f it was the summer of the megawatt blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” September has turned into a month of sequelitis with “The Nun 2,” “Equalizer 3” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.” Even Kenneth Branagh’s “A Hunting in Venice,” is the third installment in the actor/director’s Hercule Poirot mystery series. It’s all a bit of a snooze. That wasn’t the case 70 years ago this month.
There were some oddball films that were released September, 1953 including “Cat-Women of the Moon” with Sonny Tufts and Marie Windsor and “The Sins of Jezebel” starring Paulette Goddard. But 70 years ago, audiences were introduced to a new wide-screen format and young actress who would become one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and ‘60s and Clark Gable returning to a role he originated in 1932.
Twentieth Century Fox’s Darryl F. Zanuck unveiled the studio’s new widescreen process Cinemascope...
There were some oddball films that were released September, 1953 including “Cat-Women of the Moon” with Sonny Tufts and Marie Windsor and “The Sins of Jezebel” starring Paulette Goddard. But 70 years ago, audiences were introduced to a new wide-screen format and young actress who would become one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and ‘60s and Clark Gable returning to a role he originated in 1932.
Twentieth Century Fox’s Darryl F. Zanuck unveiled the studio’s new widescreen process Cinemascope...
- 9/19/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
‘Things Blowing Up Good’ has been surefire entertainment since the beginning of cinema, but this ill-fated Cinerama extravaganza about the biggest explosion in recorded human history limps along despite some pretty darned impressive volcanic effects. It’s quite an entertaining spectacle, with various good performers in three soap opera plots, either overacting or loitering about with nothing to do. And don’t forget the from-left-field musical striptease.
Krakatoa East of Java
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1969 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 131 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara Werle, Sal Mineo, Rossano Brazzi, John Leyton, J.D. Cannon, Jacqueline (Jacqui) Chan, Victoria Young, Marc Lawrence, Geoffrey Holder, Niall MacGinnis, Sumi Haru.
Cinematography: Manuel Berenguer
Film Editors: Walter Hannemann, Warren Low, Maurice Rootes
Production Design: Eugèné Lourié
Costumes: Laure Lourié
Special Effects: Eugèné Lourié, Alex Weldon, Francisco Prósper
Original Music: Frank De Vol
Written by Clifford Newton Gould,...
Krakatoa East of Java
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1969 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 131 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara Werle, Sal Mineo, Rossano Brazzi, John Leyton, J.D. Cannon, Jacqueline (Jacqui) Chan, Victoria Young, Marc Lawrence, Geoffrey Holder, Niall MacGinnis, Sumi Haru.
Cinematography: Manuel Berenguer
Film Editors: Walter Hannemann, Warren Low, Maurice Rootes
Production Design: Eugèné Lourié
Costumes: Laure Lourié
Special Effects: Eugèné Lourié, Alex Weldon, Francisco Prósper
Original Music: Frank De Vol
Written by Clifford Newton Gould,...
- 9/2/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The History of Aspect Ratio
In this 18-minute educational video by FilmmakerIQ, John Hess details the history of the cinematic aspect ratio, from 4:3 to 16:9, 1.85:1 to 2.39:1.
Here is a timeline of each aspect ratio as well as some notable films that utilized them.
Original Silent Film (1892) - 1.33:1
- Established by William Dickson and Thomas Edison Academy Ratio (1932) - 1.37:1
- All sound films from 1932 to 1955 were shot in Academy ratio Cinerama (1952) - 2.59:1
- This is Cinerama, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm CinemaScope (1953) - 2.35:1
- The Robe, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Seven Year Itch VistaVision (1954) - 1.85:1
- White Christmas, To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest Todd-ao (1955) - 2.20:1
- Oklahoma!, Cleopatra, The Sound of Music MGM Camera 65 (1957) - 2.76:1
- Raintree County, Ben-Hur Ultra Panavision 70 (1957) - 2.76:1
- How the West Was Won, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,...
In this 18-minute educational video by FilmmakerIQ, John Hess details the history of the cinematic aspect ratio, from 4:3 to 16:9, 1.85:1 to 2.39:1.
Here is a timeline of each aspect ratio as well as some notable films that utilized them.
