News | Rumour Mill
Content | Library

..now showing in 70mm

Premiere list of all 70mm and Cinerama films
 
Partner

 
Departments
The Todd-AO Story
The Cinerama Page
The "Windjammer" Page
The Todd-AO Projector
65/70mm Workshop
The 70mm Newsletter
70mm Projectors

Academy of the Wide Screen Weekend

70mm Festivals
Short stories | Ramas
Ressources
Testimonials
Updates | Disclaimer

Friends, Sponsors & Partners

70mm Film Festivals
Todd-AO Festival
Karlsruhe - Germany
Widescreen Weekend
Bradford - England



in70mm.com in foreign language
 
"in70mm.com"
© 1994 - 2070.
Please mail your info, suggestions and comments to the editor. Edited and published in Denmark. Disclaimer.

More than 700 unique guests every day.
 
eXTReMe Tracker
 
 
Visit biografmuseet.dk about Danish cinemas
(in Danish)

How The West Was Won - in Cinerama - The Budget

Read more at
in70mm.com
The 70mm Newsletter
Written by: Greg KimbleDate: November 17, 2002
At a time when the average feature cost less than $3 million, "How The West Was Won" nearly $15 million budget was big news. It was, in fact, the third largest cost for a film (in adjusted dollars) in MGM history, behind "Gone With The Wind" and "Ben Hur".

But the MGM motto, "Do it big, do it right and give it class;' paid off. The film was also the third biggest grosser in company history, taking in over $45 million in its initial release. The same show would cost over four times as much today.

The biggest expense was $2,204,000 for 13 stars and 10 costars. Second largest was studio overhead. Although only a small part of the movie was shot at the studio, overhead was $1,590,000. Third was $1,228,000 for location expenses, such as feeding a crew of about 200 plus the cast during filming in Kentucky, South Dakota, Colorado, Oregon, Northern California, Utah and Arizona.

More than $1 million went into transportation. For example, the covered wagons were filmed near Montrose, Colorado-and had to be hauled from Hollywood-1,100 miles away-on flatbed trucks. Then a road had to be built from Montrose to the location site.

Another $1 million plus was spent on props, livestock and drapes. Props included an 1840 vintage Erie Canal boat. Livestock included 875 horses, 500 steers, 200 sheep, 160 mules, 50 oxen and 1,200 bison. About $350,000 was paid to the directors and their staffs.

Other expenses included set design ($164,000), construction ($490,000), studio operation ($686,000), camera costs ($500,000), film processing ($480,000), sound ($216,000), music ($349,000), lighting ($304,000), wardrobe ($177,000), tests ($61,000), title rights ($350,000), screenplay ($270,000), bad weather and accidents ($400,000).
Further in 70mm reading:

How the West Was Won
Stampede

Internet link:

This article originally appeared in the October, 1983 issue of American Cinematographer.

The author wishes to extend his appreciation to these MGM personnel, without whose gracious assistance this article would not be possible: Tate Smith, optical; Wes Meyers and Mike Karr, film library; Dore Freeman, publicity and Harry Busch, videotape services.


 
Go: back - top - back issues - news index
Updated 17-12-11