VILLAGE CINEMA CITY
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
CENTRE ON GEORGE STREET
SYDNEY IN 70MM – PART 3
THE MULTIPLEX
Greater Union Pitt Centre was located at 232 Pitt Street Sydney and was built on the site of the Liberty and
Gala theatres. A three screen multiplex equipped with Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 dual 35/70 projectors, the
Pitt Centre opened on the 9
th
April 1976 premiering Mahogany, The Romantic Englishwoman and Caddie.
The 35mm equipped Liberty formerly known as the Grand [1911] and
then as the Rialto [1922] was located at 232 Pitt Street Sydney and under
the direction of Imperial Theatres Pty Ltd, opened on the 31
st
March
1934 with Only Yesterday. A narrow auditorium with a dress circle and
stalls, the Liberty was acquired by Metro Goldwyn Mayer with The Good
Earth as the first film on 7
th
July 1937. When the Metro Cinemas circuit of
theatres was sold to Greater Union after the St James theatre closed on
20
th
March 1971, the Liberty joined Greater Union group of city theatres
with Alex in Wonderland on the 1
st
July 1971 as their first film. The
Liberty then closed on 30
th
January 1975 with Robin Hood as the last film.
The 35mm equipped and rear screen projected News-luxe news theatre
was located at 234 Pitt Street and opened on 9
th
September 1938 under
the direction of International News Pty Ltd. The Newsluxe was renamed
the Gala and adopted a booking policy of alternative and foreign film with
The House I Live In as its first presentation on 22
nd
December 1959. The
Gala was acquired by Greater Union in December 1972 with Marco Polo
Jnr Versus the Red Dragon as the first film under their management. The
Gala closed as a cinema on the 30
th
January 1975 with Between Wars.
Liberty Theatre, Sydney
PITT CENTRE – PROJECTION CREW
HEAD PROJECTIONIST – Jack Lees
PITT CENTRE
The following table are the 70mm films released at the Greater Union Pitt Centre …
GREATER UNION PITT CENTRE
OPENED
WEEKS
Brainstorm
09/12/83
6
Greystoke the Legend of Tarzan
- season move over from State
07/06/84
10
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
-
season move over from State
13/12/84
10
2010 – season move over from State
04/04/85
9
Young Sherlock Holmes
– season move over from Lyceum
06/03/86
2
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
–
reissue
season move over from Lyceum
11/09/86
2
The Mission – season moved to George 30/04/87
04/12/86
21
The Mission – season move over from Village Cinema City
27/08/87
1
The Untouchables – season move over from George
03/12/87
14
Cry Freedom
18/02/88
12
Cry Freedom
02/06/88
2
Lawrence of Arabia
- reissue
season move over from Hoyts Centre
14/09/89
4
Arachnophobia
26/12/90
15
Far and Away – season move over from George
13/08/92
4
Little Buddha
28/07/94
7
Gettysburg
08/09/94
6
Vertigo – reissue
10/07/97
During the era of the Reserved Seating Engagement, the longest season film at the Liberty theatre was Gigi
which premiered on the 4
th
September 1958 and ran for a 29 week season to the 25
th
March 1959. The
longest season film at the Gala cinema was Easy Rider which opened on the 28
th
March 1970 and ran for a
38 week season to the 24
th
December 1970.
1978
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
SINGLE SCREEN
70MM
05/01/78
A Piece of the Action
You Light Up My Life
Storm Boy
12/01/78
19/01/78
26/01/78
02/02/78
09/02/78
Full Circle
16/02/78
New York, New York / Ruby
Valentino
23/02/78
MacArthur
02/03/78
The Devil’s Advocate
09/03/78
The Goodbye Girl
16/03/78
The Choirboys
The Irishman
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Julia
23/03/78
2001: A Space Odyssey - Forum
30/03/78
Equus
Annie Hall plus Know About Sex
06/04/78
Cry For Me, Billy
The Turning Point
13/04/78
Saturday Night Fever / First Love
20/04/78
27/04/78
Tintorera
04/05/78
Funny People
The Amazing Spiderman
Blue Fire Lady / Gulliver’s Travels
11/05/78
American Graffiti
Golden Rendezvous
Stop That Camel plus Wackiest Wagon
18/05/78
25/05/78
The Serpents Egg
The Betsy
01/06/78
The ABC of Love and Sex
Looking for Mr.Goodbar
Semi-Tough
Blazing Saddles plus Enter the Dragon
08/06/78
15/06/78
22/06/78
1900
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
29/06/78
Weekend of Shadows
Silver Bears
The Other Side of the Mountain
06/07/78
Sleeping Dogs
13/07/78
The Gauntlet
Damnation Alley
20/07/78
Rabid
27/07/78
Newsfront
Capricorn One
03/08/78
Jabberwocky plus
Grease - Paramount
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
10/08/78
Thank God It’s Friday
17/08/78
The Greek Tycoon
The Last Waltz
24/08/78
Hooper / Mouth to Mouth
High Anxiety
31/08/78
Heidi
07/09/78
14/09/78
Pretty Baby
F.I.S.T.
