THE 70MM ENGAGEMENTS
Event and prestige movies on occasion are given a deluxe release in addition to a standard release. This section of the article includes a reference/historical listing of the first-run 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo premium-format presentations of Far and Away in the United States and Canada. These were arguably the best theaters in which to have experienced Far and Away and the only way to have faithfully seen the movie’s large-format cinematography or heard the movie’s discrete multichannel audio mix.
Of the 200+ new movies released during 1992, Far and Away was among ten to have 70mm prints prepared for selected engagements and the only one to have been originated in 70mm (65mm). Only about ten percent of Far and Away’s initial print run was in the deluxe 70mm format, which were significantly more expensive and more time- and labor-intensive to manufacture compared with conventional 35mm prints but offered superior image and audio quality.
With a reported 163 large-format prints for North America (and more for international release), this was Universal’s biggest 70mm release in the company’s history and was among the industry’s ten largest 70mm releases.
The 70mm prints of Far and Away were intended to be projected in a 2.20:1 aspect ratio and were derived from 65mm photography, the first English-language production to do so since (portions of) Brainstorm a decade earlier.
The noise-reduction and signal-processing format for the prints was Dolby “A,” and the soundtrack was Dolby processor setting Format 42 (i.e. three discrete screen channels + one discrete surround channel + “baby boom” low-frequency enhancement).
For the release of Far and Away, Universal employed the services of Lucasfilm’s TAP (Theater Alignment Program) to evaluate and approve the theaters selected to book a 70mm print. As well, the movie was booked into as many HPS-4000 and THX-certified venues as possible.
The trailers the distributor circulated with prints of Far and Away included Housesitter and Death Becomes Her.
The listing includes those 70mm engagements that commenced May 22nd, 1992. Not listed are the sneak previews that ran May 9th and/or 16th, pre-release screenings (i.e. premieres, invitational previews, media screenings, etc.) or any of the move-over, second run and international engagements, nor does the listing include any of the movie’s standard 35mm engagements that played most theaters.
So, which North American theaters screened the Panavision Super 70 version of Far and Away?
ALABAMA
- Birmingham — Cobb’s Galleria 10
ALBERTA
- Calgary — Cineplex Odeon’s North Hill
- Edmonton — Cineplex Odeon’s Eaton Centre 9
- Edmonton — Cineplex Odeon’s West Mall 8
ARIZONA
- Phoenix — Harkins’ Cine Capri
- Tucson — Syufy’s Century Gateway 12 [THX]
- Tucson — Syufy’s Century Park 12 [THX]
ARKANSAS
- Little Rock — UA’s Cinema City 7 [THX]
BRITISH COLUMBIA
- Burnaby — Cineplex Odeon’s Station Square 5
- Vancouver — Cineplex Odeon’s Granville 7 [THX]
- Vancouver — Cineplex Odeon’s Oakridge Centre Triplex [THX]
CALIFORNIA
- Anaheim — SoCal’s Cinemapolis 10
- Berkeley — Pacific’s California Triplex
- Burbank — AMC’s Burbank 14
- Corte Madera — Pacific’s Cinema
- Huntington Beach — Edwards’ Charter Centre 5
- La Mesa — Pacific’s Grossmont Mall Triplex
- Lakewood — Pacific’s Lakewood Center 4
- Los Angeles (Century City) — Cineplex Odeon’s Century Plaza 4 [THX]
