|
| |
2. Todd-AO 70mm-Festival
100th Anniversary of Schauburg,
Karlsruhe, Germany
|
Read more
at
in70mm.com
The 70mm Newsletter
|
| Text and
images by: Herbert Born & Thomas Hauerslev |
Date:
26 February 2007 |
A Visitors Report
- and why travel 1000 km to see old films?
|
|
 Real
showmanship by Schauburg manager Mr. Herbert Born - had a
printed special Todd-AO Festival Poster, flyer and
brochure made for the guests. The poster was seen all over
Karlsruhe.
In October 2006 I went
to Karlsruhe in southern Germany for a second time to enjoy a weekend of classic films in
their
large, state-of-the-art, Super Cinerama 70mm cinema. I would be spending
much of the weekend looking at the big curved screen for up to 10 hours a day, three days in a
row, enjoying the sweeping splendour of oversized and razor sharp images, and
the fidelity of 6 discrete magnetic stereo tracks. Experiencing the
breathtaking scope of a huge cinema, the gong, curved seating and good
German beer.
|
 This
is 70mm on a big curved screen.
If this is the first time you are reading about "70mm", "magnetic" and
"super
Cinerama" you are probably confused.
- "I have never heard about a new film called '70mm' or
'Cinerama'. What is
he talking about?"
And you have every right to be confused, as these terms are restricted to an
extremely select type of
films primarily produced from 1955 until the early 1970s. During that 15+ year stretch, a little more than 60 films were photographed on 65mm large format
film. This high-end format was only used for the most prestigious musicals
and epic large scale films produced by the major studios in
Hollywood, Britain and West Germany plus to some extent in East Germany
and Russia.
|
 Attention
to every detail of projection.
Since the dawn of cinema the standard film size has been 35mm film, but for
certain films, the larger 65mm negative was used in the camera to ensure the
best possible image quality. The benefit was a clearer and sharper screen
image compared to "inferior" 35mm films. The "big" films
often premiered in the largest cinemas, featuring huge screens that
were often deeply curved - compared to contemporary flat screens.
The curvature of the screen had an enveloping effect on the
audience which gave them a feeling of participation in the
action on the screen.
|
|
|
 Heavy
duty equipment is needed for 70mm projection.
On
top of that, those BIG films often had music before the film -
the overture. There would often also be music before and after the intermission
- the entr'acte and exit music.
The intermission would be a break about two thirds through the film,
because the running time of those films often exceeded 3 hours.
And, at the end of the film there was often walk-out music
specifically composed for the films. Usually there were no
other end credits to these epics other than "The End", and the music
ensured that the audience was safely transported back to the real
world. Unlike today, where walk-out music is often a forgettable
popular tune and an endless list of "who did what" credits that
nobody is looking at, at all.
|
 The
posters are important at the displays
The major cinemas, in many cases often designed specifically for
presentation of large format films, had huge curtains, or tabs,
in front of the screen, with elaborate light designs. Outside, on the
front of the cinema, huge letters told the audience "Presented
in 'Todd-AO', 'Cinerama' or some sort of 'SCOPE', 'RAMA' or 'VISION'". It was all
part of the presentation of the show, to ensure the audience
would be wrapped into the performance the most immersive way.
The overall subjective experience of the grandeur, presentation, stereo
sound, intermissions, music, clarity and
sharpness often left an unforgettable memory of the film, a memory which stayed with
some
people for decades. The memory remained especially vivid because the presentation was
"in 70mm with 6-track magnetic stereo" *)
*) the 65mm negative is printed on to 70mm film to provide
space for the magnetic striping on which the sound is recorded.
|
 Projection
details are discussed with guests
With few
exceptions,
the use of 65mm large format film has been,
largely, abandoned since 1970. This true high definition film format is only kept
alive by a very few professionals in the production and exhibition
industry. The management of the Schauburg cinema is an enthusiastic
70mm believer and, since 2005, has repeatedly presented 70mm films
where they belong - on the huge curved screen.
Since it is so rare to see 70mm in the right conditions I was
pleased to learn that Mr. Herbert Born, the manager of the
Schauburg cinema, had decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
Todd-AO back in 2005 with a festival of films. I went
there to give a
lecture. The weekend had been unforgettable, presentations were outstanding,
the beer
was good. So I decided to give it another try in 2006.
|
|
|
 Press to enlarge
|
Friday
|
 Going
in style. The fast German ICE train.
Several months of anticipation and planning came to the fore when my
8 year old son August and I boarded the plane from Copenhagen to
Frankfurt am Main
at half past 10 in the morning. August had never
been to a film festival and he looked forward to a nice weekend
with dad (not least because I had promised him to go to
McDonalds in Karlsruhe).
I had previously, on two occasions, brought my now 12 year old
daughter Maria to the
Widescreen
Weekend in Bradford [UK]. This time, I felt it was August's turn to
experience a film festival. |
 Duncan
McGregor from Bradford and August Hauerslev
It is easy to go to from Copenhagen to Karlsruhe. The airplane to
Frankfurt, followed by a fast ICE train from the airport to
Karlsruhe, via Mannheim. We met Mr.
Duncan McGregor from Bradford on the platform while waiting for
the train. On the train we had a cup of tea
while the German landscape passed by.
In Karlsruhe we checked into the Dorint hotel, a very nice hotel
and only 5 minutes walk from the cinema. August and I stayed
in a comfortable room which had a view to the street and the trams. Karlsruhe
is noted for its public transport system, largely
done by modern trams.
|
Baraka
|
 The
Dorint Hotel.
"Baraka"
(1:36)
13.00 - 14:36.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Todd-AO 70mm. Presented in:
Todd-AO with 6-track magnetic stereo.
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year: 1992.
World Premiere: Montreal World Film Festival. Montreal, Canada, 30.08.1992.
Introduction /
Introduktion
The first 70mm film of the 2nd Todd-AO Weekend at the Schauburg was "Baraka".