21/09/78
Damien – Omen II
28/09/78
The Stud
05/10/78
Patrick
12/10/78
Big Wednesday
19/10/78
The End
The Towering Inferno - Ascot
Eyes of Laura Mars
26/10/78
Sybil plus Butley
The Manitou
02/11/78
Coming Home
09/11/78
Kingdom Spiders plus Live Let Die
16/11/78
Blue Fin
23/11/78
Death on the Nile
The Wild Geese
Sgt Pepper’s Club Band - Barclay
Rocky plus Rollerball
30/11/78
The Boys from Brazil
07/12/78
Candleshoe
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Battlestar Galactica - Forum
Midnight Express
14/12/78
House Calls
The Water Babies
Interiors
21/12/78
Superman
The Magic of Lassie
Shipwrecked
Matilda
28/12/78
Force 10 From Navarone
Colour
Sensurround in 35mm
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX DATES
Hoyts Entertainment Centre – two significant sound formats opened at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre in 1978. The
second auditorium installed for 70mm and six track Dolby Stereo, cinema 3 [Star Wars in cinema 7 was the first] presented
Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Damnation Alley in 35mm four track Magnetic opened in cinema 6 in Sound 360 which
in essence, directed left and right information to two large speaker bins positioned left and right in the auditorium and the
surrounds was reproduced by a large speaker bin mounted on the rear wall of the auditorium.
1977 No 1 Box Office
1979
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
SINGLE SCREEN
70MM
04/01/79
Malibu Beach
The Fury
11/01/79
18/01/79
25/01/79
The Class of Miss MacMichael
01/02/79
Money Mover
Zero to Sixty
Jaws 2 – move over
08/02/79
Through the Looking Glass
15/02/79
I Never Promised You Rose Garden
22/02/79
Who is Killing Great Chefs Europe
An Unmarried Woman
01/03/79
Somebody Killed Her Husband
Foul Play
Coming Home
Newsfront plus Caddie
Piranha
08/03/79
Dawn!
15/03/79
Girl Friends
Watership Down
Magic
22/03/79
The Odd Angry Shot
29/03/79
05/04/79
House Calls – m/o
Heaven Can Wait
California Suite
Silent Partner
12/04/79
Every Which Way But Loose – m/o
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Thirty Nine Steps
19/04/79
26/04/79
Love at First Bite
03/05/79
Hurricane
Salty
Elvis The Movie
Ice Castles
Spiderman Strikes Back
10/05/79
The New Adventures of Heidi
17/05/79
24/05/79
The Cheap Detective
31/05/79
The First Great Train Robbery
07/06/79
Ashanti
14/06/79
King of the Gypies
The Night
Slow Dancing Big City
Halloween
21/06/79
The Never Dead
2001: A Space Odyssey - Paramount
28/06/79
In Search of Alicia
A Wedding
05/07/79
Cathy’s Child
Silent Witness
Odds and Evans
12/07/79
Same Time Next Year
The Last of the Knuckle men
The Long Weekend
19/07/79
Carrie
plus Audrey Rose
Born again
26/07/79
Coming Home plus Annie Hall
02/08/79
Worlds Full of
Married Men
The Inlaws
The Champ
Moonraker
09/08/79
A Little Romance
Butch & Sundance: The Early Days
The China Syndrome
16/08/79
The Main Event
Papillon - reissue
23/08/79
Tilt
Wilderness Family
Humanoid
The Wiz - Barclay
Hair
Mission Galattica - Forum
30/08/79
06/09/79
13/09/79
Just a Gigolo
Hardcore
20/09/79
The Wanderer’s
Tim
27/09/79
The Amityville Horror
Assault on Precinct 13
The In Laws plus Goodbye Girl
Midnight Express plus Serpico
04/10/79
A Little Romance – move over
Lost and Found
Gigolo plus Man Who Fell to Earth
11/10/79
The Frisco Kid
Coming Home plus Annie Hall
18/10/79
Avalanche Express
My Brilliant Career
Norma Rae
Just a Little Inconvenience
25/10/79
The Legacy
See How She Runs
01/11/79
California Dreaming plus Tilt
The Kids Are Alright
08/11/79
Eagles Wing
Fedora
