The Exhibitor (1956)

Screen And Equipment On Loanout For New 3^2 : 1 Wide Screen System Dallas — A new wide screen process, Thrillarama, capable of photographing and projecting film in a 3V2 to 1 aspect ratio, has been announced by Albert H. Rey¬ nolds, president of Thrillarama Produc¬ tions, Inc., developers of the system. The special deeply curved screen, and all necessary booth attachments will be made available on a loan basis, it was stated, making it unnecessary for an exhibitor to make any alterations or purchase new equipment. CLARITY! BRILLIANCE !■§ I riKiri-i ACTiKiri crriKinAiiv 1 Drive-In and Indoor Theatre Owner How's YOUR CONTROL? Let us check your theatre for operat¬ ing efficiency, cleanliness, honesty, patron comforts, and appeal. You will be surprised how little it costs to build up patronage, good will and big grosses. For further information — Call, Write, Wire ACME INVESTIGATIONS, INC. Suite 1266, Commercial Trust Building Philadelphia 2, Pa. (Telephone LOcust 8-2467) Branches in principal cities The basic principles of the dual-camera process were conceived by Reynolds, a well-known Texas theatreman, and Dowlen Russell, Thrillarama vice-president. As explained in a release from the com¬ pany, two cameras, scientifically mated on a special base mechanism, and using a special optical system of mirrors and lenses, are necessary. This camera setup is said to be capable of covering an area more than twice that of a normal camera. The scene is filmed in two parts on sepa¬ rate film strips, using the full aperture on both. The sound track is recorded and played on a separate reel. The two films are joined on the screen as one and shown at approximately a 3^/^ to 1 ratio. It is claimed that close-ups and long shots are photographed without distortion. The cameras used are made in France, but the photographic system was engineered and built by the Raphael C. Wolff organiza¬ tion, Hollywood. Patents have been ap¬ plied for. In order to show Thrillarama in a the¬ atre two standard projectors are locked together and two films are projected simultaneously with crossed beams, each covering one-half of the screen’s surface. A special patented device “dove tails” the two scenes where they meet in the center of the screen. Another patented device is attached to the base of the projector for horizontal adjustments on the screen. Five thousand foot magazines are used, and there is a short intermission period in the middle of the program for the change¬ over. No alterations are required in the regular booth, it is said, and all needed booth attachments will be supplied on a loan basis by Thrillarama, Inc. A special deeply curved specular vinyl plastic screen, together with an erector type screen frame will also be provided on a loan basis by the company. It is quickly erected outside the stage arch, and the regular screen is not disturbed. The frame was designed by Tom Pauken, local engi¬ neer and architect, and the screen made by the Raytone Screen Company, Brook¬ lyn, N. Y. The first production using this system, “Thrillarama Adventure,” has been made by the Raphael G. Wolff Studios in East¬ man Color, and is scheduled to be pre¬ miered in Texas early in May, it was reported. According to present distribu¬ tion plans Thrillarama will be launched in foreign countries shortly after it has been introduced in the United States. Quality Up (Continued from page PT -14) has all controls specially mounted and designed for easy access. The meters for the amplifier and exciter lamp power supplies are illuminated so that they may be easily seen in the dimmed light of a projection booth. All the circuits are metered by means of a selector switch. The booth monitoring loudspeaker is located within the cabinet, making it un¬ necessary to run it at an excessively high level. It can be easily heard throughout the booth. The Westrex 27 type 60 watt B & L Reverse Lens Aids D-l Projection New York — One of the items of interest exhibited at the recent National Allied Drive-In Theatre Convention in Cleve¬ land was the Bausch and Lomb reverse Cinemascope attachment at the National Theatre Supply booth. The Bausch and Lomb reverse CinemaScope attachment is designed for use in drive-ins where it becomes necessary to use a prime lens having a focal length in excess of 7.00 inches. This condition arises in those instances where the screen size ■ is limited or where the projection room is located a great distance from the , screen. It goes without saying that such installations need all the lens speed they can get. Beyond 7.00 inches the lens speed decreases and available illumination from the arc lamp is wasted in the prime lens. With the Bausch and Lomb reverse CinemaScope Attachment it is possible to use a standard high speed prime lens of exactly one-half the focal length the table calls for — a 4.00 inch instead of an 8.00 inch or a 5.00 inch instead of a 10.00 inch, etc., it was stated. The modification consists of several minor internal alterations to the standard CinemaScope attachment and is based on sound optical design principles. It does not provide anything extra in those situa¬ tions where existing high speed prime lenses can be used, but for the drive-ins requiring focal lengths above 7.00 inches, it does permit, at very little added cost, the use of high speed projection lenses with all of their top quality, top efficiency performance. The Bausch and Lomb reverse Cinema¬ Scope attachments are available through all National Theatre Supply branch stores. amplifier contains its own power supply and is designed for easy front service by removal of the mat. The input and out¬ put circuits are the plug-in type. The Westrex type 16 loudspeaker as¬ sembly with associated high and low fre¬ quency units, baffles, and dividing net ' works were designed for increased effi¬ ciency and smoother performance to meet j the present and future exacting require¬ ments of the multi or single -channel ! sound. Only the best quality speaker ' units, as used by Westrex, can deliver the feeling of intimacy, presence, and realism, , The Westrex sound systems feature the < acoustic lens high-frequency horn. This i acoustic lens assures an even distribution 1 of sound throughout an auditorium with > an absolute minimum of interference pat terns. The high-frequency horns are 1 available for either 50 degrees or 80 de ' grees horizontal coverage. The Westrex low-frequency unit is designed with its 1 special baffle to produce smoothly and effectively the powerful low-frequency range. PT-30 PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR March 28, 1956