"Baraka" is an
ancient Sufi word and is best translated as a
blessing, or the breath, or essence of life, from which the evolutionary
process unfolds. "Baraka", the epic non-verbal film, tells the story
of the earth's evolution, man's diversity and interconnection, and his
impact on the planet. According to director Ron Fricke, "It is a journey of
rediscovery that plunges into nature, history, the human spirit, and finally
into the realm of the infinite". The film was shot on 65mm in 24 countries,
in such diverse locales as Brazil, Nepal, Cambodia, Kuwait, India, Tanzania
and Iran. "Baraka" won the 1992 "Best Picture" (Hors Concours)
International Film Critics Jury Award at the Montreal Film Festival.
|
All "Baraka" 70mm prints have been struck from the original camera negative, which
makes all the 70mm prints "show prints", a type of print which is
often earmarked for a few high-profile cinemas in major cities. Those are
located where
most of the movie-making people live, and they benefit from the excellent quality
of a print struck directly from the camera negative. Ron Fricke's previous films include
"Chronos" and "Sacred Site", both filmed in
IMAX Dome (formerly Omnimax).
(Mr. Fricke is currently working on a new large format film, with the
working title: "Samsara".)
"Baraka" has lived a very unusual life. It is an independent
film and has been shown continuously since the original 1992 release in
countries around the world. It is always
a crowd pleaser and continues to stun the audience with fantastic 70mm
images. August and I didn't see it this time around, however.
It is always a breathtaking experience to see "Baraka" in
70mm, but
I have seen it plenty of times and even showed it myself at the Danish
premiere in 1992. |
Grand Prix
|
 "Grand Prix" (2:59)
15.30 - 18:29 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Super Panavision 70. Presented in:
Super Panavision 70
with 6-track magnetic stereo
(German version).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1966.
World Premiere: 21.12.1966, Warner Cinerama Theatre, New York, USA.
Screenplay by Robert Alan Aurthur; Directed by John Frankenheimer; Produced
by Edward Lewis and Presented by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
James Garner (Pete Aron), Eva Marie Saint (Louise Frederickson), Yves
Montand (Jean-Pierre Sarti ), Toshiro Mifune (Izo Yamura) and Brian Bedford
(Scott Stoddard).
I looked forward to seeing "Grand Prix" again. I had seen it
previously in Bradford in 1999 and was eager to experience John Frankenheimer's film on the curved screen. In Bradford I
went for "the front
row experience", but in Karlsruhe, I sat 2/3 back from the screen, and had a
splendid view of the wide curved 70mm screen.
Mr. Wolfram Hannemann introduced /
the film,
first in his native language,
German, and then in English. Very well done and a nice gesture to the
audience that came from France, England, USA, Ireland, Czech Republic and
Denmark.
|
 The
ultimate front-row-experience in Super Panavision
And a pleasant experience on the big curved screen! I've often wondered why
I think a curve is better than a flat screen. I believe it is due to the
history of Cinerama and Todd-AO. In those days, screens were deeply curved, to
enhance the illusion of participation. But that illusion was also enhanced through
the use of wide angle lenses. Wide angle lenses were abandoned early on and
essentially so was the need for the curved screen, but the screens were not replaced and
stayed for many years. I was brought up with them in the late 1970s, and
feel a curve adds to the spectacle and grandeur of moviegoing. I think a
flat, rectangular screen looks dull compared with a curve. It looks like TV,
which I don't think is desireable when going to the cinema. One drawback of
the curve though, is cropping of the frame, which means a part of the film frame is
not seen on the screen. Generally, the image is cropped [cut] more and more, the
deeper the curve of the screen. In this respect, a flat screen is preferred. The Schauburg
curve is moderate and not too deep. I believe it is a 90 degree curve.
The "Grand Prix" 70mm print was an original copy from 1966
and very faded.
"Faded", in layman's terms, means the blue and green dyes
have disappeared from the film strip. Since "Grand Prix" dates back
over 40 years, only the red colour has survived due to the effects of age and
storage of the film over the years. In a way, it is a minor miracle that 70mm film prints like "Grand
Prix" have survived at all since the original release 4 decades
ago. Which makes it all the more enjoyable to watch it, despite the severe
fading. This vintage 70mm print was incredibly sharp, almost three
dimensional. The resolution of the large 70mm format (which is 3½ times larger than standard 35mm film) is amazing. The images
"pop" out of the screen. The film is rock steady, camera is not
shaking, and it makes the viewing even more pleasurable.
|
 Private
photo of Dieter Gaebler from the filming of "Grand Prix".
In 2005 a new 70mm print was struck for a "one off" screening in Los Angeles.
The print is stored in the Academy's vaults in Los Angeles, but the print
has no sound or DTS time code. The 6 track sound was played separately in
synch with the film, and the digital player has since been reformatted and
been used for other purposes. We can only hope the print will be magnetic striped and
recorded so that it can bee seen elsewhere. The film is out on DVD - made from a master struck from that 70mm
print. Maurice Jarre's score sounds very much like his scores from "Lawrence
of Arabia" and "Doctor Zhivago". At least it was
impossible not to notice that.
There was an intermission during which August and I met with friends from
Germany, France, the US and Holland. I drank one of the local beers - Hoepfner
Brau. After the film we
went back to the hotel to have supper. August was tired from the day's
travel and we both needed all our energy for Saturday. On our way out of the Schauburg I enjoyed looking at the poster and image display of the films of
the weekend. Herbert Born had had a special "Grand Prix"
poster created which looked truly spectacular.
|
|
|
Spartacus
|
 Herr
Wolfram Hanneman
introducing /
"Spartacus" in two languages.
"Spartacus" (3:18)
19:30 - 22:48 + Intermission.
Filmed in: Horizontal 35mm 8 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Technirama. Presented in:
Super Technirama 70
with 6-track
Dolby Stereo (Restored version).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1961.
