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The theatre sound guys say, but how can you say you have 6 channels when you run analog -- you only have 4 channels. Well, actually five channels come out of the cinema processor, if you count the subbass. And since we split the single surround channel and process it through an Orban stereo synthesizer, it is, in fact two channels. Yeah, but they say, the subbass is not a channel, only a .1 channel. I say, naw, that's Dolby's peculiar thing, but in the recording studio, it doesn't matter what is recorded on a channel, even if it is a single frequency tone, -- it requires a channel on the console....it requires an amp and a speaker system, that's a channel, just the same as any other channel. There isn't anything ".1" about it -- the amps don't cost 1% of price of the amps for the other channels; and the subbass speaker systems CERTAINLY don't cost 1% of the cost of the other speaker systems, if anything they cost more. The sound that comes out of it is different than the other channels, right? Well, it costs me the same as the other channels, I get to call it a channel -- Dolby can call it whatever they want; they are not paying for all the equipment. In fact, if Dolby was being consistent, by that same 5.1 logic, they should have been calling their analog optical sound "2.2" all along -- there are REALLY only two "channels" in that system, the others are no more real channels than the derived subbass channel in their 5.1 system. All of a sudden Dolby wants to change the rules?

OK, OK, I know theoretically calling it 6 Channel Sound is stretching it, but hey, when I have my Director of Marketing hat on, STRETCHING is the name of the game. Hype is what we eat for breakfast. Check this out, our 1.85 image has its own moniker; all cropped ws features at Brooklyn Center Cinema are "Presented in Wide Screen Dimension." You laugh? Be glad we didn't use the first one that we were toying with -- "Wide Screen Dimension 185"

We have paste ups that stick on every ad slick. We spent LOTS of money on these systems; we certainly are not about to hide them from the public. That's why we play non-sync music programs with that MegaSound system before every show -- to call attention to it....make sure the patron is away of how good the sound is in this theatre -- a good reason for them to come back. That's why we always start the show with a 1.37 cartoon and attractions, so we can then open the mask to our Wide Screen Dimension width (or scope width), so even if it is just a plane ole flat picture, the audience sees a screen size increase for the feature.

Overall, I don't think theatre owners take full advantage of their own technology and how to sell it to the public. I mean, the AMC Empire in NY put in really nice, big CURVED screens. Do you hear them crow about it? Nope. Foolish mistake. Same thing with everything else -- rocker seats, etc. They don't HYPE it. About the only thing I ever hear them promote is stadium seating, and when they do, they just say they've got it with no mention of its advantages. I don't know why none of them have noticed, but the words themselves don't really convey the advantages, in fact, I would almost think there is a negative connotation to "stadium seating" -- sounds much to much like those uncomfortable seats at basketball games. If *I* was lucky enough to have stadium seating, you bet there would be a better, hype-able, trademark-able name for them and I would put it in every add and on every 1-sheet in the lobby, proclaiming their superiority over my competitor's seats.

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We had a guy in the wash room called Maher.

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On August 6th. "Wolfen" on DVD from Warner Bros.

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where it premiered in the 70's had a battery of Altec subs in front of the screen.

Here in the United States ALTERED STATES didn't premiere until December 1980, and, at least where the Village was concerned, they used Cerwin Vegas across the front of the auditorium. They were the same type used for the front units of Sensurround. The Village continued using these units for all 70mm baby-boom format films until they installed a THX system. Then they disappeared for a while, returning after the Village re-wired using Monster Cable (and presumably, when THX certified Cerwin Vega subs). They have disappeared again from view when the Village remodeled in the late 90's (as did the Bose surrounds, replaced with JBL surrounds). Now when I said "disappeared" I dont know if they were removed, or just placed behind the below-screen curtain.

I do remember the Picwood ad in L.A. only advertised the film (Wolfen) in 70mm 6-track Dolby Stereo, with no Megasound mentioned. I was headed down to L.A. to catch it (as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark at the National and Superman II at the Village) when my 64 beetle broke down on the freeway before the Sunset exit. The Picwood was a good theatre that unfortunately was a little out of the first-run comcemtration to get top bookings, although surrounds were inadequate. As far as I could tell, there were only two surrounds in the back of the theatre, and these were covered by drapes (actually bulging out the drapes.

Speaking of the Picwood, when i saw Fame, the 1.85 image was projected quite a bit taller than the "scope" image of Dark Crystal. Was Crystal an OAR 70mm print, (as Fame was for 1.85 OAR), or were different lenses used? I think for 35mm, this theatre used a COMBINATION of top AND side masking for changing between flat and scope (the only 35mm film I saw here was UNDER FIRE at 1.85). I remember FAME had beautful projection and very good sound. Dark Crystal was somewhat unsteady, and UNDER FIRE was very dim and pink. In those days, Pacific really shortchanged image quality with lack of proper illumination and projection alignment, unlike Mann Theatres, who always had exceptionally bright, steady images.

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