Traveling from Philadelphia to see 70mm in Washington D.C. area & NYC | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Written and photographed by: Howard B. Haas | Date: 19.01.2026 |
 Epic 4.5 hour screening of "Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair in 70mm" at the AFI Silver near Washington D.C. Each year, annually, I take a 3 day holiday in Washington DC, taking Amtrak from Philadelphia, where I live, to D.C. I was lucky that in 2015, my stay coincided with the 70mm Roadshow of director Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" which I saw twice at the AFI Silver in suburban Washington D.C. On December 16, 2025, my 1st day of my holiday this year, I was equally lucky to enjoy Tarantino's “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair” at its exclusive area showcasing at the AFI Silver. The last 70mm film that I had seen at the AFI Silver was "Phantom Thread" in January 2018, so it was a delight to again enjoy 70mm at the AFI Silver. Like "Phantom Thread" this "Kill Bill" presentation was also a "blow up" from 35mm. • Go to gallery Traveling from Philadelphia to see 70mm in Washington D.C. area & NYC • Go to "The Hateful Eight" Road Show at AFI Silver Tarantino has directed 10 films so far. Prior to this screening, I had seen in movie theaters, 8 of those films. I've not seen "Death Proof" (2007). I had seen "Kill Bill: Volume 1" (2003) in a DCP presentation in the Philadelphia burbs in 2020. The Colonial in Phoenixville, PA reopened earlier than any other theater in the Philadelphia region during the Pandemic, and showed more classic films then since new product was not available. I thought Volume 1 was fun to watch, but the Colonial did not follow up by showing how Kill Bill finished with Volume 2. I religiously avoid watching movies on TV and instead wait for them to appear again in theaters, so I waited. I was not disappointed with the "Whole Bloody Affair in 70mm." The movie's visuals looked stunningly gorgeous on the big 41 foot x 18 foot, not curved, screen. Surround sound was tremendous. This combined version of Volumes 1 and 2 which has an additional scene and outtakes, and runs an epic 4.5 hours including the 15 minute intermission, is presented in 'scope, not the traditional 2.20 aspect ratio for 'scope films. The AFI Silver's curtain opened, and after a slide show the film began. The curtain closed after the movie and outtakes finished. During the Intermission, the projectionist appeared in front of the screen and took Q & A. Emily identified herself as a freelancer from New York. She said she had previously projected "Oppenheimer" in 70mm (2023) 60 times at this theater. She replied to a question that "Kill Bill" was being shown "reel to reel" and that there were 9 reels, each about the size of a car tire. I asked about sound format, and Emily replied "5.1, on the film, and read by DTS." I've written here previously about the AFI Silver, when they had 70mm film festivals. The Silver was designed in the Streamlined Modern style of Art Deco by architect John Eberson in 1938, to resemble a cruise ship. It closed in 1985 and was in great danger of being demolished, but local citizens waged a long fight to save it, and with Silver Spring's support due to the suburban town's quest for it to anchor downtown revitalization, it reopened with in 2003 with management by the American Film Institute. The historic lobby and auditorium were beautifully repainted with 40 of the original 1930s Streamlined Modern colors. It is always a pleasure to attend a film here, in this historic theater saved and revitalized as a non-profit film showcase. It was a special pleasure to attend this complete version of "Kill Bill" as the 70mm presentation of the film looked so beautiful on the screen! | More in 70mm reading: "Interstellar" in 70MM at the Ziegfeld in New York "Oppenheimer" Reviews in70mm.com News Peripheral Vision, Scopes, Dimensions and Panoramas in70mm.com's Library Presented on the big screen in 7OMM 7OMM and Cinema Across the World Now showing in 70mm in a theatre near you! 70mm Retro - Festivals and Screenings |
