“Die Hard”: The North American 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 17.08.2025 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter engagements of “Die Hard” in the United States and Canada. These were the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this motion picture.“Die Hard” was among twelve confirmed first-run films released in 1988 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. The 20th Century Fox release — directed by John McTiernan (“Predator,” “The Hunt for Red October”) and starring Bruce Willis — opened July 15th exclusively in 70mm preceding a mostly-35mm nationwide rollout July 20th. For the release of “Die Hard,” Fox employed the services of Lucasfilm’s Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) to evaluate and approve the cinemas selected to book a 70mm print. Pre-release screenings included an invitational preview held July 7th at Samuel Goldwyn in Beverly Hills, the film’s world premiere held July 12th at Avco Center in Los Angeles, and sneak preview screenings in selected markets July 13th. The 70mm prints of “Die Hard” featured magnetic Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format [Dolby processor setting “42”]) and 2.20:1 imagery blown up from anamorphic 35mm and provided a superior projection and sound experience in comparison to the film’s 35mm prints. Note that some cinemas may have 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 may have 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. Fox circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for “Alien Nation,” “Cocoon: The Return” and “Young Guns” during the release of “Die Hard.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of “Die Hard” varied by venue and screening. The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in parenthesis following the applicable cinema name. BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver — Cineplex Odeon’s Granvillle 7 (14) [THX] CALIFORNIA Los Angeles — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex (16) [THX] San Francisco — UA’s Coronet (10) San Jose — Syufy’s Town & Country (12) COLORADO Denver — Commonwealth’s Continental (10) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington — Cineplex Odeon’s Wisconsin Avenue 6 (10) [THX] FLORIDA Kendall — Wometco’s Dadeland Triplex (12) GEORGIA Atlanta — UA’s Lenox Square 6 (16) ILLINOIS Schaumburg — Cineplex Odeon’s Woodfield 4 (12) MASSACHUSETTS Boston — USA’s Cinema 57 Twin (11) MINNESOTA Bloomington — GCC’s Southtown Twin (12) MISSOURI Richmond Heights — AMC’s Esquire Triplex (12) NEW YORK New York — Cineplex Odeon’s Baronet (11) New York — UA/Moss’ Criterion Center 6 (17) OHIO Cincinnati — Loews’ Kenwood Twin (11) ONTARIO Toronto — Cineplex Odeon’s Pantages (6) [THX] PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia — Sameric’s SamEric 4 (16) QUEBEC Montreal — Cineplex Odeon’s Place Alexis-Nihon Triplex (16) [THX] TEXAS Dallas — GCC’s Northpark West Twin (14) [THX] Houston — Cineplex Odeon’s Spectrum 8 (14) [THX] WASHINGTON Seattle — UA’s Cinema 150 (9) 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 (or movement out of a branded auditorium) has been included in the duration figure. ADDITIONAL/SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS 1988-07-20 … Calgary, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s North Hill (5) 1988-07-20 … Edmonton, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s West Mall 8 (21) 1988-07-20 … Egg Harbor, NJ — Frank’s Towne 16 (18) [70mm Weeks 9-15] 1988-07-20 … Seattle, WA — Cineplex Odeon/SRO’s Oak Tree 6 (13) [70mm Weeks 9-13] 1988-07-29 … Edmonton, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Eaton Centre 9 (14) [THX] 1988-08-26 … Calgary, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Northland Village 5 (11) [THX] 1988-08-26 … Toronto, ON — Cineplex Odeon’s Eaton Centre 18 (1) 1988-09-02 … Toronto, ON — Cineplex Odeon’s Hyland Twin (7) 1988-09-09 … El Paso, TX — GCC’s Cielo Vista 10 (4) 1988-10-07 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (1) 1988-10-14 … San Jose, CA — Syufy’s Century 23 Twin (3) 1988-11-04 … Cleveland, OH — Colony (1) 1988-11-04 … Edmonton, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Meadowlark (3) 1988-11-04 … Montreal, QC — Cineplex Odeon’s Place du Canada (3) 1988-12-16 … Norfolk, VA — Naro (2 days) 1989-02-01 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (12 days) [70mm festival] 1989-03-24 … San Antonio, TX — Rivercenter IMAX (1) [70mm festival] 1989-03-29 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival] 1990-01-27 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (2 days) [70mm festival] 1992-04-06 … Vancouver, BC — CN IMAX (4 days) 1996-01-03 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere [70mm festival] 1996-06-21 … Dallas, TX — GCC’s Northpark West Twin [Fri-Sat lateshow] (35mm substitution) 1996-07-06 … Calgary, AB — Cineplex Odeon’s Eau Claire Market 5 [midnight] 1996-11-15 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Plaza [Fri-Sat late shows] 2004-12-07 … Los Angeles, CA — Linwood Dunn [AMPAS staff screening w/ “Lethal Weapon”] 2016-02-04 … Portland, OR — Hollywood [35mm substitution] 2025-07-19 … Los Angeles, CA — Egyptian [70mm festival] 2025-07-22 … Santa Monica, CA — Aero [70mm festival] The information included in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications, regional newspaper promotion, print enclosures, TAP records, Dolby records, etc. Special thanks to Dan Halsted, Fritz Herzog, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Morgan Montague and Jim Perry. 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: Remembering "Die Hard" 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 70mm Cinemas in North America in70mm.com's list of films blown up to 70mm 70mm Engagements by Title 35mm to 70mm Engagements by Year Large Format 7OMM Engagements Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films 70mm Blow Up List |
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