In article <2682597.393.1337138218847.JavaMail.geo-discussion-
Post by g***@hotmail.comI saw HTWWW in cinerama in two countries back in 1962 and from what I remember they used many different size posters depending on the front-of-house displays. There were also one sheeter posters advertising the film in non cinerama cinemas that I worked at.I do not know what color system was used in the films. There would have been scores of different roadshow posters at the time.The U.S.lobby cards showed "technicolor" as did the spanish poster. The New
Zealand poster said "metrocolour" as did the Australian poster.An American poster said "Metrocolor" as did the Exhibitor's Campaign book (all of which I have in my collection). As the film was filmed by MGM one would think that they would use metrocolor for filming. The Wonderfull World Of The Brothers Grimm,which was the first MGM film in Cinerama,listed Technicolor on the many US posters,lobby cards and exhibitors campaign book that I have.The 35mm release of Bros
Grimm only stated that it was in Glorious color.I know this does not answer your question Roland,rather it just adds to the confusion. Let's us not forget that scenes from The ALAMO,(not in metrocolor) and Raintree County (in metrocolor) were also used in HTWWWN.There is also some dispute as to whether any scenes were use from This Is Cinerama (printed backwards -but the cloud formations were different in that film to the finale scene in HTWWW). Maybe it was a
mixture of both technicolor and Metrocolor -depending on where the film was processed for the country where it was shown. I did also see the 35mm version but cannot recall the color process.How many people would even bother to check to see which color system that was used when they saw the film.Maybe an email to MGM would solve the problem.
Let's clear all this up. Every film mentioned here was photographed on
Eastman color negative film. The three-strip Cinerama prints were
manufactured by Technicolor in their dye transfer process. Only the
composite version in 35mm, with a few 70mm prints tossed in, were
printed by the Metrocolor lab using Eastman positive print stock. "The
Alamo" and "Raintree County" were also shot on Eastman color negative.
Both had prints manufactured by Technicolor, with "The Alamo" using
Eastman color positive print stock for 70mm and dye transfer for 35mm
reductions. "Raintree County" had its 65mm negative processed at the
Metrocolor lab and Technicolor made the 35mm dye transfer prints. There
were no 70mm prints made or ever intended for "Raintree". From the
outset, in 1955, MGM knew that they could shoot on 65mm and
Technicolor's dye transfer system would maintain the image quality down
to the 35mm prints.
Every frame of "How The West Was Won" originated on Eastman color
negative film, whether it was fresh footage or snips taken from "The
Alamo", "Raintree County" or the reverse footage used from "This Is
Cinerama".
Oldsters may recall that "Gone With The Wind" was photographed in three-
strip Technicolor but the ghastly 70mm reissue and following 35mm prints
were advertised as Metrocolor because that's who manufactured the
prints.
Don't bother sending an email to MGM. That company ceased to exist
decades ago. Only the name survives in the form of a small company
that's gradually being digested by other studios. Nobody at MGM has any
information regarding films made prior to 1983.
Marty
--
The American WideScreen Museum
www.widescreenmuseum.com