In Praise of 70mm

The time to ramble on and on about glorious 70mm has come but instead of waxing lyrical about the look and texture of the format, let's dive into its fascinating history and take a few minutes to explore how the development of 70mm actually helped save Hollywood from potential ruin.
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Sources/Further Reading-
United States v. Paramount Pictures Inc. - bit.ly/2CecUaa
The Wayward Charms of Cinerama by David Bordwell - bit.ly/2CejiOA
The History of 70mm - bit.ly/2wCfbpC
Block-booking explained - bit.ly/2MKOlGD
The Hateful Eight- Featurette on 65mm - bit.ly/1NPnj5w
In70mm.com (an absolutely wonderful source I highly recommend visiting, that includes up to date listings of upcoming 70mm screenings across the world) - bit.ly/1Bko4yo
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Twitter- andymsaladino
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Prima- / primabeats

[@ClaytonCogswell]

There was a rerelease of Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm back in 2006. I bought a ticket for a matinee show at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. It being a Tuesday at 10:45 a.m., I was the only soul in the theater. I had my own private 70mm screening of that masterpiece. I haven't been the same ever since.

[@richardscally694]

Wonderful now that's an experience.

[@goob8945]

WOW

[@kevin-parratt-artist]

Did you get to choose your seat? 😁

[@Lee_1971]

It's not just a film, it's an experience. To experience it like you did, you were very, very lucky.

[@natepeace1737]

That’s awesome!

[@TheJakeFlores]

I saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 70mm at the Cinerama Dome and it was awesome! The audio and high quality image made it unforgettable!

[@davidjames579]

I find it interesting he shot it on 35 and blew it up, rather than with Hateful Eight.

[@celiaguillen7338]

@@davidjames579 can you explain that?

[@davidjames579]

@@celiaguillen7338 Don't know why. Maybe's it's a trope he wanted to copy. Paul Thomas Anderson shot The Master on 70mm, then Inherent Vice and Phantom Thread, he's shot in 35mm, and done 70mm blowup releases of.

[@BlaBla-jj6sh]

@@davidjames579 I think QT did this deliberately to give his movie a contemporary 1969 look which would indeed be 35mm rather than 70. Large format was already on the decline then.

[@jianthonnierojas7436]

@@davidjames579 They don't film in 70. They film on 65 and then print it out on 70 for projection.

[@mattlaw1350]

Cinemas became fast food joints and what's the "best" way to enjoy fast food? Home delivery . By going cheap on the theater experience the theater owners "killed" the enjoyment and uniqueness

[@bighands69]

+Matthew Law The did not go cheap because they wanted to make more money they went cheap because they were loosing money. In the 1980s and 1990s the cinema industry suffered because the stand of films went down hill. The industry was obcessed with indie film nonsense. With the occational speilberg big production with nothing inbetween. People blame video but that makes no sense because cinema did not suffer when TV bad its big impact. 50% of all houses in 1950s America had a TV and audiences still flocked to see the big experience. There was nothing in the 1980s or 1990s that compared to the likes of Rear window or Ben-Her. Hitchcock in the 1950s released 11 films and no director today can even come close with that. With many making a film once every 5 years on average.

[@HububkiFilms]

@@bighands69 I would actually argue that industry expansion and increasing options (like HBO) broadened the spectrum of available content and fractured the audience into subgroups. This is much more exaggerated now, with online streaming and a vast content boom. Inevitably, when production scales up, quality control is sacrificed...so there are definitely tons more mediocre films (though they were always around, just not in the quantity and availability of today's market) but there are also more high quality films made now. It used to be that in a given calendar year, you'd have perhaps a handful of must see blockbusters and masterpieces. Now, they're a lot more common because of the glut of funding from the sea of content distributors.

[@bighands69]

@@HububkiFilms Cinema was in decline before the streaming options came along. TV and streaming now is producing shows that people want to watch. People do not want to watch gay cowboy movies, political activist films or just disgusting art house films that do horrible things and I have seen some disgusting films. Cinema is not making films anymore because it is controlled by political activists and that will happen to streaming in the not so distant future.

[@HububkiFilms]

@@bighands69 Your own personal shortcomings aside, you're flat out wrong. People consume far more films and television than ever before. There are tons of people who watched and thoroughly enjoyed Brokeback Mountain. It made a domestic profit (over it's $15 Million budget) of nearly $70 million, and a global box office of nearly $180 million. You probably prefer Birth of a Nation (1915), Triumph of the Will (1935) or Reefer Madness (1936), other (good) people like genuinely well made films that don't promote hate and that require an audience with a functional brain. Now, for you, there's films like Breakthrough or Overcomer and Fox News, Nascar and Duck Dynasty. There's plenty of room for everyone 😉

[@TooCooFoYou]

bighand69 “Wah politics wah” Many of the greatest films of all time deal with politics (and that’s not including the films that people also flock to).

[@movietheme]

I saw 2001 on 70mm and that changed my life

[@Professor_Utonium_]

I saw it last week! It was breathtaking.

[@stefanschwarzmayr1501]

I saw it last Weekend. Absolutely unbelievable!

[@Seras99]

Same here! It was one of the best movie experiences ever in my fucking life!

[@Pariahmary]

I may be one voice, but i am sure there are many more that envy your experience.