- Los Angeles (Hollywood) — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome
- Los Angeles (North Hollywood) — Syufy’s Century 7 [THX]
- Los Angeles (Westwood Village) — Mann’s Bruin [THX]
- Mission Viejo — Edwards’ Crown Valley 5
- Mountain View — Syufy’s Century 10
- Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Triplex
- Newark — Syufy’s Cinedome West 7
- Oakland — Renaissance Rialto’s Grand Lake 4
- Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 11
- Pasadena — Pacific’s Hastings 5
- Pleasant Hill — Syufy’s Century 5
- Redwood City — Syufy’s Century Park 12
- Sacramento — Syufy’s Century 6 (#1)
- Sacramento — Syufy’s Century 6 (#2)
- Sacramento — Syufy’s Cinedome 8
- San Francisco — AMC’s Kabuki 8 [THX]
- San Jose — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (#1)
- San Jose — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (#2)
- San Rafael — Pacific’s Regency 6
- San Ramon — Festival’s Crow Canyon 6
- Santa Barbara — Metropolitan’s Arlington
- Santa Barbara — Metropolitan’s Granada (May 16th sneak preview only)
- Universal City — Cineplex Odeon’s Universal City 18 [THX]
COLORADO
- Denver — Mann’s Century 21 [THX]
- Englewood — UA’s Greenwood Plaza 12
CONNECTICUT
- Berlin — National Amusements’ Showcase 12
- East Hartford — National Amusements’ Showcase 12
- Orange — National Amusements’ Showcase 8
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
- Washington — Cineplex Odeon’s Uptown
FLORIDA
- Altamonte Springs — General Cinema’s Altamonte 8
- Fort Lauderdale — AMC’s Coral Ridge 10 [THX]
- Kendall — Wometco’s Kendall 9
- Miami — General Cinema’s Miracle Center 10
- Orlando — AMC’s Fashion Village 8
- Plantation — General Cinema’s Fountains 8 [THX]
- St. Petersburg — AMC’s Crossroads 8
- Tampa — Cineplex Odeon’s Hillsboro 8
- Tampa — Cobb’s Northdale Court 6
GEORGIA
- Atlanta — General Cinema’s Sandy Springs at Parkside 8 [THX]
- Atlanta — Hoyts’ Tara 4
- Duluth — UA’s The Movies at Gwinnett 12
- Kennesaw — Storey’s Town 12
- Tucker — AMC’s Northlake Festival 8
HAWAII
- Honolulu — Consolidated’s Cinerama [HPS-4000]
IDAHO
- Boise — Cineplex Odeon’s 8th St. Market Place Twin
ILLINOIS
- Calumet City — Cineplex Odeon’s River Oaks 12
- Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s 900 N. Michigan Twin (#1)
- Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s 900 N. Michigan Twin (#2)
- Fairview Heights — Wehrenberg’s St. Clair 10
- Niles — Cineplex Odeon’s Golf Mill Triplex
- Norridge — Loews’ Norridge 10
- Northbrook — Cineplex Odeon’s Edens Twin
- Oak Brook — Cineplex Odeon’s Oakbrook 7
- Schaumburg — Cineplex Odeon’s One Schaumburg Place 9 (May 9th sneak preview only)
- Schaumburg — Cineplex Odeon’s Woodfield 9
IOWA
- Des Moines — Carmike’s River Hills
KANSAS
- Overland Park — AMC’s Oak Park Mall 6
- Wichita — Dickinson’s Northrock 6
KENTUCKY
- Louisville — National Amusements’ Showcase 13
LOUISIANA
- Metairie — General Cinema’s Lakeside 5
MANITOBA
- Winnipeg — Cineplex Odeon’s Garrick 4
MARYLAND
- Baltimore — Durkee’s Senator
MASSACHUSETTS
- Boston — Loews’ Charles Triplex
- Brookline — National Amusements’ Showcase Circle 7
- West Springfield — National Amusements’ Showcase 14
- Worcester — National Amusements’ Showcase 4
MICHIGAN
- Bloomfield Hills — National Amusements’ Showcase 12
- Cascade — National Amusements’ Showcase 9
- Sterling Heights — National Amusements’ Showcase 15
- Ypsilanti — National Amusements’ Showcase 14
MINNESOTA
- Edina — Cineplex Odeon’s Edina 4 [THX]
