“Brainstorm”: The North American 70mm Engagements |
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| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 01.05.2022 |
 The
following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter
large-format engagements of “Brainstorm” in the United States and Canada.
These were the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this motion picture.
“Brainstorm” was among thirteen confirmed first-run films released in 1983 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. One-hundred seventy-eight 70mm prints were reportedly struck for distribution in North America (plus several more for international), marking at the time the industry’s largest ever commitment to 70mm prints for a single release launch. The MGM/UA release — directed by Douglas Trumbull (“2001” visual effects, “Silent Running”) and starring Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher, and Cliff Robertson — opened September 30th. The film’s 70mm bookings had a two-week exclusive before any 35mm prints circulated. Pre-release screenings included a sneak preview at Chris-Town in Phoenix held April 30th and exhibitor bid screenings held July 20th and 21st in numerous locales. A preview was held at WorldCon in Baltimore during early September. The film’s west coast premiere was held September 29th at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles and the world premiere* took place October 6th at Mission Valley in Raleigh, North Carolina, near where much of the movie was filmed. *The film’s official world premiere took place AFTER the film’s release because the distributor originally planned to release the movie October 7th, with the premiere being held a day prior on the 6th, but citing positive exhibitor response to their plans for an exclusive 70mm launch [or not wanting to open the same weekend as a new James Bond film!], the company pushed up the release by one week but were unable or unwilling to alter their plan on short notice for the October 6th world premiere event. As well, some of the exhibitors were unable or unwilling to renegotiate the commencement date of their booking and thus opened October 7th rather than September 30th. The 70mm prints of “Brainstorm” featured magnetic Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format [Dolby processor setting “42”]) and a mixture of full-frame and pillarboxed imagery sourced from spherical 35mm (the objective “real world” sequences) and 65mm (the subjective “brainstorm” sequences) and provided a superior projection and sound experience in comparison to the film’s 35mm prints. Note that some cinemas screened a 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo print utilizing Dolby-compatible equipment from another manufacturer (EPRAD, Smart, Ultra Stereo, etc.), and in some instances an exhibitor made a special request for a 70mm print that lacked Dolby Noise Reduction so that it could be played on a cinema’s older, pre-Dolby-era sound system. MGM/UA circulated a 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailer for “Yentl” during the release of “Brainstorm.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during a 70mm presentation of “Brainstorm” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. ALBERTA Calgary — Famous Players’ Chinook (5) Edmonton — Famous Players’ Paramount (5) ARIZONA Phoenix — Plitt’s Cine Capri (10) Tucson — TM’s El Con 6 (11) ARKANSAS Little Rock — UA’s Heights (4) BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver — Famous Players’ Stanley (9) CALIFORNIA Berkeley — Cinerama’s California Triplex (3) Burlingame — Syufy’s Hyatt Twin (6) Corte Madera — Marin’s Cinema (3) Fremont — Syufy’s Cinedome East 7 (5) Fresno — Festival Enterprises’ Festival 6 (5) Hayward — Festival Enterprises’ Festival 6 (3) Lakewood — Pacific’s Lakewood Center 4 (10) Los Angeles (Hollywood) — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome (7) Los Angeles (North Hollywood) — UA’s Valley Plaza 6 (7) Los