Cinerama and Dimension 150

And CinemaScope, too

Cinerama (and its upstart rival Cinemiracle and Soviet imitation Kinopanorama) used 3 projectors showing three films to fill an immense deeply curved screen. Cinerama later switched to a single 70mm film. Dimension 150 was a similar, much improved process. The deeply curved screen created an intense participitory effect for the audience.

This page is not intended to explain these processes in detail but rather to make available some unique materials I have come across in my research.

See also the Cinerama projection lens on the Unusual Film Equipment page

Use your browser's BACK key to return to this menu

A CinemaScope Screen For comparison

CinemaScope was designed to be shown on modestly curved screens

Cinemiracle Projection setup

Cinemiracle Camera Note the mirrors

The following are from old magazines, hence the clarity leaves something to be desired

River Oaks D150 Theatre near Chicago. (Closed Jan. 2006)

Windsor Cinerama Theatre, Houston

D-150 Screen Location unknown, from an article

D-150 Control Panel Controls for masking, changeover, etc. Look closely to see how D-150 had a different masking setting than regular 70mm as standard 70mm was SUPPOSED (per the license agreement) to be projected on a reduced screen size. Those masking buttons top to bottom are "70MM D-150, 70MM CONV, 35MM SCOPE, 35MM CONV, STOP."

D-150 Ad

Cinerama in Dayton A theatre called The Neon Movies revived triple projector Cinerama in late 1996, early 1997, showing preserved Technicolor prints of "This is Cinerama" and "How the West Was Won". People have been coming from all over the world to see it.

Back to Steve's Vacant Lot