Saturday Night Fever plus Grease - Barclay
15/11/79
KISS: Attack of the Phantoms
Life of Brian
Apocalypse Now
The Journalist
Comes a Horseman
22/11/79
Murder By Decree
Rocky 2
Nightwing
2001: A Space Odyssey - Forum
29/11/79
Hot Stuff
Ravagers
06/12/79
The Wanderers plus Mad Max
Escape From Alcatraz
Alien
Every Which Way Loose plus Hooper
Escape to Athena
13/12/79
The Prisoner of Zenda
The Muppet Movie
Bear Island
20/12/79
I’m for the Hippopotamus
Star Trek - Paramount
The Little Convict
Seakiller
Birth of The Beatles
27/12/79
Scum
Colour
Sensurround in 35mm
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX DATES
Mayfair Theatre – which premiered South Pacific, closed as a Hoyts cinema in 1977. The Mayfair was reverted to live
theatre and after a successful season in 1978 of Crown Matrimonial, the Mayfair closed in 1979 for demolition.
Hoyts Warringah Mall Twin – opened on the 13
th
December 1979 with The Muppet Movie and Alien.
1978 No 1 Box Office
1980
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
SINGLE SCREEN
70MM
03/01/80
10/01/80
‘10’
17/01/80
Where Time Bagan
The Shoemaker and the Elves
24/01/80
Bloodline
31/01/80
The Rose
07/02/80
Meteor
And Justice For All
14/02/80
A Very Big Withdrawl
21/02/80
The Buddy Holly Story
Manhattan
28/02/80
Starting Over
06/03/80
The China Syndrome
Midway plus Rollercoaster - Forum
13/03/80
Time After Time
Kramer vs Kramer
20/03/80
Salem’s Lot
Norma Rae
27/03/80
La Cage Aux Folles
The Black Hole - Barclay
Breaking Away
03/04/80
Scavenger Hunt
The Last Married Couple
10/04/80
Mad Max plus The Wanderers
17/04/80
24/04/80
Scavenger Hunt plus
Little Miss Marker
1941
I’m for the Hippopotamus
01/05/80
Tom Horn
Yanks
Smurfs and the Magic Flute
08/05/80
15/05/80
22/05/80
Voices
29/05/80
Being There
05/06/80
The Jerk
12/06/80
Friday the 13
th
Mad Max
The Fog
Crusing
19/06/80
Quadrophenia
Can’t Stop the Music - Paramount
26/06/80
Don Giovanni
03/07/80
Breaker Morant
The Medusa Touch
10/07/80
17/07/80
The Man with Bogarts Face
All That Jazz
Foxes
Last Embrace
24/07/80
Bronco Billy
The Black Stallion
31/07/80
The Bitch
07/08/80
Urban Cowboy
The Empire Strikes Back
14/08/80
Manganinnie
21/08/80
Caddyshack
The Final Countdown
Russian Adventure - Forum
The Earthling
The Chain Reaction
Son of Superbug
Thief of Bagdad
28/08/80
Kiss: Attack of the Phantoms
04/09/80
11/09/80
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. FuManchu
C.H.O.M.P.S
18/09/80
Chapter Two
25/09/80
02/10/80
The Club
The Long Riders
Stir
09/10/80
Xanadu – move over
16/10/80
The Big Brawl
The Hunter
Brubaker
23/10/80
Yesterday’s Hero
The Changeling
30/10/80
Honeysuckle Rose
The Onion Field
Monster
13/11/80
Dressed to Kill – move over
Ryan’s Daughter
Inferno
20/11/80
The Sea Wolves
Rocky plus Rocky 2
27/11/80
The Blue Lagoon
The Mountain Men
04/12/80
Superman 2
Flying High
Hopscotch
La Luna
Divine Madness - State
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
That’s Entertainment 2 - Forum
11/12/80
Battle Beyond the Stars
18/12/80
Seems Like Old Times
Fatty Finn
Dogs of War
Motel Hell
The Mouse and His Child
25/12/80
A Change of Seasons
The Shinning – move over
Colour
Sensurround in 35mm
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX DATES
Paris Theatre – which premiered Around the World in 80 Days, closed in 1980 after the stage show Boys Own McBeth
Hoyts Entertainment Centre – was renamed the Hoyts Centre on the 25
th
September 1980 due to the construction of the
new concert venue in Sydney. The Sydney Entertainment Centre opened on the 1
st
May 1983 and closed December 2015.
