Making movies. Enjoying movies. Remembering movies.
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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:
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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