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
1982
February 12:
Quest For Fire (“La Guerre Du Feu”)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
20th Century Fox
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] Town Center
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Expanded release on March 19:
Palm Springs: [Metropolitan] Camelot
Expanded release on April 2:
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount (move-over from Cinerama Dome)
La Mirada: [Pacific] La Mirada
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
Santa Barbara: [Metropolitan] Arlington
Thousand Oaks: [UA] Movies*
Woodland Hills: [UA] Warner Center
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood
*Six-Track Stereo
May 14:
Dragonslayer (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount/Walt Disney
Hollywood: [Mann] Hollywood
Also see 1981 entry, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1990
and 1992) entries
May 21:
Annie
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Columbia
"The Movie Of 'Tomorrow'"
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese*
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome 20
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center
*Includes West Coast Premiere May 19
Additional 70mm engagements:
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox (July 16)
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Oct. 22)
Additional 70mm Screening:
Santa Monica: [American Cinematheque] Aero** (July 1, 2006)
**Shown during the "Seeing The Big Picture: 70mm" festival
May 21:
The Road Warrior
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Warner Bros.
Hollywood: [Mann] Vogue
Westwood Village: [Mann] Bruin
[70mm Trailers: "Blade Runner," "Firefox"]
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox (June 4)
Westwood Village: [Mann] Plaza (June 11)
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese (Jan. 28, 1983)
Westwood Village: [Mann] National (Jan. 28, 1983)
Additional 70mm Screenings:
Hollywood: [American Cinematheque] Egyptian* (May 11, 2006)
Santa Monica: [American Cinematheque] Aero* (June 23, 2006)
Hollywood: [American Cinematheque] Egytian*** (October 14, 2007)
Hollywood: [American Cinematheque] Egyptian** (May 9, 2009)
*Shown once during the "Seeing The Big Picture: 70mm" festival in
conjunction with the Egyptian
**Shown once during the "Bigger Than Life: 70mm Returns" festival
***Shown once during the "70MM" festival
Also see Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1991, 1992, 1998, 1999,
2006, and 2007). Also known as "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior"
May 28:
Rocky III
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
United Artists (MGM/UA)
"The Greatest Challenge"
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center
Pasadena: [UA] United Artists
Sherman Oaks: [Pacific] Galleria
Torrance: [UA] Del Amo
Westwood Village: [Mann] Village
[70mm Trailers: "Jinxed," "Pink Floyd: The Wall"]
Additional 70mm engagements:
Westwood Village: [Mann] Plaza (June 18)
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox (July 23)
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center (July 23)
Also see 1983 re-issue entry
June 4:
Poltergeist
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
MGM (MGM/UA)
"It Knows What Scares You"
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] South Coast Plaza
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount
[70mm Trailers: "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," "Jinxed," "My
Favorite Year"]
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome (Oct. 29)
Pasadena: [SRO] Hastings (Oct. 29)
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome (Nov. 12)
Westwood Village: [SRO] Crest (Nov. 12)
June 4:
Star Trek: The Wrath Of Khan
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount
"At the end of the universe lies the beginning of vengeance."
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
La Mirada: [Pacific] La Mirada
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
Riverside: [Sanborn] Canyon Crest
Westwood Village: [Mann] National
[70mm Trailer: "The World According To Garp"]
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Hollywood: [Mann] Vogue (July 9)
Westwood Village: [SRO] Crest (July 30)
Torrance: [UA] Del Amo (Sep. 3)
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (Sep. 10)
Orange: [Syufy] City Center (Jan. 28, 1983)
Montclair: [SRO] Montclair (Nov. 4, 1983)
[Promotional title included roman numeral “II” — on-screen title
excluded “II” — “II” added to on-screen billing for November 1982 video
release]
Also see Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1992, 1996, and 2008)
entries
June 11:
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Universal
"He is afraid. He is alone. He is 3 million light years from home."
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] TownCenter
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome*
Orange: [Syufy] City Center
Westminster: [UA] Twin
*Includes (World?) Premiere on June 10
Expanded Release on July 16:
Hollywood: [Pacific] Hollywood Pacific (move-over from Cinerama Dome)
Newport Beach: [Edwards] Newport
Riverside: [Sanborn] Canyon Crest
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood
[70mm Trailer: "The Dark Crystal," "Napoleon," "The Thing"]
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Hollywood: [UA] Egyptian (Mar. 4, 1983)
Also see 1985 re-issue entry, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals
(1987 and 1990) entries
June 11:
Grease 2
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount
"Grease Is Still The Word"
Hollywood: [Mann] Hollywood
Westwood Village: [Mann] Bruin
[70mm Trailer: "An Officer And A Gentleman"]
June 18:
Firefox
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Warner Bros.
Hollywood: [Mann] Vogue
Westwood Village: [Mann] Village
[70mm Trailer: "The World According To Garp"]
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox (July 9)
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (Sep. 3)
June 25:
Blade Runner
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Ladd (Warner Bros.)
"Man Has Made His Match. Now It's His Problem."
Hollywood: [Mann] Hollywood
Pasadena: [SRO] Hastings
Westwood Village: [Mann] Bruin
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Westwood Village: [Mann] Plaza (July 23)
Also see 1999 entry, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1990)
entry
June 25:
The Thing
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Universal
Hollywood: [Pacific] Hollywood Pacific*
Westwood Village: [SRO] Crest
*Includes 70mm Sneak Preview screening on June 20
[70mm Trailers: "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," "The Dark
Crystal," ""Halloween III: Season Of The Witch"]
July 9:
Tron
Super Panavision 70 / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Walt Disney (Buena Vista)
"It all happens inside a computer."
