"Windjammer" Triumphant Return to Hamburg | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Written and photographed by: Thomas Hauerslev, live on the spot.... | Date: 05.05.2011 |
 Randy
Gitsch, Rita Baukrowitz, Jan Halvorsen and Dave Strohmaier. Jan was cadet #34 on
the voyage of Christian Radich in the filmThe Cinemiracle adventure "Windjammer", well known among widescreen fans and especially by the readers of in70mm.com, was shown in Hamburg (Germany) on Thursday night May 5th 2011. Kinemathek Hamburg celebrated Hamburg harbour's 822th birthday by showing a series of unique Norwegian films, including "Windjammer", "Kon-Tiki" and footage from Roald Amundsens' expedition to the South Pole in 1911. The re-mastered version of "Windjammer" was accompanied by Randy Gitsch and David Strohmaier, presenting "The Making of...", a unique 30 min show that chronicles the work that went into making this new version of this classic 3-strip film. | More in 70mm reading: "Windjammer" sails into the Kinemathek Hamburg "Windjammer" in Hamburg Gallery "Windjammer" in Hamburg "Windjammer" in Cinemiracle More Savoy Adverts Supplement to the story of Hamburg's First Todd-AO Theatre Internet link: Kinemathek Hamburg Hamburger Abenblatt |
 The
"Wimdjammer" audience waiting to get in.Kinemathek organizer Mrs Rita Baukrowitz estimated around 200 people [257 showed up] showed up for the 20:00 o'clock German premiere, but it seemed as a bigger audience to me. The foyer was packed to the rafters when the doors opened to the cinema and everyone went in to find their seats. But before all this, I arrived by train just after midday at the Hauptbahnhof. Dave and Randy met me on the platform with big smiles, maybe because I'd brought my Cinerama sign which I was "flashing" in front of them. Before lunch we had to go to the Metropolis Kino to make the necessary tests to run the show in the evening. |
07.05.2011 Fantastic review. It’s great to see a crowd like that at a screening that means so much to them. Tom March, USA 07.05.2011 Thomas, Your Hamburg report is wonderful. Cheers Gerhard Witte, Berlin |
 The
Making of Windjammer Remaster showThe Kinemathek had rented a digital projector for this show. Brought in from Holland, the technician and the projectionist worked with Dave in the early afternoon to make the image fit the screen and arrange when the curtains should be opened and closed again. Randy and I went inside the cinema to get a feel of the sound level. It all went without problems. Since the screen is curved, the SmileBox version appears even more curved and it is amazing how SmileBox adds to the sensation of looking at a deeply curved screen. It really works! A surprise guest of the evening, was Cadet #34 Mr. Jan Halvorsen who had flown in from Oslo, Norway to be present at the Metropolis cinema. He enjoyed the evening and the interest the audience showed him and the film. Many guests came up to him to talk about the film and expressed their enthusiasm. | |
 Mr.
Peter Grage with his souvenir program. Signed twice in 1959 and 62 - for each viewing. Now
he must add a new dateI saw several people who had brought their "Windjammer" souvenir program from 1959 and '62, and they looked forward to seeing the film again, nearly 50 years later. Rita was very surprised to experience this "cult like" and dedicated following this film has. She never expected to get visitors from German cities like Berlin and Essen and many more places, "just" to see an old film, like "Windjammer". One guest even made a huge poster especially for this event. The Kinemathek is located at the Metropolis cinema, and you will be interested to know, that it is actually the former Savoy cinema, the first purpose-built Todd-AO cinema of Europe. So, it was indeed a historic evening presenting a digital and SmileBoxed version of Cinemiracle on the curved Todd-AO screen. Interestingly, the screen still has the mechanism for adjusting the curvature between CinemaScope and Todd-AO. I assume it does not work, but I saw it sitting attached to the screen and rear wall of the cinema. | |
 The
audience, the film, the cinema - everything comes together in Cinemiracle at
the MetropolisA small glitch appeared at the intermission. Somehow the Kinemathek didn't know there was an intermission in "Windjammer", and suddenly the audience went out in the foyer to a surprised and unprepared staff. The staff was setting up tables, wine and food to make this German premiere special. They were not ready, however, and had to serve the audience the red wine which was in the glasses already. The audience didn't seem mind I think, and once the film was finally over, the food was ready, and the glasses had been re-filled. When the film was over, many guests came over to Dave and Randy to talk about it and tell them how much it meant for them to see it again. One repeating question is "When do we get to see it on DVD"? | |
 The
Metropolis by night.The remastered version of "Windjammer" continues to please people. They seem to appreciate the fact that it is finally back into European cinemas. The "widescreeners" continue to attend these rare screenings which have now taken place in Hamburg (Germany), Aalborg (Denmark), Bradford (UK) and of course in Oslo (Norway). "Windjammer" has a very special place in the hearts of many, many Europeans who saw the film as a child. The film left an unforgettable impression. It feels like a long lost brother who has finally returned. The clock indicated it was "midnight" and we were hungry, and it was time to leave the Metropolis. Jan, Dave, Randy and myself went out to seek a very late dinner, and unable to find a place to eat, we ended up in a fine Turkish diner, where we had spicy lamb with rice and a coke. We said goodbye to Jan who was going home to Oslo the following day. Dave and Randy stayed in Hamburg until Sunday and I returned to Copenhagen. See the "Windjammer" in Hamburg Gallery | |
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