These were nice theatres. There were Ultravision theatres in Va Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News, Virginia and opened in the early ‘70s. I don’t think any of these had 70mm capacity, but they were impressive. Unfortunately the kind of spectacular films that would showcase the big screen were fairly rare in that era and as the theatres got older and changed hands less care was taken with lamphouses, so the image tended to be somewhat dim. The final blow was the attempt to split the theatres. Since the auditoriums were round the split was handled awkwardly and instead of re-arranging the seating, they just left it was it was, meaning the seats did not directly face the screen… I am sure plenty of patrons got sore necks.
I don’t think Norfolk got that much snow, but in Richmond we had close to ten inches in places. As for the Rosna, that area is still not that great, not a place I think you’d be able to convince people to come even during the day, much less at night. It is a nice dream though…. wish it could happen.
To Rhett39 : It is indeed possible that GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH could have, at least partially, influenced the Indy costume since it is a matter of record that it was the first movie Spielberg ever saw as a child.
I agree Howard. I doubt any DLP system currently in existence can hope to match the quality of the 70mm presentations I have seen there over the years. But…. DLP may be the best we can hope for. Apparently are no plans for a 70mm run of 2001 for the 40th anniversary…. people must prefer 10000 BC. Guess that about says it all about the drop in quality of presentation as well as content and audience tastes in the last four decades.
It is odd that in my copy of BEST REMAINING SEATS, which I bought over 30 years ago, the caption says he is making “Boston Baked Paper towels”. For years I have wondered if that was a typo or what. Anyone have the same printing?
Here is an interesting item from a site concerning the Riverview area in Norfolk where the theatre was located:
“The Riverview was once a state-of-the-art movie theater. The Sound of Music opened at the Riverview theater on April 7, 1965. It ran there for nearly three years reportedly breaking all national records for the longest continuous run of this musical. Mal Vincent once reported in a Virginian-Pilot article, "The Riverview kept a lone print of the movie so long that the studio, 20th Century Fox, finally threatened court action to retrieve it.
It was common for patrons to return to see the movie many times. In the same article Mal wrote, “Lola Newton, the concession stand worker at the Riverview, told the press that she saw the movie twice a day, six days a week throughout the run—well over 990 times.”
I only saw three movies there…. the road show of HELLO DOLLY (sadly a 35mm print though it was in stereo sound—-I still have the special program that was sold there), NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA, and a reissue of PORGY AND BESS. Wish it could be restored though the odds seem to be against it.
I was there for the Saturday screening of BLADE RUNNER and the projection and sound were great. Let us hope that this theatre stays open. There is nothing like seeing a film on the giant curved screen.
One detail in this theatre’s description needs to be corrected. The sound process used in 1940 for FANTASIA was Fantasound, not Perspecta Sound. Perspecta Sound was a pseudo-stereo system used in the 1950’s which used a monoaural optical soundtrack and created a stereo effect by pushing the sound around to one or more speakers using subaudible tones. From all accounts it was an inferior process. Fantasound on the other hand was a unique system which was really the first attempt to do anything like surround sound effects.
Only a handful of theatres were equipped for this in 1940, so that is some special to note about this theatre.
I agree about AFI Silver and 70mm showings. There are some great newly struck 70mm prints out there of classic titles…. like SOUTH PACIFIC and CLEOPATRA… that are being shown elsewhere to great acclaim. I realize these prints are expensive to ship and require special handing as they are increasingly rare, but that is the kind of thing one would expect AFI to do. An 80’s retrospective???? NOT my idea of film classics, but I guess the idea is to get younger audiences in the door….even if the films are junk. Of course, the dream 70mm festival would be at the Uptown on that giant screen, but sadly the way that theatre is currently run, with new prints regularly damaged, I doubt they would be allowed access to the 70mm prints.
Is the AVALON even still equipped for 70mm? I had understood that when Loew’s Cineplex closed it, they ripped out everything, including the projectors. The last 70mm presentation there that I recall was the 1996 Kenneth Branaugh version of HAMLET. This film was also the last film to be entirely shot on 65mm negative (parts of THE NEW WORLD were shot this way). Most films shown in 70mm in the 70’s through the 90’s were blow ups from 35mm sources. Overall I think the Avalon theatre project has done a great job.