[@adam-o893]

Yep. Saw it last week and it rocked my world!

[@VariTimo]

I saw Dunkirk last year in 70mm IMAX and The Dark Knight on Sunday on a 10 year anniversary 70mm IMAX screening. It deserves another word than glorious to describe it. The higher aspect ratio just give the image so much more depth and the image quality is just jaw dropping. I think it really deserves to be called epic in the original sense of the word....

[@jeffsummstl]

In the 70mm version of the Hateful Eight, it felt so real, I could almost smell the wood in the cabin (haberdashery).

[@timpage9424]

'Interstellar' in 70mm IMAX was hands down my favorite theatrical experience that I've had.

[@mad-meh2719]

That's crazy, I watched interstellar in liemax and I was blown away. Now I can't wait to watch oppenheimer in 70mm.

[@slydtsman]

As someone who lugged those 70mm prints up many a projectionist stairs, those reels were a pain! But once you saw the presentation, it was worth it. Some films were 12 to 15 reels long (160 minutes with intros, outros & intermissions) films I ran in 70 included, The Exorcist, Jaws, ET, all the Star Wars (original SW was in 35mm, blown up to 70 after it hit), Aliens 1, & 3, in Panavision 70 Aliens ran in a "Flat" 1.78.1 - 70mm aspect ratio. the first 3 Indiana Jones, Top Gun, The Sound Of Music & Lawrence of Arabia revivals. Never got to run 2001in 70, only 35, although I recently saw it in 70.

[@selzzaW]

70mm is sometimes used for speciality restorations too. Vertigo was shot in Vista Vision, but for a restoration done in the 90s, a new 70mm negative was created. I saw a 79mm print a few years ago, and it was incredibly sharp.

[@kevinsupreme_ph36yearsago59]

I saw Interstellar & Dunkirk in imax 70mm film, it was the best movie experience I ever had, the resolution is so detailed it looks like real life but the only problem is 70mm film stock is so expensive nowadays because of digital cameras.

[@darrellphilip3295]

You left off the most important point: the fidelity of the 70mm image. You can see every pore and hair on someone's skin. Take a look at Lawrence of Arabia. There is no film more beautiful.

[@pgmiziara]

Back in January is was traveling to Los Angeles with a couple of friends (I'm from Brazil). One night there I had the opportunity to watch Phantom Thread in glorious 70mm. I will neve forget that experience. I'm going to film school, and shooting a movie on film is one of my dreams. When the digital projector revolution happened, I was too young to give a shit. This was one night I will never forget. When the projector started rolling, that sound, the classic sound, and the movie began, without trailers, it was magical. I knew I was watching something special, not because it's on film, nor because is a new movie from one of my favorite directors, but because it was a experience, but because I knew I could hardly have that experience anywhere else in the world, at any other time. I even got a program, a fucking program! This was really like going to a broadway show, that made me fell bad that I was underdressed (tho I wasn't). And that's why I love 70mm and loved your video. I don't think going to the movies should be ordinary.

[@TravisFirestine]

You are absolutely right! I hope film school is going well for you mate 🙏🏼

[@Waxalousgalaxy]

With your Super8, 16mm and now 70mm videos, I feel it might of just been quicker so say you hate 35mm right off the bat.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@gnilttbs Funny, that is actually something you could say about 35mm in Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers". The Mix of Super8, 16mm and 35mm makes the whole 35mm segments seem like they are pristine clean and clear as a mountain sea.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@gnilttbs Well i think the smooth look of 35mm in "Natural Born Killers" as also enhanced through filters as a style element to separate the different looks from each other. So in this regard 35mm did have that heavenly pure, almost healing, kind of look. Personally i like the look of todays Black and White 16mm because it reminds me a lot of the Black and White 35mm productions of the 20s and 30s, without the shallow DoF that 35mm has of course, due to the optical nature of being a bigger smaller format than 35mm. But i like that imperfections that leaves more to dream. I would love to shoot 35mm both colour and black and white. When it comes to 16mm i'd probably wanna do both too. But Super 8.... i'm kinda done with this format. Especially after Kodak's amateurish Vaporware Hipstercrap that was their Super8 Plans during the last few years with absolutely nothing that can be actually used.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@gnilttbs Well, I'd prefer 70mm for certain shots where lights are visible. Doesn't matter if it's candles or a combination of that and additional tungsten lights. Or with a visible Sun at the sky. Or streetlights. Because Lights are something that just NEVER look good on digital. It always becomes a blown out flat mess that just looks unnatural and disgusting. But on Film you always have those fuzzy and beautiful soft halos and fine gradients from dark to bright. So on 70mm i'd love to have that extra fine resolution of such light halos. No matter if foreground or background or both. At Daylight i think 35mm works just fine. Also i'd only use 70mm for large shots where a lot of details have to be captured. Landscapes, mass scenes or just scenes where you want a little bit of more details (maybe close ups). But not for every shot. It REALLY has to be used for a certain purpose where you get the benefit of that extra resolution. Otherwise it just wears of too much and doesn't have the same impact. I would not wanna shoot a whole film like that. Also those scenes should not have too much motion. Preferably tripod only and if possible no pans. Zooms maybe but only slow. Like those nice slow Zooms in "Barry Lyndon".