Pitt Centre – advertised Xanadu in Dolby Stereo on the 31
st
October 1980 after the films move over from Lyceum theatre.
1979 No 1 Box Office
1981
VILLAGE
CINEMA CITY
GREATER UNION
PITT CENTRE
HOYTS
ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
SINGLE SCREEN
70MM
01/01/81
08/01/81
Rough Cut
15/01/81
The Elephant Man
22/01/81
My Bodyguard
Close Encounters Special Edition
29/01/81
05/02/81
Stardust Memories
12/02/81
Holly Moses
The Jazz Singer - State
19/02/81
26/02/81
The Stuntman
Ordinary People
Raging Bull
Tribute
The Secret Policeman’s Ball
Stardust Memories plus Annie Hall
05/03/81
Earthquake - Barclay
12/03/81
Any Which Way You Can
The Miracle Worker
Divine Madness – move over
Gloria
Terror Train
19/03/81
Tess
26/03/81
Somewhere In Time
Used Cars
Kagemusha
Grease
The Runner Stumbles
Prom Night
Plus Xanadu - Ascot
02/04/81
09/04/81
The Jazz Singer - Paramount
16/04/81
Fort Apache: The Bronx
9 to 5
The Competition
23/04/81
30/04/81
Oliver!
07/05/81
The Exterminator
Little Lord Fauntleroy
The Octagon
Spiderman Dragon Challenge
Raise the Titanic
La Cage Aux Folles 2
The Adventures of Pinocchio
14/05/81
21/05/81
28/05/81
The Party plus Some Like It Hot
04/06/81
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Popeye – move over
Final Conflict
Long Good Friday
11/06/81
18/06/81
Loving Couples
It’s My Turn
25/06/81
Road Games
Loophole
02/07/81
09/07/81
Flash Gordon – move over
16/07/81
Blood Beach
Willie & Phil
Night Games
23/07/81
The Four Seasons
Thief
Boogey Man
La Cage Aux Folles 1 plus 2
30/07/81
Angel of Vengeance
Happy Birthday to Me
Private Benjamin – move over
06/08/81
Nice Dreams
Eyewitness
Carbon Copy
13/08/81
Gallipoli
Caveman
Raiders of the Lost Ark - Paramount
20/08/81
Outland and Excalibur – move over
Shogun
The Legend of the Lone Ranger
S.O.B. – move over
Stir Crazy
27/08/81
Supersnooper
Cannonball Run
03/09/81
Roller Boogie
10/09/81
17/09/81
24/09/81
Winter of Our Dreams
Chariots of Fire
Heaven’s Gate
01/10/81
Endless Love – move over
Eye of the Needle
Escape From NY
AC/DC – Let There Be Rock
Apocalypse Now - reissue
08/10/81
15/10/81
Dead and Buried
2001: A Space Odyssey - Barclay
22/10/81
Scanners – move over
Hoodwink
29/10/81
The Killing of Angel Street
American Pop
The Way We Were
05/11/81
Wolfen
An Eye For An Eye
12/11/81
Escape To Victory
The Fan
Roar
Ordinary People – move over
19/11/81
‘Urgh’
Kentucky Fried Movie – m/o
For Your Eyes Only
26/11/81
All Night Long
On Any Sunday 2
03/12/81
The French Lieutenants Woman
10/12/81
Puberty Blues
Mommie Dearest
Dragonslayer
Great Muppet Caper
Stripes
17/12/81
So Fine
California Dolls
Who Finds a Friend Finds Treasure
24/12/81
Zorro Swings Again – move over
Shock Treatment
31/12/81
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Colour
Sensurround in 35mm
Colour
70mm reissue in Sydney
Colour
New 70mm release in Sydney
SIGNIFICANT MULTIPLEX DATES
Forum Cinema – Greater Union closed the Forum on the 30/04/80 with Jesus as its last attraction and was reopened the
following day, 01/05/80 as Dave’s Encore Movies screening retrospective film including 70mm to the 13/12/80. The Forum
then screened Asian film during 1981 up to its final closure the following year in 1982.
