70mm Presentations in Albany, NY, USA |
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| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 07.02.2022 |
 "2001"
return run advert, Albany Times Union, 29th May 1970What follows is a chronology of 70mm six-track stereophonic sound feature-film presentations in the Albany region of New York, USA. The focus of this work is 5-perf 70mm feature films and the cinemas in which they were exhibited. Short subjects, 8-perf and 15-perf (IMAX, Iwerks, etc.) and Special Venue presentations have not been included (but consideration will be given to adding them in a revision). The emphasis here is on the titles that received publicly-promoted, commercial exhibition in 70mm and their playdates. To facilitate an easy-to-reference title- and date-based layout, no details have been provided pertaining to the brand of 70mm (i.e. Todd-AO, Super Panavision, Ultra Panavision, Cinerama, D-150, etc.) or technical particulars of each presentation (i.e. O-neg source, inter-neg source, blow-up, pillarboxed, letterboxed, Dolby A, Dolby SR, five screen channels vs. three, baby boom, split surround, digital sound, etc.). Part 1: The 70mm-Equipped Cinemas ALBANY Hellman Knickerbocker Arena [special events] Madison Ritz COLONIE Colonie Center / Center Fox Colonie / Colonie GUILDERLAND Crossgates Mall NISKAYUNA Mohawk Mall An overview of each cinema will be provided in a forthcoming revision. Part 2: The 70mm Presentations Opening date YYYY-MM-DD … TITLE … Cinema (duration in weeks) [notes] * Reserved-seat engagement (i.e. roadshow) 1959-02-19 … SOUTH PACIFIC* … Ritz (12+) 1959-??-?? … SLEEPING BEAUTY … Ritz (?) 1959-11-11 … THE BIG FISHERMAN … Ritz (1+) 1960-02-26 … SOLOMON AND SHEBA … Ritz (1+) 1960-03-?? … PORGY AND BESS … Ritz (1+) 1960-09-28 … BEN-HUR* … Ritz (1+) 1960-??-?? … CAN-CAN* … Ritz (?) 1961-05-25 … SPARTACUS* … Ritz (9) 1961-08-01 … EXODUS* … Ritz (?) 1962-04-04 … WEST SIDE STORY* … Hellman (10) 1962-07-13 … EL CID … Hellman (4) 1962-??-?? … KING OF KINGS* … Ritz (?) 1963-04-17 … LAWRENCE OF ARABIA* … Hellman (10) 1964-05-08 … CLEOPATRA … Hellman (9) 1964-07-08 … IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD … Hellman (7) 1964-08-28 … BECKET … Hellman (6) 1964-11-25 … MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY … Hellman (1) 1964-12-20 … MY FAIR LADY* … Hellman (25) 1965-06-18 … THE SOUND OF MUSIC* … Hellman (31) 1966-01-21 … THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD* … Hellman (10) 1966-03-29 … THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY* … Hellman (4) 1966-04-27 … THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN… … Hellman (4) 1966-05-25 … THE SOUND OF MUSIC* … Hellman (9) 1966-07-27 … DOCTOR ZHIVAGO* … Hellman (22) 1966-12-25 … THE BIBLE* … Hellman (14) 1967-03-29 … THE SAND PEBBLES* … Hellman (8) 1967-05-24 … HAWAII* … Hellman (10) [70mm?] 1967-11-09 … GONE WITH THE WIND* … Hellman (22) 1967-12-20 … CAMELOT* … Madison (1+) 1968-06-26 … DOCTOR DOLITTLE* … Hellman (8) 1968-08-21 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY* … Hellman (12) 1969-01-29 … STAR!* … Hellman (6) 1969-06-25 … CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG … Center (4) 1969-06-25 … SWEET CHARITY* … Hellman (7) 1969-08-13 … BEN-HUR … Hellman (5) 1969-11-?? … KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA … Madison (?) 1969-12-18 … HELLO, DOLLY!* … Center (16) 1969-12-19 … PAINT YOUR WAGON* … Fox Colonie (8+) 1970-01-28 … GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS* … Hellman (6) 1970-05-29 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY … Center (2) 1970-12-25 … SONG OF NORWAY* … Madison (1+) 1971-03-?? … RYAN’S DAUGHTER … Madison (1+) 1973-05-16 … CAMELOT … Center (3) 1973-08-08 … THIS IS CINERAMA … Hellman [canceled] 1974-09-25 … GONE WITH THE WIND … Hellman (2) 1974-10-09 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY … Hellman (3) 1979-05-25 … ALIEN … Fox Colonie (9) 1980-05-21 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK … Fox Colonie (19) 1980-08-01 … RAISE THE TITANIC … Center (6) 1981-07-31 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK … Fox Colonie (4) 1982-03-19 … QUEST FOR FIRE … Fox Colonie (8) 1983-05-25 … RETURN OF THE JEDI … Fox Colonie (21) 1983-09-30 … BRAINSTORM … Hellman (3) 1984-03-04 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY … Crossgates Mall (3 days) [venue grand opening] 1984-04-06 … THE RIGHT STUFF … Center (1) 1984-05-23 … INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM … Mohawk Mall (10) 1984-06-01 … STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK … Crossgates Mall (8) 1984-11-21 … INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM … Crossgates Mall (2) 1984-12-07 … 2010 … Crossgates Mall (8) 1984-12-14 … DUNE … Hellman (7) 1984-12-14 … STARMAN … Mohawk Mall (5) 1985-03-29 … RETURN OF THE JEDI … Crossgates Mall (3) 1985-06-21 … COCOON … Crossgates Mall (15) 1986-07-18 … ALIENS … Crossgates Mall (12) 1990-06-15 … DICK TRACY … Crossgates Mall (8) 1992-05-09 … FAR AND AWAY … Crossgates Mall (sneak preview) 1992-05-16 … FAR AND AWAY … Crossgates Mall (sneak preview) 1992-05-22 … FAR AND AWAY … Crossgates Mall (8) Note that some of the titles included in this chronology may have been presented in 35mm during the latter week(s) of their 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 a 70mm print order in time for an opening-day delivery or the exhibitor negotiated a mid-run switch to 70mm. In such cases, any 35mm portion of the engagement has been included in the duration figure. References: Various issues of Albany Times Union, Boxoffice, Motion Picture Exhibitor, Schenectady Gazette, and Variety; plus projection and sound system trade advertisements and installation records. Special Thanks: Albany Public Library, Nicholas Grieco, Library of Congress, New York State Library. If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. |
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