Original Silent Film (1892) - 1.33:1
- Established by William Dickson and Thomas Edison Academy Ratio (1932) - 1.37:1
- All sound films from 1932 to 1955 were shot in Academy ratio Cinerama (1952) - 2.59:1
- This is Cinerama, The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm CinemaScope (1953) - 2.35:1
- The Robe, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Seven Year Itch VistaVision (1954) - 1.85:1
- White Christmas, To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest Todd-ao (1955) - 2.20:1
- Oklahoma!, Cleopatra, The Sound of Music MGM Camera 65 (1957) - 2.76:1
- Raintree County, Ben-Hur Ultra Panavision 70 (1957) - 2.76:1
- How the West Was Won, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,...
- 7/10/2013
- Hollywonk
Two must reads
Monkey See a terrific insightful piece on the current state of the Romantic Comedy and what's wrong with it. Hint: It's not the common complaint that there aren't enough believable obstacles in modern romance. The most surprising bit -- but I totally was sold on it -- was how today's internet sport of actress-hating (see what's happening with Hathaway and what often happens) is part of the problem.
Antagony & Ecstacy picks the ten best Oscar winning performances in each of the categories. I've only previously done this with Supporting Actress and boy was that a hard list to make. Tim quadruples that challenge here.
More Stories to Visit/Discuss
Huffington Post Jamie Lee Curtis speaks out against Seth MacFarlane's Oscar hosting in a new opinion piece
Towleroad Tom Cullen (Weekend) will be joining Downton Abbey. They do have to replenish the cast since everyone is f'in leaving.
Monkey See a terrific insightful piece on the current state of the Romantic Comedy and what's wrong with it. Hint: It's not the common complaint that there aren't enough believable obstacles in modern romance. The most surprising bit -- but I totally was sold on it -- was how today's internet sport of actress-hating (see what's happening with Hathaway and what often happens) is part of the problem.
Antagony & Ecstacy picks the ten best Oscar winning performances in each of the categories. I've only previously done this with Supporting Actress and boy was that a hard list to make. Tim quadruples that challenge here.
More Stories to Visit/Discuss
Huffington Post Jamie Lee Curtis speaks out against Seth MacFarlane's Oscar hosting in a new opinion piece
Towleroad Tom Cullen (Weekend) will be joining Downton Abbey. They do have to replenish the cast since everyone is f'in leaving.
- 3/5/2013
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
“Movie Houses of Worship” is a regular feature spotlighting our favorite movie theaters around the world, those that are like temples of cinema catering to the most religious-like film geeks. This week, film critic Jason Whyte highlights one of his favorite theaters. His comments are those quoted. If you’d like to suggest or submit a place you regularly worship at the altar of cinema, please email our weekend editor. Seattle Cinerama Location: 2100 4th Avenue, Seattle, Wa Opened: January 24, 1963, as the Martin Cinerama. Re-opened in 1999 following a decades-long decline and near-demolition. No. of screens: 1 (technically 2 screens but they alternate for one auditorium) Current first-run titles: A Good Day to Die Hard Repertory programming: On February 28, the Cinerama will present a 35mm print of the 1966 Batman: The Movie with a special exhibit of Adam West’s costume. In the past, the theater has been home to Cinerama festivals, showing such classics of the format as This is Cinerama and...
- 2/17/2013
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The so-called "studio system" is long finished in Hollywood ... but not on Turner Classic Movies.
For the 2013 edition of the channel's annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival of films that either won or were nominated for Academy Awards, a different studio will be showcased each day or group of days. First up, starting Friday, Feb. 1: four-and-a-half days devoted to Warner Bros. and such Best Picture winners as "Casablanca" and "My Fair Lady," plus honored performances including Jack Lemmon's in "Mister Roberts" and Elizabeth Taylor's in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
"I think it's fascinating to see how many important films a studio like Warner Bros. had," principal TCM host Robert Osborne tells Zap2it, "whereas a studio like Columbia, you might not think of that way. I still think of Columbia as one Rita Hayworth movie a year, or maybe one a year directed by Frank Capra in the '30s.