World Premiere: 06.10.1960 DeMille Theatre, New York, USA.
Screen play by Dalton Trumbo, based on the novel by Howard Fast;
directed by Stanley Kubrick; produced by Edward Lewis; a Bryna
production released by Universal-International.
Kirk Douglas (Spartacus), Laurence Olivier (Crassus), Jean
Simmons (Varinia ), Charles Laughton (Gracchus), Peter Ustinov (Batiatus),
John Gavin (Caesar) and Tony Curtis (Antoninus).
|
 Schauburg
by night
I didn't see "Spartacus" this time. I had had the pleasure
of running the restored Super Technirama 70 version of "Spartacus" in Copenhagen when
it was released in 1992. It's a spectacular film with many great performances and
wonderful music.
23:00 Get together
when
"Spartacus" ends with Hoepfner & Friends. Free beer by sponsor HOEPFNER Bräu.
|
Saturday
|
 August
having a cup of hot chocolate
August and I woke up very early and went down to the breakfast buffet in
the hotel restaurant. The Dorint has a great morning buffet where we
supplied ourselves with plenty of bread, juice, tea, fresh eggs and sausages.
August was particularly fond of the large selection of food and he consumed
considerably more food than he usually does when he's at home in Copenhagen.
August's first day as a festival attendee had been one film. Saturday, he was in for
two films with an intermission. Between the films we tried to find a McDonalds, which I (in a weak
moment) had
promised him.
|
 The
German "Mutiny" posters with a 70mm logo.
I explained to him what the films were
about: "Mutiny on the Bounty", a true story about a real
event which took
place many years ago. The second one: "took place during war time and had
great songs". He didn't sound too excited but at least he knew what he was in
for. So, we brushed our teeth and walked to the Schauburg in Marienstrasse
to say good morning to Herbert and friends. Herbert was very busy making
breakfast for the customers and festival guests.
What I thought was a
special 70mm weekend treat, turned out to be a regular, on-going affair at
the Schauburg every Saturday and Sunday. A huge, lavish breakfast table is
set up in the main foyer an hour before the first show each weekend. The
audience is treated to fresh bread, tea, coffee and everything your taste
desires. August and I could have a second breakfast if we needed it.
|
Mutiny on the Bounty
|
 The
title card - note how wide Ultra Panavision 70 really is.
"Mutiny
on the Bounty" (2:58) 10:00 - 12:58 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second. Principal
photography in: Ultra Panavision 70. Presented in: Ultra
Panavision 70 with 6-track magnetic stereo (German
70mm print). Aspect ratio: 2,76:1. Country of
origin: USA. Production year: 1962. World Premiere:
08.11.1962, Loew's State, New York, USA.
Screenplay by Charles Lederer, based upon the novel by Charles Nordhoff and
James Norman Hall; directed by Carol Reed and Lewis Milestone and produced
by Aaron Rosenberg for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Marlon Brando (Fletcher Christian), Trevor Howard (William Bligh) and
Richard Harris (John Mills).
Introduction /
Prior the the 2nd Todd-AO Festival, the only film I had not seen in its 70mm
version was "Mutiny on the Bounty". I really looked forward to
that as it was
to be shown in the original format: Ultra Panavision 70. Ultra
Panavision 70 is a 65mm/70mm process with an extremely wide image on the
screen. The aspect ratio is around 2,76:1. Which means the relative width of
the screen is 2,76 times wider compared the height of the screen. On the
film strip, the image of photographed with a special anamorphic lens which
squeezes the image with a factor of 1,25 in the horizontal plane.
|
 The
Panavision projection lens on the Philips DP75 projector -note
the pink light due to the faded condition of the print.
When the film is projected, a similar anamorphic attachment is used in front
of the projection lens to un-squeeze the image back into the correct
proportions.
It is very unusual to find a cinema with an original Cinerama screen, a
functional set of Panavision projection lenses and an original 70mm print.
But the Schauburg, in the best German tradition, has it all. And everything
is in mint condition to make the presentation look as spectacular as
possible. The night before Herbert Born and his crew had attempted to mask
the screen down to fit the film, but alas, the idea had to be abandoned. The
result was a very wide, very sharp image across the curve.
The print still retained it's intermission title card but the entire print
was faded to pink. The 6-track magnetic sound was still good. How many
original Cinerama cinemas can still project Ultra Panavision 70 today? The
number must be less than a handful - which is all the more reason to visit
the Schauburg in October 2007, when more Ultra Panavision 70 films will be
shown.
|
Far and Away
|
 Original title:
"Far and Away" (2:18)
14:00 - 16:18.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Panavision System 65. Presented in:
Panavision Super 70 with 6-track Dolby Stereo
(German 70mm print).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1992.
World Premiere: 22.05.1992, Ziegfeld, New York, USA.
Directed by Ron Howard; screenplay by Bob Dolman, based on a story by Bob
Dolman and Ron Howard; director of photography, Mikael Salomon; edited by
Michael Hill and Daniel Hanley; music by John Williams; production
designers, Jack T. Collis and Allan Cameron; produced by Brian Grazer and
Mr. Howard; released by Universal.
Tom Cruise (Joseph), Nicole Kidman Shannon, Thomas Gibson (Stephen),
Robert Prosky (Christie) and Barbara Babcock (Nora Christie)
The film was introduced /
by in-house volunteer
Mr. Wolframm Hannemann. I had seen the film at the Cinedom in Köln in 1992
during the original release. Tom Cruise spoke German and my Danish friends
- also in Köln for the Photokina 1992 exhibition - stayed downstairs for the entire duration of the film - I wonder why, as the
performance was great and the screen was curved. For me it was the 70mm and I
wanted the opportunity to experience how 70mm would be in another language. I
decided to skip it at the Schauburg and go for a walk with August in the
city. Besides, I had recently seen it in Bradford on the flat screen.
We
found a fast food place in Karlsruhe and had a burger and something to drink.
