Cinerama

[RichardB]

A temporary Cinema from the 60's; don't know if this is on here already, apologies if it is.

Aerial view showing the circular structure of the Cinerama temporary cinema on Devonshire Street (towards bottom left)  https://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;u03720&pos=1&action=zoom&id=38869

[Stuart0742]

A temporary Cinema from the 60's; don't know if this is on here already, apologies if it is.

Aerial view showing the circular structure of the Cinerama temporary cinema on Devonshire Street (towards bottom left)

This has been mentioned before, but where I am not quite sure, Steve is good at finding things lol

[RichardB]

This has been mentioned before, but where I am not quite sure, Steve is good at finding things

I found, I thought, I looked, I gave up and posted it anyway ...

[SteveHB]

This has been mentioned before, but where I am not quite sure, Steve is good at finding things

I don't think there is a topic about the traveling Cinerama Stuart,

maybe the odd comment here & there.

Like you I also recall going to to see the films in the marquee,

the one I can remember seeing was 'The Seven Wonders of the World'

[Brianret]

I don't think there is a topic about the traveling Cinerama Stuart,

maybe the odd comment here & there.

Like you I also recall going to to see the films in the marquee,

the one I can remember seeing was 'The Seven Wonders of the World'

I don't remember the "Travelling Cinerama" but I do remember seeing "How the west was won" at the ABC Cinema (long gone) in the mid to late fifties. This was in Cinerama although I suspect that it was in the last revised version of the format which was really a grand Cinemascope as it didn't need three projectors but at the same time really effective.

The ABC was, like the Odeon and it's extra leg room, a new cinema with a modern style as it was all on one level sloping towards the screen (no balcony) with a huge wide screen and a modern sound system. I was, and still am, very interested in the cinema and during the fifties visited most of the city centre cinemas regularly. The cinema was, in those days, an escape from reality and I don't think that there has been anything to replace it since.

Sure sign that I am not young anymore! :(

[Guest abcman]

I don't remember the "Travelling Cinerama" but I do remember seeing "How the west was won" at the ABC Cinema (long gone) in the mid to late fifties. This was in Cinerama although I suspect that it was in the last revised version of the format which was really a grand Cinemascope as it didn't need three projectors but at the same time really effective.

The ABC was, like the Odeon and it's extra leg room, a new cinema with a modern style as it was all on one level sloping towards the screen (no balcony) with a huge wide screen and a modern sound system. I was, and still am, very interested in the cinema and during the fifties visited most of the city centre cinemas regularly. The cinema was, in those days, an escape from reality and I don't think that there has been anything to replace it since.

Sure sign that I am not young anymore!

'How The West Was Won' was shown at the ABC in 1962 in the standard 70mm version, although you could see the three separate strips of film (which are still visible on the latest DVD release) Fantastic film though.Nothing like this anymore.

[hilldweller]

'How The West Was Won' was shown at the ABC in 1962 in the standard 70mm version, although you could see the three separate strips of film (which are still visible on the latest DVD release) Fantastic film though.Nothing like this anymore.

I managed to scrounge a complimentary ticket to watch the Cinerama when it was set up on the waste land at the end of Devonshire Street. The showing opened with a normal screen in the central section of the wrap-round screen showing an American bloke in a Victor Kyam type preamble. He threw his arms out and said I give you Cinerama and the picture switched in an instant to 180 degree wraparound showing the view from a plane. The aeroplane was looping around a New York skyscraper and everyone in the cinema leaned at 45 degrees !

[History dude]

Did you know that the true Cinerama screen is still the largest and best cinema screen you can get. The sound also is better than the Dolby stuff you get today.

Did any Cinema in Sheffield actually show the the proper 3-screen versions of the films? I understand they had a traveling version of a cinema for it, did that come to Sheffield?

[DaveH]

Did you know that the true Cinerama screen is still the largest and best cinema screen you can get. The sound also is better than the Dolby stuff you get today.

Did any Cinema in Sheffield actually show the the proper 3-screen versions of the films? I understand they had a traveling version of a cinema for it, did that come to Sheffield?

Largest YES,

Best? Well the jury is out on that one!

To be honest those 2 vertical seams where the 3 images meet spoil it for me.

Not so sure about the audio quality either, there seems to be too many similar systems to make a valid comparison

[Guest funkydory]

Largest YES,

Best? Well the jury is out on that one!

To be honest those 2 vertical seams where the 3 images meet spoil it for me.

Not so sure about the audio quality either, there seems to be too many similar systems to make a valid comparison

Hi there. Although a Birmingham resident I'm more often posting on here due to my connection with the major international Cinerama site and that Sheffield had TWO Cinerama theatres; the Devonshire Street "temporary" circus-type construction, and the Gaumont in Barkers Pool which was converted to Cinerama for the cinema's 1960's redevelopment re-opening on 23 July 1969 making two cinemas in the same building (Gaumont 1 and 2). Owing to the usual length of booking for Cinerama films there are several posts on the "Longest Runs in Sheffield" thread. Here's a link however to the site which I contribute regularly to:

www.cinerama.topcities.com/iszticketflyer.htm

The Gaumont conversion to Cinerama, along with the then new 1960s 'purpose built' theatre in Leeds, was one of the last in the country to open. By the late seventies, not only had the source of new Cinerama films dried up completely but the Gaumont became yet another victim nationally to the fad of subdividing into yet more screens (the Gaumonts became Screens 1,2, AND 3) on 23 November 1979.

Will try and look up a few more pictures of the Gaumont as it was in Cinerama days, but between the international Cinerama site and your very thorough residents of Sheffield who have posted previously new items are very hard to find.

[S24]

The information that I posted earlier about Cinerama in Sheffield is in the - "Films with Longest Runs in Sheffield " thread, on Page: 4, about 3/4 of the way down.

http://www.sheffield...pic=6091&st=120