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Friday, June 2, 2000
One year ago: Beefcake
Two years ago: Dead Space
Three years ago: The Pleasantness of an Employment
I left work even earlier today than I've been doing recently. That's because my first movie was scheduled to start at two fortyfive, and I didn't want to miss it! I drove directly to the Belltown neighborhood and found a parking space. Too bad I could only put coins in for two hours worth of parking! But I decided to risk it, even though that meant my car would turn into a pumpkin at four o'clock, with two hours more of parking danger after that.
The Cinerama theater was restored by Paul Allen's money (the theater website -- warning, completely done in flash), and today it was going to get a workout. A documentary (a work-in-progress) about the Cinerama film process, the first film ever released in Cinerama, and the biggest, last, spectacle Hollywood movie made that way, were all being shown today. I saw weblog buddies Dan "Brainlog" Sanderson and Lisa "Bird On a Wire" Winn in line, and offered to save seats for them on the inside.
I had some time to wait inside, so I eavesdropped on the film geeks wandering around. There's no film geek like a Cinerama film geek, say I, a film geek myself. This made me laugh: One man says to another, pointing across the room at a third, "See him? He was one of the editors on Tee Eye Cee." "TIC? What's that?" his friend asks. "Oh, that stands for This is Cinerama, of course. After a while we just use the initials." Shades of that old joke about just numbering the jokes!
My buddy A---- had come to the morning show of "How the West was Won." I met him in the lobby when the show let out. This was one day when the platinum pass thing finally paid off! They were clearing the theater between shows and not allowing saved seats, but platinum pass holders were allowed to stay in the lobby and were the first back in! So I was able to grab good seats (front row of the center back section) for the three of us (A--- went up to the balcony because he'd have to leave in the middle).
- The Cinerama Adventure
This was a documentary in progress, projected digitally. Filmmaker David Strohmaier does a good job, not only at explaining the technical process but at making the people behind the scenes come alive. The more finished sequences of the film were followed by some clips actually projected in the Cinerama process, so those who weren't staying for the later movies could see what the fuss was about -- wow! very powerful stuff. This will be a good one to see whereever it turns up. Do check the website!
- This is Cinerama
(IMDB page for this film) The original film that introduced Cinerama to the public. Lowell Thomas starts it off in a small black and white window, explaining the history of the moving image. He's cheesy at the best of times, and they actually made this section a little boring on purpose, so when the technicolor, widescreen, stereo surround sound all bursts on to the screen with the Far Rockaway roller coaster, it truly bowls you over. A dance sequence is one of the weaker ones, but I truly enjoyed the rest of the movie. Strange to think of what an impact it must have had when TV was tiny and black and white, and people didn't travel much.
The theater was packed for all these films, with a few empty seats for the documentary. There were displays in the lobby and halls about the history of Cinerama in Seattle, and they had one of the cameras that was used for How the West was Won. Very interesting stuff! The only drawback to the screenings was a screen problem -- the Cinerama screen is made up of vertical strips that hang freely. Unfortunately, the strips were disturbed by changes in air flow, which meant there were black stripes from time to time, running down the picture as if the film were scratched (it wasn't).
- How the West was Won
(IMDB page for this film) This film was much better than I thought it would be. Seeing it the right way was a rare experience, because this is the last remaining print! Quality was good. Lots of star power, spectacle, only a few slow sections. I think Jimmy Stewart was my favorite part.
So this all ended up to a long day, but it was worth it. I had a blast!
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Cinerama is an adventure with a new medium which I believe will revolutionize the technique of motion picture story telling.
-- Lowell Thomas
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