THE SCREENING ROOM

70mm & Wide Gauge: The Early Years

The following is a list of feature films photographed and/or exhibited in early, experimental wide gauge processes. The film gauge (width) varied from 56mm to 70mm depending on the process. The aspect ratio for the processes varied from 1.85:1 - 2.13:1. As for the sound, all of the formats had a conventional optical mono track except for Vitascope, which utilized Vitaphone audio discs.

Premiere Date
Title
Photographic Process / Sound Process
Studio
Theatre in which movie was playing


May 24, 1929:
Fox Movietone Follies Of 1929
Grandeur / Mono
Fox
[Fox] Criterion



February 28, 1930:
Happy Days
Grandeur / Mono
Fox
[Fox] Carthay Circle



April 19, 1930:
Song O' My Heart
Grandeur / Mono
Fox
[Fox] Grauman's Chinese



October 2, 1930:
The Big Trail
Grandeur / Mono
Fox
[Fox] Grauman's Chinese



October 31, 1930:
Billy The Kid
Realife / Mono
MGM
[Fox] Criterion



December 12, 1930:
A Soldier's Plaything
Vitascope / Vitaphone
Warner Bros.
[Warner Bros.] Downtown



December 26, 1930:
The Lash
Vitascope / Vitaphone
Warner Bros.

[Warner Bros.] Downtown
[Warner Bros.] Hollywood



January 23, 1931:
The Bat Whispers
Magnifilm / Mono
United Artists
[United Artists] Downtown



January 29, 1931:
The Great Meadow
Realife / Mono
MGM
[Loews] State



February 8, 1931:
Danger Lights
Natural Vision / Mono
RKO
[RKO] RKO



February 13, 1931:
Kismet
Vitascope / Vitaphone
Warner Bros.
[Warner Bros.] Hollywood

More 70mm

70mm In New York    70mm In Orange County