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Modifications Required

The introduction of the wide
CinemaScope screen meant that most
cinemas had to make changes to the
auditorium, most prosceniums were
designed to accommodate only the
standard Academy Ratio screen. To fit a
screen twice as wide, in many cases major
structural changes were needed,
with some venues undergoing a full make
over in the process. Others simply placed
a new larger screen in front of the old
screen and proscenium. The more
recalcitrant operators just ignored the
format and hoped it would go away.

For some time, Fox released some of their
films in both a CinemaScope and a
Standard version. But with many theatres
advertising CinemaScope as a draw card,
others had to follow suit.
Sound
Advertising of the time is quite Fox’s intention was that all CinemaScope films
interesting. Those cinemas not equipped would be released with multi-track magnetic
for ‘Scope, were advertising such wonders sound. Early CinemaScope films were released
as their giant Wyda-Scope screen, Ultra- with four-track magnetic sound tracks and no
Scope pictures, etc. In most cases they optical track. To accommodate the extra width
were simply cropping the top and bottom of the magnetic tracks, Fox developed
a variation on the standard 35mm format for
of a regular image and making the width ‘Scope release prints. The width of the
greater by using a shorter focal length sprocket holes was reduced; these
projection lens, in a similar manner to smaller sprocket holes became known as “Fox
today’s non-anamorphic wide-screen. Holes”.

Salome was one film that was heavily promoted as being in the new competing Wyda-Scope
process. The film was produced in regular Academy Ratio. Presumably the image was
cropped top and bottom to make it appear similar to CinemaScope.

22 REEL DEALS December 2023