Here in Richmond, Va, the Byrd theatre is nice palace which recently got a major upgrade to Dolby Digital. The foundation for this theatre has recently been able to start plans to actually buy this theatre and do further renovations, after years of negotiations. On Saturday nights they also play the Wurltizer. All for two bucks.
And in DC—– definitely try to get to the Uptown. Though currently poorly managed by AMC, their 70 foot Cinerama screen (no longer made of strips of material, but otherwise authentic)is a thriller and the sound is great. This may be the last such screen extant on the east coast. And since AMC is not renewing their lease when it expires early next year, the days may be numbered for the Uptown. Also in DC… the Avalon, an old neighborhood theatre re-opened by a local group. And the AFI Silver, the main auditorium is a restored art deco marvel designed by Eberson…. and they are equipped for just about every film format except three projector Cinerama.
gb
Any more word about if and when AMC is going to close the Uptown? I saw DREAMGIRLS last weekend there myself and noticed the scratched print…. something that wouldn’t have happened with a real projectionist and would have never been tolerated in the past. It is a great and rare venue, it is too bad the people who own it do not appreciate it.
I believe the opening attraction for the Star Twin was the Russian version of WAR AND PEACE. The American version was around six hours long (the Russian is closer to eight), shown in two parts with each of the two auditoriums showing a different section. The only time I remember going there was to see THX-1138 in 1971.
Wow— thanks for the info. When I was growing up I visited the Rosele, Memrose, Riverview, Newport, and Colony. Had I not been afraid of the huge outdoor display of the giant dragons outside, I would have seen WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM at the Rosna in Cinerama. I had to wait until about a decade ago to see three panel Cinerama, with THIS IS CINERAMA and HOW THE WEST WAS WON screened at the New Neon theatre in Dayton, Ohio. Is it possible that you might have the addresses of any or all of the theatres in your post? Thanks.
Someone from Norfolk will need to clarify this, but I remember hearing a story one that the man who owned this theatre also owned the Rosna and named his theatres for his wife, Rose. And I think he owned a few other theatres in Norfolk as well. Anyone from the area know the story????
Gee—– wish I was closer to NY State… what a great program listing!!! I did see BECKET on a widescreen vhs ( I guess derived from the laserdisc) about eight years ago, rather less than the perfect presentation, though it did have a stereo track. Didn’t BECKET get blown up to 70mm for some of its initial engagements?
One minor note: THE PINK PANTHER was shot in Technirama not Panavision.
The Uptown Theater and “Superman Returns ” battled more than Lex Luthor last week.
On opening day, the historic Cleveland Park theater blew a fuse before the show and sent disappointed matinee fans into the streets. On Saturday, the afternoon crowd was on the edge of its seats as Lois Lane , her young son and her boyfriend were trapped inside a sinking yacht … then the screen turned into a blob of yellow, and a voice in the dark said ominously, “Short delay … technical difficulties.” Turns out the film snapped in two; unhappy audience members got vouchers for another screening.
Same day, three hours later: The date-night crowd endured a 35-minute delay, an extended intermission to change reels, and an overheated auditorium.
An AMC spokeswoman says heat and humidity caused the film to warp, thus the problems. By Sunday, replacement reels had arrived to let “Superman” once again fly high.
Somehow I have to wonder if all these incidents were caused by heat and humidity or maybe the lack of professional projectionists at this theatre.
These were nice theatres. There were Ultravision theatres in Va Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News, Virginia and opened in the early ‘70s. I don’t think any of these had 70mm capacity, but they were impressive. Unfortunately the kind of spectacular films that would showcase the big screen were fairly rare in that era and as the theatres got older and changed hands less care was taken with lamphouses, so the image tended to be somewhat dim. The final blow was the attempt to split the theatres. Since the auditoriums were round the split was handled awkwardly and instead of re-arranging the seating, they just left it was it was, meaning the seats did not directly face the screen… I am sure plenty of patrons got sore necks.
