The
following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter
engagements of “Blue Thunder” in the United States and Canada. These were
the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this motion picture.
“Blue Thunder” was among thirteen confirmed first-run films released in 1983
with 70mm prints for selected engagements. The RASTAR-Gordon Carroll
production and Columbia release — directed by John Badham (“WarGames,”
“Stakeout”) and starring Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Daniel
Stern and Malcolm McDowell — opened May 13th.
Prior to the release of “Blue Thunder” there was a series of 70mm sneak
preview screenings held in numerous locales. (Note that many of the 70mm
sneak preview screenings were held in markets that ultimately played the
film upon its release only in 35mm.) As well, the film’s U.S. premiere was
held April 13th at the Avco Center as the Opening Night feature of the Los
Angeles International Film Exposition (FILMEX). Other pre-release screenings
included a screening April 29th at the Inwood in Dallas during the USA Film
Festival and an Invitational Preview May 5th at the Samuel Goldwyn in
Beverly Hills.
The 70mm prints of “Blue Thunder” featured Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A”
encoded Baby Boom format) and full-frame imagery blown up from anamorphic
35mm.
(Note that some venues screened 70mm-Dolby prints 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 Baby Boom and Dolby Noise Reduction so that it could be played on a
cinema’s older, pre-Dolby-era sound system.)
Columbia circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for “Krull,”
“The Man Who Loved Women” and “The Survivors” during the release of “Blue
Thunder.” Other studios circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as
well. Ultimately, any 70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of
“Blue Thunder” varied by venue and screening.
The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in
parenthesis following the applicable cinema name.
70mm Sneak Preview Screenings…
1983-01-28 … Boston, MA — Sack’s Cinema 57 Twin
1983-01-28 … Kansas City, MO — Commonwealth’s Bannister Mall 5
1983-01-28 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex
1983-01-28 … Metairie, LA — GCC’s Lakeside 5
1983-01-28 … Minneapolis, MN — Plitt’s Skyway 4
1983-01-28 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin
1983-01-28 … Philadelphia, PA — Sameric’s SamEric Triplex
1983-01-28 … San Francisco, CA — UA’s Coronet
1983-01-28 … Skokie, IL — M&R’s Old Orchard 4
1983-01-28 … Southfield, MI — NGT’s Americana 4
1983-01-28 … Springdale, OH — Redstone’s Showcase 7
1983-01-28 … Washington, DC — Circle’s MacArthur Triplex
1983-04-13 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex [FILMEX]
1983-04-29 … Calgary, AB — Canadian Odeon’s North Hill
1983-04-29 … Dallas, TX — Landmark’s Inwood Triplex [USA Film Festival]
1983-04-29 … Holladay, UT — Mann’s Cottonwood 4
1983-04-29 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex
1983-04-29 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Chinese Triplex
1983-04-29 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada
1983-04-29 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin
1983-04-29 … Pasadena, CA — SRO’s Hastings
1983-04-29 … San Diego, CA — Mann’s Cinema 21
1983-04-29 … San Francisco, CA — Plitt’s Northpoint
1983-04-29 … Vancouver, BC — Canadian Odeon’s Vogue
1983-05-05 … Beverly Hills, CA — AMPAS’ Samuel Goldwyn [invitational
preview]
1983-05-07 … Los Angeles, CA — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex
1983-05-07 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Chinese Triplex
1983-05-07 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada
1983-05-07 … New York, NY — Loews’ State Twin
1983-05-07 … Ottawa, ON — Canadian Odeon’s Somerset
1983-05-07 … Pasadena, CA — SRO’s Hastings
1983-05-07 … San Francisco, CA — Plitt’s Northpoint
1983-05-07 … Toronto, ON — Canadian Odeon’s York Twin
1983-05-07 … Tucson, AZ — Plitt’s El Dorado Twin
1983-05-07 … Vancouver, BC — Canadian Odeon’s Vogue
Opened in 70mm on Friday, May 13th, 1983, in the following cinemas…
ALBERTA
Calgary — Canadian Odeon’s North Hill (6)
Edmonton — Canadian Odeon’s Meadowlark (7)
ARIZONA
Tucson — Plitt’s El Dorado Twin (9)
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver — Canadian Odeon’s Park (11)
CALIFORNIA
Costa Mesa — Edwards’ South Coast Plaza Triplex (5)
Daly City — Plitt’s Plaza Twin (6)
Los Angeles — GCC’s Avco Center Triplex (6)
Los Angeles — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (5)
Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Twin (5)
Orange — Syufy’s Cinedome 6 (6)
Pasadena — SRO’s Hastings (6)
San Diego — Mann’s Cinema 21 (9)
San Francisco — Plitt’s Northpoint (6)
San Jose — Syufy’s Town & Country (9)
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington — Circle’s Tenley Triplex (6)
FLORIDA
Bay Harbor Islands — Loews’ Bay Harbor Twin (6)
Coral Gables — GCC’s Riviera Twin (6)
HAWAII
Honolulu — Consolidated’s Waikiki Twin (6)
MANITOBA
Winnipeg — Canadian Odeon’s Garrick 4 (7)
MARYLAND
Catonsville — Westview 6 (6)
MASSACHUSETTS
Boston — Sack’s Cinema 57 Twin (4)
NEW YORK
New York — Loews’ 34th Street Showplace Triplex (5)
New York — Loews’ Orpheum Twin (4)
New York — Loews’ State Twin (6)
ONTARIO
Ottawa — Canadian Odeon’s St. Laurent Twin (7)
Toronto — Canadian Odeon’s York Twin (7)
QUEBEC
Montreal — Canadian Odeon’s Place du Canada (5)
WASHINGTON
Tukwila — SRO’s Southcenter (9) [70mm from Week 8]
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…
1983-06-08 … New York, NY — Loews’ New York Twin (7)
1983-06-17 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Fox (2)
1983-06-17 … Montreal, QC — Canadian Odeon’s Cote-des-Neiges Twin (2)
1983-06-24 … Calgary, AB — Canadian Odeon’s Southland 4 (1)
1983-07-15 … Tukwila — SRO’s Lewis & Clark 7 (2)
1983-07-22 … Cleveland, OH — Colony (1)
1984-02-03 … Cleveland, OH — CWRU’s Strosacker [CWRU Film Society series]
1984-01-11 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival]
2008-07-01 … San Francisco, CA — Castro [70mm festival; w/ “2010” (canceled)]
2011-06-19 … Los Angeles, CA — Egyptian [70mm festival; w/”The
Untouchables”]
2017-09-27 … Somerville, MA — Somerville 5 [70mm & Widescreen festival]
The information included in this article was principally referenced from
film industry trade publications, regional newspaper promotion, print
enclosures, TAP records, and Dolby records. Special thanks to Bill Kallay
and Bill Kretzel.
International 70mm presentations 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.
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More in 70mm reading:
70mm Engagements
70mm Blow Up List
Internet link:
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