We returned to see the final reel of the film on the curve. "Far
and Away" looked great and has a fantastic Dolby sound, but is not
particularly stereophonic. Most of the dialogue comes out of the center
channel. Mikael Salomon's
cinematography is outstanding and for the Bradford Widescreen Weekend he
kindly had written a short
introduction on why "Far and Away"
ended up being shot in 65mm.
|
South Pacific
|
 The
famous logo that shaped an industry
Original title:
"South Pacific" (2:31)
17:00 - 19:31 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Todd-AO. Presented in:
Todd-AO
with 6-track DTS stereo
(Restored Todd-AO 70mm DTS print).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1957.
World Premiere:
19.03.1958
Criterion, New York, USA .
Directed by Joshua Logan; written by Paul Osborn, based on the musical by
Oscar Hammerstein 2d, Richard Rodgers, and Mr. Logan, from the book Tales of
the South Pacific by James A. Michener; cinematographer, Leon Shamroy;
edited by Robert Simpson; music by Mr. Hammerstein and Mr. Rodgers; art
designers, Lyle Wheeler and John DeCuir; produced by Buddy Adler; released
by Twentieth Century Fox.
Rossano Brazzi (Emile de Becque), Mitzi Gaynor (Nellie Forbush), John Kerr
(Lieutenant Cable), Ray Walston (Luther Billis), Juanita Hall (Bloody Mary)
and France Nuyen (Liat). |
 With
Fox Germany's blessing the creative Schauburg staff created their "South
Pacific" stills from 70mm frame blow ups.
August and I returned to see "South Pacific" in Todd-AO
and 6-track DTS sound. Again the film was
introduced /
in two languages by Wolfram Hannemann. This film has recently been restored,
or at least been made available in a brand new 70mm print, from Fox Classics
Department. Thanks to Mr. Schawn Belston of Fox in Hollywood, many Todd-AO
classics made at 20th Century-Fox have been made available in new 70mm prints and
are able to be seen again in their original glory. This
print was also very good looking though perhaps not up to the standards of "Hello,
Dolly!", which was a mind blower. I have understood the negative was
a bit more damaged and in some cases non-existing. But nevertheless, the
songs are great, the color is good and the sound is spectacular. It has a fabulous
1950s feel to it although the action takes place in the 1940s during
WW2. Mitzi Gaynor looks lovely. My mother saw that film when it was
originally released
in Denmark in 1958, and it must have been her gate-fold LP soundtrack album that sparked
my first interest in movie musicals.
|
Titanic
|
 Original title:
"Titanic" (3:14)
20:30 - 23:44 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 35mm 4 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Panavision System 35. Presented in:
70mm
with 6-track DTS stereo
(English 70mm DTS print).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1997.
World Premiere: 17.12.1997
Manns Chinese, Hollywood, USA.
Written and directed by James Cameron; director of photography, Russell
Carpenter; edited by Conrad Buff, Mr. Cameron and Richard A. Harris; music
by James Horner; production designer, Peter Lamont; costume designer,
Deborah L. Scott; special visual effects, Digital Domain; produced by Mr.
Cameron, Jon Landau and Rae Sanchini; released by Paramount Pictures and
20th Century Fox.
Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack Dawson), Kate Winslet (Rose DeWitt Bukater), Gloria
Stuart (Rose Dawson Calvert) and Billy Zane (Cal Hockley)
After "South Pacific", August and I went home to the hotel to
to eat and relax.
August had "movied out" for the day and would probably not "survive"
another 3+ hours of "Titanic".
"Titanic"
is one of my favourites and I saw it several times in 70mm when it opened in
Copenhagen in January 1998. I have been fascinated by the story of
the ship for many years and have even visited several exhibitions in
Copenhagen and Hamburg about the items found at the
wreck. "Titanic" is officially the last 70mm release of a
contemporary film - and only 12 70mm prints were struck - one of
which went to Mr. Cameron himself (the director). It is still a very
entertaining and successful film, to say the least. It saved the economy of
many cinemas when it was released. It remains the most financially successful film of
all time. It was filmed in Panavision System 35 (aka. "Super 35") and optically enlarged to
70mm (blown up). Despite the fact that System 35, is "flat" 35mm
the blow-up looked stunning. Very rich blue, green and red colors.
This print came from the Dutch film archive in Amsterdam and it required
special clearance from Fox to release the print. The film was
introduced /
by Mr. Hannemann and upon the film's conclusion the
100th anniversary of the Schauburg cinema was celebrated.
|
|
|
Sunday
|
 Screen
shot from "Sky over Holland" which is currently undergoing
restoration in Holland.
August was beginning to wear out and was not really too keen on
seeing multiple films, and especially older films, even if in
70mm. My daughter
Maria, on the other hand, enjoys sitting all day watching old
movies with dad. Anyway, the night before I had explained to August
what a
"marathon" was and the fact that we were going to see films most
of Sunday. 10 hours to be exact. He braced himself and
looked forward to try a "movie marathon" so he could
tell his friends at
school afterwards. And as we were having breakfast at the hotel he looked forward
to doing it and then returning to Copenhagen. I had also promised him
that he
might play with his GameBoy during the films, provided none of the other guests
were
bothered by the light from his small GameBoy screen.
I also explained to him that we were going to sit on the right
side of the cinema all Sunday as I had a part to play for the
Sunday morning show.
09:00 Breakfast buffet before the 10 o'clock show
|
 Guest
of honour, Mr. Dieter Gaebler introducing the films of Robert
Gaffney and giving a Q & A after the films.
70mm shorts and trailers
10:00
Including a Bob Gaffney tribute in honour of his 75th birthday: "Fortress of
Peace", "Motion" and "Sky over Holland".
Introduced by Thomas Hauerslev & guest of honor Dieter Gaebler
and wife.
