Showcase Presentations in St. Louis | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 23.05.2017 |
 What follows is a title-based chronology of 70mm six-track stereophonic sound feature-film presentations in the St. Louis region of Missouri and Illinois, USA.The focus of this work is 5-perf 70mm feature films and the cinemas in which they were exhibited. Short subjects, IMAX, special venue presentations, etc., have not been included. A 70mm presentation provided a superior projection and audio experience in comparison to same motion pictures 35mm presentation. Part 1: The 70mm-Equipped Cinemas BELLEVILLE (Illinois see separate article) CHESTERFIELD Clarkson CLAYTON Shady Oak ELLISVILLE Ellisville FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS (Illinois) St. Clair FLORISSANT 270 Drive-In HAZELWOOD Village JENNINGS North Drive-In MOLINE ACRES Lewis & Clark RICHMOND HEIGHTS Esquire ST. ANN Northwest Square St. Ann ST. CHARLES St. Charles ST. LOUIS Ambassador Cinerama Crestwood Mid-City Pageant St. Louis Stadium Union Station (70mm planned and initially promoted but ultimately not installed) SAPPINGTON Ronnies Ronnies Drive-In SHREWSBURY Kenrick SUNSET HILLS Mark Twain An overview of each cinema will be provided in a forthcoming revision. Part 2: The 70mm Presentations Opening date YYYY-MM-DD TITLE Cinema (duration in weeks) [notes] * Reserved-seat engagement (i.e. roadshow) # Presentation not explicitly or consistently promoted as 70mm suggesting presentation may have been 35mm 1958-04-16 SOUTH PACIFIC* Pageant (45) 1959-02-26 AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Pageant (7) 1959-06-12 SLEEPING BEAUTY Pageant (14) 1959-10-16 THE BIG FISHERMAN Pageant (5) 1959-12-25 SOLOMON AND SHEBA Esquire (6) 1960-03-11 PORGY AND BESS* Esquire (4) 1960-05-18 CAN-CAN* Ambassador (9) 1960-05-26 BEN-HUR* Mid-City (27) 1960-12-22 SPARTACUS* Esquire (15) 1961-04-11 EXODUS* Esquire (12) 1961-12-21 KING OF KINGS* Esquire (8) 1962-03-01 WEST SIDE STORY* Mid-City (17) 1962-04-13 OKLAHOMA! Pageant (7) 1962-12-21 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY* Esquire (14) 1963-03-29 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA* Ambassador (12) 1963-06-13 MADAME Mid-City (1) 1963-06-26 CLEOPATRA* Ambassador (24) 1964-02-20 ITS A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD* Cinerama (37) 1964-11-05 CIRCUS WORLD* Cinerama (19) 1965-01-21 MY FAIR LADY* Ambassador (36) 1965-03-16 THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD* Cinerama (34) 1965-03-31 THE SOUND OF MUSIC* St. Louis (83) 1965-04-07 BECKET Ronnies Drive-In (1) 1965-09-29 THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES* Ambassador (12) 1965-11-10 THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL* Cinerama (6) 1965-12-22 BATTLE OF THE BULGE* Cinerama (14) 1965-12-25 THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY* Ambassador (10) 1966-03-29 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO* Ambassador (44) # 1966-04-01 RUSSIAN ADVENTURE* Cinerama (12) 1966-06-23 KHARTOUM* Cinerama (18) 1966-10-26 HAWAII* Cinerama (34) # 1967-02-01 THE BIBLE* Ambassador (16) 1967-05-25 THE SAND PEBBLES* Ambassador (22) # 1967-06-22 GRAND PRIX* Cinerama (19) 1967-10-25 GONE WITH THE WIND* Ambassador (33) 1967-11-01 FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD* Cinerama (12) 1967-12-20 CAMELOT* Esquire (23) 1968-01-25 CUSTER OF THE WEST* Cinerama (8) 1968-03-20 HALF A SIXPENCE* Cinerama (6) # 1968-05-01 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO* Cinerama (4) 1968-05-29 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY* Cinerama (29) 1968-06-12 DOCTOR DOLITTLE* Ambassador (8) 1968-08-28 GONE WITH THE WIND Mark Twain (13) 1968-12-18 THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN* Ambassador (10) # 1968-12-18 STAR!