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A year-by-year, film-by-film history of 70-millimeter wide gauge exhibition in New York City & Vicinity

 

 Compiled by Michael Coate and William Kallay

 


 

1979

 

 

April 11:

THE EXORCIST  (Re-Issue)

Spherical Blow-Up* / Six-Track Dolby Stereo*

Warner Bros.

“See and hear the Devil for the first time in 70mm and Dolby Stereo”

 

Manhattan: [RKO] Cinerama I*

Manhattan: [UA] Gemini I*

Manhattan: [Cinema 5] Murray Hill*

 

*70mm presentations unconfirmed — Newspaper advertisements inconsistently and ambiguously promoted the 70mm format during course of engagements

 

[Also see 1996 “Warner Bros. Classics” entry]

 

 

 

 

April 12:

HURRICANE

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

Paramount

“There is only one safe place…in each other’s arms.”

 

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Bay

Manhattan: [Loews] Orpheum

Manhattan: [Loews] State 1

 

 

 

 

May 25:

ALIEN

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

20th Century-Fox

“In Space No One Can Hear You Scream”

 

Edison: [GCC] Menlo Park

Manhattan: [B.S. Moss] Criterion

Manhattan: [Loews] New York 2

Manhattan: [Loews] Orpheum

Paramus: [RKO] Paramus Quad

Syosset: [UA] Syosset

 

Additional 70mm Engagements

Cedar Grove: [Colonial] Cinema 23  (July 27)

Manhattan: [Trans-Lux] Gotham  (July 10, 1981)

 

 

 

 

May 25:

GREASE  (Re-Issue)

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

Paramount

“John & Olivia And The ‘Grease’ Gang Are Back!”

 

Manhattan: [Loews] State 2

 

[Also see 1978 entry]

 

 

 

 

June 22:

THE MUPPET MOVIE

Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

ITC/Associated Film

“More Entertaining Than Humanly Possible!”

 

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Ziegfeld

 

Additional 70mm Engagement

Manhattan: [UA] Gemini  (July 13)

 

 

 

 

August 15:

APOCALYPSE NOW

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

Reserved-Performance Engagement

Omni Zoetrope/United Artists

 

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Ziegfeld

 

Additional 70mm Engagements

Manhattan: [RKO] Cinerama  (Nov. 6; move-over from Ziegfeld)

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Ziegfeld*  (Mar. 21, 1980)

Manhattan: [UA] Gemini 2  (Apr. 18, 1980)

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Bay  (May 2, 1980)

Manhattan: [Cinema 5] Cinema I**  (Nov. 26, 1980)

 

*“Now the landmark Film of the Decade is back in the splendor of 70mm and six-track Dolby Sound. Seeing it now is like seeing it for the first time.”

 

**Engagement noteworthy for having replaced the ill-received “Heaven’s Gate”

 

 

 

 

August 15:

STAR WARS  (Re-Issue)

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century-Fox

“It’s Back! The Force Will Be With You For Three Weeks Only.”

 

Manhattan: [Loews] Astor Plaza

Paramus: [RKO] Paramus

 

Debut of the trailer for “The Empire Strikes Back”

 

[Also see 1977, 1981, 1982 & 1983 entries and 1985 Triple Feature/“Return Of The Jedi” re-issue entry and 1992 ILM Tribute entry]

 

 

 

 

September 28:

SLEEPING BEAUTY  (Re-Issue)

Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo

Walt Disney/Buena Vista

“Sheer Magnificence! The Ultimate Animation Spectacle!”

 

Bay Shore: [UA] Bay Shore

Upper Montclair: [UA] Bellevue

 

[Also see 1959 & 1986 entries]

 

 

 

 

November 7:

THE ROSE

Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

20th Century-Fox

“She gave… And gave… And gave. Until she had nothing left to give.”

 

Edison: [GCC] Menlo Park

Levittown: [Loews] Nassau Quad*

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Ziegfeld**

Paramus: [RKO] Paramus

 

*Includes 70mm Sneak Preview screening on May 23

**Includes World Premiere on Nov. 6

 

 

 

 

December 14:

1941

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo

Universal/Columbia

“As they roared into battle, only one thing was missing…the enemy.”

 

Manhattan: [Walter Reade] Bay

Manhattan: [UA] Gemini 2

Manhattan: [UA] Rivoli

Totowa: [UA] Cinema 46

Woodbury: [UA] Cinema 150

 

 

 

 

December 21:

THE BLACK HOLE

Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo

Walt Disney/Buena Vista

“A Journey That Begins Where Everything Ends”

 

Manhattan: [Mann] National

Syosset: [UA] Syosset

 


 

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