Sunday morning is, like the Widescreen Weekend in
Bradford,
dedicated to short films. And this particular morning we also
celebrated the 75th birthday of cinematographer Robert Gaffney,
and we even had three of his films to see. For several
weeks in advance I had corresponded with Sherry Gaffney and
built up a small tribute for him on in70mm.com.
Additionally, I had tried to assemble the cast/credits for his
short film. Not an easy task, but nevertheless I attempted to
do it.
|
 One
of the rarely seen 70mm short films was "Motion"
The running order of the show was like this: We started by
saying good morning and then explained the Bob Gaffney story to
the audience. Then I introduced Mr. Dieter Gaebler who was Bob
Gaffney's assistant when they made the 65mm short films. Dieter
gave the audience an introduction to the films and reminisced about
the process of large format film making. He also linked the
films very nicely. We began the show with "Fortress of
Peace", continued with
"Motion" and
the "Stuyvesant" cigarette commercial, and
finished the tribute with the award-winning
"Sky over
Holland".
Credits for the short films
|
 One
of the odd trailers of Sunday morning - "Lionpower" from
MGM.
The show continued with the Russian short film "Only Girls of the Sky"
in Sovscope 70 and the
"Die Macht des Lövens" in 70mm mono, an MGM
trailer promoting the company's new films in production in 1967.
The English title is "Lionpower from MGM" (1967).
It is a full reel (27 minutes) of clips from coming MGM titles.
It was faded Metrocolor but all the same a nice piece of movie
memorabilia.
The final part this Sunday morning was a Q/A session with Dieter
Gaebler about the 70mm short films. The Q and A was followed by
lunch for weekend guests.
|
|
|
Where Eagles Dare
|
 Original title:
"Where Eagles Dare" (2:38)
12:30 - 15:08 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 35mm 4 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Panavision. Presented in:
70mm
with 6-track magnetic stereo
(German vintage 70mm print).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: England.
Production year: 1969. European Premiere: 20.01.1969,
3 Falke
Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Screenplay by Alistair MacLean, based on his story; directed by
Brian G. Hutton and produced by Elliott Kastner; a Jerry
Gershwin-Elliott Kastner Picture presented by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Richard Burton (John Smith), Clint Eastwood (Lieut. Morris
Schaffer), Mary Ure (Mary Ellison) and Michael Hordern (Vice
Admiral Rolland)
After the lunch break we continued with the classic 70mm blow up
of "Where Eagles Dare", about English espionage
during World War II. The film was a German language dub, which I didn't
mind. I know most of the dialogue by heart anyway. The intermission music
of this print had been lost, so the projectionists included the intermission music and entr'acte from the LaserDisc
version. Nobody noticed and once again the dynamic duo in
projection saved the
day for the audience.
This was the only film my son August liked during the weekend!
And I must agree with him: it is superb entertainment and they
surely don't make them like this any more. There are so
many good parts in the film so it is difficult to single out one
of them, but I must say that Derren Nesbit is still especially creepy as
Von Hapen the Gestapo officer.
Introduction /
by Wolfram Hanneman again
in "beide sprache" - just perfect.
|
|
|
Cleopatra
|
 Original title:
"Cleopatra"
(4:03)
16:00 - 20:03 + Intermission.
Filmed in: 65mm 5 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Todd-AO. Presented in:
Todd-AO
with 6-track DTS stereo
(Restored Todd-AO 70mm DTS print).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1962.
World Premiere: 12.06.1963
Rivoli,
New York, USA.
Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall and Sidney
Buchman. Based upon histories by Plutarch. Suetonius. Appian,
other ancient sources and "The Life and Times of Cleopatra," by
C. M. Franzero. Directed by Mr. Mankiewicz and produced by
Walter Wanger for 20th Century-Fox in Todd-AO.
Elizabeth Taylor (Cleopatra), Richard Burton (Mark Antony), Rex
Harrison (Julius Caesar), Hume Cronyn (Sosigenes) Martin Landau
(Rutio) and Roddy McDowall (Octavian)
Introduction /
|
 This
casual gentleman with a broom is seen on the "Cleopatra" film
still above - can you spot him?
Perhaps the most eagerly-awaited 70mm title to get a new print
treatment this year must
surely be "Cleopatra" in this 4 hour version. I'd
seen the film in Todd-AO previously in Malmø (Sweden) about 7
years ago but that was a badly scratched and faded print. But
at that time, that was the only opportunity to see it. This new
print is a revelation and stunningly amazing. The sharpness and colors
are fantastic. The first part with Rex Harrison is the best and most dynamic. Part two, with Richard Burton
is, for me, too theatrical or over acted. Anyway, Liz Taylor's cleavage
is gorgeous and, the mere fact that a new Todd-AO print is available
makes the fours hours running time fly by - like, well four
hours of delicious eye candy. The production just
pops off the screen. Alex North's music is good. August slept
for an hour during "Cleopatra", but I don't
think he noticed what he missed. For its' day it was the most expensive
film ever made, and you can see why. On the other hand it was
also one of the most admired films of the decade and it was seen
by a lot of people. I'm not quite sure when it finally broke even, but I
seem to recall it was sometimes during the 1970s.
August was happy when "Cleopatra" ended, as it meant going back
to the hotel for him. It had been a very long day, but he
completed his movie marathon with excellence. Not a single moan
from him, or questions about when the films were over. He rose
to the occasion. I'm amazed that he sat through
10 hours of movies.
|
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
|
 The
editor of in70mm.com, Mr. Thomas Hauerslev
(left), Mr. Dieter Gaebler and Mr. Herbert Born (right) Schauburg manager.
Original title:
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (2:17)
21:00 - 23:17.
Filmed in: 35mm 4 perforations, 24 frames per second.
Principal photography in: Super 35. Presented in: 70mm with 6-track magnetic
Dolby stereo
(English vintage 70mm print ).
Aspect ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Production year:
1992.
World Premiere: 03.07.1991.
