, however, it seems to me that you’re left to your doom!
Bill: Admission for the smaller theatres at Arclight is $14.00 during the weekend and $11.00 during “non-peak” hours, which I presume means the weekdays.
Howard: The smaller theatres at Arclight, seem to be better kept, cleaner, and have better presentation than the average multi-plex.
I first saw Tron during my college years, and was very impressed by the special effects. At the time I was an engineering student, so naturally the film provoked some thoughts. To what extent, if any, is the software a reflection of the designer’s personality in terms of function and structure, as opposed to being just lines of code for a particular application or to solve a problem? What are the potential consequences or possibilities?
I recently saw the film again on DVD, and was pleasantly surprised that it held very well. And today, after 20 + years in the engineering profession, the same thoughts ran through my mind again.
I did not see “Blade Runner†until its initial VHS release. Its production design (LA’s Bradbury Building looks terrific!), knockout cinematography and special effects stood out even on the small screen. In my opinion, Rutger Hauer’s performance was brilliant. Ford seemed rather flat. The subsequent versions (i.e. Director’s Cut, Special Cut, and on and on) did not do much for me. I highly recommend the original source: Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?†There will be a limited theatrical release of the “Final Cut†this fall.
Don’t know if this was asked earlier, but is the National still capable of screening 70 mm? If so, they definetely should run a special 70 mm series or festival. The titles are out there. It would be awesome to see “Baraka”, “Patton”, “Grand Prix”, “2001” and many others on that screen.
As far as the date, all I can remember for sure it was a Saturday night. But I will never forget the place: UA Cinema 150 at Laguna Gardens in Puerto Rico. “Star Wars†did not open there until later in the year. My dad took me, my brothers and two cousins. The opening shot with the cruiser (I actually “believed†that it was coming down through the roof!), the first jump into hyperspace, the light saber, the music, all this and many more just blew the audience away. It was pure fun. A Samurai-Western-WWII science fantasy all rolled into one. I remember that when we left the theater, one of my brothers said “I can’t wait for the sequelâ€, to which someone in the crowd replied “Sequel? No way! It will never happen. It would ruin everythingâ€â€¦
Oddly, I began to appreciate SW much more after “The Empire Strikes Backâ€, which in my opinion is the crown jewel of the series. Regardless, what came out that May 25, 1977 and its effects, both positive and negative, in terms of how the film industry changed, will be debated for years. But today I look fondly to that Saturday night, a long time ago.
Precisely. What I’m wondering is, that after two runs of classics, and after all the comments posted here on the subject, will the Ziegfeld take the necessary steps towards achieving the level of proficiency required for exhibition of higher-end classic films?
True, many of the classics are no longer available in 70 mm, but there are still quite a few titles to choose from. In recent years, new 70 mm prints of “Pattonâ€, “South Pacificâ€, “The Sound of Musicâ€, “Hello Dollyâ€, “Lord Jimâ€, “The Agony and the Ecstasyâ€, “Cleopatra†and a few others have surfaced. These have been screened at places like the Castro in San Francisco, Paramount at Austin, and the Aero & the Egyptian in the LA area. Plus the usual 70 mm favorites such as “Lawrence of Arabia†and “Baraka†also make the rounds from time to time. A new Super Panavision print of “Grand Prix†is scheduled to be screened later this month at the Academy of Motion Pictures. So, it can be done. I don’t know the particulars of the situation, but it has been stated before in this thread: the Ziegfeld needs to demonstrate the ability to run these films, if they are to host a 70 mm classics festival.
Michael: “FSTDVD†keeps getting better. Thanks for keeping us up to date!
I agree with you 100%, Bill. I chose to skip the 1995 engagement, taking it for granted that the Dome would screen “2001” every few years or so! The last time I saw the film in its entirety was at the Cal State Long Beach Performing Arts Center, in 1996. It would be cool if Warner decides to strike new 70 mm prints for the 40th anniversary of “2001â€. Maybe screen them at the Uptown in DC, the Ziegfeld and the Dome.