Anyone know if AMC has gotten the new bulb or is the image still dim?Are they going to keep it open or what?
Bob—–
I don’t think Norfolk got that much snow, but in Richmond we had close to ten inches in places. As for the Rosna, that area is still not that great, not a place I think you’d be able to convince people to come even during the day, much less at night. It is a nice dream though…. wish it could happen.
I remember seeing THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE at the Newport in 1967 where it was shown as a roadshow. I don’t recall when it finally closed.
So what is the status with AMC? A few months ago it was said the lease was expiring and the Uptown would close. Or have they decided to stick with it?
Wow…. it amazes me how often, even in the 70’s, this theatre was closed for weeks, even months, at a time.
To Rhett39 : It is indeed possible that GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH could have, at least partially, influenced the Indy costume since it is a matter of record that it was the first movie Spielberg ever saw as a child.
I agree Howard. I doubt any DLP system currently in existence can hope to match the quality of the 70mm presentations I have seen there over the years. But…. DLP may be the best we can hope for. Apparently are no plans for a 70mm run of 2001 for the 40th anniversary…. people must prefer 10000 BC. Guess that about says it all about the drop in quality of presentation as well as content and audience tastes in the last four decades.
It is odd that in my copy of BEST REMAINING SEATS, which I bought over 30 years ago, the caption says he is making “Boston Baked Paper towels”. For years I have wondered if that was a typo or what. Anyone have the same printing?
Here is an interesting item from a site concerning the Riverview area in Norfolk where the theatre was located:
“The Riverview was once a state-of-the-art movie theater. The Sound of Music opened at the Riverview theater on April 7, 1965. It ran there for nearly three years reportedly breaking all national records for the longest continuous run of this musical. Mal Vincent once reported in a Virginian-Pilot article, "The Riverview kept a lone print of the movie so long that the studio, 20th Century Fox, finally threatened court action to retrieve it.
It was common for patrons to return to see the movie many times. In the same article Mal wrote, “Lola Newton, the concession stand worker at the Riverview, told the press that she saw the movie twice a day, six days a week throughout the run—well over 990 times.”
I only saw three movies there…. the road show of HELLO DOLLY (sadly a 35mm print though it was in stereo sound—-I still have the special program that was sold there), NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA, and a reissue of PORGY AND BESS. Wish it could be restored though the odds seem to be against it.
Great article on front page today about the impending opening of the National in February 08 in todays Richmond Times Dispatch.
Here is a link:
View link
I was there for the Saturday screening of BLADE RUNNER and the projection and sound were great. Let us hope that this theatre stays open. There is nothing like seeing a film on the giant curved screen.
One detail in this theatre’s description needs to be corrected. The sound process used in 1940 for FANTASIA was Fantasound, not Perspecta Sound. Perspecta Sound was a pseudo-stereo system used in the 1950’s which used a monoaural optical soundtrack and created a stereo effect by pushing the sound around to one or more speakers using subaudible tones. From all accounts it was an inferior process. Fantasound on the other hand was a unique system which was really the first attempt to do anything like surround sound effects.
Only a handful of theatres were equipped for this in 1940, so that is some special to note about this theatre.
It was announced on the news tonight that they will be having an open house on Saturday October 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. What great news!
I agree about AFI Silver and 70mm showings. There are some great newly struck 70mm prints out there of classic titles…. like SOUTH PACIFIC and CLEOPATRA… that are being shown elsewhere to great acclaim. I realize these prints are expensive to ship and require special handing as they are increasingly rare, but that is the kind of thing one would expect AFI to do. An 80’s retrospective???? NOT my idea of film classics, but I guess the idea is to get younger audiences in the door….even if the films are junk. Of course, the dream 70mm festival would be at the Uptown on that giant screen, but sadly the way that theatre is currently run, with new prints regularly damaged, I doubt they would be allowed access to the 70mm prints.