 A Return to NYC's Regal Union Square, this time for "Marty Supreme" in 70mm, on Monday, December 22, 2025. After taking the Septa train from Philadelphia to Trenton, and the New Jersey Transit train from Trenton to New York City's Penn Station, I then took a subway directly to Union Square. I wrote in this newsletter that I had visited for the first time, New York's Regal Union Square, on October 29, 2025, so I could see "One Battle After Another" in VistaVision, which was in auditorium 13. Though VistaVision essentially provides 70mm detailed visual resolution, it i a different process than 70mm and requires different projectors. So auditorium 13, which is usually the RPX auditorium, was specially rigged for VistaVision. The Regal Union Square auditorium that usually shows 70mm is auditorium 17, which is very similar to auditorium 13. Auditorium 17 has 288 seats, and what I could find online, the screen measures 42.5 feet wide by 23.1 feet tall. That's similar enough to Auditorium 13 which has 277 seats and a screen which found online measures 43.5 feet wide by 24 feet wide. Whereas the VistaVision presentation was provided with custom masking, the 70mm presentation had no masking and was letterboxed. The lack of masking makes for an imperfect presentation, but I did not find it a major disruption to my enjoyment of this presentation. Before the presentation began, I was lucky enough from inside the auditorium to get a photo of the projectionist in the booth preparing for the show. “Marty Supreme” set in the 1950s and partly filmed in New York City, where I was seeing it, was inspired by a true life story of a professional "table tennis" i.e. ping pong, player. The 70mm print was a blow up from 35mm, and shown in 'scope, not 2.2 aspect ratio as 70mm traditionally was for 'scope films. The resolution of the picture visuals was terrific. The very loud and booming 5.1 surround sound was very exciting. The movie is 2 hours, 29 minutes long. "Marty Supreme" was a very well made, well acted movie and very enjoyable to watch. For the special 70mm run of "Marty Supreme" a free poster, not the 11 inch wide by 17 inch tall mini poster often given out at special movie screenings, but a full sized poster, was given out to any customers who wanted it. Likely to make it easier for attendees to take, it was folded, though reportedly at the AMC Lincoln Square 70mm presentation, the poster was offered folded or not folded. In addition, a box of "Marty Supreme" ping pong balls was also complimentary. In the hall outside the auditorium, many electronic graphics depicted the movie, and a huge electronic depiction appeared after the movie was over. | |
 A Visit to NYC's City Cinemas Village East for "The Testament of Ann Lee" in 70mm, Thursday, January 8, 2026A half mile walk from Union Square is City Cinemas Village East. Shortly before arriving there, I enjoyed a salmon lunch including plantain, avocado, and vegetables at Tio Pio at 250 E 14th St. Opened in 1926 as a Yiddish theater, in Moorish design, with 1252 seats, this has been a daily movie house since 1991, with additional screens inserted in the building. Unlike electronic tiles on the marquees of the AFI Silver and the Regal Union Square, film titles are placed "old school" with real letters on the marquee. The ticket lobby has its gorgeous, original ornate ceiling. The foyer has concessions, and has different sections of beautiful ornamentations. Two grand stairs lead to the main, historic auditorium is known as the Jaffe Auditorium. The historic auditorium now has 365 seats. The ceiling oval has a Star of David, from its Yiddish theater origin. Towards the rear of the ceiling oval is the portal of the projection booth. An opera box is on each side of the screen. I believe the screen is about 38 feet wide. “The Testament of Ann Lee” is a beautifully filmed period piece, a costume drama and musical set in the 18th Century, set in Manchester England and in New York State, though primarily filmed in Budapest. It is the true story of the founder of the Shakers. The director, Mona Fastvold, co wrote “The Brutalist" which was the most recent film that I saw in this theater, also in 70mm, and by coincidence, exactly one year prior, to the day. "The Testament of Ann Lee" is 35mm blow up to 70mm, 'scope ratio, with great 5.1 DTS surround sound. The visuals looked beautiful. Running time is 2 hours, 17 minutes. There was no preshow except for one trailer, for next year's 70mm presentation of "The Odyssey" The trailer looked great. When I entered, I asked if there were any free mini posters, as often there are at exclusive 70mm film presentations, but was told no, that there was a film strip give away but they were out within the first week. However, when exiting, I mentioned the film strip, and lo and behold, was given one! There are four scenes from the film on it. So within a span of about two weeks, I enjoyed three 70mm films, in three different movie theaters, in two different cities! | |
