“Batman”: The North American 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 22.05.2022 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter presentations of “Batman” in North America. These were the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this motion picture.“Batman” was among seventeen confirmed first-run films released in 1989 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. Approximately seventy-five 70mm prints were struck for distribution in North America and represented about three percent of the film’s total initial print run. The Warner Bros. release — directed by Tim Burton (“Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” “Edward Scissrohands”) and starring Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger — opened June 23rd. For the release of “Batman,” Warner Bros. employed the services of Lucasfilm’s Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) to evaluate and approve the cinemas selected to book a 70mm print. Pre-release screenings included the world premiere held June 19th at the Village in Los Angeles. In many of the cinemas in which it opened there were late-night sneak preview screenings June 22nd. The 70mm prints of “Batman” featured magnetic Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format [Dolby processor setting “42”]) and pillarboxed imagery (approximately 1.85:1) blown up from spherical 35mm 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 that it could be played on a cinema’s older, pre-Dolby-era sound system. During the initial weeks of the “Batman” release, Warner Bros. circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Young Einstein,” and over the course of the film’s lengthy release the studio circulated additional 70mm trailers including “Christmas Vacation,” “Cookie,” “In Country,” and “Next of Kin.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of “Batman” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. ALASKA Anchorage — Festival’s University 6 (17) ALBERTA Calgary — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin (15) Calgary — Famous Players’ Southcentre 7 (21) Edmonton — Famous Players’ West Mall 5 (16) BRITISH COLUMBIA Burnaby — Famous Players’ Station Square 7 (13) [THX] Vancouver — Famous Players’ Capitol 6 (13) CALIFORNIA Berkeley — Cinerama’s California Triplex (17) Lakewood — Pacific’s Lakewood Center 4 (14) Los Angeles (Hollywood) — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (8) [THX] Los Angeles (North Hollywood) — Syufy’s Century 7 (14) [THX] Los Angeles (Westwood Village) — Mann’s Village (8) [THX] Los Angeles (Woodland Hills) — UA’s Warner Center 6 (16) Mountain View — Syufy’s Century 10 (17) Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Triplex (7) Oakland — Renaissance Rialto’s Grand Lake 4 (14) Orange — Syufy’s Century Cinedome 8 (#1: 13) Orange — Syufy’s Century Cinedome 8 (#2: 3) Sacramento — Syufy’s Century Cinedome 8 (16) Sacramento — UA’s Arden Fair 6 (17) San Diego — Mann’s Grove 9 (16) [THX] San Diego — UA’s Horton Plaza 7 (9) [THX] San Francisco — UA’s Coronet (16) San Jose — Syufy’s Century 21 (1) San Jose — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (15) San Rafael — Cinerama’s Regency 6 (16) Santa Ana — Edwards’ Hutton Centre 8 (8) [THX] Santa Barbara — Metropolitan’s Arlington (7) South San Francisco — Syufy’s Century Plaza 8 (14) [70mm during Weeks 6-8] Universal City — Cineplex Odeon’s Universal City 18 (8) [THX] Ventura — Syufy’s Century 8 (16) [70mm during Weeks 4-8] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — Cineplex Odeon’s Wisconsin Avenue 6 (8) [THX] Washington — K-B’s Fine Arts (7) | More in 70mm reading: 70mm Cinemas in North America in70mm.com's list of films blown up to 70mm 70mm Engagements by Title 35mm to 70mm Engagements by Year Large Format 7OMM Engagements Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films 70mm Blow Up List Dolby Stereo |
 GEORGIAAtlanta — Cineplex Odeon’s Phipps Plaza Triplex (18) HAWAII Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki 3 (13) [HPS-4000] ILLINOIS Calumet City — Cineplex Odeon’s River Oaks 14 (18) Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s 900 North Michigan Twin (#1: 13) Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s 900 North Michigan Twin (#2: 6) Chicago — GCC’s Ford City 5 (17) Hillside — M&R’s Hillside Square 6 (8) Norridge — M&R’s Norridge 10 (13) Schaumburg — Cineplex Odeon’s Woodfield 9 (13) INDIANA Fort Wayne — MSM’s Holiday Twin (17) [renovated to an 8-plex during run] KANSAS Overland Park — Dickinson’s Glenwood 4 (14) LOUISIANA Metairie — GCC’s Lakeside 5 (12) MANITOBA Winnipeg — Famous Players’ Northstar Twin (14) MARYLAND Timonium — Loews’ Timonium Triplex (13) MASSACHUSETTS Boston — Loews’ Cheri Triplex (11) MICHIGAN Southfield — AMC’s Americana 8 (11) MISSOURI Richmond Heights — AMC’s Esquire Triplex (8) NEW JERSEY Paramus — Cineplex Odeon’s Route Four 10 (14) Secaucus — Loews’ Meadow 6 (10) NEW YORK New York — City Cinemas’ Cinema 1 (9) New York — Loews’ 84th Street 6 (13) New York — UA/Moss’ Criterion Center 6 (#1: 20) New York — UA/Moss’ Criterion Center 6 (#2: 2) Valley Stream — National Amusements’ Sunrise 14 (18) OHIO Cleveland Heights — NTC’s Severance 8 (13) [THX] Columbus — GCC’s Northland 8 (17) [THX] Springdale — National Amusements’ Showcase 9 (17) Toledo — National Amusements’ Showcase 5 (18) ONTARIO Hamilton — Famous Players’ Jackson Square Twin (16) [renovated to a 6-plex during run] Mississauga — Famous Players’ Square One 4 (14) Scarborough — Famous Players’ Cedarbrae 8 (13) Toronto — Famous Players’ Regent (13) Toronto — Famous Players’ Uptown 5 (14) Toronto — Famous Players’ Yorkdale 6 (16) OREGON Portland — LT’s Eastgate Triplex (12) [70mm during Weeks 8-12] (THX) Portland — LT’s Lloyd 10 (13) [70mm during Weeks 1-7] (THX) QUEBEC Montreal — Famous Players’ Palace 6 (14) Montreal — Famous Players’ Versailles 6 (8) TEXAS Dallas — GCC’s Northpark West Twin (7) [THX] Houston — GCC’s Galleria 4 (17) San Antonio — Rand’s Bandera 6 (17) [THX] San Antonio — Santikos’ Galaxy 14 (18) [THX] UTAH Holladay — Mann’s Cottonwood Mall 4 (7) VIRGINIA Merrifield — National Amusements’ Arlington Blvd/Lee Highway 12 (12) [THX] WASHINGTON Bellevue — Cineplex Odeon’s Factoria 8 (12) Bellevue — LT’s Crossroads 8 (14) [THX] Lynnwood — LT’s Alderwood 7 (15) [THX] Seattle — Cineplex Odeon’s Oak Tree 6 (14) [THX] Seattle — GCC’s King (12) | |
 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 contractual terms or 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 1989-06-30 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 23 Twin (2) 1989-08-09 … Holladay, UT — Mann’s Creekside Triplex (7) 1989-08-18 … Los Angeles (Century City), CA — AMC’s Century 14 (8) [THX] 1989-08-18 … Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome (6) 1989-08-18 … Los Angeles (Westwood Village), CA — Mann’s Plaza (2) 1989-09-08 … Dorval, QC — Famous Players’ Dorval Triplex (3) 1989-09-08 … Los Angeles (Studio City), CA — Mann’s Studio (4) 1989-09-22 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Hollywood Twin (1) 1989-09-29 … Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA — UA’s Egyptian Triplex (2) [THX] 1989-10-06 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palace (1) 1989-10-06 … San Antonio, TX — Rivercenter IMAX (9) 1989-10-13 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palace (5) [w/ “Lethal Weapon 2”] 1989-10-13 … San Francisco, CA — UA’s Galaxy 4 (3) [THX] 1989-10-18 … Fargo, ND — Fargo (9 days) [not screened Oct. 19th] 1989-10-27 … Apple Valley, MN — GTI’s Apple Valley 6 (7) 1989-10-27 … Austin, TX — GCC’s Highland Mall Twin (3) 1989-10-27 … Canton, OH — Palace 1989-10-27 … Casper, WY — Movie Palaces’ America (3) 1989-10-27 … Downers Grove, IL — Classic Cinemas’ Tivoli (2) 1989-10-27 … Seattle, WA — Landmark’s Crest 4 (4) 1989-10-29 … Canton, OH — Palace 1989-11-01 … Norfolk, VA — Naro (3 days) [w/ “Lethal Weapon 2”] 1989-11-15 … Hartford, CT — Trinity College’s Cinestudio (4 days) 1989-12-01 … Edmonton, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Meadowlark (1) 1989-12-08 … Ottawa, ON — ByTowne [70mm fest; w/ “The Mission”] 1989-12-10 … Ottawa, ON — ByTowne [70mm fest; w/ “The Abyss” & “Lawrence of Arabia”] 1989-12-27 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (12 days) [70mm festival] 1990-02-23 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Film Society series] 1990-05-07 … Oakland, CA — Grand Lake 4 (11 days) [w/ “Blade Runner”] 1990-06-01 … Dayton, OH — Neon Movies 1990-06-06 … Los Angeles (Beverly Grove), CA — GCC’s Beverly Connection 6 (grand-opening studio tribute) [THX] 1990-06-08 … Los Angeles (Westwood Village), CA — Mann’s Bruin (1) [w/ “Lethal Weapon 2”] [THX] 1990-06-11 … Atlanta, GA — Fox [13th annual summer film festival] 1993-05-03 … Chula Vista, CA — Nickelodeon’s Chula Vista 10 [grand opening festival] (THX) 1993-05-28 … Springfield, MO — Dickinson’s Dickinson 8 (1) [70mm film festival] 1994-04-23 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin [midnight] 1996-06-07 … Calgary, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Eau Claire Market 5 [midnight] 1996-12-13 … Chicago, IL — Cineplex Odeon’s Navy Pier IMAX (1) [late night series] 1998-05-22 … Los Angeles (Westwood Village), CA — Mann’s Plaza [Fri-Sat-Sun midnight] 2026-06-?? … Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA — Egyptian 2026-06-?? … Santa Monica, CA — Aero 2026-06-?? … New York, NY — Lincoln Center 2026-07-?? … San Francisco, CA — Alamo New Mission 2026-08-?? … Somerville, MA — Somerville 2026-08-?? … Milwaukee, WI — Oriental 2026-08-?? … Chicago, IL — Music Box 2026-09-?? … Silver Spring, MD — AFI Silver 2026-09-?? … New York, NY — Paris 2026-09-?? … Portland, OR — Hollywood The information included in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications, regional newspaper promotion, print enclosures, TAP records, and Dolby records. Special thanks to Jerry Alexander, Claude Ayakawa, Raymond Caple, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Gabriel Neeb, Joe Odenthal, John Stewart, Vince Young, and an extra special thank-you to all of the librarians who helped with this project International 70mm engagements 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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