The following is a reference / historical listing of the 70-millimeter
engagements of “The Hunt for Red October” in the United States and
Canada. These were the cinemas worth seeking out to experience this
motion picture.
“The Hunt for Red October” was among twenty confirmed first-run films
released in 1990 with 70mm prints for selected engagements. The
Paramount release — directed by John McTiernan (“Predator,” “Die Hard”)
and starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin — opened March 2nd.
Pre-release screenings included an invitational preview held February
22nd at the National in Los Angeles and the world premiere held February
27th at the Uptown in Washington, DC.
For the release of “The Hunt for Red October,” Paramount employed the
services of Lucasfilm’s Theatre Alignment Program (TAP) to evaluate and
approve the cinemas selected to book a 70mm print.
The 70mm prints of “The Hunt for Red October” featured Six-Track Dolby
Stereo (“A” encoded Baby Boom format with a split surround playback
option) and full-frame imagery blown up from anamorphic 35mm.
Paramount circulated 70mm Six-Track Dolby coming-attraction trailers for
“Another 48 HRS.,” “Crazy People,” “Days of Thunder,” “Flight of the
Intruder,” “Ghost,” “A Show of Force” and “Tales from the Darkside: The
Movie” during the release of “The Hunt for Red October.” Other studios
circulated 70mm trailers during this period, as well. Ultimately, any
70mm trailers screened during 70mm presentations of “The Hunt for Red
October” varied by venue and screening.
The duration of the engagements (measured in weeks) is included in
parenthesis following the cinema name.
ALBERTA
Calgary — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin (15)
Edmonton — Famous Players’ Paramount (13) [THX]
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver — Famous Players’ Stanley (17) [THX]
CALIFORNIA
La Mesa — Pacific’s Cinema Grossmont (14)
Lakewood — Pacific’s Lakewood Center 4 (10)
Los Angeles — Mann’s National (17) [THX]
Los Angeles — Pacific’s Cinerama Dome (11)
Newport Beach — Edwards’ Newport Triplex (11)
Orange — Syufy’s Century Cinedome 8 (17)
San Francisco — Blumenfeld’s Regency I (15)
San Jose — Syufy’s Century 22 Triplex (15)
Universal City — Cineplex Odeon’s Universal City 18 (11) [THX]
COLORADO
Denver — Mann’s Century 21 (1+) [THX]
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Washington — K-B’s Cinema (14)
ILLINOIS
Chicago — Cineplex Odeon’s McClurg Court Triplex (17) [THX]
NEW YORK
New York — Loews’ 19th Street East 6 (14)
New York — Loews’ 34th Street Showplace Triplex (6)
New York — Loews’ 84th Street 6 (12)
New York — Loews’ Astor Plaza (9)
New York — Loews’ New York Twin (10)
ONTARIO
Ottawa — Famous Players’ Elgin Twin (15)
Toronto — Famous Players’ Eglinton (13) [THX]
QUEBEC
Montreal — Famous Players’ Imperial (13) [THX]
TEXAS
Dallas — UA’s The United Artists 8 (18) [THX]
WASHINGTON
Seattle — Cineplex Odeon’s Cinerama (11)
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.
SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS
1990-05-04 … New York, NY — Guild’s Embassy Triplex (7)
1990-05-11 … San Antonio, TX — Rivercenter IMAX (19)
1990-05-16 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Chinese Triplex (5) [THX]
1990-06-15 … Cleveland, OH — Colony (3)
1990-06-22 … Los Angeles, CA — Cineplex Odeon’s Fairfax Triplex (2)
1990-06-29 … Downers Grove, IL — Classic Cinemas’ Tivoli (3)
1990-06-29 … Los Angeles, CA — Cineplex Odeon’s Century Plaza 4 (2)
[HPS-4000]
1990-07-25 … Norfolk, VA — Naro (2 days)
1990-08-16 … Atlanta, GA — Fox [13th Annual Summer Film Festival]
1990-10-19 … Cleveland, OH — Strosacker [CWRU Film Society series]
1991-02-06 … Toronto, ON — Cinesphere (5 days) [70mm festival]
1991-02-08 … San Antonio, TX — Rivercenter IMAX (2) [Action Film
Festival]
1991-09-06 … Madison, WI — Marcus’ Eastgate 10 (1) [70mm festival]
1992-03-23 … Vancouver, BC — CN IMAX at Canada Place (4 days) [70mm
festival]
1992-11-19 … Atlanta, GA — AMC’s Phipps Plaza 12 [Pre-Grand Opening
festival]
1994-05-07 … Calgary, AB — Famous Players’ Palliser Square Twin
[midnight]
1995-12-09 … Montreal, QC — Famous Players’ Imperial [THX]
1996-07-26 … Dallas, TX — GCC’s Northpark West Twin [Fri-Sat lateshow]
(THX)
1997-01-31 … Chicago, IL — Cineplex Odeon’s Navy Pier IMAX [late night
series]
1997-05-30 … Los Angeles, CA — Mann’s Plaza [Fri-Sat-Sun midnight]
1999-12-10 … Addison, TX — Granada Prestonwood 5 [Fri-Sat-Sun midnight]
2000-07-19 … Austin, TX — Paramount [70mm festival]
2000-09-21 … Columbia Heights, MN — Heights (2) [70mm festival]
2008-12-23 … Los Angeles, CA — Laemmle’s Royal [Laemmle 70th/70mm fest;
w/ “2001”]
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 David Ayers,
Neil S. Bulk, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Eric Lichtenfeld and Brad Miller.
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.
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