will the complete 5 perf 70mm print of "Lawrence of Arabia" fit on a Christie platter

[Scott Morrison]

Asking for a friend:
Will a complete 70mm print of Lawrence of Arabia fit on a Christie autowind 3 platter.
This is the newer DTS version, not mag striped.
This is including the overture and the entr'acte and exit music. Sony is saying its 227 minutes long in total.
Please only answer if you know for sure/have done it.

[Mike Balsamo]

I know the 70MM MAG stripe version did. Just barley! I ran it at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove back in the 80s.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I know the 70MM MAG stripe version did. Just barley! I ran it at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove back in the 80s.

The catch is of course the restored version appears to be 10min longer than the mag-stripe release.

My math says no if you abide by the 25,000ft capacity (I got 25,469ft for 227min runtime)... but there are mods to increase that capacity. Have not done it, just looking at the math.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Also the caveat to consider that lots of studios don't want you to platter their archival stuff anymore, even if it did fit.

[Mark Ogden]

If you don't mind my asking, why do you need to fit it on one platter? There is an intermission card at the end of R8. Unless you're planning on rolling through it, put the first 8 reels on one deck, reels 9 to 13 on another, rethreading during the intermission. Simple.

[Phillip Grace]

Here's my two-cents worth.

If the print is on polyester base you will be able to fit quite a bit more on the platter than the 25,000 ft stated in the manual, which would be based on tri-acetate given its age.

If I were running it I would make up the two halves on separate platters, the way Mark has described. That method allows for the projector to be cleaned at the Intermission. It also reduces the inertia problems involved in starting (and stopping) a heavily laden platter.

I ran the 35mm print of Kubrick's "2001" in two halves for those reasons, but also because the complex presentation involved resulted in an automation program that had more steps than our system could accomodate. An extra benefit was that the automation would start both parts exactly on time.

[Scott Morrison]

Thank you all for your input. The original question was to posed to me to see if I thought it HAD to be built up on 2 platters, or could one suffice.
I recommended to my friend to build it on 2 decks as was suggested. They would normally run a print like this as a 2 projector changeover, but there are certain people on staff who are physically incapable of hanging a full reel of 5perf 70mm, so special permission was given to platter it. Finding out that the intermission is at the end of reel 8 was the final piece. Again, thank you all

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

The restored version is the only version available, be it mag stripe or DTS...

[Jim Cassedy]

Here's my 2¢ worth: Ditch the platter idea and find someone
who CAN deal with lifting 70mm reels and doing changeovers.

[Brad Miller]

Jim is correct. 70mm is a big boy format. Being heavy comes with the territory.

Regardless, anytime there is an intermission, it is absolutely foolish to cram both acts onto one platter. The farther toward the edge you get, the more erratic the platter could start to behave. Payout could sling the print off the edge if you don't have a safety ring, and takeup could start quietly oscillating and end up stretching sprockets as the arm crashes into the motor. Always split a long movie onto separate platters if there is an intermission.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Thank you all for your input. The original question was to posed to me to see if I thought it HAD to be built up on 2 platters, or could one suffice.
I recommended to my friend to build it on 2 decks as was suggested. They would normally run a print like this as a 2 projector changeover, but there are certain people on staff who are physically incapable of hanging a full reel of 5perf 70mm, so special permission was given to platter it. Finding out that the intermission is at the end of reel 8 was the final piece. Again, thank you all

2 Projector changeover would be the norm these days and preferred method by the distributor/studio I expect, unless it is a new release distribution print.

Depending on reel arm heights, 20min of 70mm can be a lot for anyone... we always crew a booth helper if not two projectionists for 70mm changeover engagements. I don't think ditching your person that struggles is the answer, but giving them the help they need is definitely a reasonable ask.

[John Eickhof]

Im with Brad...its silly not to split it at the intermission the only variable is the music, if its attached as the A roll then end it at the
intermission logo and fade out, and start the second half after the break that management prescribes. in either case, either ending on a fade out and music, or starting on black screen with music, I would assume a 7-15 minute break will be done so if you cant thread up the second half in 5 minutes or less, you better find a projectionist that can! thats how it is done.

[Mark Ogden]

Im with Brad...its silly not to split it at the intermission the only variable is the music, if its attached as the A roll then end it at the
intermission logo and fade out, and start the second half after the break that management prescribes. in either case, either ending on a fade out and music, or starting on black screen with music, I would assume a 7-15 minute break will be done so if you cant thread up the second half in 5 minutes or less, you better find a projectionist that can! thats how it is done.

At the end of R8 after the intermission card fades out there is about twenty seconds of music over black that I believe was intended as "curtain close" music. The entr'acte at the top of R9 is music over black for 4:15. There is also exit music that runs for 45 seconds after the end of the restoration credits.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Definitely have an intermission! I actually had a customer in Wisconsin that turned up the temp in the auditorium about 40 minutes before intermission. His drink sales went through the roof...