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@gnilttbs When it comes to digital shots of today i'm pretty disgusted by the ever same boring colour grading that seem to be the same presets with little to no variation at all. There are only few movies that are shot digital that i think are absolutely gorgeous. One prominent example is "Tron Legacy" which actually a perfect digitally shot film because after all we are following our characters in a digital world. So the digital look actually fits here and it also for the most part looks well done and because of the films environment you don't get nonstop reminded that you are watching something shot with video cameras. Another Film that is shot digitally is "Festen - Dogme#1" which has a reason. They used Sony MiniDV camcorders that came with a remarjably good Megapixel image sensor and those sensors delivered wonderful pictures in lowlight environments with soft fuzzy lights and a nice sharp image. However what actually adds to the whole films esthetic is the fact that they did a blow up to 35mm and that drastically changed the films look, making it look like a handheld 16mm production where the whole videolook is pretty much gone. It became a kind of hybrid that, when i saw it for the first time, was hard to describe but i fell in love with it. Not only does it fit to the whole films story and acting but it also shows what film adds to digital. It really gives the video something that the digital picture lacked. Some kind of patina. it boosted the colours, made the lights more fuzzy and soft and took away the harshness. And i actually find it sad that this kind of process wasn't done more often. I know Lars von Trier did it too for "Idioterne" but it was done sloppier there with badly adjusted video, resulting in ghosting and making the picture look like it's still interlaced. Would I shoot something digital with HD video cameras or DSLRs i would always rather want to blow up the final cut to 35mm and scan it from that again. If i only had a limited budget that would make shooting everything on 35mm too expensive. But at the end i would always want to have a final film mastered on film.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@gnilttbs yeah i agree with you on that amateur porn bit. It doesn't have to be overproduced DSLR or prosumer-camcorder recordings. And yeah amateurs really don't shoot 35mm like that. And Super8 and 16mm is kinda not the same and is also pointless in that nieche. It would be just totally overproduced. Amateurs better look amateurish. Otherwise it just seems pretentious and like the industry behind it being involved. And yeah, when it comes to good digital film making… there really aren't many i can think where it's just perfect as it is. With some films you kinda accept it but it just always swings with it and reminds you that they had the money and capacity and yet chosen the easy way out with digital video. It is always funny. Those who WANT to shoot film cannot afford it and those who CAN rather go digital. And it always shows one way or another.

[@michaelstuart341]

So jealous! I'd love to see Lawrence of Arabia in a theatre palace on 70mm! I'd also like to see a return of the roadshow release and the overture, intermission and exit. The only film to do the roadshow in living memory was Tarintino's Hateful Eight

[@cremigproductions377]

watched 2001 on sunday in 70mm with overture, intermission and exit in vienna at the gartenbaukino - my favourite cinema! Amazing experience

[@billfisher9238]

we see it here in Seattle every year at the CINERAMA. probably the best movie theatre in the U.S.

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

I've seen Lawrence of Arabia in 70 mm at the Virginia Theater in Champaign-Urbana, IL.

[@pamdemonia]

Michael Stuart first time I saw that marvelous film was in the mid-80s when they restruck prints and sent it out in a limited release, including the overture, and the intermission. It blew me away. And I saw that new 2001 print here in SF about a month ago with intermission and everything. Very cool, although I had forgotten just how long we hang out with the proto-humans and how absolutely insane the last reel is.

[@saiashwin26]

I just wanna say you guys are incredibly lucky to have seen all these amazing films in 70mm with the whole experience.I watched classics like Lawrence of Arabia, 2001 etc on my fucking 16 inch laptop with mediocre sound.Its also great that you often get screenings of classic films, in my country folks watch movies to pass their time on weekends

[@normanrowe2831]

I saw Lawrence of Arabia in 70 mm when it came out. Absolutely stunning.

[@sfperalta]

I'm old enough to remember the blockbuster theater releases, where you'd have to drive 70 miles to wait in line for 6 hours, but it was worth it. The theaters were just beautiful, almost majestic. The movie was only showing on one screen because that's all the theater had -- the ONE screen. And the movie would play there for 20, 30, 40 weeks, so if you wanted to see it 10 times you could. Yes, the movie was 2.5, 3 maybe close to 4 hours, but you had intermissions and didn't have to have a bladder of steel. Also what you had at home was, at best, a 25-inch color TV, with small built-in stereo speakers, so there really was no competition, even when the movie eventually came to TV 2 years later... all chopped up with tons of commercials (this was all pre-VCR era). Of course, today you have fast internet, streaming 4K video, 60-80 inch TVs and Dolby 7-channel surround all in the comfort of your home, so I don't think the wide-screen blockbuster era will ever return. But as a special event, it's nice to have as an option for the experience, if nothing else.

[@SeanGatchell]

Making a big deal of the show with full presentation is just the best. I am so glad we still have the option. Convenience means nothing to me. A grand night out is still the best!

[@kshmr_k9]

Cool, thanks for sharing

[@adriannn3720]

4K Blu-Rays bring you incredibly close to the theatrical experience.

[@MouadAlagi]

It's fasinating to find out that a film format from the 50's has the highest resolition of all time! 12K! Thanks for the info, Andrew!