Is the AVALON even still equipped for 70mm? I had understood that when Loew’s Cineplex closed it, they ripped out everything, including the projectors. The last 70mm presentation there that I recall was the 1996 Kenneth Branaugh version of HAMLET. This film was also the last film to be entirely shot on 65mm negative (parts of THE NEW WORLD were shot this way). Most films shown in 70mm in the 70’s through the 90’s were blow ups from 35mm sources. Overall I think the Avalon theatre project has done a great job.
Here in Richmond, Va, the Byrd theatre is nice palace which recently got a major upgrade to Dolby Digital. The foundation for this theatre has recently been able to start plans to actually buy this theatre and do further renovations, after years of negotiations. On Saturday nights they also play the Wurltizer. All for two bucks.
And in DC—– definitely try to get to the Uptown. Though currently poorly managed by AMC, their 70 foot Cinerama screen (no longer made of strips of material, but otherwise authentic)is a thriller and the sound is great. This may be the last such screen extant on the east coast. And since AMC is not renewing their lease when it expires early next year, the days may be numbered for the Uptown. Also in DC… the Avalon, an old neighborhood theatre re-opened by a local group. And the AFI Silver, the main auditorium is a restored art deco marvel designed by Eberson…. and they are equipped for just about every film format except three projector Cinerama.
gb
Any more word about if and when AMC is going to close the Uptown? I saw DREAMGIRLS last weekend there myself and noticed the scratched print…. something that wouldn’t have happened with a real projectionist and would have never been tolerated in the past. It is a great and rare venue, it is too bad the people who own it do not appreciate it.
Does anyone have any new news about AMC possibly closing the Uptown?
I believe the opening attraction for the Star Twin was the Russian version of WAR AND PEACE. The American version was around six hours long (the Russian is closer to eight), shown in two parts with each of the two auditoriums showing a different section. The only time I remember going there was to see THX-1138 in 1971.
Ditto to that request for the article about Norfolk movie theatres.
Wow— thanks for the info. When I was growing up I visited the Rosele, Memrose, Riverview, Newport, and Colony. Had I not been afraid of the huge outdoor display of the giant dragons outside, I would have seen WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM at the Rosna in Cinerama. I had to wait until about a decade ago to see three panel Cinerama, with THIS IS CINERAMA and HOW THE WEST WAS WON screened at the New Neon theatre in Dayton, Ohio. Is it possible that you might have the addresses of any or all of the theatres in your post? Thanks.
Someone from Norfolk will need to clarify this, but I remember hearing a story one that the man who owned this theatre also owned the Rosna and named his theatres for his wife, Rose. And I think he owned a few other theatres in Norfolk as well. Anyone from the area know the story????
Gee—– wish I was closer to NY State… what a great program listing!!! I did see BECKET on a widescreen vhs ( I guess derived from the laserdisc) about eight years ago, rather less than the perfect presentation, though it did have a stereo track. Didn’t BECKET get blown up to 70mm for some of its initial engagements?
One minor note: THE PINK PANTHER was shot in Technirama not Panavision.
An item from today’s Washington Post:
Look! Up in the Sky, It’s … Nothing
The Uptown Theater and “Superman Returns ” battled more than Lex Luthor last week.
On opening day, the historic Cleveland Park theater blew a fuse before the show and sent disappointed matinee fans into the streets. On Saturday, the afternoon crowd was on the edge of its seats as Lois Lane , her young son and her boyfriend were trapped inside a sinking yacht … then the screen turned into a blob of yellow, and a voice in the dark said ominously, “Short delay … technical difficulties.” Turns out the film snapped in two; unhappy audience members got vouchers for another screening.
Same day, three hours later: The date-night crowd endured a 35-minute delay, an extended intermission to change reels, and an overheated auditorium.
An AMC spokeswoman says heat and humidity caused the film to warp, thus the problems. By Sunday, replacement reels had arrived to let “Superman” once again fly high.
Somehow I have to wonder if all these incidents were caused by heat and humidity or maybe the lack of professional projectionists at this theatre.