 ENCORE: To NYC for the most Oscar nominated film in history, at the USA's largest IMAXOn Friday, January 30, 2026, from Philadelphia, I took the Septa train to Trenton NJ and the NJ Transit train from there to NYC's Penn Station. Due to the prior weekend's massive snowfall, both trains were so late I feared I might miss the 11:45 AM screening of "Sinners" and the next screening was not till 10:15 PM. At Penn Station, I took the # 1 subway line to 66th St Lincoln Center. The AMC Lincoln Center was but a short walk, at Broadway and 68th St, and I made the movie in time! The AMC Lincoln Square 13 was opened in 1994 by Sony Theatres. On Manhattan's Upper West Side, the multiplex is a bemouth which became the nation's busiest multiplex. In 1989, Sony purchased Columbia Pictures, which had purchased Loews Theaters in 1986. The acclaimed Evergreene Painting Studios created a 75 foot tall by 130 feet wide lobby mural which includes images from Columbia Pictures such as the "Lawrence of Arabia" poster display. Each auditorium, except for the IMAX, was named after a grand Loews movie palace and had some interior ornate decoration. The largest regular auditorium, the Loews, opened with 876 seats, balcony, a curtain, and 70mm capability. The Loews has since become the Dolby auditorium. In 2006, Sony Theatres which by then had merged with Cineplex Odeon to become Loews Cineplex, was merged into AMC Theatres. On the top floor is the IMAX, whose 1.43 screen reportedly measures 101 feet wide and 75.6 feet tall, and is the largest IMAX screen in the United States. It was also the 1st IMAX in the nation opened by a major exhibitor. The auditorium has 480 seats. "Sinners", which has 2 hours and 17 minutes, was released in April 2025 and has had several re releases since. It has received 16 Oscar nominations, more than any in history! Most of the movie was filmed in Ultra Panavison 70 with its super wide 2.76 aspect ratio. The rest, about 30 minutes, was filmed in IMAX 65mm, 1.43 aspect ratio, which filled the screen. "Sinners" mostly set in the 1920s American South, is a film about black experience, but is also a horror film with vampires. The movie is very entertaining. Surround sound was powerful. The 70mm visuals were superb. This was the 1st time I had been in this IMAX and it was the largest movie screen that I had ever experienced! The next largest screen that I had experienced, was the 90 foot wide by 31 foot tall screen, usually hidden behind a less large screen, at the Seattle Cinerama which I experienced in 2013 and was the 1st time that I wrote for this newsletter. I've only been in a few other IMAXs, which are the now closed 70 feet wide one at the Franklin Institute Tuttleman IMAX in Philadelphia, the 74 feet wide by 52 feet wide IMAX at the United Artists King of Prussia Theatre in the Philadelphia suburbs, and in December, 2025, the 86 feet wide by 63 feet tall Airbus IMAX at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum in Dulles, VA. So the Lincoln Square IMAX was the largest by far that I've experienced. When the movie was presented in 2.76 width, the image looked huge. But when the movie occupied the full screen, the image was truly enormous! So now, especially from having premium format feature films in theaters, I'm ready to watch the Academy Award telecast on March 15, 2026. The most nominated films that are reportedly most likely to win Best Picture, are “One Battle After Another” which I saw in 35mm VistaVision at New York's Regal Union Square, downtown, and "Sinners" which I saw uptown in New York, at the AMC Lincoln Square, in IMAX 70mm. A strong possibility to receive the Best Actor award is Timothee Chalamet in “Marty Supreme” which I saw in 35mm blow-up to 70mm, also at the Regal Union Square. All three films looked and sounded great on the big screen, and all were very entertaining! | |
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