Anybody remember 70mm?

I didn't know a damn thing about the technology (and I still don't), but if memory serves me correctly, I saw "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" in 70mm. All I remember is that it was AWESOME!!!
 
I just read up on it. It was around during the 1890's!
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That was an omni release I think. Does that seem right?

It might've been. But that's not how I saw it. I just remember looking at the showtimes, at my local neighborhood multiplex, and I was given the choice between 35mm and 70mm. I was like, "duhh", of course I'll watch 70mm! :lol:

Shut up, Zensteve! You can't ruin what was an awesome moment from my childhood! :)
 
I'm wrong, but this is interesting:

IMAX increases the resolution of the image by using a much larger film frame. To achieve this, 65 mm film stock passes horizontally through the cameras. Traditional cameras pass film vertically. 65 mm film has an image area that is 48.5 × 22.1 mm (1.91 × 0.87 in) (for Todd-AO), in IMAX the image is 69.6 × 48.5 mm (2.74 × 1.91 in) tall. In order to match standard film speed of 24 frames per second, three times as many feet of film moves through the camera each second.

Film

IMAX uses "ESTAR" (Kodak's trade name for PET film) base. The reason is for precision more than strength. Developing chemicals do not change the size or shape of ESTAR, and IMAX's pin registration (especially the cam mechanism) does not tolerate either sprocket-hole or film-thickness variations. The IMAX format is generically called "15/70" film, the name referring to the 15 sprocket holes per frame. The film's bulk requires platters rather than conventional film reels.[10] IMAX platters range from 1.2 to 1.83 metres (3.9 to 6.0 ft) diameter to accommodate 1 to 2.75 h of film. Platters with a 2.5 hour feature film weigh 250 kilograms (551 lb).
 
CF, you were old enough to remember 1890?

I saw a 70mm print of Far and Away when it came out -- beautiful! I'm now happy I wasn't the focus puller on the film.
 
The small state college I attended (Keene State College in N.H.) had a kick ass movie theater with 70mm projection capabilities and a full surround Dolby hi-fi 5.1 to infinity sound system.

http://www.keene.edu/putnam/films.cfm

Some of the best screenings were Apocalypse Now, Lawrence of Arabia and Myazaki's original (not Disney's version) Laputa: Castle in the Sky. It was a one of the best little movie theaters and always played great films.
 
I saw a 70mm print of Far and Away when it came out -- beautiful!

That was the last film I know of that was shot in standard 70mm (which is really 65mm film negative, and 70mm prints because of the sound stripe). I saw a 70mm print of FAR & AWAY too and it was mind boggling how sharp the image was, especially in the pre-CGI vistas and sunsets.

IMAX is great, but it's more of a square image (when shot in IMAX format, not the upres versions most Hollywood movies do).
 
Here in Los Angeles a local theater has a 70mm Festival once a year.
It's always packed. Seeing "2001: A Space Odyssey" in 70mm on the
big screen is an amazing experience.

I remember seeing "Star Wars" in one of the few theaters to show it
in 70mm.
 
Parts of the Dark Knight were shot on 70mm

IMAX and 70mm are and are not the same thing. It's different because with IMAX the film goes through the camera left to right, not up and down. It's also not anamorphic like traditional 70mm film (widescreen).

Several action sequences in DARK KNIGHT (including the entire Bank Robbery open) were shot with the 65mm IMAX format. When seeing THE DARK KNIGHT in the theater in IMAX, those scenes popped up to full screen format, and also go from the 2.35 widescreen to 1.78 (16x9) on the Blu Ray, even though it was almost 4:3 square on the film negative.

There were several competing 70mm formats back in the day like Paramount's VISTAVISION, which later became ILM's standard format for shooting effects work on 65mm film for compositing effects work down to 35mm without loss in picture quality. CGI rendered this technique obsolete.

Remember, 70mm film is 65mm negative and only 70mm for presentation because of the soundtrack/5mm sound stripe on the film itself for projectors.

Working for AMC theaters over 20 years ago as a projectionist pays off.
 
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