THE SCREENING ROOM
A year-by-year, film-by-film history of 70-millimeter wide gauge exhibition in Southern California
Compiled by Michael Coate and William Kallay
1979
April 13:
Hurricane
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese*
Westwood Village: [Mann] National
*Includes World Premiere on April 12
May 4:
The Exorcist (Re-Issue)
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Warner Bros.
“The Masterpiece Of Terror Is Even More Suspenseful In 70mm And
Surround-Sound”
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
Westwood Village: [Mann] National
First time in 70mm — Original 1973 release in 35mm
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (May 25)
Also see Special Screenings And Film Festivals (1992, 1996, and 1997)
entries
May 18:
Grease (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox
Also see 1978 entry
May 18:
Hanover Street
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Columbia
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount
May 25:
Alien
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
20th Century Fox
"In Space No One Can Hear You Scream"
Hollywood: [UA] Egyptian
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Orange: [Plitt] City Center
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center
Expanded Release on June 8:
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center
Pasadena: [UA] United Artists
Woodland Hills: [UA] Warner Center
Expanded Release on June 22:
Montclair: [SRO] Montclair
Additional 70mm Engagement:
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood* (July 3, 1981)
*Double Feature with "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind"
Also see Special Screenings And Film Festivals (1987, 1991, 1992, 1995,
1998, 1999, and 2008) entries
June 22:
The Muppet Movie
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Associated Film (AFD)
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Includes (World?) Premiere on June 21
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (Aug. 3)
August 15:
Apocalypse Now
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Guaranteed Seat Performance Engagement
Omni Zoetrope/United Artists
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Expanded Release on Sep. 21:
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Hollywood: [Pacific] Hollywood Pacific (Nov. 16)
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood (Dec. 20)
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (Apr. 11, 1980)
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome (Apr. 11, 1980)
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount (May 30, 1980)
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome (July 1, 1981)
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood (Jan. 8, 1982)
Westwood Village: [SRO] Crest (Oct. 8, 1982)
Also see 1987 re-issue entry, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals
(1992, 1996, and 1999) entries
August 17:
Star Wars (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century Fox
"It's Back! The Force Will Be With You For Three Weeks Only"
70mm engagement(s) unconfirmed — Presentation notations not included in
newspaper ads
[Debut of the trailer for “The Empire Strikes Back”]
Also see 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1982 entries, and 1985 “Return Of The Jedi”
re-issue entry
November 8:
The Rose
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
20th Century Fox
Hollywood: [UA] Egyptian
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center
Includes West Coast Premiere/FILMEX screening on Nov. 7 in Century City
(Century Plaza)
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Orange: [Plitt] City Center (Dec. 7)
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount (Apr. 25, 1980)
November 9:
Sleeping Beauty (Re-Issue)
Super Technirama 70 / Six-Track Stereo
Walt Disney (Buena Vista)
Costa Mesa: [Mann] South Coast Plaza
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
Montclair: [SRO] Montclair
Also see 1959, 1981 & 1997 entries, and 1980 Double Feature re-issue
entry, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1997, 2004, and 2012)
entries
December 14:
1941
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Stereo
Universal/Columbia
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Includes World Premiere on Dec. 13
December 21:
The Black Hole
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Walt Disney (Buena Vista)
"A Journey That Begins Where Everything Ends"
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza*
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
*Includes U.S. Premiere on Dec. 20
Additional 70mm Screening:
Santa Monica: [American Cinematheque] Aero* (June 13, 2010)
*Shown once with matte artist Harrison Ellenshaw in person. The print
was very pink (though sharp and nearly grain-free). A section of the
first reel was missing part of the center channel's audio for a few
minutes.
Also see 1980 Double Feature re-issue entry
More 70mm
70mm In New York
70mm In Orange County