The Original First-Week Engagements Of “Star Wars”. 2019. in70mm.com Mission:. To record the history of the large format movies and the 70mm cinemasas remembered by the people who worked with the films. Both duringmaking and during running the films in projection rooms and as theaudience, looking at the curved screen.in70mm.com, a unique internet based magazine, with articles about 70mmcinemas, 70mm people, 70mm films, 70mm sound, 70mm film credits, 70mmhistory and 70mm technology.

• Star Wars Insider 191 Pdf

Readers and fans of 70mm are always welcometo contribute. Extracts and longerparts of in70mm.com may be reprinted with the written permission fromthe.Copyright © 1800 - 2070. All rights reserved.Visit biografmuseet.dk about Danish cinemasThe Original First-Week Engagements Of “StarWars”Read moreatWrittenby: (Copyright 2003)Date:May 25, 2003The date May 25, 1977 isimmortalized forever as the 'birthdate' of one of the mostpopular movies ever made: 'Star Wars. ' Do youremember the it opened in?For over two and a half decades, enthusiastic fans have related tales ofstanding in long lines and have recalled in astounding detail their firstimpression of seeing the original movie in George Lucas' legendary 'StarWars' saga. Many moviegoers remember seeing the movie on openingday. Ah, but which???

The passageof time has caused many people to forget that 'Star Wars'(known today as 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope') didnot have the type of opening movies of today enjoy. That is, thousands oftheatres across the country simultaneously opening a film. Rather, 'StarWars' opened initially in a mere 43 locations across the UnitedStates. Many sources over the years havecited 32 as the opening number of engagements, a number many trivia-mindedfans may recognize. The number 32 is correct.well.sort of. The filmindeed opened with 32 engagements on the 25th of May, a mid-week Wednesdayopening, but what many may not realize is that there were additionalbookings added over the ensuing two days which brought its opening weekendengagement total to 43. To say the film opened in 32 theatres is literallycorrect but does not tell the complete story.An immediate sensation, 'Star Wars' (which TIME Magazineproclaimed 'The Year's Best Movie' only five months into theyear) accumulated incredible per-screenand broke numerous boxoffice and attendance records at the few locationslucky enough to have been playing the movie.

The film industry was abuzz,and exhibitors everywhere couldn't wait to get their hands on a print. Thefilm's distributor, 20th Century-Fox, had the lab cranking out prints asfast as they could as they accelerated their plans for a broad, nationwiderelease of the film.

During the second week of release additionalengagements were added in Los Angeles and Cincinnati to help accommodatehigh turn-away business in those markets. Still a week away from the startof the nationwide expansion, the third week saw two new engagements beginin Honolulu, Hawaii as well as an extra engagement added in the New Yorkmarket. (The additional Los Angeles engagement, by the way, was bookedinto the Winnetka Drive-In and was presented in the newly-developed Cine-Ficar audio format.) The expanded release began with over 100 newengagements added throughout the U.S.

Star Wars Insider 191 Pdf

During the week beginning June 17(some runs began Wednesday the 15th) with additional engagements addedeach week (generally between 50 and 200) throughout the summer. At itspeak in August and September 'Star Wars' was playing injust over 1,000 theatres in the United States and Canada and was well onits way to surpassing 'Jaws' (1975) and becoming the newall-time boxoffice champ.Furtherin 70mm reading:Internet link:Although there were certainly fewer movie theatres in operation during the1970s compared with today, a 'wide' release of a mainstream,non-specialized film at that time typically meant a few hundredengagements.