* Cinerama (15) 1968-12-20 CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG* Esquire (10) # 1969-03-26 BEN-HUR* Ambassador (9) 1969-04-02 ICE STATION ZEBRA* Cinerama (12) 1969-05-28 SWEET CHARITY* Ambassador (6) 1969-06-19 OLIVER!* Creve Coeur (27) 1969-06-25 KRAKATOA EAST OF JAVA Cinerama (13) 1969-09-24 CAMELOT Cinerama (1) 1969-11-12 PAINT YOUR WAGON* Cinerama (16) 1969-12-17 HELLO, DOLLY!* Ambassador (33) 1970-02-11 GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS* Creve Coeur (6) 1970-03-04 PATTON* Cinerama (31) 1970-10-21 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Cinerama (9) 1970-12-22 SONG OF NORWAY* Esquire (11) 1971-04-06 RYANS DAUGHTER Cinerama (23) 1971-12-14 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF* Cinerama (39) # 1972-12-14 MAN OF LA MANCHA* Cinerama (13) # 1973-03-16 THE SOUND OF MUSIC Cinerama (11) 1973-05-23 CAMELOT Esquire (4) 1973-06-13 THIS IS CINERAMA Cinerama (5) 1974-08-28 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Esquire (5) 1975-10-08 GONE WITH THE WIND Esquire (2) 1976-08-25 THE RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE Esquire (5) 1976-09-04 THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH Mark Twain [midnight] 1976-09-29 GONE WITH THE WIND Esquire (3) 1977-12-23 STAR WARS Creve Coeur (25) 1979-04-06 ALIEN Creve Coeur [sneak preview] 1979-05-18 DAYS OF HEAVEN Mark Twain (1) 1979-05-25 ALIEN Creve Coeur (18) 1979-10-19 SLEEPING BEAUTY Creve Coeur (3) 1980-05-21 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Creve Coeur (30) 1981-01-30 ALTERED STATES Esquire [sneak preview] 1981-02-06 ALTERED STATES Esquire (5) 1981-05-22 OUTLAND Esquire (6) 1982-03-05 QUEST FOR FIRE Esquire (7) 1982-06-18 ANNIE Creve Coeur (15) 1983-01-21 GANDHI Creve Coeur (16) 1983-05-25 RETURN OF THE JEDI Esquire (17) 1983-05-25 RETURN OF THE JEDI Village (29) 1983-07-15 STAYING ALIVE Creve Coeur (5) 1983-09-23 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Creve Coeur (1) 1983-09-30 BRAINSTORM Creve Coeur (6) 1983-09-30 BRAINSTORM Mark Twain (6) 1983-10-15 THE RIGHT STUFF Esquire [sneak preview] 1983-10-21 THE RIGHT STUFF Esquire (11) 1984-05-23 INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM Clarkson (19) 1984-05-23 INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM Creve Coeur (12) 1984-06-08 GHOSTBUSTERS Mark Twain (17) 1984-12-07 2010 Clarkson (8) 1984-12-07 2010 Kenrick (9) 1984-12-14 DUNE Mark Twain (6) 1984-12-14 STARMAN Kenrick (8) 1984-12-21 2010 Creve Coeur (7) 1985-06-21 COCOON Esquire (16) 1985-06-21 RETURN TO OZ Creve Coeur (4) 1985-06-21 RETURN TO OZ Kenrick (4) 1985-07-10 SILVERADO Mark Twain (4) 1985-07-19 THE BLACK CAULDRON Clarkson [sneak preview] 1985-07-19 THE BLACK CAULDRON Kenrick [sneak preview] 1985-07-24 THE BLACK CAULDRON Clarkson (5) 1985-07-24 THE BLACK CAULDRON Kenrick (8) 1985-12-04 YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES Creve Coeur (8) 1986-05-10 TOP GUN Clarkson [sneak preview] 1986-05-16 TOP GUN Clarkson (23) 1986-07-18 ALIENS Esquire (12) 1986-11-26 STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME Kenrick (15) 1986-12-25 THE MISSION Esquire (8) 1987-06-03 THE UNTOUCHABLES Kenrick (18) 1987-07-01 INNERSPACE Northwest Square (5) 1987-07-15 ALIENS St. Charles (2 days) [grand opening] 1987-07-17 THE UNTOUCHABLES St. Charles (6) 1987-08-05 STAKEOUT Creve Coeur (13) 1987-08-05 STAKEOUT Kenrick (16) 1987-08-28 APOCALYPSE NOW Northwest Square (1) 1987-12-11 EMPIRE OF THE SUN Esquire (9) 1988-02-19 CRY FREEDOM Creve Coeur (5) 1988-05-20 WILLOW Kenrick (7) 1988-07-15 DIE HARD Esquire (12) 1989-05-24 INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE Clarkson (10) 1989-05-24 INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE Kenrick (12) 1989-06-22 BATMAN Esquire (8) 1989-06-30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Creve Coeur (8) 1990-06-15 DICK TRACY Clarkson (7) 1990-06-15 DICK TRACY Kenrick (8) 1990-06-15 DICK TRACY Northwest Square (14) 1990-06-15 GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH Esquire (7) 1990-07-06 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Creve Coeur (2) 1990-07-18 ARACHNOPHOBIA Kenrick (13) 1991-01-18 AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Creve Coeur (1) 1991-01-25 THATS ENTERTAINMENT! Creve Coeur (1) 1991-02-01 OKLAHOMA! Creve Coeur (1) 1991-02-08 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Creve Coeur (1) 1991-02-15 THE SOUND OF MUSIC Creve Coeur (1) 1991-02-22 WEST SIDE STORY Creve Coeur (1) 1991-03-01 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Creve Coeur (1) 1991-03-08 BEN-HUR Creve Coeur (1) 1992-05-09 FAR AND AWAY Esquire [sneak preview] 1992-05-09 FAR AND AWAY Kenrick [sneak preview] 1992-05-16 FAR AND AWAY Clarkson [sneak preview] 1992-05-16 FAR AND AWAY Esquire [sneak preview] 1992-05-16 FAR AND AWAY Kenrick [sneak preview] 1992-05-16 FAR AND AWAY St. Clair [sneak preview] 1992-05-22 FAR AND AWAY Clarkson (6) 1992-05-22 FAR AND AWAY Esquire (6) 1992-05-22 FAR AND AWAY Kenrick (8) 1992-05-22 FAR AND AWAY Northwest Square (11) [70mm from Week 3] 1992-05-22 FAR AND AWAY St. Clair (6) 1992-12-25 HOFFA Esquire (5) 1993-06-17 LAST ACTION HERO Kenrick (4) 2015-12-25 THE HATEFUL EIGHT Ronnies (8) 2017-07-20 DUNKIRK Ronnies (3) 2023-07-20 OPPENHEIMER Ronnies (7) Note that some of the titles included in this chronology may have been presented in 35mm (or, recently, DCP) during the latter week(s) of their engagement due to contractual terms or print damage (and the distributors unwillingness to supply a 70mm replacement print) or because the booking was moved to a non-70mm-equipped auditorium within a multiplex. As well, the reverse may have been true in some cases whereas a booking began with a 35mm print because the lab was unable to complete the 70mm print order in time for an opening-day delivery or the exhibitor negotiated a mid-run switch to 70mm. In these cases, any 35mm portion of the engagement has been included in the duration figure. During the roadshow era, the reserved-seat policy, in some instances, was relaxed during the summer and/or latter weeks of the run. Any non-roadshow portion of such an engagement has been included in the applicable duration figure. References: Various issues of Boxoffice, The Hollywood Reporter, Motion Picture Exhibitor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Variety; projection and sound system trade advertisements and installation records. Special Thanks: Jerry Alexander, Bill Huelbig and Chris Utley. 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