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This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3   
Author Topic: THX Trailer History
Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

- posted 04-17-2005 12:44 AM      Profile for Michael Coate   Email Michael Coate   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Who's familiar with the various THX trailers (snipes)?

I ask because I just completed another historical research project (well, they're never really "completed"...) which includes some THX references, namely when the various trailers premiered.

I had been under the impression that the first three trailers ("Wings," "Broadway" and "Cimarron") all debuted with the release of a Lucasfilm movie (seems appropriate). These are noted in the article:

"Wings" (Return Of The Jedi, 1983):
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1983.htm

"Broadway" (Indiana Jones And The Temnple Of Doom, 1984):
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1984.htm

"Cimarron" (Willow, 1988):
http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1988.htm

Anyway, got some email correspondence, and the '84 and '88 references are being challenged. Claims include "Cimarron" debuting with "Die Hard" (which came out about two months after "Willow), and the "Broadway" clip being first seen in '83 during the "Jedi" release.

Curious if anyone has any thoughts or comments on this topic?

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 04-17-2005 01:07 PM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know when for sure "Broadway" or "Cimarron" were introduced, but I know the familiar "Broadway" trailer did not get released in 1983 when THX debuted.

"Cimarron" is pretty much my favorite THX trailer. It's a shame THX has never released (at least as far as I know) a quad format version of it or repackaged it for use on DVD. They came out with a Dolby Digital version of it, in 1992 (I think) for "Batman Returns." I'm pretty sure it's still only available in 35mm Dolby Digital. 70mm mag used to be available, but now I think "Broadway" is the only one left (if you can even get that). Has THX ever made trailers in 70mm DTS?

"Grand" first appeared in 1993, in time for the release of "Jurassic Park." For a couple years it was available only in DTS. In 1994 it was altered to add "recorded in DTS Digital Sound". In 1995 a short run of Dolby Digital versions were made. Now that one is available in quad format.

I don't know for sure when "Simpsons" THX trailer was introduced. I'm thinking 1994. It was an SR only trailer for a long time before any quad format versions appeared.

"Tex" was in 1996, right around the time "Independence Day" was released. That's the first time I saw it anyway. "Tex 2: Moo Can" debuted with "Toy Story 2".

I can't remember if "Broadway 2000" was debuted in line with a particular film. It's the one I like the least out of the group.

Didn't "Cavalcade" appear with "Episode II"? Or did it come out perhaps a year before that? It's derivative of the "T2" THX trailer on the "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" Ultimate Edition DVD.

I wasn't all that impressed with the 20th anniversary THX trailer. I saw it only a couple times. It just didn't have a very beefy mix (similar to the criticism I have with "Broadway 2000"). It was also kind of odd that some of the movie sound snippets in the trailer were taken from movies well before the debut of THX in 1983. For instance, "Apocalypse Now" and "Alien" were both from 1979.

It's been quite a while since THX released an impressive trailer. I liked the two Tex trailers for their humor and funny surround gags. But "Grand" is pretty much the last in-your-face style trailer THX has released.

Dolby was more aggressive with releasing new sound format trailers. But even their last few got weak.

DTS? Still waiting for that new trailer.

I don't know. I suppose a lot of this stuff makes little difference since so few movie theaters bother playing the sound format trailers. I've even been to a number of THX certified theaters where the THX trailer didn't get played. A lot of theaters don't want to go to the extra bother of adding those snipes and then having to remove them when the print gets moved to another screen.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

- posted 04-17-2005 01:19 PM      Profile for Manny Knowles   Email Manny Knowles   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I don't know whether to find it charming or irritating that people are researching the history of these trailers. Likewise to whoever is challenging the claims.

AMC used to promote their SDDS systems in all advertising and we used to play the SDDS trailer religiously. Now that they are using other digital audio systems they don't bother to specify; they just say "all digital" or something vague like that.

Would somebody please research the deal that was struck between SDDS and AMC ? I'm sure that had to be a real cozy arrangement.