While I may agree on the basis of principle with some of your major points, I respectfully disagree at the detail level. There are much worse offenders – as compared to ROTJ – causing the ills you describe. You may detest “Jedi”, and I may consider it the low point of the original trilogy, but the truth is that “Jedi†delivered the goods. Michael Coate is right in his assessment regarding the success of the film. Even by applying your guidance principles I fail to condemn it. I took ROTJ for what it is: escapist fare. I did not expect to be enlightened nor illuminated. I did not expect to come out wiser. But I did expect to be entertained. To me, it was another fun event shared with friends and brothers in that cool summer of ‘83. I have higher expectations, in terms of intellectual or artistic value, for other films. But by this account, I do not discredit “Star Wars†or Mr. Lucas in any way. It is the way I categorize my film viewing experience. In addition, I was not “forced†(no pun intended) by external pressure, direction or dogma to see ROTJ: I made that choice on my own. By the same token, I also made the conscious choice not to embrace the subsequent initial trilogy, not out of intellectual reasoning, but simply because I had very little interest in “what happened†before. And I do not judge the personal choice of the millions who saw “The Phantom Menaceâ€, in terms of moral imperatives. And while I generally agree that general consensus or popularity does not qualify relative worth of a film, the opposite can also true. Popularity can be a measure of merit, but not the only measure. Critical praise and positive box-office returns do not need to be mutually exclusive. Take “Ben-Hur†for example. A film that won 11 Academy Awards, was also the box-office champion during the late 50’s, and to this day is recognized as a masterwork.
In the aftermath of “The Empire Strikes Backâ€, “Return of the Jedi†was on my top spot as the most anticipated film of the 80’s. All those questions and cliffhangers had to be answered. I would be checking with the latest sci-fi magazines for any bit of news or rumors regarding the production and/or plot. One of my brothers obtained a small teaser poster from a magazine with the “Revenge of the Jedi†title, which was the envy of our friends.
Finally the day came in. I was living in Puerto Rico at the time, and ROTJ opened a few weeks after the general release on the US mainland. I did not attend opening day, since I had promised a friend that I would help him paint his house. But Jedi was all that we could talk. The next day, I was in line early with my brothers and some friends at the fabulous (and now defunct) UA Cinema 150 in Laguna Gardens. The theatre had a very impressive giant D-150 curved screen and a spectacular sound system. Of course, there was a huge line around the theatre. The sense of anticipation was high, and people were having fun, meeting new friends and sharing favorite Star Wars moments. Then the theatre’s doors opened. The rush to get in was incredible. I’d never seen anything like it, and I have not seen anything like it since. It was a strange, but benevolent stampede, no one getting hurt, but everyone caught in this wave of euphoria. Then, show time: when the curtains opened to reveal the 20th Century Fox logo, the house went down. The whole experience was surreal. It’s hard to explain, but it was as if we were watching these images real-time. Lots of cheers, surprises and revelations. A big applause came towards the end, when the ghostly images of the 3 “classic†Jediâ€: Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Anakin Skywalker make their triumphant appearance.
Yet, for all that it was worth, for all its excitement and satisfying conclusion; I felt at the end that something was “missingâ€. Or maybe, it was some kind of premonition that we would not see something like this again. But almost immediately, I ranked ROTJ as the lesser of the 3 Episodes. I did not feel the urge, as in “Empire Strikes Back†(my favorite of the series), to see it again right away. Was it the Ewoks?
In some ways, my “premonition†was correct. When the Episodes IV-VI trilogy was released recently on DVD, I went straight to the source. I watched the films in their original form, without the special edition add-ons. I like ROTJ a bit more now that then. Why? Maybe because I see the original trilogy as a whole. Also, because of the sense of nostalgia these films evoke. And lastly, because there was an emphasis to create a sense of characterization, adventure and story within the sci-fi genre that has not been seen since.
