“Lethal Weapon 2”: The North American 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 01.05.2022 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter presentations of “Lethal Weapon 2” in North America. These were the best cinemas in which to experience this motion picture. “Lethal Weapon 2” was among seventeen confirmed first-run films released in 1989 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. The Silver Pictures production and Warner Bros. release — directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Joe Pesci — opened July 7th. For the release of “Lethal Weapon 2,” 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 an invitational preview held June 28th at Samuel Goldwyn in Beverly Hills and the world premiere held July 5th at the Chinese in Los Angeles. The 70mm prints of “Lethal Weapon 2” featured Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A”-encoded “baby boom” format) and full-frame imagery blown up from anamorphic 35mm. Warner Bros. circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for “Christmas Vacation,” “Cookie,” “In Country,” “Next of Kin,” “Second Sight,” “Tango & Cash” and “Young Einstein” during the release of “Lethal Weapon 2.” As well, other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period. Ultimately, the 70mm trailers, if any, seen during the 70mm presentations of “Lethal Weapon 2” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. ALBERTA Calgary — Famous Players’ Palace (12) BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver — Famous Players’ Plaza (13) CALIFORNIA Costa Mesa — Edwards’ Town Center 4-plex (7) Los Angeles — Mann’s Bruin (8) [THX] Los Angeles — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (14) [THX] Mission Viejo — Edwards’ Crown Valley 5-plex (12) Mountain View — Syufy’s Century 10-plex (13) Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 8-plex (12) Pleasant Hill — Syufy’s Century 5-plex (12) San Francisco — UA’s Alexandria Triplex (16) San Jose — Syufy’s Town & Country (6) Universal City — Cineplex Odeon’s Universal City 18-plex (#1: 12) [THX] Universal City — Cineplex Odeon’s Universal City 18-plex (#2: 5) [THX] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — Cineplex Odeon’s Embassy Circle (5) Washington — Cineplex Odeon’s Tenley Triplex (12) HAWAII Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki Twin (10) [HPS-4000] ILLINOIS Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s Biograph Triplex (6) Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s Bricktown Square 6-plex (13) Evergreen Park — M&R’s Evergreen 4-plex (5) Niles — Cineplex Odeon’s Golf Mill Triplex (6) Lansing — M&R’s River Run 8-plex (15) Lombard — GCC’s Yorktown 6-plex (10) [THX] MASSACHUSETTS Boston — Loews’ Cinema 57 Twin (10) MICHIGAN Southfield — AMC’s Americana 8-plex (14) MINNESOTA St. Louis Park — Cineplex Odeon’s Knollwood 4-plex (12) NEW JERSEY Ridgefield Park — Loews’ Ridgefield Park 10-plex (10) Sayreville — National Amusements’ Amboy 14-plex (18) Secaucus — Loews’ Meadow 6-plex (11) NEW YORK New York (Bronx) — National Amusements’ Whitestone 12-plex (18) New York (Manhattan) — Cineplex Odeon’s 23rd Street West Triplex (1) New York (Manhattan) — Cineplex Odeon’s Chelsea 6-plex (11) [THX] (opened July 14) New York (Manhattan) — Loews’ 84th Street 6-plex (13) New York (Manhattan) — Loews’ Orpheum Twin (5) Valley Stream — National Amusements’ Sunrise 12-plex (19) Woodbury — UA’s Cinema 150 (8) ONTARIO Ottawa — Famous Players’ Rideau Centre Triplex (11) Scarborough — Famous Players’ Cedarbrae 8-plex (13) Toronto — Famous Players’ Capitol (12) OREGON Portland — LT’s Lloyd 10 (1+) [THX] TEXAS Houston — Cineplex Odeon’s Spectrum 9-plex (11) [THX] VIRGINIA Bailey’s Crossroads — K-B’s Cinema 7 Twin (15) Merrifield — National Amusements’ Arlington Blvd/Lee Highway 12-plex (14) [THX] WASHINGTON Lynnwood — Cineplex Odeon’s Grand Alderwood 8-plex (1+) Tukwila — Cineplex Odeon’s Lewis & Clark 7-plex (1+) 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 1989-08-18 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 23 Twin (1+) 1989-08-30 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Plaza (2) 1989-09-29 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Cumberland 4-plex (1) 1989-10-13 … Los Angeles, CA — UA’s Egyptian Triplex (2) [THX] 1989-10-13 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palace (5) [w/ “Batman”] 1989-11-17 … Austin, TX — GCC’s Highland Mall Twin (3) 1989-11-22 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s National (1) [THX] 1989-12-08 … San Antonio, TX — Rivercenter IMAX (7) 1990-01-31 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1990-06-08 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Bruin (1) [w/ “Batman”] [THX] 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 David Ayers, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, and to the librarians who assisted with research. 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. | More in 70mm reading: “Lethal Weapon”: The North American 70mm Engagements “Lethal Weapon 3”: The North American 70mm Engagements 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 |
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