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**Sam Chavez** · 03-03-2020, 12:04 AM

Alien opened in Century 22, A or C screen. I did the sound installation converting to a CP100 and rack with all new amps. TOA's, not much now but back then they were state of the art.

**Michael Coate** · 03-12-2020, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by Sam Chavez View Post

Alien opened in Century 22, A or C screen.

Seems you're describing San Jose. The article is actually about Sacramento (another Northern California market with a heavy Syufy presence).

**Sam Chavez** · 03-12-2020, 04:33 PM

I knew Sacramento pretty well. Also San Jose Century 21, and 22, et, al. I know all Syufy domes look alike but I was all over that scene doing installations and research screenings and it was quite an education as Syufy bought the best available equipment. Is there some reason you question my recollection about Alien and Century Sacramento? This sounds like the Louis Bornwasser situation all over again. You ask for contributions and then piss all over the people who comment.

One reason I recall it so vividly is it was my first 70mm installation and led directly to my being recruited by Dolby Labs SF. You don't suppose I forgot what city I was in. Pretty insulting in any case.

**Michael Coate** · 03-13-2020, 06:11 PM

There's no pissing on you, Sam. Your comment simply sounded to me like you were describing San Jose since (1) I knew you're very familiar with the San Jose domes and I wasn't aware of your level of familiarity with Sacramento, (2) the 22 in San Jose is where "Alien" played, (3) San Jose's domes used lettering to describe its multiplex screens whereas the Sacramento complex didn't (as far as I know), and (4) a trade ad you guys at Dolby placed in the run-up to the release of "Alien" had it listed as playing Sacramento at the Century 26. The Sacramento newspaper ads by that time had pretty much done away with the 21, 22, etc. notations and instead typically promoted that place as the "Century 6-screen complex" (which is why my listing lacks any screen numbering during that era).

I'm apologize if it seemed I was questioning you. I agree "Alien" was when the CP100 went in (in Sacramento).

As far as the Louis thing, well, I don't think that situation would've spun out of control had you and (some of) the others simply respected my work. You guys routinely and infuriatingly reject the insane amount of effort and attention to detail that goes in to creating these works in favor of believing and blindly supporting colleagues' decades-old memories.

**Sam Chavez** · 03-13-2020, 06:41 PM

No harm done. The layout of this Century dome in Sacramento was very similar to the San Jose 22, where three domes were served by a common booth. I believe the center dome in Sacramento was eventually split down the middle and I converted that one to 70mm as well. Pretty ugly stuff where a straight wall bisected a dome and the original screen and speakers were still behind the original screen buried away. Agree the Sacramento screens had a weird numbering scheme. I think they were adding on domes/screens faster than customers or management could keep track of. Don't think that happened in San Jose on 22. Then there was the big fire where some of the booth ended up in the snack bar below. Staff went home with the lamp house on manual behind a projector that had stopped at the end of the show. I worked at a number of the domes for RCA Service, in San Jose, Oakland, Pleasant Hill, Sacramento, and Reno, plus Orange, and that's just the ones I recall after forty years. You take your work or hobby very seriously as do we all. Everyones focus is different when it comes to their avocation, hobby, or obsession. To each their own.

**Terry Monohan** · 03-19-2020, 04:48 PM

Thanks Michael for all the great 70mm lists. I remember near the end of some of the 70mm showings at the Alhambra Theatre they switched from 70mm film to 35mm and still ran a ad that said 70mm.

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