When plans to surround the Cinerama Dome with a multiplex were announced, I cringed. Well, fortunately time has proven me wrong. The Arclight complex is simply fabulous. And, most important, we still have the Dome.
Ok, so what’s “B” condition??
Well, next year will be “2001”’s 40th anniversary. It must be seen on the big screen, period. Since at this point it’s unlikely that it will screen at the Dome, the trip to Seattle is a possibility. I travel frequently to the city for business, so hopefully scheduling will not be an issue. And figuring out if they are using the curved screen for the special presentations should not be a problem. The only question remaining is will Warner strike a new 70 mm print (s) for the occassion. My guess is that they will not.
As far as the Aero and Egyptian, well, the issues are well known. But really they are the only ones screening 70 mm regularly around LA. I saw “Baraka” at the Aero a few weeks ago, and the place was packed. Did it feel like a basement? Probably, but not during the show. And last year the Egyptian featured the only remaining 30 fps Todd-AO print of “Around the World in 80 Days”. Granted it was faded, but fun. Just ask my 9-year old son!
There’s an audience for this type of presentation, and in my opinion Arclight is not capitalizing on this opportunity.
JSA
Well, guess I’m heading to Seattle. The Cinerama Theater there will showcase a 70 mm series through 2008 that includes “2001”, “Tron” and “Lawrence of Arabia”.
JSA
Chris: I would venture to say that many times the “lust for greed” doesn’t even pay off. Which makes such indulgence even more puzzling. Just a few weeks ago you could not find a seat for a 70 MM screening of “Baraka” at the Aero, and “Lawrence of Arabia” plays there to capacity crowds. Go figure…
JSA
“Blade Runner” playing at the Ziegfeld: NYC got it right. Here at LA it’s screening at one of the Landmark theatres. Not to diss Landmark, but it would have been cool to see this at the National, Chinese or the Dome.
Jodar, I agree 100 %: As to why this did not get a Special FX Award (and in my opinion, production design) baffles the imagination.
And as far as Deckard being an android, excuse me a “replicant”, yes, it’s just plain nonsense.
JSA
Chris and Cliff,
Thanks for sharing! Indeed sounds like it was a lot of fun, despite the late starts and the micro-intermission for Spartacus . When this all came about, I was on a business trip back in the Midwest, and by the time I got to my hotel, the shows were sold out.
I’m wondering about those empty seats at the Dome…
JSA
I read a while ago that Sidney Poitier did not like this film at all. Can someone confirm this?
JSA
Most of the newly restored 70 MM prints, such as “Cleopatra”, are in DTS. I could be wrong, but the more recent prints of “Baraka” and “2001” are 6-track mag.
JSA
Well, I partially agree with Roadshow. As much as I love the Dome, the fact of the matter is that recent presentations have been lackluster (for example Spiderman 3). But when they screen a classic, it is done with absolute professionalism. I’ve seen “Ben-Hur”, “West Side Story” in 70 MM there, “How the West Was Won” in 3-strip Cinerama, and you can’t get any better than that. These days anyway. With regular fare, however, it seems to me that you’re left to your doom!
JSA
Bill: Admission for the smaller theatres at Arclight is $14.00 during the weekend and $11.00 during “non-peak” hours, which I presume means the weekdays.
Howard: The smaller theatres at Arclight, seem to be better kept, cleaner, and have better presentation than the average multi-plex.
JSA
You’re welcome!
The last time the Dome screened 3-strip Cinerama, they opened the booth to the public after the show. It was awesome to see the 3 projectors!
JSA
The picture above is for a Cinerama camera, not a projector. The Dome has 3 35 mm Cinerama projectors.
JSA
I first saw Tron during my college years, and was very impressed by the special effects. At the time I was an engineering student, so naturally the film provoked some thoughts. To what extent, if any, is the software a reflection of the designer’s personality in terms of function and structure, as opposed to being just lines of code for a particular application or to solve a problem? What are the potential consequences or possibilities?
