“Almost like a real web site”
 

IN7OMM.COM
Search | Contact
News | e-News
Rumour Mill | Stories
Foreign Language
Auf Deutsch

WHAT'S ON IN 7OMM?

7OMM FESTIVAL
Karlsruhe | Gentofte
Krnov | Varnsdorf
Banská Bystrica
Oslo | Bradford

TODD-AO PROCESS
Films | Premiere
People | Equipment
Library | Cinemas
Distortion Correcting
DP70 / AAII Projector
 

VISION, SCOPE & RAMA
1926 Natural Vision
1929 Grandeur
1930 Magnifilm
1930 Realife
1930 Vitascope
1952 Cinerama
1953 CinemaScope
1953 Panavison
1954 VistaVision
1955 Todd-AO
1955 Circle Vision 360
1956 CinemaScope 55
1957 Ultra Panavision 70
1958 Cinemiracle
1958 Kinopanorama
1959 Super Panavision 70
1959 Super Technirama 70
1960 Smell-O-Vision
1961 Sovscope 70
1962
Cinerama 360
1962 MCS-70
1963 70mm Blow Up
1963 Circarama
1963 Circlorama
1966 Dimension 150
1966
Stereo-70
1967 DEFA 70
1967 Pik-A-Movie
1970 IMAX / Omnimax
1974 Cinema 180
1974 SENSURROUND
1976 Dolby Stereo
1984 Showscan
1984 Swissorama
1986 iWERKS
1989 ARRI 765
1990 CDS
1994 DTS / Datasat
2001 Super Dimension 70
2018 Magellan 65

Various Large format | 70mm to 3-strip | 3-strip to 70mm | Specialty Large Format | Special Effects in 65mm | ARC-120 | Early Large Format
7OMM Premiere in Chronological Order

7OMM ON EARTH

Australia | Brazil | Canada | China | Denmark | England | France | Germany | Holland | India | Iran | Israel | Ireland | Mexico | Norway | Poland |  Russia | Spain | Sweden | Turkey | USA |

LIBRARY
7OMM Projectors
People | Eulogy
65mm/70mm Workshop
The 7OMM Newsletter
Back issue | PDF
Academy of the WSW

7OMM NEWS
• 2026 | 2025 | 2024
2023 | 2022 | 2021
2020 | 2019 | 2018
2017 | 2016 | 2015
2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009
2008 | 2007 | 2006
2005 | 2004 | 2003
2002 | 2001 | 2000
1999 | 1998 | 1997
1996 | 1995 | 1994
 

in70mm.com Mission:
• To record the history of the large format movies and the 70mm cinemas as remembered by the people who worked with the films. Both during making and during running the films in projection rooms and as the audience, looking at the curved screen.
in70mm.com, a unique internet based magazine, with articles about 70mm cinemas, 70mm people, 70mm films, 70mm sound, 70mm film credits, 70mm history and 70mm technology. Readers and fans of 70mm are always welcome to contribute.

Disclaimer | Updates
Support us | Staff
Testimonials
Table of Content
 

 
 
Extracts and longer parts of in70mm.com may be reprinted with the written permission from the editor.
Copyright © 1800 - 2070. All rights reserved.

Visit biografmuseet.dk about Danish cinemas

 

The Remains of Odeon, Tottenham Court Road, London
Home of "Windjammer"

Read more at
in70mm.com
The 70mm Newsletter
Images and text by: John Newman Date: August 15, 2003
Odeon, Tottenham Court Road, London car park 2003

I recall seeing "Windjammer" when it was presented in London Odeon Tottenham Court Rd. Strangely enough I now work near the site of this Odeon - now a Car Park by University of London Hospital (a sign says "Odeon Car Park").

No, not a drive-in - but this dusty car park is all that's left of the shell of the Odeon Tottenham Court Road, which in it's heyday showcased the London Presentation of "Windjammer" in Cinemiracle.

All that remains is a side wall which still shows the rake of the stalls with the original blue 3ft high paint of (presumably the side exit corridor) this runs down to part of the left side of the proscenium arch. It  maybe just a car park but it brings back memories....

The Cinemiracle system was not all that brilliant but I enjoyed the showmanship and the big screen. I remember one scene where Grieg's Piano concerto was played on shore alongside a tall-ship. The sound quality was good but the mirror system for A & C projectors still had the obvious 3 strip process joins.
 
Further in 70mm reading:

"Windjammer" in Cinemiracle

"Windjammer" cast and credit
70mm Film in London

 
Side of Proscenium Arch and Car Park sign ("Odeon Car Park")

It's all a long time ago now, but it's funny how having re-discovered this location by chance - on seeing that Odeon Car park reference, it suddenly dawned on me that, yes, this is where I saw "Windjammer" in Cinemiracle one afternoon during the school holidays. I'd already seen "This is Cinerama" and this was the latest deep screen offering and we enjoyed every minute of it. Looking about, brought it all back.

Totally neglected now, this remnant is all that's left of the original proscenium arch (left side), once home to the giant deep curved Cinemiracle screen. Odeon in Tottenham Court Road (at south east corner of Grafton Way intersection). 

This small sign is the only acknowledgement of a showbiz past - all far from the salty spray of the three panel "Windjammer" epic.
 
Frame grab from a 16mm film made in 1958 by Bill Levis. Courtesy George Florence, Melbourne, Australia, 2024
 
 

Odeon, Tottenham Court Road Facts

 
"What's On" June 13, 1958. Editors collection, courtesy Tony Sloman

Opened February 10, 1936. Closed March 5, 1960. 2568 seats, reduced to around 1700 for "Windjammer". Cinemiracle screen size: 21,5 x 8,6 m (71 ft x 28˝ ft). Original name was "Paramount". Renamed Odeon in November 1946.
 
 

I too always get a "nostalgia twinge"

 
"What's On" September 12, 1958.

October 3, 2003

I too always get a "nostalgia twinge" whenever I pass that sunken car park on Tottenham Court Road. The screening of "Windjammer" was one of the last examples of cinema showmanship. The theatre's entire lobby was reconstructed to resemble the interior of a ship. After buying their ticket and in order to enter the auditorium, patrons had to walk across a bridge of wooden planks. An usher dressed in naval uniform tore the ticket in half. When the start of the performance was imminent, a large brass bell located beside the bridge was rung. Today, this all sounds a trifle ridiculous, but at that time The Kinematograph Weekly always included a "Showmanship" page and made awards to cinema managers throughout the country who devised the most original and imaginative publicity campaigns in order to promote their current offerings.

All The Best
Howard Rust
 
 
   
   
Go: back - top - back issues - news index
Updated 28-07-24