[@jmalmsten]

I hate to be that pedantic guy. But. The aspect ratio of the individual frames of the CineRama prints where 6 perf high, not the usual 4 perf. Yielding an aspect ratio of 0.89:1 for each strip of film (not 1.37:1 like in the Polyvision system like this video suggests). They were also shot and presented in 26 fps instead of the usual 24fps, so it was slightly HFR too. Like how early 70mm Todd AO was shot in 30 fps which necessitated all of the sound synch scenes (usually almost the whole film) to be recorded with dual cameras (either as separate takes or side by side) to get a usable print for regular 35mm releases. :) I'm sorry, it's a great video overall, I'm just overly obsessive when it comes to film formats. :) Oh, and technically, TechniRama is a 35mm process as it used 35mm negatives in camera. Basically it was a VistaVision camera (horizontally fed film for added width) with an anamorphic lens (giving a wider than usual image for the VistaVision frame). It was often 70 mm at presentation as the straight prints didn't conform to basically any projection standards. But they also gave super fine 35 mm anamorphic prints for regular release because of the supersampling of shrinking the negatives grain to the smaller release print. Uhm... I'll return to my basement now.

[@foglias]

Thanks for the info mate. Christopher Nolan would be proud. :) ;)

[@ericellsworth9852]

Don't worry man, your not the only one who noticed it. I'm there with you! :)

[@sonny8686]

I just wanted to say that You are an awesome dude just for knowing all that stuff

[@TheGalacticWest]

Badass info drop.

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

@@foglias How do you know it's not Christopher Nolan with a fake account ;)

[@RobRamss]

Recently I went to watch 2001 for the first time in a local "imax" theater. Despite it being in one of those average multiplexes like you talked about, it was the best theater experience I ever had. We still had trailers before the film but once it started, it felt like I was watching it the way it was meant to be watched, there was even a intermission! There were only about 7 other people in the theater with me, 2 of which were children probably under the age of 13, and everyone was extremely respectful. Even when the credits started rolling the room remained silent. No one stood or even seemed to think about standing to leave until the credits were completely over.

[@kenalanfitness]

Great to hear. Sorry to miss it.

[@vicenteortegarubilar9418]

I will always miss that 70mm look from the movies of my childhood.

[@davidjames579]

You know what I miss? The sound. There's something very particular about film reel audio that I can't put my finger on, but really absorbs you into a film.

[@1dbanner]

I saw 2001 in 70mm a few years ago, and it was a religious experience. Just two weeks ago, I saw Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX, and I'm still speechless.

[@michaelmuldowney8]

Saw a rerelease of Lawrence Of Arabia in 70mm about a decade ago - incredible experience.

[@TheLingo56]

I will say for the reason of showmanship alone I think my viewing of The Hateful Eight was probably my single most memorable movie experience I've ever had. It was a cool winter here in Vancouver, snow on the ground. We packed into the local old school Park Theatre to watch the movie and everyone around had a hint of excitement. Once everyone got seated there was a chill in the air from the weather outside. Once the movie started the overture set the tone and prepared everyone for an epic to unfold on screen. I can still remember the sound of the projector reeling in the background and just how detailed the picture was, the yellow glow of the projector giving a bit of warmth to the theatre. To top the viewing off the entire audience had a standing ovation by the end of the movie and then we all parted our ways back into the cool Vancouver streets. Probably a little over dramatic lol, but man did watching that movie feel like an event.

[@kasrakhatir]

"Digital is Temporary, Film is Forever" -JFK

[@atimholt]

Funnily enough, the exact opposite is true (physically speaking). Or, at least, digital can be preserved with things like laser-etched glass, multi-site backups and applied information theory. Major studios are contracting new tech that promises to preserve their collections for hundreds of thousands of years.

[@BlaBla-jj6sh]

@@atimholt No technology truly lasts forever, but at least with digital you can easily copy to a newer format without any loss in quality. Copying film will always lead to generational loss. The best practice is updating the digital master file to a newer carrier every few years or so and keep black and white color separation masters on film in a vault off-site. Like an old salt mine or similar, as is done today. The latter might come in useful, should the digital master file ever get destroyed (fire) or wiped out (mistakenly erased or even an EMP attack)

[@777jones]

"Social media can alter people's value system." - Frederick Chopin

[@shayneoneill1506]

​@@atimholt Yeah Film only survives a limited amount of time (especially old silver nitrate stocks, but modern film stocks have similar problems) But digital can be copied with perfect reprodcution so assuming someone DOES preserve it, what we get 100 years from now will be identical to what it is today.

[@piennuivelo]

"Dude, where's my car?" - Marcel Proust

[@popflicktionedits3256]

Roadshow should make a comeback, more than just one Tarantino flick, I mean every blockbuster (which is a lot nowadays) should be shown in this format

[@terriblegamer6162]

I have never seen a 70MM film. There's no cinema remotely near me that plays classic (or any) films in 70MM, I have to go out of my way to drive 3 hours to the only place that does show it but I don't drive so can't do that.

[@rafaelandrade7627]

I'd have to drive to another country hahaha

[@DysnomiaFilms]

Lucky. I'd have to FLY 5 hours to see 70mm.

[@terriblegamer6162]

Well damn I thought I had it bad

[@DysnomiaFilms]

Terrible Gamer It comes with living in the most isolated capital city in the world.