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Antonio Marcheselli
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1260
From: Florence, Italy
Registered: Mar 2000

- posted 04-17-2005 02:47 PM      Profile for Antonio Marcheselli   Author's Homepage   Email Antonio Marcheselli   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Perhaps a bit OT... Why "Broadway 2000" is not anymore on DTS disks?

Bye!
Antonio

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 04-17-2005 04:11 PM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
"Broadway 2000" is missing from DTS discs because not many theaters play it. There's also the disc capacity thing too. I think most THX theaters still play the standard "Broadway" trailer. That's followed by "Cavalcade," the two Tex trailers, and maybe "Grand."

Some DTS discs come with no THX trailers or movie trailer audio on them at all.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

- posted 04-17-2005 05:34 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Remember also that Cimarron was released with two completely different audio scores, even though they both used the same visual. (Not speculation or rumor, I have personally handled both versions in 35mm and 70mm.)

I know what a stickler Mike is for details, so it may also be interesting to note that the original Broadway is a Dolby A track. The digital reissues of that were SDDS/A, DTS/A and SRD/SR...of which all three of those had slightly different mixes! The SRD/SR version sounded closest to the original Dolby A analog release from the early 80s. And if you want to get REALLY picky about it, the SDDS and original Dolby A analog version's "blue box" was framed a little bit too high from center! [Razz]

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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999

- posted 04-17-2005 08:07 PM      Profile for Paul Linfesty   Email Paul Linfesty   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
All I remember was seeing the first snipe in 1983 (AVCO I, Westwood, CA). It had the following (paraphrased) text:

For the last 35 years, motion picture loudspeaker systems have remained exactly the same.

Now Lucasfilm LTD. and this theatre bring you a new sound system...

Then the THX logo (sans blue box) fades in as sound builds up.

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004

- posted 04-17-2005 08:50 PM      Profile for Sam Graham   Author's Homepage   Email Sam Graham   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bobby Henderson
I can't remember if "Broadway 2000" was debuted in line with a particular film. It's the one I like the least out of the group.
Broadway 2000 was produced so that THX would have a Dolby Digital EX trailer for Ep 1 - The Phantom Menace.

I'm not a terribly big fan of that one either. My favorite is also "Cimarron".

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

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From: New Castle, DE, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

- posted 04-17-2005 09:38 PM      Profile for Mark J. Marshall     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Brad Miller
the original Broadway is a Dolby A track
Makes sense since the first SR movie wasn't released until 1987.

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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999

- posted 04-18-2005 12:55 AM      Profile for Paul Linfesty   Email Paul Linfesty   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Actually, the first Dolby SR film (70mm 6-track mag) was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which played, at least in L.A., at the Village Westwood (where I saw it) and the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood). Although then it was called "Dolby Spectralsound" (or maybe "Dolby Spectrasound?")

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

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From: Lexington, KY, USA
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- posted 04-18-2005 08:52 AM      Profile for Darryl Spicer     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Paul Linfesty
Actually, the first Dolby SR film (70mm 6-track mag) was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which played, at least in L.A., at the Village Westwood (where I saw it) and the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood). Although then it was called "Dolby Spectralsound" (or maybe "Dolby Spectrasound?")


which was in November 1986 not far from 1987.
Robocop was the first 35mm film to feature SR playback on the optical track.

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Mark J. Marshall
Film God

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From: New Castle, DE, USA
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- posted 04-18-2005 09:21 AM      Profile for Mark J. Marshall     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Well... that was released on November 26th, 1986 according to IMDB. So if you're right, that's almost 1987! [Razz]

A little over a year ago, I spoke to Jon Davidson, executive producer of RoboCop, and he claimed that RoboCop was the first, and that Innerspace was right behind it as the second. However according to IMDB, Innerspace was released on July 1, 1987, and RoboCop was on July 17th, 1987. So, I don't know.

Either way, not to hijack the THX trailer thread, but my point was that SR didn't hit theaters until well after THX Broadway.

