What is a roadshow version of a movie, exactly?

[PaulKTF]

On the IMDB and elsewhere I see that a lot of older movies had longer "roadshow" versions that were then trimmed down for theatrical release.

What I'm confused about is that I don't know what a roadshow was in the context of prestenting a movie. Can somebody explain? Thanks!

[Pinknik]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadshow

This is an article on the topic that I found informative, courtesy of www.widescreenmuseum.com:

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/roadshow_presentation.htm

[Steve Hoffman]

1958 roadshow release:

Overture, part one, intermission. Entr'acte music, part two. Walk out music.


1970 re-release:

Remove the overture, remove the intermission, remove the entr'acte, remove the walk out, shorten the 3 hour movie to 2 hours, throw away the edited pieces.


Around The World In 80 Days, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Lawrance Of Arabia, Ben Hur and the list goes on and on.

[PaulKTF]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadshow

This is an article on the topic that I found informative, courtesy of www.widescreenmuseum.com:

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/roadshow_presentation.htm

Oh, wow! Thanks. Those look like very exciting times- when a film was a real "event". Would have loved to have been around then to experience a movie like that.

[El Bacho]

The 2000 reissue of "2001" in theaters was a roadshow presentation (except for the program and the reservation).

Warner Home Video restored the intro, outro and intermission music to some of their releases (The Great Race and Finian's Rainbow at least).

[El Bacho]

The 2000 reissue of "2001" in theaters was a roadshow presentation (except for the program and the reservation).

Warner Home Video restored the intro, outro and intermission music to some of their releases (The Great Race and Finian's Rainbow at least).

[Hawkman]

and the list goes on and on.

I DARE ya!

:D

[Hawkman]

I seem to remember my parents dragging my brother and I to see Doctor Zhivago when it came out and if I am not mistaken, there were all the elements of a 'roadshow' picture. I remember and intermission at least.

I liked going to the movies but when my folks took us it usually wasn't your standard Don Knotts fare or Mad Monster Party. We were dropped off for the matinee and picked up later for THOSE films. They splurged once and took us to the drive-in to see Mary Poppins when it came out.

Oh no. We were taken to see 'grown up' movies when they came out. Boring, adult films like Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Zulu, West Side Story.

If only there had been some sort of Division Of Youth And Family Services back then my brother and I would have called to complain.

[Jay F]

1958 roadshow release:

Overture, part one, intermission. Entr'acte music, part two. Walk out music.

Around The World In 80 Days

Lawrence Of Arabia

Ben Hur

I saw these as roadshow movies. I didn't know there was a name for it. I think Sound of Music was a roadshow movie, too.

[Johnny66]

Roadshow movies also functioned in tandem with the first run, second run, third run theater system. Indeed, they were prime examples of that system, and a key way the studios could make the most money on event pictures by keeping them in the first-run studio-owned theaters when early publicity was at its highest level (with public interest and revenue to match).

[Logan5]

1958 roadshow release:

Overture, part one, intermission. Entr'acte music, part two. Walk out music.


1970 re-release:

Remove the overture, remove the intermission, remove the entr'acte, remove the walk out, shorten the 3 hour movie to 2 hours, throw away the edited pieces.


Around The World In 80 Days, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Lawrance Of Arabia, Ben Hur and the list goes on and on.

When I was projectionist for UCI Poole Tower Park, cinemas UK I seem to remembering “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989) having the intermission cut out or removed. When I saw it projected at another cinema in the area ABC Westover the intermission came in around mid way point.

The Towering Inferno also had an intermission break and what was funny about it was you, could hear Earthquake playing in sensurround ABC screen 1 while The Towering Inferno was playing below in screen 2.

[Dillydipper]

Roadshow movies also functioned in tandem with the first run, second run, third run theater system. Indeed, they were prime examples of that system, and a key way the studios could make the most money on event pictures by keeping them in the first-run studio-owned theaters when early publicity was at its highest level (with public interest and revenue to match).

Okay, this is where you lose me...how does a studio (or the theater, for that matter) make more money, if the "event"-length pictures meant you couldn't run them as many times as the two-hour version?

I appreciate the "butt-break", if you will, of an intermission (and hey, maybe THERE'$ the trade-off, from the concession-stand point-of-view!), but aren't you screwing yourself out of an extra show-time this way?

[Jay F]

Okay, this is where you lose me...how does a studio (or the theater, for that matter) make more money, if the "event"-length pictures meant you couldn't run them as many times as the two-hour version?

I appreciate the "butt-break", if you will, of an intermission (and hey, maybe THERE'$ the trade-off, from the concession-stand point-of-view!), but aren't you screwing yourself out of an extra show-time this way?
Didn't it cost more than a regular movie?