Stanmore Twin Cinema – opened on 28
th
August with S.O.B. plus Being There and Elephant Man plus My Brilliant Career.
1980 No 1 Box Office
PANAVISION
The table below are the 70mm Panavision ‘blow ups’ presented in Sydney between 1973 and 1978 …
FILM
DATE
CINEMA
Never Give an Inch
09/02/73
Ascot
The Poseidon Adventure
01/03/73
Plaza
Lost Horizon
15/08/73
Paris
Tom Sawyer
12/12/73
Paris
Jesus Christ Superstar – Todd-AO 35
21/12/73
Paramount
Earthquake
20/12/74
Forum
The Towering Inferno
27/03/75
Plaza
Rollerball *
13/08/75
Mayfair
Lucky Lady *
14/04/76
Plaza
Deliverance – Reissue first time in 70mm
15/04/76
Village Cinema City
The Return of a Man Called Horse
16/12/76
Plaza
Logan’s Run
17/12/76
Paramount
Star Wars
27/10/77
Hoyts Entertainment Centre
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
15/03/78
Hoyts Entertainment Centre
Capricorn One
26/07/78
Hoyts Entertainment Centre
Grease
02/08/78
Paramount
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
24/11/78
Barclay
[*] 70MM SPHERICAL …
As date reference for this timeline, included below are
the two spherical blow ups previously noted in the
document 70mm Spherical in Sydney which were
presented during the Reserved Seating Engagement.
25/07/74
The Three Musketeers
Mayfair
20/12/74
That’s Entertainment
Barclay
NEVER GIVE AN INCH
9
th
February 1973 to 1
st
March 1973 – Season 2 weeks and 6 days √
NEVER GIVE AN INCH [also known as Sometimes a Great Nation] was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened
at the Ascot theatre in 70mm Panavision.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE
1
st
March 1973 to 6
th
March 1974 – Season 52 weeks and 6 days √
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic]
and opened at the Hoyts Plaza theatre in 70mm Panavision.
THE POSEIDON
ADVENTURE was reissued
in 70mm as a double
feature with Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid
[35mm] at the Mayfair on
the 3
rd
July 1975 and the
sequel, BEYOND THE
POSEIDON ADVENTURE was released at the Forum cinema for a two
week season on the 12
th
October 1979.
LOST HORIZON
16
th
August 1973 to 7
th
November 1973 – Season 11 weeks and 6 days √
LOST HORIZON was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and premiered at the Hoyts Paris theatre in 70mm Panavision
on Wednesday the 15
th
August 1973.
TOM SAWYER
13
th
December 1973 to 13
th
February 1974 – Season 8 weeks and 6 days √
TOM SAWYER was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and premiered at the Hoyts
Paris theatre in 70mm Panavision on Wednesday the 12
th
December 1973.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
21
st
December 1973 to 4
th
April 1974 – Season 14 weeks and 6 days √
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR was filmed in Todd-AO 35 [anamorphic] and opened in
70mm at the Paramount cinema.
Another noteworthy film blown up to 70mm from Todd-AO 35 was LOGANS RUN
which opened at the Paramount cinema on the 17
th
December 1977.
Two other films were blown up to 70mm from
Todd-AO 35 for other territories and were
only presented in 35mm in Sydney. ANTONY
AND CLEOPATRA [New Arts Glebe] and
GRIZZLY which had a six week season at the
Plaza theatre from the 5
th
August 1976.
