I feel that it is wonderful that classic 70mm films like "2001", LAWRENCE OF ARABIA" and "SLEEPING BEAUTY" are once again being shown in their original film format in theatres but it is not right that the showing are limited to only a few large cities. I will pay any reasonable amount to see some of my favorite 70mm films again which includes "MY FAIR LADY", "THE SOUND OF MUSIC", "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS", BEN-HUR", "SOUTH PACIFIC" and "THE ALAMO" in one of the only four remaining 70mm equipped theatre in Honolulu.

-Claude

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DISNEY’S ANIMATED CLASSIC SLEEPING BEAUTY REAWAKENS
AT THE EL CAPITAN THEATRE
IN RESTORED ORIGINAL 70 MM WIDESCREEN FORMAT

EXCLUSIVE LIMITED ENGAGEMENT, AUGUST 22ND SEPTEMBER 8TH,
OFFERS SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS FOR FILM BUFFS AND FAMILIES ALIKE

This exclusive two-week engagement of Sleeping Beauty will launch August 22nd at 7:00 p.m. with a special evening featuring a making-of-the-movie panel discussion, programmed especially for film, animation and classical music buffs. The following day and throughout the rest of the run, the film will screen at 12:00 noon, 2:30, 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. daily from August 23rd September 8th.

This special widescreen print of the film also features a restored audio soundtrack that takes maximum advantage of the film’s rich six-track Stereophonic mix and provides the optimal way to hear the magical Academy Award® - nominated score adapted from the immortal music of Tchaikovsky.

Those familiar with Sleeping Beauty know that it took six years for Walt Disney and his talented team of animators to make this masterpiece. On opening night at the El Capitan, the audience will learn how it all came about during a rare panel discussion with some of the filmmakers and assorted experts. Schedule permitting, the line-up includes:

· Mary Costa, the voice of Aurora (or Sleeping Beauty)

· Legendary Disney animator Ollie Johnston, one of Walt’s famed “Nine Old Men” and one of two responsible for bringing the film’s Good Fairy characters to life.

· Andreas Deja, one of today’s top animators and the artist who supervised such memorable characters as Lilo (in the current hit “Lilo & Stitch”), Scar (“The Lion King”), Jafar (“Aladdin”), Gaston (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Hercules. Seeing Sleeping Beauty inspired Andreas to become an animator.

· Musical historian Alex Rannie, a fine musician in his own right, who has extensively researched the musical history of this film.

· Disney restoration expert Scott MacQueen, who has meticulously restored Sleeping Beauty to its original grandeur.

· Veteran animation critic, Charles Solomon, who writes for the Los Angeles
Times, among other publications

· KABC entertainment reporter George Pennacchio, moderator

Ticket prices are $10.00 for adults and $6.50 for seniors, children and matinees, which are the first two shows of the day. Birthday parties are available with a purchase of 20 or more movie tickets, plus a $12.00 party ticket per person. To order tickets in advance, call 1-800-DISNEY6 (1-800-347-6396).
AMIA Members can contact Jill Swartz at jill@currentpr.com or 714-444-9731 ext. 203 to receive a coupon for one free souvenir box of popcorn.

(I recall someone here on Film-Tech was related to the woman who voiced "Aurora")?

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DISNEY’S ANIMATED CLASSIC SLEEPING BEAUTY REAWAKENS
AT THE EL CAPITAN THEATRE
IN RESTORED ORIGINAL 70 MM WIDESCREEN FORMAT

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I don't know anything about the 'El Capitan', but assuming that it is a good theatre, the ticket price is very low. At the moment, "the Ladykillers', and five other Ealing films are having a limited release in the uk, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ealing Studios. These films are being shown at various UGC cinemas around the country, including Shaftsbury Avenue, and Ealing, in london. The Ealing cinema opened in the '30s, as the Forum, then became ABC, then, I think, Cannon, then Virgin, now UGC. I have never seen a film there, but I have been on a visit, it is ok, but has been tripled at some time in the past. This is just normal 35mm mono optical sound. The adult ticket price is £8.50 ($12.99 acording to XE.COM). $10 for 70mm, plus the short, plus the opening night discussion, I assume this is included in the price, it doesn't say otherwise, but even if not, has got to be a bargain.

