What follows is a chronology of 70mm six-track
stereophonic sound feature-film presentations in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
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.
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
ERIC
4400 Derry Street (East Park Center)
1,350 seats (original single-screen configuration)
Ownership timeline: SamEric 1963-88, Creative Ent. 1988-90, UA 1990-94
TRANS-LUX
200 Colonial Park Plaza
1,000 seats (original single-screen configuration)
Ownership timeline: Trans-Lux 1966-??, SamEric 19??-86
Part 2: The 70mm Presentations
Opening date YYYY-MM-DD
TITLE
cinema (duration in weeks) [notes]
* Reserved-seat engagement (i.e. roadshow)
# Presentation not explicitly or consistently promoted as 70mm suggesting
presentation may have been 35mm
1963-07-10
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
Eric (6)
1964-01-17
SPARTACUS
Eric (1)
1964-02-05
WEST SIDE STORY
Eric (1)
1964-02-26
OKLAHOMA!
Eric (1)
1964-05-14
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
Eric (1)
1965-07-14
THE SOUND OF MUSIC*
Eric (67)
1966-09-21
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO*
Trans-Lux (26) #
1966-12-21
THE SOUND OF MUSIC*
Eric (8)
1967-02-14
HAWAII*
Eric (19) #
1967-03-21
THE SAND PEBBLES*
Trans-Lux (9) #
1967-05-24
GRAND PRIX*
Trans-Lux (13)
1967-09-27
THE BIBLE*
Eric (12)
1967-12-22
GONE WITH THE WIND*
Trans-Lux (20)
1968-02-14
CAMELOT*
Eric (19)
1968-06-12
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY*
Trans-Lux (15)
1968-06-26
DOCTOR DOLITTLE*
Eric (9) #
1968-09-25
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
Eric (1)
1969-01-29
ICE STATION ZEBRA*
Trans-Lux (7)
1969-02-05
STAR!*
Eric (6)
1969-06-19
SWEET CHARITY*
Eric (5)
1969-07-30
KRAKATOA EAST OF JAVA
Trans-Lux (4)
1970-??-??
GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS
cinema (?)
1970-??-??
HELLO, DOLLY!
cinema (?)
1970-??-??
PAINT YOUR WAGON
cinema (?)
1970-??-??
PATTON
cinema (?)
1970-??-??
SONG OF NORWAY
cinema (?)
1982-03-19
QUEST FOR FIRE
Eric (1+)
1983-05-25
RETURN OF THE JEDI
Eric (18)
1983-09-30
BRAINSTORM
Eric (1+)
1984-12-07
2010
Eric (1+)
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 distributors 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.
During the roadshow era, the reserved-seat policy, in some instances, was
relaxed during the summer and/or latter weeks of the run. Any non-roadshow
portion of such an engagement has been included in the applicable duration
figure.
References: Various issues of The (Harrisburg) Evening News and The
(Harrisburg) Patriot-News, plus projection and sound system trade
advertisements and installation records.
Special thanks: Jonathan Crist and Dauphin County Library.
If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please
consider emailing the
author or editor.
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list of films blown up to 70mm
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35mm to
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Month by
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Dolby
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