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Author Topic: Old newspaper article about imported equipment... Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-24-2004 10:08 PM                        Hello everyone. While I was researching some old vertical files, I came across an article from May 15, 1968 about the opening of a brand new theatre in Winnipeg. In fact, it was the first twin to open here. The theatre, by the way, was the Garrick Cinema. In the article they said they had imported a lot of the equipment. The lightsource was from Japan (I'm guessing XEBEX), the projectors from Italy (Cinemeccanicas? Vic 8s maybe?), and the 2 sound systems and 2 screens were from England. Do any of you know of any manufacturers of sound systems and movie screens in England that were probably around when this theatre opened? Are they still around? Also, I was told by a manager at a theatre over in Winnipeg that movie screens only last about 15-20 years, and then need to be changed. Is this true, or have they been sold bad screens? Thanks in advance for your information!  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 07-24-2004 11:21 PM                    Screens can yellow slightly over time although that's not a certainty. They can also get generally dirty (and can be difficult to clean without leaving marks, especially the "gain" screens that have special coatings to make them more reflective) and that was certainly much more likely if smoking was allowed in the theatre. Also, the perforations that allow sound to come through can get plugged with dust. That's all in addition to whatever damage is done by people throwing things at them. Harkness is a UK-based screen maker. Besides Cinemeccanica another Italian projector maker is Prevost. Isn't the V8 a 35/70 machine?  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-25-2004 02:49 AM                     for 35/70mm projectors the most common I've found in the major chains in Canada that they are in fact Vic 8s.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 07-25-2004 08:50 AM                     My understanding was that, at least for the US market in 1968, the US dollar was very strong compared to the Itailan lire. This meant products from Italy were less expensive, and this is how Cinemecannica got a foothold in the US. Joe Hornstine, Inc. (sp?) was a well-know dealer in the New York area at the time, and apparently the 'Ashcraft lamp-Cinemecannica V8' was a very popular selling combination.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-25-2004 08:58 AM                     When the Garrick was built Odeon will still part of the Rank group in canada and they used Vic 10's for there 35/70mm theatres rememebr the largest of the original Garrick wasa D150 theatre and had a pair of Vic10 with xebex lamphouses The smaller screens had 35mm vic 8s that some later got upgraded to 35/70 The original soundsystem was a cinemecanica system of plugin 100 watt amplififers with mag preamps on the back of the machines and a control cabinet with a nixi tube display and a motorized fader and at one point they had Dolby Mono 360 and E2 later of when dolby stereo came along they got cp200's I think during the Canadain Odeon period they also added Kintek KT30 systems there as well  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-25-2004 07:48 PM                        Thanks for all the help! What exactly are Kintek KT30 systems? Are they film spool towers? I believe the Garrick upgraded to platters with Potts. Cinema 2 and 4 (the 35/70mm houses?) upgraded in 1980... Cinema 1 and 3 in 1999. Were the BTS Pegboard/Cinemation similar to any other automations? Thanks!  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-25-2004 09:14 PM                     The Kintek KT30 system(the yellow boxes of fun) were a stereo synthesizer system to create fake stereo from mono prints. In the early days of optical stereo many titles were still mono so Odeon installed the kinteks in most of the Dolby houses to provide fake stereo when mono prints arrived The BTS pegboard was built in Montreal and was in effect a cinemation MK4 copy  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-25-2004 09:16 PM                        Gordon, I believe you said that the XEBEX manuals were on the site, but I can't find them... Do you know where they are?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-25-2004 09:35 PM                     They were sent in and I thought at one point they might have been on the front page I think I saved the file when I scanned them if not I have the xebex stuff burried right now in cardboard boxes  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-25-2004 09:46 PM                        If you still have a computer file that you can find, could you send it too grandcameo@yahoo.ca? Thanks!  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-21-2005 04:46 PM                        Just bumping this: I find it very fascinating to find out what kind of equipment the old theatres had in Winnipeg, so from one picture palace, I discovered it had (changeover) Bauer U2 35/70mm Projectors, Xebex lamphouses and Showman II automation. With the throw being 102', and the screen maxed in scope at 39'11" x 17'0", would a 3kw xenon be enough light? Thanks!  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-21-2005 07:17 PM                     quote: Andrew McCrea With the throw being 102', and the screen maxed in scope at 39'11" x 17'0", would a 3kw xenon be enough light? Probably more than enough. I have lit similar screens with 2K xenons with few problems. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-21-2005 10:07 PM                        Thanks Aaron!  |  IP: Logged Andrew McCrea Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 645 From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-03-2005 07:53 PM                        Well, just thought I'd bring up these newer Garrick pictures! Here's Cinema 1 (re-modelled for conferences): Here's Cinema 3 (re-modelled for water slide): Originals can be found in the picture forum. I also have a picture of the lobby, but I don't think I'm allowed to post it, bacause there's already a picture page, but it says that you can only upload 2 pics.  |  IP: Logged Thomas King Expert Film Handler Posts: 119 From: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England Registered: Oct 2004 posted 02-03-2005 09:15 PM                        We only have a Cinemeccanica water slide. I've heard that the Strong poolside equipment is vastly superior.  |  IP: Logged

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