“Almost like a real web
site”
|
IN7OMM.COM
• Search |
Contact
• News |
e-News |
• Rumour Mill |
Stories
• Foreign Language
• in70mm.com auf Deutsch
WHAT'S ON IN 7OMM?
7OMM FESTIVAL
• Todd-AO Festival
• KRRR! 7OMM Seminar
• GIFF 70, Gentofte
• Oslo 7OMM Festival
• Widescreen Weekend
TODD-AO
• Premiere |
Films
• People |
Equipment
• Library |
Cinemas
• Todd-AO Projector
• Distortion Correcting
PANAVISION
• Ultra Panavision
70
• Super Panavision
70
|
|
VISION, SCOPE & RAMA
1926
Natural Vision
1929 Grandeur
1930 Magnifilm
1930 Realife
1930 Vitascope
1952 Cinerama
1953
CinemaScope
1955 Todd-AO
1955 Circle Vision
360
1956
CinemaScope 55
1957 Ultra
Panavision 70
1958 Cinemiracle
1958 Kinopanorama
1959 Super
Panavision 70
1959 Super Technirama 70
1960 Smell-O-Vision
1961 Sovscope
70
1962
Cinerama 360
1962 MCS-70
1963 70mm Blow Up
1963 Circarama
1963 Circlorama
1966 Dimension 150
1966
Stereo-70
1967 DEFA 70
1967 Pik-A-Movie
1970 IMAX / Omnimax
1974 Cinema
180
1974 SENSURROUND
1976 Dolby Stereo
1984 Showscan
1984 Swissorama
1986 iWERKS
1989 ARRI 765
1990 CDS
1994 DTS / Datasat
2001
Super Dimension 70
2018 Magellan 65
•
Various Large format
| 70mm to 3-strip |
3-strip to 70mm |
Specialty Large Format |
Special Effects in 65mm |
ARC-120 |
Super Dimension 70
| Early Large Format
• 7OMM Premiere in
Chronological Order
7OMM FILM & CINEMA
• Australia |
Brazil
• Canada |
Denmark
• England |
France
• Germany |
Iran
• Mexico |
Norway
• Sweden |
Turkey
• USA
LIBRARY
• 7OMM Projectors
• People |
Eulogy
• 65mm/70mm Workshop
• The 7OMM Newsletter
• Back issue |
PDF
• Academy of the WSW
7OMM NEWS
• 2026 | 2025 | 2024
• 2023 |
2022 |
2021
• 2020 |
2019 |
2018
• 2017 |
2016 |
2015
• 2014 |
2013 |
2012
• 2011 |
2010 | 2009
• 2008 | 2007 |
2006
• 2005 | 2004 |
2003
• 2002 |
2001 |
2000
• 1999 |
1998 |
1997
• 1996 |
1995 |
1994
|
in70mm.com Mission:
• To record the history of the large format movies and the 70mm cinemas
as remembered by the people who worked with the films. Both during
making and during running the films in projection rooms and as the
audience, looking at the curved screen.
•
in70mm.com, a unique internet based magazine, with articles about 70mm
cinemas, 70mm people, 70mm films, 70mm sound, 70mm film credits, 70mm
history and 70mm technology. Readers and fans of 70mm are always welcome
to contribute.
•
Disclaimer |
Updates
• Support us
• Testimonials
• Table of Content
|
|
|
Extracts and longer
parts of in70mm.com may be reprinted with the written permission from
the editor.
Copyright © 1800 - 2070. All rights reserved.
Visit biografmuseet.dk about Danish cinemas
|
| |
Peter H Rondum
A sons recollections -
Work in progress
|
Read more
at
in70mm.com
The 70mm Newsletter
|
Written
by: Peter H Rondum |
Date: 17
May 2005 |
Erik
and Peter Rondum. Image from Peter Rondum´s Collection
I always knew dad had worked for Cinerama. But being that
3 panel Cinerama
simply did not exist for most of my lifetime, I never really grasped
impact of Cinerama until recently stumbling upon the "Cinerama Adventure"
Documentary website. The only two Cinerama films I had ever heard of were
"This Is
Cinerama" and
"Cinerama Holiday". There were copies of each program booklet
around the house growing up. Dad is credited in the "Cinerama Holiday"
Booklet.
Dad also had this group of pictures in the family room when I was a young
boy. A WWII era B25 Mitchell Bomber with the pilot waving out the window
while a man was bringing up reels of film on a wood ladder. Polynesian
people, tropical nature scenes and a large sail boat. The launch of the
atomic powered submarine Sea Wolf. An audience in a theater with startled
& amused looks on their faces. Other items were a plaque from Pam Am
airlines “Jupiter Rex”and a small wooden Tiki set. Having a strong
affection for airplanes dad would tell me stories about a certain pilot
who could fly loop after loop after loop after loop in his airplane.
