“Top Gun”: The North American 70mm Engagements |
Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 08.10.2024 |
 The
following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter
presentations of “Top Gun” in North America. These were the cinemas worth
seeking out to experience this motion picture. “Top Gun” was among sixteen confirmed first-run films released in 1986 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. Approximately one-hundred twenty-five 70mm prints of the film were struck for distribution in North America and represented about 12% of the film’s total initial print run. The Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer production and Paramount release — directed by Tony Scott (“Days of Thunder,” “The Last Boy Scout”) and starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis — opened May 16th. Pre-release screenings included a 70mm sneak preview held May 10th in numerous locales (many of which were a double feature with Paramount’s 35mm “Blue City” or “Fire with Fire”). Benefit premieres and invitational previews were held in numerous locales including New York (May 12th), San Diego (May 15th) and Washington, DC (May 18th). For the release of “Top Gun,” Paramount employed the services of Lucasfilm’s Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) to evaluate and approve the theaters selected to book a 70mm print. The 70mm prints of “Top Gun” featured magnetic Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format with a Split-Surround playback option) and 2.20:1 full-frame imagery blown up from Super-35 and provided a superior projection and sound experience in comparison to the film’s 35mm prints. Note that some cinemas may have screened a 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo print utilizing Dolby-compatible equipment from another manufacturer (EPRAD, Smart, Ultra Stereo, etc.), and in some instances an exhibitor may have made a special request for a 70mm print that lacked Dolby Noise Reduction so it could be played on a cinema’s older, pre-Dolby-era sound system. Paramount circulated a 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction teaser trailer for “The Golden Child” during the initial weeks of the release of “Top Gun.” Over the course of the movie’s lengthy run, Paramount circulated additional 70mm Six-Track Dolby trailers including “Children of a Lesser God,” “‘Crocodile’ Dundee,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Friday the 13th Part VI,” “Heartburn,” “Some Kind of Wonderful” and “Star Trek IV.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of “Top Gun” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. ALBERTA Calgary — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin (22) Calgary — Famous Players’ Sunridge 5 (21) Edmonton — Famous Players’ Paramount (9) Edmonton — Famous Players’ Westmall 5 (32) ARIZONA Tucson — Mann’s Buena Vista Twin (19) [70mm?] ARKANSAS Little Rock — UA’s Cinema 150 (30) BRITISH COLUMBIA Burnaby — Famous Players’ Lougheed Mall Triplex (28) Vancouver — Famous Players’ Stanley (28) [THX] Victoria — Famous Players’ Coronet (9) CALIFORNIA Berkeley — Cinerama’s Berkeley (10) Burlingame — Syufy’s Hyatt Triplex (20) Corte Madera — Marin’s Cinema (11) Costa Mesa — Edwards’ South Coast Plaza Triplex (22) Daly City — Plitt’s Plaza Twin (20) [THX] Fremont — Syufy’s Cinedome East 8 (35) Glendora — Mann’s Glendora 6 (31) [70mm from Week 16] Laguna Hills — Edwards/SoCal’s Laguna Hills Mall Triplex (32) [70mm from Week 22] Lakewood — Pacific’s Lakewood Center 4 (25) Los Angeles — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (6) [THX] Los Angeles — Mann’s National (7) [THX] Los Angeles — Mann’s Valley West 6 (20) [70mm from Week 14] Monrovia — Mann’s Huntington Oaks 6 (23) [70mm from Week 22] Montclair — Pacific’s Montclair Triplex (25) Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Twin (10) Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 6 (20) Pinole — Syufy’s Century 9 (27) [70mm from Week 13] Sacramento — Syufy’s Century 6 (#1: 22) Sacramento — Syufy’s Century 6 (#2: 2) [interlock] Sacramento — Syufy’s Cinedome 8 (#1: 30) Sacramento — Syufy’s Cinedome 8 (#2: 2) [interlock] San Diego — Mann’s Loma (28) San Diego — Pacific’s Cinerama (20) San Francisco — Blumenfeld’s Regency I (10) San Jose — Syufy’s Town & Country (22) Temple City — Edwards’ Temple 4 (20) [70mm from Week 14] Torrance — Mann’s Old Towne 6 (30) Ventura — Mann’s Buenaventura 6 (28) [70mm from Week 16] West Covina — SoCal’s Eastland 5 (21) [70mm from Week 17] COLORADO Denver — Mann’s Century 21 (11) [THX] CONNECTICUT East Hartford — Redstone’s Showcase 9 (25) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — K-B’s Cinema (10) [opened May 19th] FLORIDA Fort Myers — Cobb’s Bell Tower 6 (40) [70mm from Week 18] Kendall — AMC’s Town & Country 10 (25) North Miami Beach — Wometco’s 163rd Street Triplex (25) Tampa — Plitt’s University Collection 6 (25) [70mm?] Winter Park — Wometco’s Winter Park Triplex (21) GEORGIA Atlanta — GTC’s Lenox Square 6 (26) Kennesaw — Storey’s Town Center 8 (24) [opened May 23rd] Savannah — Litchfield’s Tara 4 (1+) Tucker — AMC’s Northlake Festival 8 (25) HAWAII Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki Twin (21) [HPS-4000] ILLINOIS Belleville — BAC’s Cinema 4 (9) Calumet City — Plitt’s River Oaks 8 (8) Chicago — Plitt’s Carnegie (7) Lombard — GCC’s Yorktown 6 (27) [THX] Schaumburg — Plitt’s Woodfield 9 (25) Skokie — M&R’s Old Orchard 4 (11) INDIANA Fort Wayne — MSM’s Holiday Twin (22) IOWA Des Moines — Dubinsky’s River Hills (31) [70mm from Week 8] KANSAS Overland Park — Dickinson’s Glenwood 4 (23) KENTUCKY Louisville — Redstone’s Showcase 11 (32) LOUISIANA Metairie — Cobb’s Lakeside 4 (22) MANITOBA Winnipeg — Famous Players’ Metropolitan (9) MARYLAND Baltimore — Durkee’s Senator (20) Greenbelt — AMC’s Academy 14 (#1: 30) [opened May 19th] Greenbelt — AMC’s Academy 14 (#2: 3) [opened May 19th] Timonium — Loews’ Timonium Triplex (May 10th sneak preview only) Woodlawn — GCC’s Security Square Mall 4 (13) MASSACHUSETTS Boston — USA’s Charles Triplex (8) MICHIGAN Ann Arbor — UA’s Fox Village 4 (33) Bloomfield — Redstone’s Showcase 10 (25) Burton — Redstone’s Showcase 6 (8) Cascade — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (32) [THX] Dearborn — UA’s The Movies at Fairlane 10 (32) Farmington Hills — SDT’s Old Orchard Triplex (9) [70mm from Week 3] Harper Woods — SDT’s Eastland 7 (25) Saginaw — Goodrich’s Quad 10 (27) [70mm promoted sporadically from Week 12] Southfield — SDT’s Northland Twin (5) Sterling Heights — Redstone’s Showcase 11 (24) MINNESOTA Maplewood — UA’s The Movies at Maplewood II 6 (30) MISSOURI Chesterfield — Wehrenberg’s Clarkson 6 (23) Independence — Mid-America’s Blue Ridge East 5 (7) Kansas City — Commonwealth’s Bannister Mall 5 (22) NEVADA Las Vegas — Syufy’s Parkway Triplex (42) NEW YORK Amherst — GCC’s University 8 (27) [THX] New York — Loews’ 34th Street Showplace Triplex (6) New York — Loews’ 84th Street 6 (7) New York — Loews’ Astor Plaza (7) New York — Loews’ Orpheum Twin (7) New York — Loews’ State Twin [May 10th sneak preview only] NORTH CAROLINA Raleigh — Litchfield’s Mission Valley 5 (28) NOVA SCOTIA Halifax — Famous Players’ Scotia Square (1+) OHIO Cincinnati — Redstone’s Showcase Eastgate 8 (31) [70mm from Week 7] Columbus — GCC’s Northland 8 (32) [THX] Dayton — Chakeres’ Dayton Mall 8 (35) Mentor — NTC’s Great Lakes Mall 5 (28) North Olmsted — NTC’s Great Northern 7 (28) [THX] (70mm from Week 20) Springdale — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (38) Toledo — Redstone’s Showcase 5 (31) Whitehall — Chakeres’ Cinema East (19) [70mm from Week 8] OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City — Commonwealth’s Quail Twin (22) Tulsa — UA’s Boman Twin (23) ONTARIO Hamilton — Famous Players’ Tivoli (9) London — Famous Players’ Park (1+) Mississauga — Famous Players’ Square One 4 (8) North York — Famous Players’ Towne & Countrye Twin (9) Ottawa — Famous Players’ Elgin Twin (22) Scarborough — Famous Players’ Cedarbrae 6 (9) Toronto — Famous Players’ Cumberland 4 (4) [La Reserve] Toronto — Famous Players’ Eglinton (7) [THX] Toronto — Famous Players’ Runnymede Twin (9) Toronto — Famous Players’ University (9) OREGON Portland — Moyer’s Bagdad Triplex (28) [HPS-4000] Wilsonville — Moyer’s Grand Parkway 5 (30) [70mm from Week 12] [HPS-4000] PENNSYLVANIA Montgomeryville — Budco’s 309 4 (25) Philadelphia — Budco’s Orleans 8 (25) Philadelphia — Sameric’s Sam’s Place Twin (6) QUEBEC Dorval — United’s Dorval Triplex (7) Laval — United’s Laval 5 (7) Montreal — United’s Imperial (9) [THX] Sainte-Foy — United’s Canadien (9) [70mm from Week 8] TENNESSEE Knoxville — Simpson’s Capri 4 (31) Nashville — Carmike’s Belle Meade (25) TEXAS Addison — UA’s Prestonwood Creek 5 (28) [THX] Arlington — Loews’ Lincoln Square 6 (22) Austin — AMC’s Americana (10) Austin — Presidio’s Arbor 4 (25) [THX] Dallas — Loews’ Park Central 4 (10) Dallas — UA’s Cine Twin (20) Dallas — UA’s Walnut Hill 6 (21) Fort Worth — UA’s Hulen 6 (31) [THX] [renovated to 10-plex during run] Houston — Plitt’s West Oaks 7 (28) Houston — Plitt’s Woodlake Triplex (22) Hurst — UA’s North East 6 (24) [THX] Mesquite — AMC’s Towne Crossing 8 (#1: 37) Mesquite — AMC’s Towne Crossing 8 (#2: 7) [interlock] San Antonio — Santikos’ Galaxy 10 (31) [THX] San Antonio — Santikos’ Northwest 10 (26) [THX] UTAH Salt Lake City — Mann’s Villa (20) Salt Lake City — Plitt’s Centre (20) VIRGINIA Richmond — NTI’s Ridge 7 (31) Springfield — GCC’s Springfield Mall 6 (22) [THX] (opened May 19th) WASHINGTON Bellevue — SRO’s Factoria 8 (41) Lynnwood — SRO’s Grand Alderwood 8 (33) Seattle — SRO’s Cinerama (10) Seattle — SRO’s Oak Tree 6 (31) [THX] Spokane — SRO’s Lyons Avenue 4 (31) Tacoma — SRO’s Tacoma Mall Twin (20) Tukwila — SRO’s Lewis & Clark 7 (33) WISCONSIN Brookfield — GCC’s Brookfield Square Twin (12) Greenfield — Capitol’s Spring Mall 4 (27) [70mm from Week 13] Madison — Marcus’ Eastgate 6 (28) [70mm from Week 16] Note that some of the presentations included in this listing were presented in 35mm during the latter week(s) of engagement due to contractual terms or because of print damage and the distributor’s 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 (or movement out of a branded auditorium) has been included in the duration figure. SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS 1986-07-02 … Indianapolis, IN — Y&W’s Eastwood (6) 1986-07-02 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Regent (5) 1986-07-02 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Palace Triplex (4) 1986-07-11 … Burton, MI — Redstone’s Eastland Twin (19) [re-named Courtland during run] 1986-07-17 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Uptown 5 (20) 1986-07-18 … Montreal, QC — United’s Palace 6 (20) 1986-07-18 … Vancouver, BC — Famous Players’ Denman Place (5) 1986-07-25 … San Francisco, CA — Blumenfeld’s Regency III (10) 1986-07-25 … Washington, DC — GCC’s Jenifer Twin (4) 1986-08-01 … San Rafael, CA — Marin’s Regency 6 (15) 1986-08-08 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s National (7) [THX] 1986-08-15 … Anchorage, AK — Festival’s Valley River 6 (16) 1986-08-29 … Beverly Hills, CA — AMPAS’ Goldwyn [Dolby “Split Surround” demo] 1986-08-29 … Fort Worth, TX — Cinemark’s Ridglea (8) 1986-08-29 … Newmarket, ON — Famous Players’ Glenway 5 (5) 1986-08-29 … Scarborough, ON — Famous Players’ Cedarbrae 8 (14) 1986-08-29 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Palace Triplex (4) 1986-08-29 … Victoria, BC — Famous Players’ Coronet (6) 1986-08-29 … Winnipeg, MB — Famous Players’ Northstar Twin (8) 1986-09-05 … Calumet