[@ineverswag]

@@rafaelandrade7627 id have to fly to another continent

[@TimothyMatkin]

I was able to watch “How the West was Won” at the Cinerama in Seattle back in 2000. It was quite an experience. I think IMAX has missed its full potential now with LieMax presentations. It was nice to finally see a real IMAX movie again with “Dunkirk” in Dallas.

[@SeanGatchell]

Its a life goal of mine to see that show there! I love that film. I don't live too far from the Cinerama but getting the time right has been hard.

[@faith2461]

@@SeanGatchell Unfortunately as of the day I’m writing this (21.07.21), the Seattle Cinerama location is permanently closed. I was devastated to find that out. I’m not sure if there are any Cinerama theatres left now.

[@Professor_Utonium_]

Just recently saw 2001: A Space Odyssey in 70mm. Nothing else like it in the world, despite being so old, it looked better than any movie shot today in a lesser fidelity.

[@kenalanfitness]

Agreed.

[@eggydrums]

I'm just a 21 year old that loves cinema, down to the most technical detail. I know exactly what you mean at the end, that we don't get these epic displays of showmanship very much anymore. I've never had the opportunity to see a film in 70mm, proper IMAX film or hell even IMAX Laser which is supposed to be the closest you can get to the real thing. But, I always make sure that whenever I go see a movie, it's in the best theater I can find (which in my country happens to be the only IMAX screen at the moment and it's not Laser), to make the occasion special as you mentioned. And if I bring people along, try to guide them and inform them so they can feel that as well. The last time I can say I felt that was with Blade Runner 2049. I saw it 3 times on IMAX and it became almost like a pilgrimage to me. Indeed a very special experience.

[@mrudulvemuri182]

I feel sorry for you. Haven't seen a single film on 70mm?? I haven't seen it on Imax. But have seen many films on 70mm. Where are you from, my man?

[@toniwonkanobi]

A lot of waxing lyrical talk about not waxing lyrical

[@CineRanter]

Recently discovered this channel. You are one of the few people I've seen who makes videos on film that I actually LEARN from, like, tons and tons of information in a single video. Thank you.

[@danrazzaia3152]

Glad to see you can find a theater that shows off classic 70mm. Seattle's legendary Cinerama has their annual 70mm festival starting in a week.

[@mikeywilbanks6089]

That was really freaking great and very well done! I usually spend my time watching video essays about similar things but this was by far the best I've seen in a long time! I feel like I've learned something, but also gained something I wouldn't have from other essays. I think that thing is appreciation and just straight enthusiasm for what you had to say! When I say this video was well done, I mean that you had me laughing in amaze, jaw-dropped at some of the fantastic feats of the early technology, and literally saying out loud "Wow, that was incredible" once the video ended. You really did a good job on this video, so congratulations! You've got a knack for what you do and I hope that sticks with you. Though this is the first video by you I've seen, you've earned yourself a new sub!

[@JaydevRaol]

This was really well researched and edited. Loved it! Thanks a lot for putting this out. 😃👏🙏

[@nicksifuentes1509]

70mm is coming here in Chicago in festival form and I already got my ticket for Lawrence! Great video!

[@AlarmedFrog706]

One of your best videos yet! I look forward to your next work!

[@KillerbeeX0]

your concept of filmography and theatrics truly bring all of it home . you make people who dont care about theater and cinematography want to know more. great job!

[@nickkostopoulos8127]

Warner Bros. botched the marketing of this past week's 2D IMAX (note: Lie-Max) release of "2001: A Space Odyssey", but the Overture, Entr'acte and Exit Music were still there, and it really does make a viewing experience feel uniquely structured. In the age of 20 minute identically edited trailer packs, I really miss Overtures...

[@kenalanfitness]

Yes, they did not promote it well. Didn't even know about, otherwise I would have seen it.

[@guileniam]

Really? In the UK people were aware of it thanks to KZbin no less. 50th anniversary interviews n shit

[@Ali-fs7ze]

This is the second road show video I've seen the last 3 days. What is this, a new lore patch for the simulation?

[@sammelief1]

This one, lindsay ellis, and?

[@thartwig]

sammelief1 he said last 3 days not third video, unless he edited it, but yeah that Lindsay Ellis one was a good dive into it and musicals lol

[@JasonExplainsThings]

Couldn't agree more. The few roadshow or special presentations I've been to are very memorable. Now most of the time my 4K TV beats the local theater.

[@timonelson6499]

I go to the paramount summer films series quite often and I'm sorry that you couldn't get better seats to watch. I think there's something special about 70mm when it completely fills your vision. Great video and love to see my local theater get some love!

[@ThatXavier]

I’m currently living in Austin for college, and I have been to the Paramount theater and it is an experience like no other.

[@supergeeknation6015]

Excellent video thank you, saw Hateful Eight on 70mm in London after hearing my Dad talk about seeing them back in his day and I never thought I'd get a chance. Saw Abel Gances Napoleon with the triptich ending in the cinema too, what an awesome epic film using techniques years ahead of its time, highly recomend it.

[@Chiefahleaf]

I always loved the look of 70mm for sure. It definitely gave a different experience in the field shown, where I can't experience the hateful eight like I did the first time with that 70mm show.

[@carapatricia]

I really appreciated the Hateful Eight roadshow, which gaves us 70mm, programs, and an intermission at a beautiful old theatre. It was like going back in time and created such a fantastic experience. I'm lucky to live in a city with old theatres that still regularly do special showings of old 70mm films. Love making a night of it.

