| | 70mm Presentations in Syracuse A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1957-Present | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
| Compiled by: Michael Coate & Robert Throop | Date: 02.10.2021 | What follows is a chronology of 70mm six-track stereophonic sound feature-film presentations in the Syracuse region of upstate/western New York, USA.
The focus of this work is 5-perf 70mm feature films and the cinemas in which they were exhibited. Short subjects, 8-perf and 15-perf (IMAX, Iwerks, etc.) and Special Venue presentations have not been included (but consideration will be given to adding them in a revision).
The emphasis here is on the titles that received publicly-promoted, commercial exhibition in 70mm and their playdates. To facilitate an easy-to-reference title- and date-based layout, no details have been provided pertaining to the brand of 70mm (i.e. Todd-AO, Super Panavision, Ultra Panavision, Cinerama, D-150, etc.) or technical particulars of each presentation (i.e. O-neg source, inter-neg source, blow-up, pillarboxed, letterboxed, Dolby A, Dolby SR, five screen channels vs. three, baby boom, split surround, digital sound, etc.).
Part 1: The 70mm-Equipped Cinemas
DE WITT Shoppingtown
SYRACUSE Carousel Center Eckel
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)
m/o = continuation of a booking from another cinema
1957-03-20
OKLAHOMA!
Shoppingtown (2) 1957-05-29
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS*
Shoppingtown (35)
1958-07-16
SOUTH PACIFIC*
Shoppingtown (32)
1959-02-20
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Eckel (8) [reserved seats weekday evenings] 1959-10-15
THE BIG FISHERMAN*
Eckel (8) 1959-12-25
PORGY AND BESS*
Eckel (10) 1959-12-25
SOLOMON AND SHEBA
Shoppingtown (10)
1960-05-12
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
Eckel (2) 1960-05-19
BEN-HUR*
Shoppingtown (31) 1960-05-24
SOUTH PACIFIC
Eckel (4) 1960-06-23
CAN-CAN*
Eckel (18)
1961-02-09
THE ALAMO
Eckel (6) 1961-03-23
SPARTACUS*
Eckel (11) 1961-05-26
EXODUS*
Shoppingtown (10)
1962-02-15
KING OF KINGS*
Shoppingtown (7) 1962-02-21
EL CID*
Eckel (8) 1962-04-05
WEST SIDE STORY*
Shoppingtown (16)
1963-02-21
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY*
Shoppingtown (11) 1963-05-09
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA*
Shoppingtown (13) 1963-08-07
CLEOPATRA*
Shoppingtown (20) 1963-08-07
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
Eckel m/o (5 [18])
1964-06-18
THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Shoppingtown (5) 1964-07-22
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Shoppingtown (7) 1964-09-09
BECKET
Shoppingtown (7) 1964-09-30
CIRCUS WORLD*
Eckel (4) 1964-12-23
MY FAIR LADY*
Eckel (33)
1965-05-28
THE SOUND OF MUSIC*
Shoppingtown (76) 1965-08-11
THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES*
Eckel (9)
1966-01-05
BATTLE OF THE BULGE*
Eckel (9) 1966-05-25
THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY*
Eckel (4) 1966-08-10
THE BATTLE FOR KHARTOUM*
Eckel (5) 1966-12-23
THE BIBLE*
Shoppingtown (16)
1967-04-14
THE SAND PEBBLES*
Shoppingtown (19) 1967-06-13
GRAND PRIX*
Eckel (5) 1967-11-01
GONE WITH THE WIND*
Shoppingtown (28) 1967-12-20
CAMELOT*
Eckel (14)
1968-06-26
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY*
Eckel (10) 1968-06-26
DOCTOR DOLITTLE*
Shoppingtown (12) 1968-12-25
FINIANS RAINBOW*
Eckel (7) 1968-12-26
FUNNY GIRL*
Shoppingtown 1 (31) [70mm?] 1968-12-26
STAR!*
Shoppingtown 2 (7)
1969-02-13
THE SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN
Shoppingtown 1 (7) 1969-05-28
SWEET CHARITY*
Shoppingtown 2 (8) 1969-08-13
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Eckel (4) 1969-12-17
HELLO, DOLLY!*
Shoppingtown 1 (19) 1969-12-18
GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS*
Shoppingtown 2 (9)
1970-09-16
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Eckel (3) 1970-12-23
SONG OF NORWAY*
Eckel (8)
1973-03-16
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Shoppingtown 1 (15)
1979-05-25
ALIEN
Shoppingtown 1 (11) 1979-10-05
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Shoppingtown 2 (3)
1980-05-21
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Shoppingtown 1 (22)
1982-04-09
QUEST FOR FIRE
Shoppingtown 1 (4)
1983-09-30
BRAINSTORM
Shoppingtown 1 (4)
1984-06-08
GHOSTBUSTERS
Shoppingtown 2 (19)
1991-09-06
THE DOORS
Shoppingtown 4 (1)
1992-05-16
FAR AND AWAY
Carousel Center (sneak preview) 1992-05-22
FAR AND AWAY
Carousel Center (8) 1992-12-25
HOFFA
Carousel Center (4)
Note that some of the titles included in this chronology may have been presented in 35mm 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, Motion Picture Exhibitor, The Post-Standard, Syracuse Herald-Journal, Variety, and projection and sound system trade advertisements and installation records.
Special Thanks: New York State Library and Onondaga County Public Library.
If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor.
Dedicated to Robert Throop, 1948-2013
If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. | More in 70mm reading:
70mm Cinemas in North America
Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films
Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films
70mm Engagements
70mm Blow Up List
Dolby Stereo
Internet link:
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