City, IL — Plitt’s River Oaks 8 (6) 1986-09-05 … Chicago, IL — M&R’s Hyde Park Triplex (1) 1986-09-05 … Los Angeles, CA — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome (5) 1986-09-12 … Birmingham, AL — Cobb’s Village East Twin (4) 1986-09-12 … Skokie, IL — M&R’s Old Orchard 4 (3) 1986-09-19 … Hamilton, ON — Famous Players’ Tivoli (4) 1986-09-26 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Bruin (1) [THX] 1986-10-03 … Albuquerque, NM — Commonwealth’s Winrock 6 (14) [THX] 1986-10-03 … Mountain View, CA — Syufy’s Century 10 (12) 1986-10-03 … Orange, CA — Syufy’s City Center 4 (6) 1986-10-03 … South Salt Lake, UT — Syufy’s Century 5 (4) 1986-10-03 … South San Francisco, CA — Syufy’s Century Plaza 8 (8) 1986-10-03 … Tacoma, WA — SRO’s Tacoma South 5 (8) 1986-10-08 … Los Angeles, CA — Pacific’s Hollywood Pacific Triplex (2) 1986-10-10 … Fairview Heights, IL — Wehrenberg’s St. Clair 10 (11) 1986-10-17 … Sacramento, CA — Syufy’s Capitol 4 (6) 1986-10-17 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (6) 1986-10-24 … Homewood, IL — Plitt’s Diana 4 (1) 1986-10-24 … Houston, TX — GCC’s Galleria 4 (1) 1986-10-24 … Norfolk, VA — Naro (2 days) 1986-10-31 … Winnipeg, MB — Cineplex Odeon’s Towne 8 (23) 1986-11-14 … Dothan, AL — Davis’ Northside Mall 7 (5) 1986-11-21 … Bedford, TX — UA’s Bedford 10 (4) [THX] 1986-11-21 … Downers Grove, IL — Classic Cinemas’ Tivoli (3) 1986-11-21 … Newport Beach, CA — Edwards’ Newport Twin (1) 1986-11-26 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 24 Twin (1) 1986-11-26 … Vancouver, BC — Famous Players’ Capitol 6 (4) 1986-12-05 … City of Industry, CA — Mann’s Puente Hills 6 (1) [THX] 1986-12-05 … San Diego, CA — Mann’s Cinema 21 (1) 1986-12-05 … San Francisco, CA — Plitt’s Northpoint (2) 1986-12-05 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 25 Twin (3) 1986-12-12 … Citrus Heights, CA — UA’s Greenback Lane 6 (8) [THX] 1986-12-19 … Colorado Springs, CO — Commonwealth’s Cooper Triplex (8) 1986-12-19 … Littleton, CO — Commonwealth’s Cooper 7 (8) [HPS-4000] 1986-12-19 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Studio (1) [w/ “The Color of Money”] 1987-01-16 … Calgary, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Uptown (2) 1987-01-21 … Hartford, CT — Trinity College’s Cinestudio (4 days) 1987-03-04 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (12 days) [70mm festival] 1987-04-03 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Film Society series] 1987-06-09 … Atlanta, GA — Fox [10th annual summer film festival] 1988-01-01 … Niagara Falls, ON — Niagara Falls IMAX (1) [70mm festival] 1988-01-20 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (12 days) [70mm festival] 1988-03-25 … Edmonton, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Meadowlark (1) [70mm festival] 1988-11-15 … Los Angeles, CA — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome [venue 25th anniversary] 1988-12-10 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Fallbrook 7 (2 days) [THX] 1989-02-15 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1990-01-10 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1990-03-31 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm festival] 1990-04-13 … Renton, WA — Roxy 1990-06-15 … Waco, TX — Schulman’s Schulman 5 (1) [THX] 1991-03-06 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1992-01-29 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (11 days) [70mm festival] 1992-03-30 … Vancouver, BC — CN IMAX (4 days) [70mm festival] 1992-10-18 … Los Angeles, CA — AMC’s Century 14 [retro festival] 1992-10-22 … Los Angeles, CA — AMC’s Century 14 [retro festival] 1992-12-10 … Des Moines, IA — Merle Hay Mall [70mm festival] (70mm?) 1993-02-13 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm festival] 1993-02-19 … Vancouver, BC — CN IMAX (2 days) [weekend 70mm series] 1993-02-26 … Vancouver, BC — CN IMAX (2 