[@MGSBigBoss77]

Congrats, truly appreciate it man. Cos so few cinemas are still trying to do that now. because they face closure these days. Most indie theaters try to still do 70mm showings (The Prince Charles in London's Leicester Square?) but scale wise they're smaller cinemas in terms of size. so the experience just isn't the same unless its pacifically an IMAX theater instead mind you!

[@jamesrael9557]

Great words of love, my friend!

[@ArielViera]

After 10:10 the Max Joseph vibes are STRONG AF! Great job!

[@MatthewGhirardi]

I saw Oppenheimer in 70mm at my AMC, and it looked fantastic

[@TrapPhoneLoveMelodiesss]

Great vid bro! I love the passion and very informative. Thanks for your work

[@parthchopra2811]

I have researched so much about celluloid, and still this video gave me something new.....thank you!!!!

[@aimeenasryn9773]

You have such a charisma! It makes what you’re saying so fluid! This is rly cool added to the very interesting nature of the subject

[@TwoWrights]

I saw The Sound Of Music in 70mm last weekend. It was glorious.

[@keithmockett3810]

Another excellent video from you ... Thanks! Best potted history of bigger and wider screens and showmanship that I have seen. :-) :-) :-)

[@KarolisJurevicius]

Thank you for a background history of 70mm, the context of how it came about is new to me. Living in London, UK I had the pleasure and privilege to see handful of films shot and projected in cinemas in 70mm and 70mm IMAX, the ones I can remember: Samsara (probably the most beautiful visual piece I've ever seen), The Hateful Eight (Roadshow), The Master, The Dark Knight trilogy, Dunkirk, Gravity, Interstellar, Inception, Shutter Island, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Some of these are only partial 65/70mm and once projected on the big screen you can tell which frames come from 35mm and digital. Nevertheless, if you ever have a chance to experience 70mm projection or Roadshow, do it!

[@ahlads]

Karolis Jurevicius i thought there was no 70mm print of Samsara made

[@KarolisJurevicius]

That's one of those films that have been shot entirely on 70mm film but the screening I went to might have 'projected' it via 8K system at BFI IMAX theatre. The visual quality was outstanding, it might as well have been stills, and that's what makes me believe it was 70mm film conversion into digital. However, I know that BFI cinemas are capable of projecting 70mm film as I've watched Dunkirk and Batman films over there, so I can't entirely say that Samsara was on film.

[@ahlads]

Karolis Jurevicius pretty sure it was digital as the makers deliberately did not make any prints. Stunning film though. I hope it’s released in 4K sometime soon.

[@bengraham2739]

This just became my favorite video on KZbin. God bless!!

[@MGSBigBoss77]

Excellent video! Truly appreciate everything!

[@RadekSzcz]

They should show this video in schools. Now I understand why directors put so much pressure on 70mm in the era of streaming services.

[@AlexHolmes.]

This whole video feels like a POV of my friends whilst I scream at them about the glory of film. God bless you man, love your videos x

[@padonmurdock3926]

Keep up the good work dude, really enjoyed this.

[@BertieFett]

Great video, I love 70mm. Here in the UK the roadshow carried on into the 80s, as a boy I remember being taken to see Return of the Jedi in London before it was released nationwide I was too young to tell the format but could well have been 70mm, happy memories

[@AlejandroSilva-mr7yy]

Finally, I love these uploads

[@Vincentanton2032]

Great Video. Very good explaination. Thank you for that! Good job

[@JaredPiTrick]

im working on a documentary about the classic movie palaces. and you definitely touch on several of the points i intend to make. glad to see there are others out there as bent for film as i am. good on you brother!

[@MannyV1022]

I just saw “Death on the Nile” (2022) in 70mm. Beautiful image and I think it beats 4K. For those of you in the New York City area, AMC Lincoln Square 13 is where I saw it in 70mm. I’ll probably go there for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” (2023).

[@photomitch]

Dolby Digital and DTS sound system also helped knock 70mm out of theaters. The advantage that 70mm had over 35mm early on was that the movie was presented in multichannel surround sound. The advent of Dolby stereo on 35mm didn't replicate the same experience as 70mm, so your correct on the point that 70mm was used for special presentations with the experience of the viewer getting immersed into the movie. The digital sound systems that appeared in the 90's, was able to replicate that 70mm version of that same sound experience without the expense of the 70mm print. My first experience of seeing a film in wide screen with multi-channel sound was in 1961 when my mother took me to see the Cinerama film "Seven Wonders of the World". It was an experience for an 8 year old who never got to go to the movies very much back then. My next experience wouldn't be until 1978 then I saw "Close Encounters" & "Star Wars" in Hollywood.

[@woooweee]

I miss giant 70mm dome theaters, the last one near me closed a few years back. and why it matters, 70mm to bluray/4k transfers, the past preserved in glorious detail.

[@jt2423]

I appreciate this video for even mentioning Cinerama. I needed to say this however. The reason why Cinerama uses three cameras was to capture an extremely wide angle(146 degrees). The process was trying to recreate what a person sees. It's was the VR of the 1950 except on a really huge curved screen. Todd AO was a refinement of this process using 65mm film ( Cinerama didn't use it because it wasn't around during development) and a somwhat fisheye lens to get the a 128 degree field of view. This lens was rarely used sadly

[@aaronantony1221]

thankyou for sharing your knowledge, helped me a lot.