I recently saw the film again on DVD, and was pleasantly surprised that it held very well. And today, after 20 + years in the engineering profession, the same thoughts ran through my mind again.
JSA
I did not see “Blade Runner†until its initial VHS release. Its production design (LA’s Bradbury Building looks terrific!), knockout cinematography and special effects stood out even on the small screen. In my opinion, Rutger Hauer’s performance was brilliant. Ford seemed rather flat. The subsequent versions (i.e. Director’s Cut, Special Cut, and on and on) did not do much for me. I highly recommend the original source: Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?†There will be a limited theatrical release of the “Final Cut†this fall.
As for ET, I only saw it once. Enough said.
JSA
Don’t know if this was asked earlier, but is the National still capable of screening 70 mm? If so, they definetely should run a special 70 mm series or festival. The titles are out there. It would be awesome to see “Baraka”, “Patton”, “Grand Prix”, “2001” and many others on that screen.
JSA
As far as the date, all I can remember for sure it was a Saturday night. But I will never forget the place: UA Cinema 150 at Laguna Gardens in Puerto Rico. “Star Wars†did not open there until later in the year. My dad took me, my brothers and two cousins. The opening shot with the cruiser (I actually “believed†that it was coming down through the roof!), the first jump into hyperspace, the light saber, the music, all this and many more just blew the audience away. It was pure fun. A Samurai-Western-WWII science fantasy all rolled into one. I remember that when we left the theater, one of my brothers said “I can’t wait for the sequelâ€, to which someone in the crowd replied “Sequel? No way! It will never happen. It would ruin everythingâ€â€¦
Oddly, I began to appreciate SW much more after “The Empire Strikes Backâ€, which in my opinion is the crown jewel of the series. Regardless, what came out that May 25, 1977 and its effects, both positive and negative, in terms of how the film industry changed, will be debated for years. But today I look fondly to that Saturday night, a long time ago.
JSA
Michael: By all accounts, go forward with the article.
JSA
Precisely. What I’m wondering is, that after two runs of classics, and after all the comments posted here on the subject, will the Ziegfeld take the necessary steps towards achieving the level of proficiency required for exhibition of higher-end classic films?
JSA
True, many of the classics are no longer available in 70 mm, but there are still quite a few titles to choose from. In recent years, new 70 mm prints of “Pattonâ€, “South Pacificâ€, “The Sound of Musicâ€, “Hello Dollyâ€, “Lord Jimâ€, “The Agony and the Ecstasyâ€, “Cleopatra†and a few others have surfaced. These have been screened at places like the Castro in San Francisco, Paramount at Austin, and the Aero & the Egyptian in the LA area. Plus the usual 70 mm favorites such as “Lawrence of Arabia†and “Baraka†also make the rounds from time to time. A new Super Panavision print of “Grand Prix†is scheduled to be screened later this month at the Academy of Motion Pictures. So, it can be done. I don’t know the particulars of the situation, but it has been stated before in this thread: the Ziegfeld needs to demonstrate the ability to run these films, if they are to host a 70 mm classics festival.
JSA
Michael: “FSTDVD†keeps getting better. Thanks for keeping us up to date!
I agree with you 100%, Bill. I chose to skip the 1995 engagement, taking it for granted that the Dome would screen “2001” every few years or so! The last time I saw the film in its entirety was at the Cal State Long Beach Performing Arts Center, in 1996. It would be cool if Warner decides to strike new 70 mm prints for the 40th anniversary of “2001â€. Maybe screen them at the Uptown in DC, the Ziegfeld and the Dome.