For the 2013 edition of the channel's annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival of films that either won or were nominated for Academy Awards, a different studio will be showcased each day or group of days. First up, starting Friday, Feb. 1: four-and-a-half days devoted to Warner Bros. and such Best Picture winners as "Casablanca" and "My Fair Lady," plus honored performances including Jack Lemmon's in "Mister Roberts" and Elizabeth Taylor's in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
"I think it's fascinating to see how many important films a studio like Warner Bros. had," principal TCM host Robert Osborne tells Zap2it, "whereas a studio like Columbia, you might not think of that way. I still think of Columbia as one Rita Hayworth movie a year, or maybe one a year directed by Frank Capra in the '30s.
- 2/1/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
As the Academy celebrates 85 years of great films at the Oscars on February 24th, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is set to take movie fans on the ultimate studio tour with the 2013 edition of 31 Days Of Oscar®. Under the theme Oscar by Studio, the network will present a slate of more than 350 movies grouped according to the studios that produced or released them. And as always, every film presented during 31 Days Of Oscar is an Academy Award® nominee or winner, making this annual event one of the most anticipated on any movie lover’s calendar.
As part of the network’s month-long celebration, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has graciously provided the original Academy Awards® radio broadcasts from 1930-1952. Specially chosen clips from the radio archives will be featured throughout TCM’s 31 Days Of Oscar website.
Hollywood was built upon the studio system, which saw nearly ever aspect...
As part of the network’s month-long celebration, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has graciously provided the original Academy Awards® radio broadcasts from 1930-1952. Specially chosen clips from the radio archives will be featured throughout TCM’s 31 Days Of Oscar website.
Hollywood was built upon the studio system, which saw nearly ever aspect...
- 12/17/2012
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I was too young to see This is Cinerama when it debuted in 1952 and became one of the box-office sensations of the year. Decades later I traveled to Dayton, Ohio to see it in its original three-screen presentation, but now, to my astonishment, anyone can experience the film at home on Blu-ray and DVD! Naturally, this is not the same thing as being enveloped in the picture in a huge auditorium, but it provides access to a meticulously restored print of this unique and rarely-screened feature film, along with one of its follow-ups, Windjammer: The Voyage of the Christian Radich (1958), which was presented in a process dubbed Cinemiracle. These two ambitious new releases from Flicker...
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[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]...
- 9/25/2012
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
Thomas Hauerslev, who runs the fantastic retro movie web site In70mm.com, provides this full schedule for this year's Widescreen Weekend festival in Bradford, England. (Thomas also does yeoman work as one of the programmers for the festival.) The theme of this year's program is the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Cinerama. It will be a treasure trove of films rarely seen in their original format, ranging from three-panel Cinerama to Super Panavision 70 prints. Titles include the rarely-seen Russian Adventure, How the West Was Won, Ryan's Daughter, This is Cinerama, Cinerama Adventure, Around the World in 80 Days and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, shown for the first time in 40 years in three panel Cinerama (co-sponsored by Cinema Retro). The festival draws classic film historians from around the world, this year including Kevin Brownlow and Sir Christopher Frayling. Cinerama historians Dave Strohmaier ad Randy Gitsch will...
- 4/17/2012
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Cinema Retro will once again be attending the fabulous Widescreen Weekend at the National Media Museum in Bradford, England April 27-30. Retro movie lovers will be converging on Europe's last remaining Cinerama theater to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the legendary widescreen format. One of the great joys of the festival is that is that it allows like-minded movie lovers from around the globe to watch widescreen epics in the manner they were meant to be seen. Cinema Retro is proud to be one of the sponsors of a rare screening of MGM's The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm in its original 3-panel format. As in the tradition, Cinema Retro publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall will be holding court until the wee small hours at the bar of the historic Midland Hotel. Join us for a drink (or ten!) and share the mutual love of widescreen epics.
Here...
Here...
- 4/17/2012
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Cinema Retro enters its eighth great year with issue #22, now shipping worldwide. All subscribers will be receiving their copies shortly.
If you have not renewed your subscription, please do so today! We cannot hold copies in reserve for you, so don't miss out on a single great issue during 2012. Click here to subscribe instantly through our Ebay affiliate store or click here for other methods of subscribing.
Highlights of issue #22 include special features that celebrate the 60th anniversary of Cinerama:
Sir Christopher Frayling provides a major 10 page article on the making of MGM's Cinerama blockbuster How the West Was Won, featuring deleted scenes and a wealth of rarely seen photographs. Howard Hughes pays tribute to Jack Cardiff's 1968 gut-busting adventure Dark of the Sun (aka The Mercenaries) starring Rod Taylor Dave Worrall blows the lid off the 1969 Cinerama epic Krakatoa, East of Java and takes us behind the scenes for...