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese
Montclair: [SRO] Montclair
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Westwood Village: [Mann] Village* (July 16)
Hollywood: [Mann] Vogue (July 30)
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Aug. 13)
Hollywood: [Mann] Hollywood (Oct. 22)
Westwood Village: [Mann] National (Oct. 22)
Tarzana: [Mann] Valley West (Dec. 17)
Orange: [Syufy] City Center (Jan. 28, 1983)
*Although originally planned to open in Westwood at the Village Theatre,
the first-week Westwood engagement was at the Mann Westwood, shown in
35mm on three screens. The Westwood engagement moved after one week to
the Village Theatre and switched to a 70mm presentation.
Also see 1999 re-issue entry
July 16:
Napoleon (Re-Issue)
Spherical/Triptych Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Guaranteed Seat Performance Engagement
Robert A. Harris/Images Film Archive/Zoetrope/Universal
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
[First time in 70mm — Brownlow/Harris/Zoetrope restoration also shown in
1981 (at the Shrine Auditorium) in 35mm (with multiple synchronized 35mm
projectors for Triptych sequence) with live performance of the film's
music score]
July 16:
Raiders Of The Lost Ark (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Lucasfilm Ltd./Paramount
“The Return of the Great Adventure”
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome (Aug. 20)
Hollywood: [Mann] Chinese (Sep. 24)
[Although these 1982 re-issue entry engagements are duplicated from the
1981 entry, they are included here for thoroughness as July 16, 1982
marked the official start of a nationwide re-issue.]
Also see 1981 & 1983 entries, plus Special Screenings and Film Festivals
(1990) entry
August 13:
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
MGM/UA
"The Memories. The Madness. The Music... The Movie."
Westwood Village: [Mann] Village
[There was a 70mm Sneak Preview screening in Westwood (National) on June
30]
Expanded Release on Sep. 17:
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] South Coast Plaza
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
[70mm Trailer: "The Beastmaster"]
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Nov. 10)
Additional 70mm Screening:
Santa Monica: [American Cinematheque] Aero* (Sept. 13, 2007)
*Shown once during the "Seeing The Big Picture: 70mm" festival
Also see Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1998, 2007, and 2008)
entries
August 13:
Star Wars (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century Fox
“The Original Is Back.”
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount
[Debut of the trailer for “Revenge Of The Jedi” (later re-titled “Return
Of The Jedi”)]
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center (Sep. 3)
Also see 1977, 1978, 1979 & 1981 entries, and 1985 “Return Of The Jedi”
re-issue entry
August 13:
Tempest
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Columbia
Westwood Village: [Mann] Plaza
[70mm Trailer: "Gandhi"]
September 17:
Fame (Re-Issue)
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
MGM/UA
Westwood Village: [GCC] Avco Center
Also see 1980 entry
September 24:
Yes, Georgio
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
MGM/UA
"A Glorious Uproarious Love Story."
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
October 8:
Superman II (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Warner Bros.
"The most exciting movie you've ever seen, can be seen again."
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Oct. 22)
Pasadena: [SRO] Hastings (Oct. 22)
Hollywood: [Mann] Hollywood (Oct. 29)
Also see 1981 entry
October 29:
Altered States (Re-Issue)
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Warner Bros.
Hollywood: [Mann] Fox
Westwood Village: [Mann] National
Also see 1980 entry, pluse Special Screenings and Film Festivals (1990
and 1998) entries
November 5:
Days Of Heaven (Re-Issue)
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Paramount
Hollywood: [Pacific] Cinerama Dome
Westwood Village: [SRO] Crest
Also see 1978 entry
November 19:
Brimstone & Treacle
Spherical Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
United Artists Classics
Westwood Village: [Mann] Plaza
[70mm engagement unconfirmed — Presentation may have been 35mm — Variety
reported that the Los Angeles engagement was in 70mm]
November 19:
The Empire Strikes Back (Re-Issue)
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Lucasfilm Ltd./20th Century Fox
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] South Coast Plaza
Hollywood: [SRO] Paramount
Lakewood: [Pacific] Lakewood Center
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
[70mm Trailer: "Revenge Of The Jedi"]
Also see 1980 & 1981 entries, and 1985 "Return Of The Jedi" re-issue
entry
December 8:
Gandhi
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Columbia
"His triumph changed the world forever."
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Dec. 8 - May 19, 1983)
Includes West Coast Premiere on Dec. 7
Expanded Release on Dec. 22, 1983:
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] South Coast Plaza
Expanded Release on Dec. 25:
Hollywood: [Mann] Vogue
Expanded Release on Dec. 29
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome
Additional 70mm Engagements:
Cerritos: [UA] Twin (Jan. 28, 1983)
La Mirada: [Pacific] La Mirada (Apr. 15, 1983)
Riverside: [Sanborn] Canyon Crest (May 6, 1983)
Century City: [Plitt] Century Plaza (Sep. 9, 1983)
December 17:
The Dark Crystal
Anamorphic Blow-Up / Six-Track Dolby Stereo
Associated Film (AFD)/Universal
Costa Mesa: [Edwards] Town Center
Hollywood: [Pacific] Hollywood Pacific
West Los Angeles: [Pacific] Picwood
Additional 70mm Engagement:
Orange: [Syufy] Cinedome (Feb. 11, 1983)
More 70mm
70mm In New York
70mm In Orange County