JSA
Archives,
While I may agree on the basis of principle with some of your major points, I respectfully disagree at the detail level. There are much worse offenders – as compared to ROTJ – causing the ills you describe. You may detest “Jedi”, and I may consider it the low point of the original trilogy, but the truth is that “Jedi†delivered the goods. Michael Coate is right in his assessment regarding the success of the film. Even by applying your guidance principles I fail to condemn it. I took ROTJ for what it is: escapist fare. I did not expect to be enlightened nor illuminated. I did not expect to come out wiser. But I did expect to be entertained. To me, it was another fun event shared with friends and brothers in that cool summer of ‘83. I have higher expectations, in terms of intellectual or artistic value, for other films. But by this account, I do not discredit “Star Wars†or Mr. Lucas in any way. It is the way I categorize my film viewing experience. In addition, I was not “forced†(no pun intended) by external pressure, direction or dogma to see ROTJ: I made that choice on my own. By the same token, I also made the conscious choice not to embrace the subsequent initial trilogy, not out of intellectual reasoning, but simply because I had very little interest in “what happened†before. And I do not judge the personal choice of the millions who saw “The Phantom Menaceâ€, in terms of moral imperatives. And while I generally agree that general consensus or popularity does not qualify relative worth of a film, the opposite can also true. Popularity can be a measure of merit, but not the only measure. Critical praise and positive box-office returns do not need to be mutually exclusive. Take “Ben-Hur†for example. A film that won 11 Academy Awards, was also the box-office champion during the late 50’s, and to this day is recognized as a masterwork.
Regards,
JSA
I would trade all the “extras” (“making of…”, interviews, etc.) for better sound and image quality of the main feature at a lower unit price.
JSA
In the aftermath of “The Empire Strikes Backâ€, “Return of the Jedi†was on my top spot as the most anticipated film of the 80’s. All those questions and cliffhangers had to be answered. I would be checking with the latest sci-fi magazines for any bit of news or rumors regarding the production and/or plot. One of my brothers obtained a small teaser poster from a magazine with the “Revenge of the Jedi†title, which was the envy of our friends.
Finally the day came in. I was living in Puerto Rico at the time, and ROTJ opened a few weeks after the general release on the US mainland. I did not attend opening day, since I had promised a friend that I would help him paint his house. But Jedi was all that we could talk. The next day, I was in line early with my brothers and some friends at the fabulous (and now defunct) UA Cinema 150 in Laguna Gardens. The theatre had a very impressive giant D-150 curved screen and a spectacular sound system. Of course, there was a huge line around the theatre. The sense of anticipation was high, and people were having fun, meeting new friends and sharing favorite Star Wars moments. Then the theatre’s doors opened. The rush to get in was incredible. I’d never seen anything like it, and I have not seen anything like it since. It was a strange, but benevolent stampede, no one getting hurt, but everyone caught in this wave of euphoria. Then, show time: when the curtains opened to reveal the 20th Century Fox logo, the house went down. The whole experience was surreal. It’s hard to explain, but it was as if we were watching these images real-time. Lots of cheers, surprises and revelations. A big applause came towards the end, when the ghostly images of the 3 “classic†Jediâ€: Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Anakin Skywalker make their triumphant appearance.
Yet, for all that it was worth, for all its excitement and satisfying conclusion; I felt at the end that something was “missingâ€. Or maybe, it was some kind of premonition that we would not see something like this again. But almost immediately, I ranked ROTJ as the lesser of the 3 Episodes. I did not feel the urge, as in “Empire Strikes Back†(my favorite of the series), to see it again right away. Was it the Ewoks?
In some ways, my “premonition†was correct. When the Episodes IV-VI trilogy was released recently on DVD, I went straight to the source. I watched the films in their original form, without the special edition add-ons. I like ROTJ a bit more now that then. Why? Maybe because I see the original trilogy as a whole. Also, because of the sense of nostalgia these films evoke. And lastly, because there was an emphasis to create a sense of characterization, adventure and story within the sci-fi genre that has not been seen since.
JSA
When plans to surround the Cinerama Dome with a multiplex were announced, I cringed. Well, fortunately time has proven me wrong. The Arclight complex is simply fabulous. And, most important, we still have the Dome.
Will the Fox be used to screen films in the future?