Thanks, gents!

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Bill Gabel
Film God

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From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
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- posted 04-18-2005 12:19 PM      Profile for Bill Gabel   Email Bill Gabel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
At the Village Theatre in Westwood, Ca., Cimarron debuted with "Willow".

Michael remember the "Wayne's World 2" THX trailer.

And Broadway was available in 70MM CDS format.

[ 04-18-2005, 03:15 PM: Message edited by: Bill Gabel ]

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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

- posted 04-18-2005 03:08 PM      Profile for Michael Coate   Email Michael Coate   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bill Gabel
Michael remember the Wayne's World THX trailer.
Yes, I remember this. I believe it was a trailer for "Wayne's World 2," which began as if it was a THX clip ("Broadway") until the camera pulls back to reveal Wayne and Garth holding a
card made up to look like the THX image with the characters making the obnoxious sound effects. Pretty funny. This was available while I was still working at a theatre, and I recall purposely programming this first in the sequence of trailers to fool the audience into thinking they were seeing the THX clip (and this was in a non-THX-certified house).

Anyone else remember this trailer?

quote: Bill Gabel
At the Village Theatre in Westwood, Ca., Cimarron debuted with "Willow".
Aha! So I may have been correct.

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1988.htm

quote:
[THX Sound System "Cimarron" trailer introduced with the release of "Willow"]
*****

quote: Mark J. Marshall
A little over a year ago, I spoke to Jon Davidson, executive producer of RoboCop, and he claimed that RoboCop was the first, and that Innerspace was right behind it as the second. However according to IMDB, Innerspace was released on July 1, 1987, and RoboCop was on July 17th, 1987. So, I don't know.
Re Dolby SR... "Star Trek IV" was (1) essentially a test, and (2) applied only to a limited number of 70mm prints. As for 35mm-SR, going purely by release date, "Innerspace" was first. However, it's possible "RoboCop" was mixed first or contracted to use SR first, hence the oft-made "we were the first SR" claims (it's even noted as the first in Dolby's company chronology). I think Orion, who released "RoboCop," pretty much adopted SR for all (or nearly all) of their films soon thereafter.

BTW, my research shows that "RoboCop" was released on July 10, then expanded on the 17th. Gotta love the IMDb. [Roll Eyes]

quote: Paul Linfesty
the first Dolby SR film (70mm 6-track mag) was Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which played, at least in L.A., at the Village Westwood (where I saw it) and the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood). Although then it was called "Dolby Spectralsound" (or maybe "Dolby Spectrasound?")
"Dolby Spectral Sound"

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_los_angeles_1986.htm

quote:
November 26:
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Anamorphic Blow-Up
Paramount

*Six-Track Dolby Stereo
**Six-Track Dolby Stereo SR ("Dolby Spectral Sound")

Carlsbad: [SoCal] Plaza Camino Real* (Showscan Stereo Acoustics)
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] Town Center*
Glendale: [Pacific] Roxy*
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome**
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center*
Long Beach: [UA] Movies*
Montclair: [Pacific] Montclair*
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport*
North Hollywood: [UA] Movies*
Northridge: [Pacific] Northridge*
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome*
Tarzana: [Mann] Valley West*
Temple City: [Edwards] Temple*
Torrance: [Mann] Old Towne*
Ventura: [Mann] Buenaventura*
Westwood Village: [Mann] Village** (THX)
Woodland Hills: [Pacific] Topanga*

Also includes Invitational Advance screening on Nov. 20 and Benefit screening (hosted by William Shatner) on Dec. 4 -- both screenings held at the Academy's Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills

[70mm Trailers: "The Golden Child," "Little Shop Of Horrors"]

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Jarryd Beard
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 229
From: Hellertown, PA
Registered: Jul 2004

- posted 04-18-2005 03:51 PM      Profile for Jarryd Beard   Email Jarryd Beard   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Here's a link to the official THX trailer page on their site. A little bit of history can be found there.

http://www.thx.com/trailers/index.html

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