Something about rough landings on an aircraft carrier. And how dirt would
fall in your face when doing barrel rolls. His first experience working
with cameras came in the area during the depression.
A map-making company Aero Service Corporation operated out of an airfield
that dad would frequent and also to look for work - anything to do with
airplanes. He was also studying mechanical engineering at the time. Turns
out when he approached Aero Service Corporation for work, while they did
not need any aircraft mechanics, they were having trouble with their
camera shutters freezing up at high altitude. Story has it that dad went
to a pawnshop and picked up some used cameras to study. And he landed the
job! Later he was to develop a mapping camera that became a leader in the
field of the time.
|
Further
in 70mm reading:
in70mm.com's Cinerama page
Internet link:
|
Launch
of the atomic powered submarine Sea Wolf. Note Cinerama camera and Erik with
his hand on the sound blimp. Image from
Peter Rondum´s Collection
How Dad ended up at Cinerama is not entirely clear to me. I do know he and
Bill Latady, one of Cinerama’s vice presidents, were very, very good
friends before and after Cinerama’s 3 strip era.
Dick Babish told me that
Bill Latady sort of brought dad along. Dick had re-joined Vitarama the
founding company as a Vice President after Cinerama’s Broadway premier to
help build a patent wall with Fred Waller & Bob Dresser. Dick told me that
Wentworth Fling, Bill Latady and dad had already been working for some
time when he returned. He also recalled for me that dad managed the
contact with Wall to build the cameras and the camera was dad’s sole
responsibility. Dick also mentioned that dad got to go to Switzerland for
cold weather technical direction while he was assigned to Florida for the
aircraft carrier work.
Dad started with Cinerama in May of 1952 according to an old resume. Also
this box of slides labeled “Western trip with Paul Mantz July 1952 “. My
mother who first meet Erik in the mid 1950’s, introduced by mutual friend
Mary ‘Sis’ Biddle, mentions that dad had fixed some sort of problem with
the system and “got it working”. What she specifically refers to I can’t
say for sure due to lack or loss of information. Dad had mentioned the
indoor
tennis court to me. He lived in an apartment above a garage on Berry
Hill Road in Oyster Bay NY. Later he would move to Los Angles with wife
and first chilled where they stayed in Malibu Colony. Some of his post
Cinerama work would be development on CBS Labs EVR “Never some much gray
scale work in my life!” Also animation stand & optical printer development
work for Oxberry-Richmark in Carlstadt, New Jersey. My older brother who
worked with dad at Oxberry as apprentice draftsmen once described him to
me as a film-handling specialist. And that Dad was always in constant
demand for his technical savvy & advice.
|
|
Erik
Rondum. Image from Peter Rondum's collection.
Fast forwarding to the early 1990’s. One day I got a call from Willem
Bouwmeester who was looking for dad and mentioned Cinerama. I immediately
supplied him dad’s number. I planed to attend their meting. Regretfully I
was held up at work and then hit heavy traffic in route on I95. I arrived
just after Willem Bouwmeester, Dick Babish and (I think?) Thomas Hauerslev
had left.
I found out they were working on the installation of Cinerama for the
National Museum of Photography, Film & Television in Bradford,
England. Dad informed me he helped them regarding a tachometer that was in
fact electric not mechanical. Dad cracked a smile about it when I got
there. It was at this time dad told me of the prototype single lens
“Globe” system camera that he and another fellow had worked on. Also
brought up was the filming of an Atomic Bomb test in the south pacific for
Cinerama.
Fast-forward to around early 2003 when I happened upon "Cinerama
Adventure" Documentary web site. One thing led to another and I ended
up traveling out to LA to see the
40th anniversary
presentation of "How The West Was Won" in full 3 strips at the
Cinerama Dome
in Hollywood. The last Cinerama film my father was involved with. Dave
Strohmaier showed me my first 3-strip film presentation in the [Crest, ed]
screening room on Seward. Marty & Pat Hart drove me around LA. I got to
focus and frame a bit during on of the shows & had a good time. John
Sittig is an absolute gentleman. I can’t win sometimes though; I did just
miss meeting Steven Spielberg on Saturday.
It was an eye opener for me to see Camera camera #3 on display in the lobby of
the Dome. I never had any idea Dad’s contributions would be on public
display before. Let alone in Hollywood. Please allow me to express my
appreciation to all those who have played a role in this, you know who you
are.
|
|
|
|
Go: back
- top -
back issues
- news index
Updated
21-01-24 |
|
|