Directed and produced by James Cameron; written by Mr. Cameron and
William Wisher; director of photography, Adam Greenberg; film
editors, Conrad Buff, Mark Goldblatt and Richard A. Harris;
music by Brad Fiedel; production designer, Joseph Nemec 3d;
released by Tri-Star Pictures.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator), Linda Hamilton (Sarah
Connor), Edward Furlong ( John Connor ) and Robert Patrick
(T-1000)
Introduction
Obviously we didn't see the final film of the Sunday program as we'd
returned to the hotel. In 1991 I was fortunate to show "T2"
in 35mm CDS in Copenhagen's jewel of a cinema - the Imperial
Bio. 6 channels of uncompressed sound was staggering in 1991. I have never seen it in 70mm Dolby Stereo, and must wait
until the opportunity arrives another time.
|
Conclusion
- why travel 1000 km to see old films? Was it worth it?
|
 I always enjoy watching movies. And for nearly 30 years I've
been fascinated by 70mm films.
When an opportunity like going to Karlsruhe and see 70mm as
originally intended, in a venerable flag ship cinema with the original 18 meter
wide curved screen still intact presents itself, it is difficult to say no.
On top of that, when the company is also good and the beer is
excellent, count me in.
The Schauburg cinema, managed by Herbert Born, is as I said
previously state-of-the-art and the management seems to be continuously investing in new
technology - lately with a Kinoton digital projector. The image
and sound are top notch much thanks to the "dynamic duo"
of Koch and
Vetter in projection. They really know their work.
|
 Truly
70mm WIDE screen - and razor sharp.
At the same time, it is discouraging to see how few people
actually come to see these old movies. It is a receding history
with fading prints. The only film I had not previously seen in 70mm was
"Mutiny on the Bounty" in Ultra Panavision 70.
That was truly the high point for me.
Truth to be told some of the
movies are not really all that good, and 70mm doesn't make them
that much better, except maybe a little bit thanks to the 6-track
sound and big and razor sharp images. But even so, it is amazing to see these
old 70mm films coming to life in perfect conditions on the Schauburg screen.
|
 The
beautifully decorated Schauburg Facade.
I would recommend
to anyone to take a weekend off and go to
Karlsruhe and enjoy the spectacle of 70mm - it is indeed worth
the effort. Especially when you get the original
surroundings - like the majestic Schauburg - as a bonus. The
next
Schauburg opportunity will be in October 2007. I'm looking
forward to seeing you there, in fact I have already purchased my
ticket. |
|
|
|
| Introduction |
During a full [2006] October weekend, classic epics will be shown in the impressive
70mm format on a huge 136 sqm curved screen in the famous classic cinema.
Come and celebrate with us the BIG weekend, in the BIG film format on our a
BIG screen. Share the excitement with visitors from all around the world -
including Germany, Denmark, England, USA and France - and hopefully many
more.
The Schauburg
Cinerama is one of the few surviving cinemas, with 70mm
projectors, a red curtain and the huge curved and wide 70mm
screen. It’s the perfect framework for the presentation of 70mm
with 6-track sound. Some films are in original versions and some
"70mm Vintage Classics" are dubbed into German.
The 2006 Weekend program will be a variety of old and new 70mm
films with a GALA performance on Saturday evening celebrating
the 100th years of the Schauburg cinema. A mixed program with
some speeches by the local authorities, some cultural
authorities from abroad, some (local) stars, some VIPS, some
pieces of early talking movies, some piece of early CinemaScope,
some pieces of 70mm large format rarities.
We are working on a small exhibitions and the traditional
breakfast and lunch functions Saturday and Sunday.
For 3 days we present the king of all film formats: 70mm and
6-track stereo.
Feel the illusion of reality in 70mm film and “The first person experience”
from the front row
Celebrate with us when we present the classic movies in the original format
on the big screen, where they were born to be seen, in a traditional road
show cinema. Experience the extremely sharp images and crystal clear 6 track
stereo on the curved Cinerama screen.
Around the world in Three Days on the curved Cinerama screen. From the past
to the present and to the future - everything is included - in the majestic
70mm format at the Schauburg cinema in Karlsruhe.
Herbert Born
Schauburg Kino, Karlsruhe, Germany |
|
2006
Credits |
- Vincent Koch, Projection, Preparation prints
- Markus Vetter, Projection
- Nikolas Banspach, Manager Cinema Operation
- Helge Wagner, Festival Webside
- Gunter Oehme, Sound Engineer
- Frank Schmitz, KINOTON, Germany
- Norbert Thäder , KINOTON, Germany
- Manel Carreras, DTS-Europe
- Peter Fearn, DTS-Europe
Hooman Afshari, 20th Century Fox, Germany
- Torsten Frehse, Neue Visionen, Berlin
- Ralph Metternich, UIP, Germany
- Mychael Berg, 20th Century Fox, Frankfurt
|
Festival Brochure
Introduction
"In the Splendour of 70mm" |
In the late 1970s I saw my first 70mm film. I was a teenager and I became so
impressed that the interest has stayed with me for 30 years. The experience
of seeing 70mm still gives me goose bumps - the bright image, the small
subtitles, the rock steady and ultra sharp images and last but not least –
the wonderful 6-track magnetic sound. On several occasions I have travelled
outside Denmark to see the classics - rarely missing an opportunity to see
yet another film “in 70mm”. I'm very pleased to be here in Karlsruhe for the
second time.
The 2nd Todd-AO Festival here at the Schauburg has a very strong line-up of
movies - old and new, faded and new prints, rarely seen films and some
recent block busters. Something for everyone’s taste. The Schauburg
celebrates the wonder of 70mm and offers the audience a unique experience. A
chance to see what movie-going was like, 40 years ago on a large curved
screen.
You will be able to enjoy some films of a unique nature – the dinosaur of
motion picture exhibition. A film format which has been declared dead since
1970. Against all odds, some rare 70mm prints have survived in dusty corners
of old warehouses and in dark projection rooms. This weekend you will
witness why 70mm means BETTER, BIGGER and BRIGHTER images.