When I came over to the Loew's Jersey I only had to pay $5 for a ticket. American ticket prices are extremely low.

El Capitan web page

El Capitan Interior

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Same thing I was thinking... The El Capitan is a beautifully restored theater with movies, concerts, plays, etc. Used to be the Paramount.

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I've had a quick look at their web site, for a 70mm show, with the extras, in that sort of theatre, a ticket price of about £10-12 ($15.28-$18.33) would seem reasonable.

The restored movie palace re-opened with THE ROCKETEER. I remember going there to see ALADDIN, THE LION KING and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

I would avoid anything on the upper level. The viewing angle is too steep for movie-watching.

When I worked the El Capitan it was still a THX house. All the Amps
were located back stage in a caged in area. The booth had two
Century JJ projectors and and AWII platter. It had a Full Boat CP200,
Dolby Digital. The Re & Le speakers were located in the organ grill area of the theatre. But the El Capitan is the new home of the
famous Fox San Francisco theatre pipe organ. They closed the El Capitan for a few months, a few years ago. They made the former THX sound wall flyable, so the theatre could put on big shows on stage. The old wall was around 20 to 25 feet back from the front of the stage. With the wall flyable they can us the entire stage area for shows. It was about that time that the El Capitan stopped using the THX logos. Los Angeles / Hollywood only had one theatre that used the HPS-4000 sound system, the Loew's/Cineplex Century City theatre. If you go in the booth looking for the HPS-4000 processor. You will find it is three cat. 64 cards. The other part of the system is the speakers in the theatre. The theatres in the area were only putting
in THX systems. That one time GCC theatres was going to put a HPS-4000
system in Sherman Oaks, California. But they were having problems
with the way Mr. Allen wanted the system to go in. GCC Sherman Oaks
was a big preview theatre in the area for the studios. The studio's
would have to bring their own cat. 64 cards for screening.

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The print the el Capitan will be showing is the archival print they struck back in '99 (which has had a couple of other showings at the El Capitan as well as the Long Beach Widescreen Film fest.)

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While some THX theatres are either not set up right, or have one problem or another, there are many excellent ones. I have always applauded THX for attempting to set a standard for cinema sound reproduction. No one has or probably will ever attempt this again. Man, when it works, it works incredibly well.

Perhaps with the sale to Creative THX can again get back on both feet. They've been wobbly way to long!
Mark

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I happened to attend a screening at the Chineese #2 which was one of the added on theatres next door to the original Chineese, now gone. It was equipped with THX and the 70mm screening of Willow which I saw and heard literally blew me away!! And right away from believing any of the HPS hype altogether.

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Finally, something good is said about the Chinese! And to think that a lot of people have felt the presentations at the Chinese were substandard! Though you did mention Screen #2 rather than Screen #1. Aah, that could've made the difference!

Actually, WILLOW opened on Screen #1, but was bumped over to Screen #2 (and 3) upon the release of CROCODILE DUNDEE II a week later. DUNDEE played in 35mm on Screen #1 and the 70mm engagement of WILLOW ended up on Screen #2, with a second 70mm engagement added for Screen 3. I always thought it would've made more sense from a booking standpoint to have kept the 70 of WILLOW in #1 and played two 35s of DUNDEE on #2 and #3, especially since the two smaller screens were each roughly half the size of the main auditorium. (Aren't the rental terms often different with 70mm? Higher advance booking fees, different rental terms, etc.) But then the Chinese is a prestige theater, particularly the main, original auditorium, so DUNDEE (which was expected to perform better than WILLOW...which it did) probably made more sense to play in the main auditorium.

I've never understood why so many people bash the presentation quality at the Chinese. I've seen so many incredible presentations there. And not just the obvious 70mm shows (which is an endless list). I can recall a few 35mm-Dolby SR shows (ROBOCOP and U2: RATTLE AND HUM come to mind) that could've fooled many into thinking they were experiencing a 70mm six-track presentation. Now how much of that was a result of THX???

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I was on a trip to LA around 1985

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1985? Then you didn't see WILLOW on that visit to L.A.

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