EARTHQUAKE
20
th
December 1974 to 13
th
November 1975 – Season 46 weeks and 6 days √
EARTHQUAKE was filmed in Panavision
[anamorphic] and opened in 70mm
Panavision Sensurround at the Forum.
EARTHQUAKE was reissued in 70mm as a
double feature with Airport 1975 [35mm] at
the Ascot theatre on the 17
th
September
1976 and in 70mm Sensurround at the
Barclay cinema on the 27
th
February 1981.
THE TOWERING INFERNO
27
th
March 1975 to 11
th
February 1976 – Season 45 weeks and 6 days √
THE TOWERING INFERNO was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic]
and opened in 70mm Panavision at the Hoyts Plaza theatre.
After acquiring the Ascot theatre from MCA Universal [originally
operated by Tom Virgona], Village Cinemas reissued THE
TOWERING INFERNO in 70mm on the 19
th
October 1978 at the
Village Ascot and their suburban Village Double Bay cinema.
ROLLERBALL
14
th
August 1975 to 15
th
October 1975 – Season 8 weeks and 6 days √
ROLLERBALL was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and premiered at the Hoyts
Mayfair theatre in 70mm on the 13
th
August 1975.
After the season at the Mayfair, ROLLERBALL was transferred to the Hoyts
Paris theatre on the 16
th
October 1975 for a further four week season to the
12
th
November 1975. ROLLERBALL was reissued in 35mm as a double feature
with ROCKY at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre on the 23
rd
November 1978.
LUCKY LADY
15
th
April 1976 to 9
th
June 1976 – Season 6 weeks and 6 days √
LUCKY LADY was filmed in Panavision [Spherical] and premiered at the Hoyts Plaza theatre in 70mm on Wednesday
the 14
th
April 1976.
DELIVERENCE
15
th
April 1976 to 25
th
May 1976 – Season 5 weeks and 6 days √
DELIVERANCE was filmed in Panavision
[anamorphic] and was reissued for the first time
in 70mm Panavision at the Village Cinema City.
DELIVERANCE was originally presented in 35mm
Panavision [anamorphic] on the 1
st
December
1972 with the opening of Village Double Bay.
THE RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE
16
th
December 1976 to 26
th
January 1977 – Season 2 weeks and 6 days √
A MAN CALLED HORSE opened in 35mm Panavision [anamorphic] at the Forum cinema on 12
th
March 1971.
THE RETURN OF A MAN CALLED HORSE was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened in 70mm Panavision at
the Hoyts Plaza theatre. A third film TRIUMPHS OF A MAN CALLED HORSE was produced in 1983.
LOGAN’S RUN
17
th
December 1977 to 10
th
February 1977 – Season 7 weeks and 6 days √
LOGAN’S RUN was filmed in Todd-AO 35 [anamorphic] and opened at the Paramount cinema in 70mm.
LOGAN’S RUN was transferred to the Rapallo theatre in 35mm on the 11
th
February 1977 and was later issued as a
double feature in 70mm with STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE for one day on 20
th
August 1980 at Forum Cinema.
STAR WARS
27
th
October 1977 to 1
st
February 1979 – Season 65 weeks and 6 days √
STAR WARS was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and opened at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre in 70mm
Panavision. STAR WARS was first reissued in 70mm on the 29
th
April 1982 at the Hoyts Centre followed by a two week
season in 35mm as a double feature with The Empire Strikes Back at the Lyceum theatre on the 2
nd
December 1983.
The STAR WARS TRILOGY first presentation with all three films in 70mm was held on the 8
th
July 1984. The TRILOGY
presentations which followed were not all screened in 70mm due to print availability. The below TRILOGY
presentation dates are currently being researched to confirm these 70mm performances.
OPENED
FILM
THEATRE
FILM FORMAT
CLOSED
WKS
27/10/77
Star Wars
Hoyts Entertainment Centre
70mm Panavision
01/02/79
66
29/04/82
Star Wars
Hoyts Centre
Reissue – 70mm Panavision
16/06/82
7
02/12/83
Star Wars plus The Empire Strikes Back
Lyceum
Reissue – 35mm
15/12/83
2
08/07/84
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue – 70mm Panavision
08/07/84
1 D a y
14/07/84
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
15/07/84
2 D a y
21/07/84
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
22/07/84
2 D a y
28/07/84
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
29/07/84
2 D a y
05/08/84
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
05/08/84
1 D a y
26/10/85
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
27/10/85
2 D a y
02/11/85
Star Wars Trilogy
Hoyts Centre
Reissue
03/11/85
2 D a y
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
16
th
March 1978 to 20
th
September 1978 – Season 26 weeks and 6 days √
CLOSE ENCOUNERS OF THE THIRD KIND was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic]
and premiered at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre in 70mm Panavision on
Wednesday the 15
th
March 1978.
