The Urgel Cinema, Barcelona, Spain | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Written by: Ramon Lamarca Marques, England | Date: 12.09.2011 |
 Newspaper ads for the opening of the cinema | More in 70mm reading: The Urgel Cinema, Barcelona, Spain Internet link: |
 There are two ticket offices at each side of the entrance doors | |
 Main doors from outside | |
 Frank Sinatra Junior in 1964 in one of the rare live concerts held in the
cinema | |
 "Lawrence
of Arabia" in 1964, indispensable in 70mm, projected exclusively in 70mm in Urgel Cinema | |
 "Cheyenne Autumn" in 1965 in 70mm! How lucky were cinemagoers then | |
 Another rare concert in 1957 | |
 "Alvarez Kelly", two blow-ups! in the same city of a monophonic film | |
 "Marooned" – released in December 1970 | |
 "The Adventurers" – 1971 – probably the most boring 70mm caption ever – the
publicist should be sacked! There were six mag prints, so probably this was
in stereo, but it was not advertised, actors not advertised either. | |
 "French Connection" 1972 – blow-up – no reference to stereophonic sound so
probably in mono | |
 "The Anderson Tapes" – 1972 – blow-up – probably mono | |
 "The Towering Inferno" in 35mm in 1975 – but at least it had the big bosses of
Barcelona’s fire brigade attending its premiere! | |
 "Raiders
of the Lost Ark" in 1981 – sadly only in 35mm | |
 "Blue Thunder" in 1983 – only 35mm and Dolby Stereo | |
 "ET" in 1983 – only in 35mm | |
 "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade" – although it was shown in 70mm there is
no reference in the ad | |
 "Backdraft" - probably the last film shown in 70mm – blow-up – in 1991 – look
at the extensive technical explanations regarding the sound system. The ad
only refers to 70mm with regards to the sound. | |
 | |
 July 1993 – I disagree with this statement. With this film the cinema
premiered its new Dolby digital capability. But it calls this event
historical and says that Dolby digital is the most spectacular sound system
known. I disagree, six channels of uncompressed magnetic sound is much
better. | |
 Sensurround was fitted for the screenings of The Battle of Midway (I was
there!) and it was truly impressive.As a curiosity, in the cinema they exhibited miniatures of the ships that took part in this battle. | |
 Detail of the Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 | |
 Dolby sound rack with support for 70mm magnetic sound | |
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 The technical characteristics of the cinema are proudly displayed in the
lobby, something that has always impressed me | |
 Analogue and Digital side by side | |
 This
is the bar in the hall area for the stalls. | |
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