Race through the streets of Monaco with James Garner - 250 kilometres pr.
hour -- if you dare. Share a hot bath with Tibetan monkeys or riot against
Rome with Spartacus and friends. Go to Tahiti with Marlon Brando and get the
wide perspective of pleasure in Ultra Panavision 70. Feel the agony (or
pleasure) of seeing Tom Cruise loosing his Technicolor smile with a punch on
his nose. See the tantalizing swim suit fashion of 1957 when Mitzy Gaynor is
washing men out of her hair. Hit an iceberg with wonderful Kate Winslet in
the sweeping splendour of 6-track DTS digital sound. Experience “Govornator”
Schwarzenegger, in his best 70mm role, against the evil man of liquid - the
T1000. Through the clarity of Todd-AO, see Frau Taylor’s cleavage in ancient
Egypt and see why Herr Burton fell for her beauty. Help Clint to understand
who is who and what is going on in the castle of Eagles. And what is it
about Darren Nesbit’s lip when he teaches a beautiful British spy how to
have "one more schnapps”.
Exhibition of movies is rapidly converting to the digital domain, and soon
film will be gone as exhibition format. Digital projection looks very
promising and I’m certain the technology will continue to improve. One day
we will see a format that will equal or most likely exceed the 70mm
experience. Until that day, when "in Super Digital 70" is displayed on the
marquee, I can only hope that cinemas like the Schauburg, will continue to
play 70mm.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce this festival brochure and I truly
hope you will enjoy “The greatest show in Todd-AO”.
Thomas Hauerslev
www.in70mm.com |
| |
| |
"100 years of The Schauburg"
70mm Festival
|
|
Friday, 6. October |
"Baraka" (1:36)
13.00 - 14:36
in Todd-AO with 6-track magnetic stereo
"Grand Prix" (2:59)
15.30 - 18:29 + Intermission
Vintage German Super Panavision 70 print with 6-track magnetic
stereo
"Spartacus" (3:18)
19:30 - 22:48 + Intermission
In Super Technirama 70. Restored version in English
23:00 Get together
when
"Spartacus" ends with Hoepfner & Friends. Free beer by sponsor HOEPFNER Bräu.
|
|
Saturday, 7 October |
09:00 Breakfast buffet before the 10 o'clock show
"Mutiny on the Bounty" (2:58)
10:00 - 12:58 + Intermission
German vintage Ultra Panavision 70 print
13:30
Lunch for weekend passes sponsored by TBA
"Far and Away" (2:18)
14:00 - 16:18
German vintage Panavision Super 70mm print in 6-track Dolby
Stereo
"South Pacific" (2:31)
17:00 - 19:31 + Intermission
Restored Todd-AO 70mm DTS print
"Titanic" (3:14)
20:30 - 23:44 + Intermission
English vintage 70mm DTS print
+
100 Jahre Schauburg GALA with Ansprache, and show
|
|
Sunday, 8 October |
09:00 Breakfast buffet before the 10 o'clock show
70mm shorts and trailers
10:00
Including a Bob Gaffney tribute in honor of his 75th birthday:
"Motion", "Sky over Holland" and "Fortress of
Peace"
12:00
Lunch for weekend passes sponsored by TBA
"Where Eagles Dare" (2:38)
12:30 - 15:08 + Intermission
German vintage 70mm print
"Cleopatra"
(4:03)
16:00 - 20:00 + Intermission
Restored Todd-AO 70mm DTS print
"Terminator 2" (2:17)
21:00 - 23:17
English vintage 70mm print in 6-track magnetic Dolby Stereo |
| Accommodation and the Weekend Pass |
| Weekend
pass is EURO 80,00 (single entrance 10,00 per show). The weekend
pass includes entrance to all movies of the festival.
The weekend pass also includes the following additional bonus... |
- Entrance to Friday's get together with free beer specialties
from the local HOEPFNER brewery
- Glass of champagne at the entrance of the GALA
Saturday evening
- Breakfast buffet on Saturday and Sunday morning at 09.00 in the
SCHAUBURG foyer
- Free Lunch SCHAUBURG foyer Saturday and Sunday
- Festival Program brochure
- Small 70mm surprise
|
|
The weekend pass includes no accommodation. We have an
arrangement with a very good
hotel just around the corner of the cinema, the price there is per night
the single room is now EURO 62,00 per night and the double is
EURO 76,00. Reservations can be made through
Herbert Born or directly at the hotel +49 721 35260. Please
remember to ask for the special "Schauburg-Festival" rate. |
| |
| |
| Reviews |
Wed,
18 Oct 2006
Dear Mr. Born
Just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed your 2. Todd AO
festival.
Please forward my sincere thanks to all your staff for their
hard work and a job well done. Those three days were first class
entertainment. Thank you again for a great week end in your
beautiful cinema.
Christian Losito
Macon, GA USA |
Thursday 7. December
2006
Herbert Born und sein Team haben es wieder geschafft: das 2.
Todd-AO-70mm-Filmfestival in der
Karlsruher Schauburg war ein absolutes Highlight in der
tristen deutschen Kinolandschaft!
3 Tage lang Filme im grandiosen 70mm-Format auf der
gekrümmten Cinerama-Leinwand zu sehen war
wie bereits im Jahr 2005 beim ersten Festival ein Hochgenuss!
Die Qualität der projizierten Bilder war beeindruckend,
selbst wenn dabei die eine oder andere
farblich bereits verblasste Erstaufführungskopie dabei war!
Mein absoluter Favorit dieses Jahr war die restaurierte
Fassung von "Cleopatra": die ist zwar sehr,
sehr lang, aber ein absoluter Augenschmaus!
Weitere Höhepunkte waren eine deutsche EA-Kopie von "Grand
Prix", welche zwar farblich etwas verblasst
war, aber eine superbe Bildschärfe hatte und die
restaurierte Fassung von "Spartacus", einem meiner
Lieblingsfilme!