If you have not renewed your subscription, please do so today! We cannot hold copies in reserve for you, so don't miss out on a single great issue during 2012. Click here to subscribe instantly through our Ebay affiliate store or click here for other methods of subscribing.
Highlights of issue #22 include special features that celebrate the 60th anniversary of Cinerama:
Sir Christopher Frayling provides a major 10 page article on the making of MGM's Cinerama blockbuster How the West Was Won, featuring deleted scenes and a wealth of rarely seen photographs. Howard Hughes pays tribute to Jack Cardiff's 1968 gut-busting adventure Dark of the Sun (aka The Mercenaries) starring Rod Taylor Dave Worrall blows the lid off the 1969 Cinerama epic Krakatoa, East of Java and takes us behind the scenes for...
- 1/14/2012
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Brian Trenchard-Smith presents the cinemiracle Windjammer.
This spectacular documentary follows a Norwegian sailing ship on its voyage from Oslo to the east coast of the Us and back. It was produced in Cinemiracle, a curved-screen process similar to Cinerama which was retired after this initial outing and bought out by Cinerama. Brian Trenchard-Smith explains the differences between the presentations and why many thought Cinemiracle an improvement over Cinerama.
Click here to watch the trailer.
Looks like this film recently undwerent some exacting restorations.
Since summer 2009, David Strohmaier, of “Cinerama Adventure” fame and John Sittig of Pacific Theatre in Los Angeles have spent considerable time to find the best elements of the classic CineMiracle semi-documentary and feature film “Windjammer” to be able to re-release it on DVD, Blu-ray and perhaps even in special showings at theaters, museums and other venues.
“Windjammer”, a travelogue about the voyage of the Norwegian school ship...
This spectacular documentary follows a Norwegian sailing ship on its voyage from Oslo to the east coast of the Us and back. It was produced in Cinemiracle, a curved-screen process similar to Cinerama which was retired after this initial outing and bought out by Cinerama. Brian Trenchard-Smith explains the differences between the presentations and why many thought Cinemiracle an improvement over Cinerama.
Click here to watch the trailer.
Looks like this film recently undwerent some exacting restorations.
Since summer 2009, David Strohmaier, of “Cinerama Adventure” fame and John Sittig of Pacific Theatre in Los Angeles have spent considerable time to find the best elements of the classic CineMiracle semi-documentary and feature film “Windjammer” to be able to re-release it on DVD, Blu-ray and perhaps even in special showings at theaters, museums and other venues.
“Windjammer”, a travelogue about the voyage of the Norwegian school ship...
- 8/10/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
Who is it? It’s Brian Trenchard-Smith! What is it? It’s This Is Cinerama!
Back in the days when moviegoing was an event, the Roadshow Attraction was a special audience-pleaser designed to run for months in the same theater with reserved seating and, naturally, increased ticket prices. Of all the big-screen processes designed to lure audiences out of their living rooms and away from the dreaded picture tube, Cinerama was the most elaborate, requiring three projectors, a huge curved screen and multiple soundtracks to “put you in the picture”. Numerous popular Cinerama productions followed, mostly travelogs, until the format was replaced by Ultra Panavision in the early sixties.
Click here to watch the trailer.
Not much to add to Mr. Trenchard-Smith’s commentary, but the fun thing to note about This Is Cinerama is that you’ll probably never see it. Unless, of course, you happen to be in...
Back in the days when moviegoing was an event, the Roadshow Attraction was a special audience-pleaser designed to run for months in the same theater with reserved seating and, naturally, increased ticket prices. Of all the big-screen processes designed to lure audiences out of their living rooms and away from the dreaded picture tube, Cinerama was the most elaborate, requiring three projectors, a huge curved screen and multiple soundtracks to “put you in the picture”. Numerous popular Cinerama productions followed, mostly travelogs, until the format was replaced by Ultra Panavision in the early sixties.
Click here to watch the trailer.
Not much to add to Mr. Trenchard-Smith’s commentary, but the fun thing to note about This Is Cinerama is that you’ll probably never see it. Unless, of course, you happen to be in...
- 8/8/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
Brian Trenchard-Smith brings us a week of Cinerama!