[@paulmiyagishima7655]

My Dad worked for Panavision for over 55 years and helped design many of the lenses using pencil and draft paper. He designed the famous 1 mile shot lens used in Lawrence of Arabia when you see Omar sharif riding out of the desert. That lens was used only once for that one shot. He joked that it was the worst lens that was ever made, but used for one of the most famous shots ever. He also made sure that the 65mm cameras and lenses were well kept. I asked him why would anyone use them again since everything was shot in 35mm. All he said was " They are important and will be used again" It wasn't until "The Hateful Eight" that I finally understood. The lenses are decades old, but are even better than new because of the aging of the lens coating. My Dad has been gone for 10 years, but he was right about 70mm being really important and it will be used again....

[@alexm7582]

I was just about to say I'm sad that you didn't mention roadshows but before I could comment you brought it up haha. Great video, man!

[@freejulianassange3143]

Thank you for an enjoyable diversion. 8) You have a great style of presentation that's both engaging and easy to listen to. I wish you every success.

[@popflicktionedits3256]

I was out too shoot a short film with my dad and grandad, I’m pretty young btw, and I mentioned that I found this new camera that replicated the look of 70mm, my dad had no idea what 70mm is, even though he likes to pretend to be the film hipster I am, but Grandad knew since he grew up watching films presented in that format, must’ve been a great time

[@fourthpanda]

Come to the Hollywood theatre in Portland and see their glorious 70mm!

[@rockinrecords4081]

I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 70mm (at a science dome), and I appreciated the experience, but it definitely wasn't meant to be seen in that format. Before the showing, they let us know parts of the film were obviously NOT shot for 70mm projection, and it showed throughout the more intimate scenes in the film. Specifically the lightsaber duel between Kylo Ren and Rey in the 3rd act. Ren's lightsaber was curved across the screen as he held it up to Rey. Now, the whole movie wasn't like this. The space duels and earlier wide shots we're partially filmed in 70mm, and those looked fine--But overall I don't think the whole movie was worth seeing on IMAX 70MM. In contrast, I saw Dunkirk at a local theater still outfitted with a 70MM projector from The Hateful Eight, and it was possibly the best moviegoing experience I've ever had. So I think in the long run, its all about WHO is behind the camera, and the artistic vision of the film that creates these lasting pictures. Great video!

[@NabberDog]

Totally agree, you gotta have a director who will treat the format as the ideal way to watch the film, not an afterthought or a marketing boost. The problem with The Force Awakens is that even though most of it was shot on film, it's edited digitally at 2K (which is only slightly higher than 1080p). So you're looking at a 2K video's worth of pixels being printed onto 70mm film, which sort of defeats the purpose. Sadly this is pretty common, even for high-profile 70mm releases. Dunkirk and Nolan's other stuff looks so great because he'll shoot in 70mm and then keep an analog pipeline so that the detail in the film is maintained instead of digitized.

[@jacobsaul]

9:48 - love how 3/4 of the directors have beards, but i think it’s incredibly noticable when something’s shot on film as oppose to digital and i really wish to be able to see it projected properly one day. but fantastic video as always! love your stuff

[@nordattack]

I am fortunate enough to have seen Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia and Little Mermaid in true 70mm on a 60 foot screen. This was at the Cinema 21 in San Diego. There was nothing like it.

[@brodersami]

I'm seeing Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm at the end of September and I'm incredibly hyped about it! I've been looking forward to it since I first heard about the new 70mm restoration a year ago.

[@UmbrellaGent]

So lucky!

[@CannonfireVideo]

A surprisingly fine documentary! I've been a great fan of 70mm since well before the young fellow in this video was born. This presentation includes only a couple of technical flubs. As an earlier comment noted, the aspect ratio of each Cinerama panel was not 1.33:1. You may be surprised to learn this, but the Cinerama Dome theater in Hollywood was never equipped to show true Cinerama until fairly recently (after 2000). Before then, that theater often showed "flat" 70mm prints on a deeply curved screen, called a D-150 screen. (That's what the management called it. Yes, I talked to them back in the '70s. And yes, I've been in the projection booth, both before and after the conversion to true 3-strip Cinerama.) The problems with the old D-150 screen were: 1. Distortion caused by keystoning. This is hard to explain, but imagine what would happen to, say, the horizon line in "Lawrence" if you project from an elevated booth onto a semi-circular screen. The horizon becomes a smile. 2. The blacks aren't truly black due to reflected light. (Cinerama uses a louvred screen which rectifies this problem). The video states that Ultra-Panavision was 70mm with an anamorphic squeeze, resulting in a 2.76 aspect ratio. Super-Panavision retained the conventional 2.21 aspect ratio. However, Super-Panavision cameras also used a very slight anamorphic squeeze. The projectors did not use an anamorphic lens. The squeeze was meant to be compensate for projection on a deeply-curved screen, which would widen the image on the sides. Since the squeeze was slight, very few people would notice if a Super-Panavision film (such as "2001") was projected on a flat screen. The only major films created and projected in Ultra-Panavision were "Ben-Hur," "Mutiny on the Bounty," and "The Hateful Eight." Seven other films (such as "Khartoum" and "Mad World") were filmed in Ultra-Panavision but projected in "flat" 70mm, for various reasons. We had to wait until the digital age to see these movies as originally shot -- albeit on our computer screens. I feel that your video should have given a bit more of a shout-out to the 70mm experiments of the early sound era. At that time, some thought that, as long as new projectors were being installed in every theater, it was a good time to improve the visuals. Only a few widescreen films were made at that time, the most impressive of which was undoubtedly 1930's "The Big Trail," the first starring role for John Wayne. It still looks pretty amazing. The cameras built then were the same cameras used to shoot later widescreen epics, such as "Ben-Hur." In the 1970s and '80s, pretty much all filming on 65mm stopped, the big exception being the special effects sequences for "Close Encounters." Many in the industry thought that the only advantage of a 70mm release print was the 6-track soundtrack. But those prints also allowed more light to hit the screen, resulting in a more vibrant image. Plus, the prints were physically stronger and thus looked better at the end of a run than did 35mm prints. The big problem with 70mm (actually 65mm) filming was the rather restricted depth of field. You should check out (for example) "My fair Lady," shot on 65mm in 1964. There are many medium shots in which the characters float against an out-of-focus background. A lot of people may like that look, but the same shots in 35mm anamorphic probably would have had sharp backgrounds.