- Roseville — General Cinema’s Har-Mar 11 [THX]
MISSOURI
- Chesterfield — Wehrenberg’s Clarkson 6 [THX]
- Kansas City — AMC’s Metro North Plaza 6
- Kansas City — AMC’s Ward Parkway 12
- Richmond Heights — AMC’s Esquire 7
- Shrewsbury — Wehrenberg’s Kenrick 8 [THX]
- Springfield — Dickinson’s Dickinson 8
NEVADA
- Las Vegas — Syufy’s Cinedome 6
- Las Vegas — Syufy’s Parkway Triplex
NEW JERSEY
- Paramus — Cineplex Odeon’s Route Four 10
- Ridgefield Park — Loews’ Ridgefield Park 10
- Secaucus — Loews’ Meadow Plaza 8
- Wayne — Loews’ Wayne 8
NEW MEXICO
- Albuquerque — General Cinema’s Park Square Triplex
NEW YORK
- Cheektowaga — General Cinema’s Thruway Mall 8 [THX]
- Commack — National Amusements’ Commack 15
- Guilderland — Hoyts’ Crossgates Mall 12
- Hawthorne — National Amusements’ All Westchester Saw Mill 10 [THX]
- Middletown — UA’s The Movies at Middletown 7
- New York (Manhattan) — Cineplex Odeon’s Chelsea 9 [THX]
- New York (Manhattan) — Cineplex Odeon’s Coronet
- New York (Manhattan) — Cineplex Odeon’s Ziegfeld
- New York (Queens) — Cineplex Odeon’s Fresh Meadows 7
- Pittsford — Loews’ Pittsford Triplex
- Rockville Centre — Cineplex Odeon’s Fantasy 5
- Syracuse — Hoyts’ Carousel Center 12
OHIO
- Cincinnati — Loews’ Kenwood Twin
- Cleveland Heights — NTC’s Severance 8 [THX]
- Columbus — Loews’ Continent 9
- North Olmsted — NTC’s Great Northern 7 [THX]
- Toledo — National Amusements’ Showcase 5
OKLAHOMA
- Oklahoma City — General Cinema’s Penn Square Mall 8 [THX]
- Oklahoma City — General Cinema’s Quail Springs Mall 6
ONTARIO
- Hamilton — Cineplex Odeon’s Centre Mall 8
- London — Cineplex Odeon’s Galleria 6
- North York — Cineplex Odeon’s Fairview 6 [THX]
- Ottawa — Cineplex Odeon’s Somerset
- Toronto — Cineplex Odeon’s York Twin
OREGON
- Portland — Act III’s Eastgate Triplex
- Portland — Act III’s Lloyd 10 [THX]
- Tigard — Act III’s Tigard 11 [THX]
PENNSYLVANIA
- Philadelphia — UA’s Riverview Plaza 11
- Pittsburgh — National Amusements’ Showcase East 10
- Pittsburgh — National Amusements’ Showcase West 12
QUEBEC
- Montreal — Cineplex Odeon’s Place Alexis-Nihon Triplex
- Pointe-Claire — Cineplex Odeon’s Pointe-Claire 6 [THX]
RHODE ISLAND
- Warwick — National Amusements’ Showcase 12
TENNESSEE
- Memphis — Malco’s Winchester Court 8 [THX]
TEXAS
- Austin — General Cinema’s Highland 10 [THX]
- Austin — Presidio’s Arbor 7 [THX]
- Dallas — General Cinema’s Northpark West Twin [THX]
- Fort Worth — AMC’s Hulen 10
- Houston — Cineplex Odeon’s River Oaks Plaza 12
- Mesquite — General Cinema’s Town East 5 [THX]
- Plano — Loews’ Chisholm 5
- San Antonio — Santikos’ Embassy 14 [THX]
- San Antonio — Santikos’ Galaxy 14 [THX]
- San Antonio — Santikos’ Northwest 14 [THX]
UTAH
- Riverdale — Cineplex Odeon’s Cinedome Twin
- Salt Lake City — Cineplex Odeon’s Trolley Corners Triplex
- South Salt Lake — Syufy’s Century 9
VIRGINIA
- Arlington — Loews’ Pentagon City 6
- Merrifield — National Amusements’ Arlington Blvd/Lee Highway 14 [THX]
- Norfolk — R/C’s Main Gate 10
- Reston — National Amusements’ Reston Town Center 11
- Richmond — NTI’s Ridge 7
WASHINGTON
- Bellevue — Cineplex Odeon’s John Danz
- Lynnwood — Cineplex Odeon’s Grand Cinemas Alderwood 8
- Renton — General Cinema’s Renton Village 8 [THX]
- Seattle — Cineplex Odeon’s Cinerama
- Vancouver — Act III’s Vancouver Plaza 10 [THX]
WISCONSIN
- Madison — Marcus’ Eastgate 10
- Milwaukee — Marcus’ Northtown 8
- West Allis — Marcus’ Southtown 6