Und endlich konnte ich "Meuterei Auf Der Bounty" im
korrekten Bildformat (Ultra Panavision 70 1:2.66) geniessen. Leider wurden uns auch hier die tollen Farben
vorenthalten, aber den Filmgenuss hat das
kaum getrübt.
Gefreut hat mich auch, die beiden James-Cameron-Filme "Titanic" und
"T2" nochmal im 70mm-Format zu
sehen (das letztemal war das jeweils zur
Londoner Erstaufführung). Anders sollte man diese Filme
auch überhaupt nicht sehen! Zwar handelt es sich dabei um
Super35-Blowups, aber die sind wirklich sehenswert!
Sehr positiv fand ich auch, dass wie in
Bradford dieses Mal jeder Film kurz anmoderiert wurde.
Das Kurzfilmprogramm am Sonntag morgen war auch sehenswert,
besonders klasse fand ich den MGM-Trailerfilm "Die
Macht Des Löwen": dabei habe ich mich
köstlich amüsiert! Ebenso bei den
Ausführungen von Kameramann Dieter Gaebler zu den
Robert
Gaffney Shorts.
Und das morgendliche Frühstücksbuffet war wie immer sehr
lecker!
Auf das kommende Festival im Oktober 2007 bin ich schon
gespannt und kann jedem nur empfehlen,
sich das nicht entgehen zu lassen! In der Schauburg wird
Kino noch richtig gemacht, mit viel
Liebe zum Detail und grossem Enthusiasmus. Eben so wie es
sein soll! Daher nochmal ein grosses Lob
an das komplette Schauburg-Team und ein dickes Dankeschön
für ein tolles Wochenende!
Volker Hannemann, Kornwestheim, Germany
|
Thursday 7. December
2006
Herbert Born and his team did it again! The 2nd
Todd-AO-70mm-Filmfestival at the Schauburg cinema in
Karlsruhe was a real highlight within the sad German cinema
landscape! Seeing glorious 70mm films on
the big curved Cinerama screen for 3 days was again like in
2005 a real rapture!
The quality of the projected images was amazing, even of
those vintage prints that suffered from color
fading.
My big favorite this year was the restored version of
"Cleopatra": although it is very, very long,
it's an absolute pleasure for the eyes.
Other highlights were a German vintage print of "Grand
Prix"
which - although faded - had a tremendous razor-sharp picture quality and the restored version of
"Spartacus", one of my all-time favourite
movies.
Finally, I got a chance to see "Mutiny on the
Bounty" in the
correct Ultra Panavision 70 aspect ratio of
1:2.66. Unfortunately, this German vintage print was also
faded, but nevertheless it was enjoyable.
I also enjoyed seeing the 2 James Cameron films "Titanic"
and "T2" again in 70mm (the last time
being at their first runs in
London, England). There is no
other way to see these films. Although
Super35 blowups, the picture quality is pretty good! Like in
Bradford, all of the films were shortly introduced
this time, which was a very good idea.
The "Shorts and Trailers" on Sunday morning were also worth
seeing. My favourite was the MGM trailer
reel called "Lionpower from MGM": I really had to laugh a
lot through it! Funny and interesting were
the anecdotes given by cameraman Dieter Gaebler on the
Robert Gaffney shorts.
The breakfast buffet was delicious as always!
I am really looking forward to the upcoming festival in
2007 which I highly recommend to anyone!
At the Schauburg, cinema is done the right way. With much
love for the detail and great enthusiasm. As
it should be!
Therefore I would like to give a great
applause and big "Thank You" to the complete
Schauburg team for providing such a fantastic weekend!
Volker Hannemann, Kornwestheim, Germany
|
Friday, December 8, 2006
The second Todd AO film festival in Karlsruhe I am shamed to
say was my first. However, I hope I can attend more of them
in the future. Every bit of the 3,500 miles travelled from my
small town in the southern part of the U. S to get to
Karlsruhe was worth it.
I had my first Cinerama experience forty three years ago.
Cinerama did not arrive where I lived at the time until
1963, it survived only for a short period of time but I
managed to see most of the three strip Cinerama
presentations. On March of 1964 the three projectors system
were replaced by the famous DP70 and the first single lens
Cinerama feature shown was
"Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World"
I knew from that day that 70mm was the only way a film
should be presented.
Being at the Schauburg last October took me back four
decades ago. The Schauburg, what a magnificent cinema, I was
sitting there and thought I was 14 years old again. Great
film presentation, awesome curved screen, great sound, great
everything. Among all attending I also had the great
pleasure of meeting
Francois Carrin, his charisma, knowledge
and expertise in everything that involve Cinerama and 70mm
projection is second to none.
As far as the film selection, I will have to say that the
presentation of "Cleopatra" was for me the highlight of the
festival. Only 70mm can give that film all the credit it
deserves. I was a bit disappointed with the quality of
"Spartacus", considering it was a restored version, a lot of
wear and tear was showing. My least favourite was
"Far
and Away" but that's because in my opinion it s just a bad
movie. In all a great week end .
Thank you Thomas for your
very informative web site and also million of thanks to
Herbert Born for running such a first class cinema and
making those three days so enjoyable.
Christian Losito
Macon, GA USA
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
Further
in 70mm reading:
Images: Projection,
People, Posters
and Cinema
Film Introductions
2005 70mm Festival
2005 Schauburg
1968 Super Cinerama
Internet link:
Schauburg,
Karlsruhe Germany
On-line weekend pass & self print
Contact:
Herbert Born for reservations
SCHAUBURG Kino
Marienstrasse 16
76137 Karlsruhe
Tyskland
Office: +49 721 3500 011
Cell +49 175 1097 804
German projectionist Forum
|
| |
|
| |
|
Go: back
- top -
back issues
- news index
Updated
12-05-08 |
|
|