[@ihspan6892]

Very well made. Thank you.

[@henryshriberfilm]

brilliant video, good editing

[@Sunny_Haven]

I had no idea what 70mm was before I watched this video. Thank you for showing me what it is!

[@jaredkunish]

Seeing THE HATEFUL EIGHT on its 70mm roadshow was the best experience I’ve ever had in the cinema. They gave us a program, there was an overture, an intermission... it was glorious. Plus the movie was amazing so there’s that too

[@HazardNash70]

I've been lucky enough to see a few 70mm presentations in Chicago or Los Angeles; I saw The Master in 70mm and my brother and I caught the roadshow presentation of The Hateful Eight - programs, Overture, Intermission, Exit Music - the works. It's really a very unique experience. I've seen older 70mm movies screened in their original format, too: Ice Station Zebra, Lawrence of Arabia...but my favorite experience was seeing It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World in 70mm, with Overture and Intermission. I've seen the movie at least two dozen times, but seeing it on the big screen with an audience was a revelation. The movie is so clear it doesn't even look like a movie at that ratio, it's like you're the camera or sitting right on the edge of the action. And the sound quality is exceptional. In fact, the biggest laughs from the audience came every time the action cut back to Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney flying the Beechcraft - the laughs came because the angry buzz of the Beechcraft was so persistent, we knew further shit was going to happen - and their flight THROUGH the billboard was met with thunderous applause and cheering. Those movies ARE an unforgettable experience.

[@charliebrownlee9490]

I went to Los Angeles for the first time last winter, and around New Year’s Eve me and my family decided to see a film at the ArcLight Cinerama Dome, and what we choose was Phantom Thread, the new film by PT Anderson. We didn’t know what we were getting into when we were handed an actual paperback program that said “70mm” on the front. If I can tell you any advice as an audience member it is that there is truly nothing like seeing a film in 70.

[@gingrsnap1951]

Front row at the cinerama dome seeing 2001 a space odyssey was so worth losing my job :)

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

I saw 2001 in 70 mm last month in Champaign-Urbana, IL. It was awesome.

[@kenalanfitness]

The birthplace of HAL 9000.

[@johnfitzpatrick3094]

Whenever they show 2001 at the Virginia Theater in Champaign-Urbana, when HAL says he was built in Urbana, IL, it always gets a standing ovation.

[@Waynimations]

Thanks for the history lesson.

[@martijnnorder1152]

Great video!!!

[@jonasfilms4825]

all videos are very passionate. i love it.

[@JesusGallardojg]

One of your absolute best

[@maxcadet2188]

super dope video. loved it!

[@workinprogress9483]

great vid, man

[@jonathangoeldner3560]

sound is briefly mentioned, but hearing the full on five front stage channels that pre-1977 70mm prints had is 'sound design' at it's finest

[@bhusar1]

Great video. I think you get that showmanship when you go to a Dolby Cinema, or in Arizona the Harkins Cine Capri or Cine 1. The "Premium Large Format" screens try and do that, and give the experiance that you can't get on TV. It still is a shame. So many factors I can go into. I remember seeing Last Crusade and Oliver Stone's Born On The Fourth Of July, both in 70mm at the Cineplex Odion McClurg Court Cinema in Chicago in 1989. The main theater was 70mm capable, and it was THX certified, seeing the THX Cimaron trailer has stayed with me. Showmanship, nothing compares to that theater for me. I miss it.

[@lou-car-eo1146]

Any chance you can do a In Praise of IMAX, for Digital and 15/70?

[@timelessmists6349]

70mm IMAX film is the best!!

[@brianmuhlingBUM]

😊 Well done, it is all about presentation.

[@sadtoast6122]

Very interesting and informative

[@survivinghumpday205]

This was so good!!

[@99Davidcool]

I didnt know that extra 5mm were for sound

[@hughbiggins4339]

Indeed, but not just stereo (one of the goofs in his commentary). There were 6 channels of sound on 70mm film. Five screen channels (only three screen channels nowadays), plus a mono surround track.

[@joemckenna5388]

Fantastic video!