Angeles (Westwood Village) — Mann’s National (4) Los Angeles (Woodland Hills) — Pacific’s Topanga Twin (5) Modesto — Festival Enterprises’ Festival 6 (4) Montclair — UA’s Towne Center Plaza 6 (10) Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Twin (8) Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 6 (6) Pasadena — UA’s United Artists (7) Pleasant Hill — Syufy’s Century 5 (7) Riverside — UA’s Tyler Mall 4 (7) Sacramento — Syufy’s Century 6 (7) Sacramento — Syufy’s Cinedome 5 (7) San Diego — Pacific’s Cinerama (11) San Francisco — Blumenfeld’s Regency I (5) San Jose — Syufy’s Century 21 (6) Santa Barbara — Metropolitan’s Granada Triplex (6) Stockton — Festival Enterprises’ Regency 4 (4) Temple City — Edwards’ Temple 4 (5) Torrance — UA’s Del Amo 6 (9) COLORADO Colorado Springs — Commonwealth’s Cooper Triplex (5) [opened Oct. 7th] Denver — Commonwealth’s Continental (5) [opened Oct. 7th] CONNECTICUT East Hartford — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (4) Orange — Redstone’s Showcase 7 (1+) Stamford — Trans-Lux’s Ridgeway Twin (3) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — Circle’s MacArthur Triplex (4) FLORIDA Bay Harbor Islands — Loews’ Bay Harbor Twin (4) Fort Lauderdale — GCC’s Galleria 4 (6) Kendall — Wometco’s Dadeland Triplex (7) North Miami Beach — Wometco’s 163rd Street Triplex (7) St. Petersburg — Plitt’s Plaza Twin (5) Winter Park — Wometco’s Winter Park Triplex (7) GEORGIA Atlanta — Lefont’s Tara Triplex (6) HAWAII Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki 3 (4) [HPS-4000] IDAHO Boise — Plitt’s 8th Street Market Place Twin (11) ILLINOIS Calumet City — Plitt’s River Oaks 6 (4) Champaign — Kerasotes’ Virginia (5) Chicago — Essaness’ Lincoln Village (3) Chicago — Plitt’s Esquire (3) Evergreen Park — M&R’s Evergreen 4 (4) Hillside — M&R’s Hillside Square 4 (3) Lombard — GCC’s Yorktown 6 (4) Milan — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (3) Niles — Essaness’ Golf Mill Triplex (3) Norridge — M&R’s Norridge 5 (3) Schaumburg — Plitt’s Woodfield 4 (3) INDIANA Evansville — Stieler’s North Park 7 (4) Indianapolis — Y&W’s Eastwood (5) IOWA Des Moines — Dubinsky’s Plaza (6) KANSAS Overland Park — Dickinson’s Glenwood Twin (10) Wichita — Dickinson’s Mall (6) KENTUCKY Erlanger — Redstone’s Showcase 7 (5) Lexington — Mid States’ Southpark 6 (5) Louisville — Redstone’s Showcase 9 (4) LOUISIANA Baton Rouge — Gulf States’ Bon Marche Mall 8 (6) [opened Oct. 7th] Metairie — GCC’s Lakeside 5 (6) MANITOBA Winnipeg — Famous Players’ Northstar Twin (5) MARYLAND Baltimore — Durkee’s Senator (6) Catonsville — Einbinder & Brehm’s Westview 6 (7) MASSACHUSETTS Boston — Sack’s Cinema 57 Twin (3) Brookline — Redstone’s Showcase Circle Triplex (4) Danvers — Sack’s Liberty Tree Mall Twin (4) Dedham — Redstone’s Showcase 9 (2) [opened Oct. 14th] Lawrence — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (3) Revere — Redstone’s Showcase 10 (4) Seekonk — Redstone’s Showcase 7 (1+) West Springfield — Redstone’s Showcase 9 (4) Woburn — Redstone’s Showcase 7 (2) [opened Oct. 14th] Worcester — Redstone’s Showcase 4 (1+) MICHIGAN Ann Arbor — UA’s Fox Village 4 (1+) Bloomfield — Redstone’s Showcase Pontiac 10 (5) Burton — Redstone’s Showcase 6 (4) Dearborn — UA’s The Movies at Fairlane 10 (5) Grosse Pointe Woods — NGT’s Woods Triplex (4) Lansing — UA’s Spartan Triplex (4) Livonia — NGT’s Mai Kai (7) Southfield — NGT’s Americana 4 (4) Southgate — NGT’s Southgate Triplex (4) Sterling Heights — Redstone’s Showcase 10 (5) Troy — UA’s The Movies at Oakland 5 (5) MINNESOTA Minneapolis — Plitt’s Skyway 4 (4) West St. Paul — Engler’s Signal Hills 4 (1+) MISSOURI Creve Coeur — Wehrenberg’s Creve Coeur (6) Independence — Mid-America’s Blue Ridge East 5 (7) Kansas City — Commonwealth’s Bannister Mall 5 (7) Sunset Hills — Wehrenberg’s Mark Twain (6) NEBRASKA Lincoln — Commonwealth’s Cooper (5) Omaha — Douglas’ Cinema Center 6 (7) NEVADA Las Vegas — Syufy’s Cinedome 6 (8) Reno — Syufy’s Century 6 (7) NEW JERSEY Edison — GCC’s Menlo Park Twin (4) Lawrenceville — Sameric’s Eric Twin (5) Paramus — RKO Century’s Route Four 7 (3) Pennsauken — Sameric’s Eric 5 (7) Secaucus — Loews’ Meadow 6 (3) Totowa — UA’s Cinema 46 Triplex (3) NEW MEXICO Albuquerque — GCC’s Louisiana Blvd. Triplex (5) NEW YORK Albany — UA’s Hellman Twin (3) Bay Shore — UA’s Cinema (4) Cheektowaga — AMC’s Holiday 6 (6) DeWitt — Carrols’ Shoppingtown Twin (4) Greece — Jo-Mor’s Stoneridge Plaza Triplex (5) New York — Reade’s Ziegfeld (7) Valley Stream — Redstone’s Sunrise 11 (4) Woodbury — UA’s Cinema 150 (3) Yonkers — GCC’s Central Plaza Twin (4) NORTH CAROLINA Charlotte — Plitt’s Park Terrace Triplex (5) [opened Oct. 7th] Raleigh — Litchfield’s Mission Valley Twin (10) [opened Oct. 7th] NOVA SCOTIA Halifax — Famous Players’ Scotia Square (1+) OHIO Beavercreek — Mid States’ Beaver Valley 6 (5) Columbus — GCC’s Eastland Mall Twin (5) Columbus — Mid States’ Continent 7 (6) Dayton — Chakeres’ Dayton Mall 8 (5) Springdale — Redstone’s Showcase 7 (5) Toledo — Redstone’s Showcase 5 (7) Woodmere — Loews’ Village (6) OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City — Commonwealth’s Quail Twin (6) ONTARIO Hamilton — Famous Players’ Tivoli (5) London — Famous Players’ Park (1+) Ottawa — Famous Players’ Rideau Centre Triplex (5) Toronto — Famous Players’ Eglinton (3) Toronto — Famous Players’ Uptown 5 (3) OREGON Beaverton — LT’s Westgate Triplex (5) Portland — LT’s Eastgate Triplex (5) PENNSYLVANIA Allentown — Sameric’s Eric 5 (5) Concordville — Sameric’s Eric 4 (5) Drexel Hill — Sameric’s Eric Pilgrim Gardens (7) Feasterville — Sameric’s Eric 4 (4) Harrisburg — Sameric’s Eric East Park Center Twin (1+) King of Prussia — Sameric’s Eric Plaza (4) McCandless — Redstone’s Showcase North 8 (4) Monroeville — Redstone’s Showcase East 6 (4) Montgomeryville — Sameric’s Eric Triplex (4) Philadelphia — Sameric’s Sam’s Place Twin (7) Pittsburgh — Cinemette’s Fulton (4) QUEBEC Montreal — United’s Imperial (4) RHODE ISLAND Warwick — Redstone’s Showcase 8 (1+) SOUTH CAROLINA Charleston — Plitt’s Ultravision Twin (5) [opened Oct. 7th] TENNESSEE Knoxville — Simpson’s Capri Triplex (7) Memphis — Rand’s Park (8) Nashville — Martin’s Belle Meade (8) TEXAS Arlington — Loews’ Lincoln Square 6 (11) Austin — Mann’s Fox Triplex (6) Dallas — GCC’s Northpark West Twin (6) [THX] Fort Worth — UA’s Hulen 6 (11) Houston — GCC’s Galleria 4 (8) Houston — GCC’s Meyerland Plaza Triplex (5) Houston — Loews’ Southpoint 5 (7) Lubbock — Mann’s Fox 4 (8) San Antonio — Santikos’ Northwest 10 (10) UTAH Holladay — Mann’s Cottonwood Mall 4 (6) Ogden — Consolidated’s Newgate Starships Triplex (7) Salt Lake City — Trolley’s Trolley Corners Triplex (9) South Salt Lake — Syufy’s Century 5 (7) VIRGINIA Richmond — Litchfield’s Midlothian 6 (6) [opened Oct. 7th] Richmond — NTI’s Ridge 4 (5) [opened Oct. 7th] Springfield — GCC’s Springfield Mall 6 (6) WASHINGTON Bellevue — SRO’s John Danz (5) Lynnwood — SRO’s Grand Alderwood 5 (7) Seattle — LT’s Coliseum (10) Spokane — LT’s Fox Triplex (8) Tacoma — SRO’s Tacoma Mall Twin (5) Tukwila — SRO’s Lewis & Clark 7 (7) WISCONSIN Milwaukee — Marcus’ Northtown 4 (6) West Allis — Marcus’ Southtown Triplex (6) Note that some of the presentations included in this listing may have been presented in 35mm during the latter week(s) of 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 the 70mm print order in time for an opening-day delivery or the exhibitor negotiated a mid-run switch to 70mm. In these cases, any 35mm portion of the engagement has been included in the duration figure. SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS 1983-10-21 … Cedar Grove, NJ — UA’s Cinema 23 (2) 1983-10-21 … Chicago, IL — Plitt’s Carnegie (1) 1983-10-21 … East Meadow, NY — UA’s Meadowbrook 4 (2) 1983-10-21 … Moline, IL — Redstone’s Parkway (1) 1983-10-21 … North York, ON — Famous Players’ Towne & Countrye Twin (4) 1983-10-21 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Cumberland 4 (5) 1983-10-28 … Dubuque, IA — Dubuque’s Cinema Center 5 (1) 1983-10-28 … Montreal, QC — United’s York (3) 1983-11-04 … Bellevue, WA — SRO’s Factoria 5 (2) 1983-11-04 … Edmonton, AB — Famous Players’ Westmount Twin (1) 1983-11-04 … Springfield, IL — Wehrenberg’s Fox Town & Country (3) [70mm?] 1983-11-11 … Los Angeles (Tarzana), CA — Mann’s Valley West 6 (1) 1983-11-11 … Palm Desert, CA — Metropolitan’s Town Center 7 (2) 1983-11-11 … Palm Springs, CA — Metropolitan’s Camelot Triplex (3) 1983-11-11 … Toronto, ON — Famous Players’ Palace Triplex (1) 1983-11-11 … Westminster, CA — UA’s Westminster Mall Twin (1) 1983-11-18 … Anchorage, AK — Wometco Lathrop’s Polar Triplex (2) 1983-11-18 … Carmel, IN — Heaston’s Woodland Twin (1) 1983-11-18 … Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA — SRO’s Paramount (4) 1983-12-02 … New Orleans, LA — Golden Crest’s Kenilworth (2) 1983-12-02 … Vancouver, BC — Odeon’s Park (1) 1983-12-09 … Seattle, WA — Seven Gables’ Crest 4 (1) 1983-12-09 … Toronto, ON — Cineplex’s Market Square 6 (1) 1983-12-16 … Norfolk, VA — Naro [Fri-Sat late show] 1984-01-27 … Los Angeles (Mid-Wilshire), CA — Four Star (1) [w/ “Rocky III”] 1984-01-27 … Victoria, BC — Odeon’s Haida (3) 1984-02-15 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1984-02-24 … Wichita, KS — Dickinson’s Mall [Fri/Sat midnight] 1984-03-02 … Sioux City, IA — Dubinsky’s Riviera Twin [Fri/Sat midnight] 1984-03-07 … Hartford, CT — Trinity College’s Cinestudio (4 days) 1985-01-18 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Sci-Fi marathon] 1985-12-13 … Houston, TX — AMC’s Commerce Park 8 [AMC Series 70] 1990-01-19 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Sci-Fi marathon] 2006-05-10 … Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA — AC’s Egyptian [70mm festival] 2007-09-24 … San Francisco, CA — Castro [70mm festival; w/ “Starman”] 2008-07-04 … San Francisco, CA — Castro [70mm festival; w/ “Tron”] 2014-05-09 … Seattle, WA — Cinerama [Sci-Fi festival] 2014-07-12 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2014-07-13 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2014-07-23 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival] 2015-08-08 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2015-08-09 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2016-02-26 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival] 2016-03-03 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival] 2018-09-21 … Somerville, MA — Somerville 5 [70mm & Widescreen festival] 2019-08-22 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2019-08-25 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2019-09-06 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2022-06-23 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival; w/ “Here’s Chicago”] 2022-06-26 … Chicago, IL — Music Box [70mm festival; w/ “Here’s Chicago”] 2022-08-05 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2022-08-06 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] 2022-08-07 … New York, NY — Museum of the Moving Image [70mm festival] The information included in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications, regional newspaper promotion, print enclosures, and Dolby records. Special thanks to Jonathan Crist, Thomas Hauerslev, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Ronald A. Lee, Mark Lensenmayer, Scott Neff, Jim Perry, John Sittig, Grant Smith, James Westbrook, Vince Young, and an extra special thank-you to all of the librarians who helped with this project. This article is based upon a previously-published article International 70mm engagements of this title have not been accounted for in this article. If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. |
More in 70mm reading: 25th Anniversary of "Brainstorm"'s 1983 Release "Brainstorm" in 65mm 70mm Cinemas in North America Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films 70mm Engagements 70mm Blow Up List Dolby Stereo |
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