“Blue Thunder”: The 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 21.09.2017 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter engagements of “Blue Thunder” in the United States and Canada. These were the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this motion picture.“Blue Thunder” was among thirteen confirmed first-run films released in 1983 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. The RASTAR-Gordon Carroll production and Columbia release — directed by John Badham (“WarGames,” “Stakeout”) and starring Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern and Malcolm McDowell — opened May 13th. Prior to the release of “Blue Thunder” there was a series of 70mm sneak preview screenings held in numerous locales. (Note that many of the 70mm sneak preview screenings were held in markets that ultimately played the film upon its release only in 35mm.) As well, the film’s U.S. premiere was held April 13th at the Avco Center as the Opening Night feature of the Los Angeles International Film Exposition (FILMEX). Other pre-release screenings included a screening April 29th at the Inwood in Dallas during the USA Film Festival and an Invitational Preview May 5th at the Samuel Goldwyn in Beverly Hills. The 70mm prints of “Blue Thunder” featured Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format) and full-frame imagery blown up from anamorphic 35mm. (Note that some venues screened 70mm-Dolby prints utilizing Dolby-compatible equipment from another manufacturer [Eprad, Smart, Ultra Stereo, etc.] and in some instances an exhibitor made a special request for a 70mm print that lacked Baby Boom and Dolby Noise Reduction so that it could be played on a cinema’s older, pre-Dolby-era sound system.) Columbia circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for “Krull,” “The Man Who Loved Women” and “The Survivors” during the release of “Blue Thunder.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of “Blue Thunder” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. 70mm Sneak Preview Screenings… 1983-01-28 … Boston, MA — Sack’s Cinema 57 Twin 1983-01-28 … Kansas City, MO — Commonwealth’s Bannister Mall 5 1983-01-28 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex 1983-01-28 … Metairie, LA — GCC’s Lakeside 5 1983-01-28 … Minneapolis, MN — Plitt’s Skyway 4 1983-01-28 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin 1983-01-28 … Philadelphia, PA — Sameric’s SamEric Triplex 1983-01-28 … San Francisco, CA — UA’s Coronet 1983-01-28 … Skokie, IL — M&R’s Old Orchard 4 1983-01-28 … Southfield, MI — NGT’s Americana 4 1983-01-28 … Springdale, OH — Redstone’s Showcase 7 1983-01-28 … Washington, DC — Circle’s MacArthur Triplex 1983-04-13 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex [FILMEX] 1983-04-29 … Calgary, AB — Canadian Odeon’s North Hill 1983-04-29 … Dallas, TX — Landmark’s Inwood Triplex [USA Film Festival] 1983-04-29 … Holladay, UT — Mann’s Cottonwood 4 1983-04-29 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex 1983-04-29 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Chinese Triplex 1983-04-29 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada 1983-04-29 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin 1983-04-29 … Pasadena, CA — SRO’s Hastings 1983-04-29 … San Diego, CA — Mann’s Cinema 21 1983-04-29 … San Francisco, CA — Plitt’s Northpoint 1983-04-29 … Vancouver, BC — Canadian Odeon’s Vogue 1983-05-05 … Beverly Hills, CA — AMPAS’ Samuel Goldwyn [invitational preview] 1983-05-07 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex 1983-05-07 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Chinese Triplex 1983-05-07 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada 1983-05-07 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin 1983-05-07 … Ottawa, ON — Canadian Odeon’s Somerset 1983-05-07 … Pasadena, CA — SRO’s Hastings 1983-05-07 … San Francisco, CA — Plitt’s Northpoint 1983-05-07 … Toronto, ON — Canadian Odeon’s York Twin 1983-05-07 … Tucson, AZ — Plitt’s El Dorado Twin 1983-05-07 … Vancouver, BC — Canadian Odeon’s Vogue Opened in 70mm on Friday, May 13th, 1983, in the following cinemas… ALBERTA Calgary — Canadian Odeon’s North Hill (6) Edmonton — Canadian Odeon’s Meadowlark (7) ARIZONA Tucson — Plitt’s El Dorado Twin (9) BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver — Canadian Odeon’s Park (11) CALIFORNIA Costa Mesa — Edwards’ South Coast Plaza Triplex (5) Daly City — Plitt’s Plaza Twin (6) Los Angeles — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex (6) Los Angeles — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (5) Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Twin (5) Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 6 (6) Pasadena — SRO’s Hastings (6) San Diego — Mann’s Cinema 21 (9) San Francisco — Plitt’s Northpoint (6) San Jose — Syufy’s Town & Country (9) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — Circle’s Tenley Triplex (6) FLORIDA Bay Harbor Islands — Loews’ Bay Harbor Twin (6) Coral Gables — GCC’s Riviera Twin (6) HAWAII Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki Twin (6) MANITOBA Winnipeg — Canadian Odeon’s Garrick 4 (7) MARYLAND Catonsville — Westview 6 (6) MASSACHUSETTS Boston — Sack’s Cinema 57 Twin (4) NEW YORK New York — Loews’ 34th Street Showplace Triplex (5) New York — Loews’ Orpheum Twin (4) New York — Loews’ State Twin (6) ONTARIO Ottawa — Canadian Odeon’s St. Laurent Twin (7) Toronto — Canadian Odeon’s York Twin (7) QUEBEC Montreal — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada (5) WASHINGTON Tukwila — SRO’s Southcenter (9) [70mm from Week 8] 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 has been included in the duration figure. Subsequent 70mm Engagements & Screenings… 1983-06-08 … New York, NY — Loews’ New York Twin (7) 1983-06-17 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Fox (2) 1983-06-17 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Cote-des-Neiges Twin (2) 1983-06-24 … Calgary, AB — Canadian Odeon’s Southland 4 (1) 1983-07-15 … Tukwila — SRO’s Lewis & Clark 7 (2) 1983-07-22 … Cleveland, OH — Colony (1) 1984-02-03 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Film Society series] 1984-01-11 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 2008-07-01 … San Francisco, CA — Castro [70mm festival; w/ “2010” (canceled)] 2011-06-19 … Los Angeles, CA — Egyptian [70mm festival; w/”The Untouchables”] 2017-09-27 … Somerville, MA — Somerville 5 [70mm & Widescreen festival] 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 Bill Kallay and Bill Kretzel. 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. | More in 70mm reading: 70mm Engagements 70mm Blow Up List Internet link: |
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