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70mm Engagements in Rochester, NY | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Written by: Jim Barg, Rochester, New York | Date: 31.08.2011 |
 This list has its beginnings in my trip to last year's Bradford Widescreen Weekend. As I was lucky enough to see many films in their original large-format versions, I thought it would be interesting to see if my hometown had shown these films in the past. When I moved back to Rochester from London last year, I had the time to research for any information regarding local 70mm engagements, and the results are presented here.This list is by no means complete and should be considered a work in progress. Around 1988/89, Rochester newspapers stopped putting any kind of stereo notations on most of the film ads . For example, the 70mm engagement for "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was advertised in the city's evening paper (the Times-Union), but not in the morning one (the Democrat & Chronicle). This is particularly strange as both papers were owned by the Gannett company and run out of the same building downtown! In any case, if you have information to fill in gaps, please get in touch with either Thomas or myself. There are a handful of 60/70s roadshow engagements that may have been in 70mm, but were not clearly noted as such in the Rochester papers, and are not included here. Special thanks are due to Michael Coate and Bill Kallay. Their lists are the reason I was inspired to compile mine, and Mike was nice enough to pass along some of the information here. Thank you. Lastly, it should be noted that all but one of these theatres are either closed or razed. The Riviera and Monroe's 70mm cameras are now scattered among various local theatres including the Eastman House. Unfortunately, the Eastman's repertory theatre, the Dryden, does not have a 70mm-capable screen, which is a shame. One of the great film archives in the world can't show some films the way they were supposed to be seen. (They do have 70mm copies of "Oklahoma!", "Short Cuts" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" in their film archive, however.) 70mm capability is always listed as part of the Eastman's fundraising goals, so there is hope for the future. Enjoy the read! | More in 70mm reading: Meeting Abel, Baker, and Charlie: The 2010 Bradford Widescreen Weekend Internet link: |
70mm Premieres | |
 1957July 24: Around The World In Eighty Days Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe 1958 June 29: South Pacific Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe 1959 February 18: Sleeping Beauty Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Monroe October 15 The Big Fisherman Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe December 25: Solomon And Sheba Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera (premiere 70mm engagement after being closed for 70mm installation) December 26: Porgy And Bess Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe | |
 1960March 4: Around The World In Eighty Days (Re-Issue) Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera March 18: South Pacific (Re-Issue) Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera (move-over to the Monroe on April 8) April 8: Oklahoma! (Re-Issue) Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera Original release in 35mm - first Rochester engagement in 70mm May 13: Ben-Hur MGM Camera 65 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera June 15: Can-Can Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe | |
 1961February 10: The Alamo Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera March 16: Spartacus Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe May 9: Exodus Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera 1962 February 16: King Of Kings Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera April 5: West Side Story Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera October 4: El Cid Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera | |
 1963February 20: Mutiny On The Bounty Ultra Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera May 8: Lawrence Of Arabia Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera August 7: Cleopatra Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera 1964 July 22: Mediterranean Holiday MCS Superpanorama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera August 12: It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World Ultra Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Rochester: [Schine] Riviera September 30: Circus World Super Technirama 70 / "Cinerama" / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe December 23: My Fair Lady Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera | |
 1965April 15: The Sound Of Music Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe August 11: Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera | |
 1966January 19: The Agony And The Ecstasy Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera May 25: Doctor Zhivago Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Riviera September 14: Khartoum Ultra Panavision 70 / "Cinerama" / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama (theatre's opening engagement, built for Cinerama) | |
 1967February 8: Grand Prix Super Panavision 70 / "Cinerama" / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe May 24: The Sand Pebbles Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [PTI] Riviera November 1: Gone With The Wind (Re-Issue) Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Schine] Monroe December 21: Far From The Madding Crowd Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama | |
 1968March 13: Doctor Zhivago (Re-Issue) Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo “Presented In The Grandeur of 70mm Stereophonic Sound” Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama June 26 Doctor Dolittle Todd-AO / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [PTI] Riviera July 24: War and Peace (“Vojna I Mir”) Sovscope 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved-Seat Engagement “The Only Engagement In N.Y. State Outside of New York City!” Rochester: [Schine] Monroe Shown in two parts October 17: 2001: A Space Odyssey Super Panavision 70 / "Cinerama" / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama | |
 1969February 12: Oliver! Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama June 26: Sweet Charity Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Henrietta: [Jo-Mor] Towne July 30: Krakatoa, East Of Java Uncredited 65mm / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [PTI] Riviera August 14: Ben-Hur (Re-Issue) MGM Camera 65 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama October 16: Ice Station Zebra Super Panavision 70 / “Cinerama” / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama November 5: Paint Your Wagon Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Henrietta: [Jo-Mor] Towne December 17: Goodbye, Mr. Chips Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama | |
 1970December 23: Song Of Norway Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Rochester: [Countrywide] Riviera 1971 April 28: Ryan’s Daughter Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Stereo Reserved Seat Engagement Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama 1973 May 16: This Is Cinerama (Re-Issue) Cinerama / Six-Track Stereo Cinerama Releasing Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama [First time in 70mm — original 1961 engagement in 3-strip Cinerama] 1977 December 14: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex | |
 1979May 25: Alien Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex May 25: Sleeping Beauty (Re-Issue) Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama 1980 May 21: The Empire Strikes Back Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex August 1: Raise The Titanic Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo “Jo-Mor's Panorama, with Rochester's largest motion picture screen, is proud to present Raise The Titanic in the splendor of widescreen 70mm six-track Dolby Stereo.” Penfield: [Jo-Mor] Panorama 1981: June 12: Raiders Of The Lost Ark Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo “You Haven't Seen It Until You've Seen it In 70mm” Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex (70mm noted in advertisements with above tagline beginning on July 10) | |
 1982March 19: Quest For Fire Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo 'Presented In The Splendor Of 70mm and Dolby Stereo' Henrietta: [Loews] Towne June 4: Poltergeist Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza June 4: Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex June 18: Annie Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne September 17: Pink Floyd: The Wall Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza 1983 January 21: Gandhi Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex May 25: Return Of The Jedi Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex September 30: Brainstorm Super Panavision 70 & Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza | |
 1984May 23: Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex Webster: [Loews] Webster June 1: Star Trek III: The Search For Spock Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne December 7: 2010 Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex Webster: [Loews] Webster December 14: Dune Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne 1985 March 29: Return Of The Jedi (Re-Issue) Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Webster: [Loews] Webster June 21: Cocoon Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex July 10: Silverado Spherical (Super-35) Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne | |
 1986July 18: Aliens Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne November 26: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Henrietta: [Loews] Towne 1987 June 3: The Untouchables Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex 1989 May 24: Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Greece: [Jo-Mor] Stoneridge Plaza Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex Webster: [Loews] Webster 1990 June 15: Dick Tracy Spherical (Super 35) Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Webster: [Loews] Webster Pittsford: [GCC] Pittsford Plaza 6 (uncomfirmed) 1992 May 22: Far And Away Panavision Super 70 / Six-Track Dolby Stereo Pittsford: [Loews] Pittsford Triplex Includes 70mm Sneak Preview on May 16 (This run was unadvertised in local newspapers – a 5/21/92 story in the Rochester Times-Union on Kodak's involvement in the national 70mm release mentioned the Pittsford engagement.) | |
Sources/References | |
| The newspaper archives at the Rundel Library in downtown Rochester and their Democrat & Chronicle/Times-Union sections. As noted above, Michael Coate and Bill Kallay's previous work filled in some gaps as well. Numerous articles on in70mm were helpful. | |
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