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“Spaceballs”: The North American 70mm Engagements
“May the schwartz be with you.” |
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in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
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Compiled by:
Michael Coate |
Date:
28.05.2018 |
The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter
presentations of “Spaceballs” in North America. The film’s 70mm prints consisted
of pillarboxed imagery (approximately 1.85:1) blown up from spherical 35mm
photography. The audio was Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded “baby boom”
format).
“Spaceballs” was among seventeen confirmed first-run films released in 1987 with
70mm prints for selected engagements. The Brooksfilms presentation and MGM
release — directed by Mel Brooks and starring Mel Brooks, John Candy and Rick
Moranis — opened Wednesday, June 24th in the United States and Friday, June 26th
in Canada.
For the release of “Spaceballs”, MGM employed the services of Lucasfilm’s
Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) to evaluate and approve the theaters selected to
book a 70mm print.
Trailers for “Baby Boom” and “The Living Daylights” circulated with the
“Spaceballs” prints and which the distributor recommended be screened with the
presentation.
Where known, the duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) has been
included in parenthesis following the cinema name.
Note that some of the presentations included in this listing may have been
presented in 35mm during the latter week(s) of engagement due to print damage
and the distributor’s unwillingness to supply a 70mm replacement print or
because the booking was moved to a smaller, 35mm-only 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, the 35mm portion of the engagement (or
movement out of a THX-certified auditorium) has been included in the duration
figure.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver — Famous Players’ Vancouver Centre Twin (5)
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles — Cineplex Odeon’s Century Plaza (4) [THX]
Los Angeles — Cineplex Odeon’s Showcase (6)
Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 8-plex (4)
San Francisco — Syufy’s Cinema 21 (4) [THX]
San Jose — Syufy’s Century 21 (1)
NEW YORK
New York — Loews’ Paramount (7)
New York — Loews’ Tower East (7)
ONTARIO
Toronto — Famous Players’ Uptown 5-plex (5)
QUEBEC
Montreal — United’s Palace 6-plex (5)
SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS
1987-07-01 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 23 Twin (4)
1987-07-31 … Downers Grove, IL — Classic Cinemas’ Tivoli (1)
1988-02-27 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm fest]
The information in this article was principally referenced from film industry
trade publications and regional newspaper promotion, with thanks to Bill Kretzel
and Mark Lensenmayer.
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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