On Monday, August 8, join Brian Trenchard-Smith for the trailer to This Is Cinerama.
Back in the days when moviegoing was an event, the Roadshow Attraction was a special audience-pleaser designed to run for months in the same theater with reserved seating and, naturally, increased ticket prices. Of all the big-screen processes designed to lure audiences out of their living rooms and away from the dreaded picture tube, Cinerama was the most elaborate, requiring three projectors, a huge curved screen and multiple soundtracks to “put you in the picture”. Numerous popular Cinerama productions followed, mostly travelogs, until the format was replaced by Ultra Panavision in the early sixties.
On Wednesday, August 10, join Brian Trenchard-Smith for the trailer to Windjammer.
This spectacular documentary follows a Norwegian sailing ship on its voyage from Oslo to the east coast of the Us and back. It was produced in Cinemiracle,...
On Monday, August 8, join Brian Trenchard-Smith for the trailer to This Is Cinerama.
Back in the days when moviegoing was an event, the Roadshow Attraction was a special audience-pleaser designed to run for months in the same theater with reserved seating and, naturally, increased ticket prices. Of all the big-screen processes designed to lure audiences out of their living rooms and away from the dreaded picture tube, Cinerama was the most elaborate, requiring three projectors, a huge curved screen and multiple soundtracks to “put you in the picture”. Numerous popular Cinerama productions followed, mostly travelogs, until the format was replaced by Ultra Panavision in the early sixties.
On Wednesday, August 10, join Brian Trenchard-Smith for the trailer to Windjammer.
This spectacular documentary follows a Norwegian sailing ship on its voyage from Oslo to the east coast of the Us and back. It was produced in Cinemiracle,...
- 8/8/2011
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
The 16th annual Bradford International Film Festival, which will run March 18-28, is a total celebration of all forms of cinema, from classic films to modern world cinema to a tribute to Cinerama and more. But, most excitingly, is a bombastic collection of some of the best, most exciting underground films being made today.
From Bad Lit’s perspective, the most thrilling screening of the entire 10-day affair is the new film by British filmmaker Peter Whitehead, Terrorism Considered as One of the Fine Arts. In the U.S., Whitehead is a “lost” filmmaker from the underground’s heyday in the ’60s, being left out of most histories of the underground movement. Whitehead directed several influential films, including Wholly Communion and The Fall, before dropping out of filmmaking in the mid-’70s.
Film historian Jack Sargeant wrote extensively about and interviewed Whitehead for his wonderful book on Beat cinema, Naked Lens.
From Bad Lit’s perspective, the most thrilling screening of the entire 10-day affair is the new film by British filmmaker Peter Whitehead, Terrorism Considered as One of the Fine Arts. In the U.S., Whitehead is a “lost” filmmaker from the underground’s heyday in the ’60s, being left out of most histories of the underground movement. Whitehead directed several influential films, including Wholly Communion and The Fall, before dropping out of filmmaking in the mid-’70s.
Film historian Jack Sargeant wrote extensively about and interviewed Whitehead for his wonderful book on Beat cinema, Naked Lens.
- 3/5/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Cinema Retro publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall attended the Bradford International Film Festival in Bradford, England last week. Here is Lee Pfeiffer's second report:
They don't make movies like Where Eagles Dare any more - in fact, they don't make movie Posters like the one for this film.On our first full day of the Bradford International Film Festival, we learned there aren't many slouchers when it comes to maximizing the screenings of classic movies. The first screening was at 10:00 Am - and we had been up half the night socializing with other attendees at the pub of the Midland Hotel. Still, even the temptation of crawling back under the covers could not override the opportunity to see This is Cinerama presented on the big screen in its original three panel format. I had only seen one film in true Cinerama since I originally viewed How the...
They don't make movies like Where Eagles Dare any more - in fact, they don't make movie Posters like the one for this film.On our first full day of the Bradford International Film Festival, we learned there aren't many slouchers when it comes to maximizing the screenings of classic movies. The first screening was at 10:00 Am - and we had been up half the night socializing with other attendees at the pub of the Midland Hotel. Still, even the temptation of crawling back under the covers could not override the opportunity to see This is Cinerama presented on the big screen in its original three panel format. I had only seen one film in true Cinerama since I originally viewed How the...
- 3/27/2009
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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