days) [weekend 70mm series] 1993-10-02 … Edmonton, AB — Famous Players’ Paramount [midnight] (THX) 1993-10-09 … Vancouver, BC — Famous Players’ Capitol 6 [latenight 70mm series] 1994-03-05 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm festival] 1994-03-19 … Edmonton, AB — Famous Players’ Paramount [midnight (THX) 1994-04-09 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin [midnight] 1995-02-25 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm festival] 1996-05-15 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1996-07-05 … Dallas, TX — GCC’s Northpark West Twin [Fri-Sat lateshow] (THX) 1996-07-11 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (4 days) [70mm festival] 1996-09-06 … Chicago, IL — Navy Pier IMAX (2 days) [latenight series] 1996-12-26 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1997-02-21 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Plaza [Fri-Sat-Sun midnight] 1997-08-22 … Chicago, IL — Navy Pier IMAX (1) [latenight series] 1997-10-08 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (3 days) [70mm festival] 1998-05-22 … Chicago, IL — Navy Pier IMAX (1) [latenight series] 1998-08-21 … Chicago, IL — Navy Pier IMAX (1) [latenight series] 1998-09-04 … Indianapolis, IN — White River State Park IMAX (10 days) [Planet Hollywood Film Festival] 1998-12-26 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1999-04-02 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Plaza [Fri-Sat-Sun midnight] 1999-12-?? … Addison, TX — Granada Prestonwood 5 [70mm series] 2000-05-19 … Baltimore, MD — Durkee’s Senator (2 days) 2000-07-15 … Austin, TX — Paramount (2 days) [70mm festival] 2002-03-01 … Columbia Heights, MN — Heights [70mm series] 2007-05-05 … Los Angeles, CA — AMPAS’ Linwood Dunn* 2007-10-07 … Seattle, WA — Cinerama [70mm fest] 2007-10-09 … Seattle, WA — Cinerama [70mm fest] * Screened in 35mm with interlocked six-track audio during the Sound Behind the Image series 2008-12-21 … Los Angeles, CA — Laemmle’s Royal [70th anniversary festival] 2011-07-28 … Santa Monica, CA — Aero [70mm series] 2012-10-25 … Santa Monica, CA — Aero [Tony Scott tribute; w/ “Days of Thunder”] 2016-05-27 … Columbus, OH — Gateway Film Center 8 2017-07-01 … Los Angeles, CA — Egyptian (canceled) 2017-07-05 … Los Angeles, CA — Egyptian 2017-07-07 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival] 2017-07-12 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival] 2017-08-30 … Seattle, WA — Cinerama [70mm festival] 2017-09-04 … Seattle, WA — Cinerama [70mm festival] 2017-09-27 … Somerville, MA — Somerville 5 [70mm & Widescreen festival] 2018-12-08 … Portland, OR — Hollywood [70mm series] 2022-08-27 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [canceled] 2022-08-28 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [canceled] 2022-09-02 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [canceled] 2022-09-04 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [canceled] 2023-09-04 … New York, NY — Paris [70mm festival] 2024-07-12 … Santa Monica, CA — Aero [70mm festival; w/ “Days of Thunder”] The information in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications, regional newspaper promotion, print enclosures, TAP records, Dolby records, etc. Special thanks to David Ayers, Don Beelik, Mark Campbell, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Stan Malone, Tim O’Neill, Joe Oenthal, and an extra special thank-you to all of the librarians who helped with this project. This article is based upon a previously-published article at TheDigitalBits.com (https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/history-legacy--showmanship/mighty-wings-remembering-top-gun-30th). International 70mm presentations of this title have not been accounted for in this article. If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. |
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