THE SPECIAL EDITION CLOSE
ENCOUNERS OF THE THIRD KIND
opened at the Hoyts Centre in 70mm
on the 22
nd
January 1981 for a
seven week season to the 11
th
March 1981.
CAPRICORN ONE
27
th
July 1978 to 6
th
December 1978 – Season 18 weeks and 6 days √
CAPRICORN ONE was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and premiered at the
Hoyts Entertainment Centre in 70mm Panavision on Wednesday the 26
th
July 1978
GREASE
4
th
August 1978 to 7
th
June 1979 – Season 43 weeks and 6 days √
GREASE was filmed in Panavision [anamorphic] and premiered at
the Paramount cinema in 70mm Panavision on 2
nd
August 1978.
GREASE was first reissued in 70mm as a double feature with
Saturday Night Fever [35mm] at the Barclay on 9
th
November 1979.
Two other double features followed presenting GREASE in 70mm.
GREASE plus Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band both in 70mm
was presented at the Forum cinema on the 6
th
September 1980.
GREASE in 70mm plus Xanadu in 35mm was presented at the Ascot
theatre for a two week season from the 26
th
March 1981.
SGT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
24
th
November 1978 to 1
st
February 1979 – Season 9 weeks and 6 days √
SGT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND was filmed in Panavision
[anamorphic] and opened at the Barclay cinema in 70mm Panavision.
SGT PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND was reissued for one
performance as a double feature with Grease. Both films were presented
in 70mm at the Forum cinema on the 6
th
September 1980.
SYDNEY IN 70MM – PART 3
PANAVISION
Between 1995 and 1999 there were four [4] 70mm releases in the key city multiplex of Sydney which
included two reissue. These reissues were the 70mm restoration release of My Fair Lady [24/02/95] at the
Hoyts Centre and Vertigo [10/07/97] at the Greater Union Pitt Centre.
1995 - 1999
70MM
REISSUE
TOTAL
1995
0
1
1
1996
0
0
0
1997
2
1
3
1998
0
0
0
1999
0
0
0
TOTAL
2
2
4
OPENED
FILM
THEATRE
FILM FORMAT
CLOSED
WKS
24/02/95
My Fair Lady - reissue
Hoyts Centre
Super Panavision
22/05/97
Hamlet
Hoyts Centre
Super Panavision
10/07/97
Vertigo - reissue
Pitt Centre
70mm Super VistaVision
18/12/97
Titanic
Hoyts Centre
70mm Super 35
FURTHER RESEARCH REQUIRED: After returning to Australia
from London in 1994, I have no detailed account of the 70mm
release from 1995 to 1999. The table above does not include the
70mm print close date, season weeks and if as a move over to
other key city multiplex in Sydney. As these titles are still to be
researched, these dates remain absent until confirmed.
PITT CENTRE - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
In 1983 Around the World in 80 Days was reissued in 35mm
Dolby Stereo. Originally planned for presentation at the Pitt
Centre, the season was moved to Village Cinema City.
Since the original opening of Around the World in 80 Days, the
film has been reissued three [3] times in Sydney and fitting we
close this chapter on one of the greatest films which gave us the
wonder and the screen envelope of Todd-AO.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
OPENED
CLOSED
WK
Hoyts Paris – 35mm
02/10/57
22/11/59
122
Hoyts Paris – 70mm
15/08/63
09/10/63
8
Hoyts Plaza – 70mm
14/08/69
01/10/69
7
Village Cinema City – 35mm
14/10/83
27/10/83
2
1 1
2
15
2
0
5
10
15
20
1990 to 1994 1995 to 1999 2000 to 2004 2005 to 2009
CINEMA MULTI PLEX
Todd-AO Super Technirama Super Panavision Ultra Panavision 70mm Blow Up