[wayneklein]

A lost art. The last film that had the epic "Roadshow" feel was the original limited release of "Apocaplypse Now". I saw it in San Francisco during its premiere run and it had all the elements of a roadshow except that the film wasn't trimmed sigficantly except for the removal of the overture and intermission.Oh, and the original had no opening or closing credits on purpose.

[Dillydipper]

Oh, and the original had no opening or closing credits on purpose.

:wtf: Really...!? Isn't there some MPAA regulation about this sort of thing?

[TeacFan]

Yep..they handed out glossy 8X11 booklets with pages of info & credits.
This was a blown-up 70mm version. Played at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood & a few other theaters around. VERY impressive.

[Steve Hoffman]

Saw it at the Dome with Mom and Dad. No credits. Just two words at the end....

[TeacFan]

again yep..this was the copyright information. Appears at the bottom of the screen just as the curtains (!) were closing.

[Marty Milton]

1958 roadshow release:

Overture, part one, intermission. Entr'acte music, part two. Walk out music.


1970 re-release:

Remove the overture, remove the intermission, remove the entr'acte, remove the walk out, shorten the 3 hour movie to 2 hours, throw away the edited pieces.


Around The World In 80 Days, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Lawrance Of Arabia, Ben Hur and the list goes on and on.

Thankfully those elements have been resurrected in the DVD releases.

[Steve Hoffman]

Yes, but not the giant screen, sorry to say.

Them's were the daze....

[Hawkman]

Yes, but not the giant screen, sorry to say.

Them's were the daze....

And yet Kingdom Of Heaven (http://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Heaven-Directors-Four-Disc-Special/dp/B000EHSVQ4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1215370543&sr=8-1) was given 'roadshow' treatment when Ridley Scott's cut of the movie was released on DVD. I don't think that it ever had a 'roadshow' presentation in the movies on the big screen. Ridley Scott's cut of the film didn't come out until well after the theatrical run and the theatrical DVD. So in effect, his 'roadshow' went in reverse! :)

[reechie]

Thankfully those elements have been resurrected in the DVD releases.
I don't believe we'll ever see the complete Roadshow version of It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Too many elements apparently lost forever. :wtf:

[Johnny66]

Okay, this is where you lose me...how does a studio (or the theater, for that matter) make more money, if the "event"-length pictures meant you couldn't run them as many times as the two-hour version?

I appreciate the "butt-break", if you will, of an intermission (and hey, maybe THERE'$ the trade-off, from the concession-stand point-of-view!), but aren't you screwing yourself out of an extra show-time this way?

Because, historically, ticket prices were markedly higher in the first-run theatres. The studios maintained huge, palatial 'picture palaces' for just such films in heavy markets (usually capital cities), and audience members paid a higher price to see 'event' pictures early in their run and in 'quality' surroundings. Indeed, the price was as much for the viewing of the film as for the experience of the cinema itself.

Following the divestiture rulings in 1948, the studios were forced to sell off their interest in theaters because such practices directly hurt independent theater owners, who typically received the 'big' films usually a few months after the initial advertising blitz, and thus without the chance of the strong returns typically maximised in the early phase of a film's release. Interestingly, under Reagan, the studios began purchasing theaters again in the 80s - largely in contravention of the initial rulings.

We can see the vestiges of the old system today, for whilst multiplexes killed off the distinction between first-run 'picture palaces' and 2nd (and 3rd) run theaters, the more recent distinction between 'Gold Class' theaters and 'regular' theaters (in the same multiplex facility) continue the concept (at least here in Australia). Whilst we don't see 'intermissions' and the like, it's clear there is a class of consumer willing to pay a significantly higher price to experience a film in more luxurious surroundings.

In a way, the old 'tiered' system of exhibition was somewhat in the consumer's favour (whilst nevertheless reinforcing studio power). Word of mouth was much more in play than today, where 'event' pictures are dumped on over 3,000 screens upon release (sometimes playing on multiple screens in the one multiplex), thus neutralising the possibility of word of mouth dictating the fortunes of a film.

[Lazlo Nibble]

The 2000 reissue of "2001" in theaters was a roadshow presentation (except for the program and the reservation).
And the cut of the film they showed, right?

Surely if they'd found that extra 20 minutes they would have been trumpeting it from the rooftops...?

[El Bacho]

The extra 20 minutes were only shown at the premiere. And the footage is not lost, it was removed by Kubrick. He didn't want it to be shown again. You'd be able to find it in his property, probably inside a box printed with a huge "Get a life, guys..." stamp.

The 2000 or 2001 reissue on 70mm featured the intro, outro and intermission music (Katchaturian and Ligeti) but outside of the additional titles, no changes were made.