The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 36

i HE I 1 35 The VANCOUVER SUN: Mr, 20, 1M 'NEW ODEON' SURVEY: Granville-Smithe 'Liveliest Corner1 Granville-Smithe "is the most alive section of I Vancouver." That's the reason Odeon I Theatres is spending $250,000 I. iVi ,,1,1 PI-, Intn llio jncw urieon at ssi i.ran- ille, 100 feet north of Smlthe, idds G. A. (Gerry) Sutherland, general manager for Odeon's 16-show chain in British SPAKS OTHER WORK "We're spending far more money rebuilding the theatre than the building could have been sold for before we tore out everything except the main walls in January and started a complete rebuilding job," he adds. "Since then three main restaurants in the immediate area have undertaken extensive remodelling.

"This is a vitally-alive area. You measure the vitality of a district by counting those on sidewalks or streets. This area is busy day and night the number of people on the street on Saturday nights makes this area seem like Broadway In New York. A tremendous number of young people visits the area as well as groups of all other ages. NEW PATTERN STARTS "This is the biggest cinema theatre rebuilding job In a downtown area that I know of since the television age burst on Canada a decade ago.

In Ontario a couple of new cinemas have been built recently in auuuiueui suupiuiig crimes to take advantage of night parking. But we see every in dication that when people want top entertainment, they want to go downtown. We think downtown Vancouver is at the beginning of a period of re-vitalization. 'TOP, SPECIAL FILMS' "We think that in the New Odeon we have the best of all possible choices a downtown location, more than adequate parking facilities nearby, and top, special films. "We open to the public Wednesday night with Lawrence of Arabia, a $13 million, 70-milli-metre-film presentation that is more than merely a spectacular.

It Involves the character G. A. SUTHERLAND better definition" Clarity Added By Use of Bigger Film Use of 70-millimetre film provides greater depth of fo-icus on the new, wide screen, also better definition and more 'clarity, officials of the New Odeon report as the rebuilt cinema is readied to open to (the public tonight. "Each frame is four times 'as large as the 35-millimetre film used in nearly all other commercial theatres and consequently need not he magnified so much for showing on the screen," says Ray Town-send, district manager of General Sound, which is installing projection equipment. "The picture on the screen gains in clarity and definition by reduction in the magnification necessary with the larger film." The theatre's two modern (projectors imported from England can project 35-millimetre films after certain adjust-'ments, but New Odeon executives say only 70-milllmetre films now are planned for pub-: lie showing.

"The great spectaculars are being filmed in 70-millimetre by U.S. film makers," says G. A. (Gerry) Sutherland, general manager for Odeon in "These include Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, Hawaii, I Mutiny on the Bounty, South Pacific, West Side Story, Ben Hur and Exodus. Only one 'other theatre in B.C.

is equipped to show them. All European film producers are still using 35-millimetre for even their top films." The screen in the 46-foot of a most unusual person and the many aspects of Lawrence's involved character are shown with some of the finest camera work ever produced. The film has been nominated in 10 categories for Academy Awards." YEAR'S RUN SCHEDULED Odeon executives expect La'wrence to run for more than 12 months in the 703-seat theatre at $2.50 for evening performances and $1.75 for matinees, with all seats reserved. Two performances each Sunday are planned after the Legislature approves Sunday entertainment, possibly near Easter in mid-April. "We're already sold out for five evening performances in the next 10 days," says Sutherland.

"Some blocks of seats have been sold for as far ahead as three weeks after the opening. We already have in mind the 70-millimetre, special film we consider a worthy succes- fl sor next year to Lawrence of Ci it Mi nrst: Ql 1 1 AA I ki BB Arabia." I wide theatre is 42 feet wide and 18 feet from top to bot New Facade 'Light Pillar' The facade of the New Odeon has been built to a height of more than 50 per cent above the theatre roof behind It. Covered with a white ceramic that is highly reflective, "it will seem like a pillar of light when it serves as a great reflector of nearby night illumination," says a theatre official. Sign for the new theatre is attached on the outside edge of the facade raised above a marquee. torn.

It will be masked to show 70-mllllmetre films on a space 40 by 18 feet. If 35-millimetre films are shown, the screen will be masked to present a smaller area. The film will be projected 101 feet to the specially made screen Imported from England. Ochre Cloth Covers Walls The concrete interior walls of the New Odeon have been covered with fibreglass, acoustic Insulation. Ochre-colored cloth was stretched over the fihieglass and attached to interspersed furring strips.

The cloth then was sprayed with colorless, fireproofing material. The acoustic results hae been outstanding, theatre executives report. Theatre Veteran Manages Odeon Long time veteran In cinema theatres Is Roy A. Mc-Leod, manager of New Odeon. He began his movie career in Winnipeg, moved to Calgary and Edmonton, then here in 1920.

He was assistant, manager of the new Orpheum when it opened in mid-1920's across Granville from New Odeon. Searchlight Show Searchlights will play on the New Odeon tonight at gala opening in benefit of Vancouver Film Festival. C. R. Salmon, president of Odeon Theatres of Canada, is here from Toronto for opening of the New Odeon, 881 Granville.

STEREO SO UND FOR ODEON FILMS AT Spectacuiarly special films will be presented in stereo sound in the New Odeon at 881 Granville. Double and single sound tracks are on each side of the 70-millimetre film. The sound tracks are fed into five speakers through five separate power amplifiers. For greater diffusion of sound there are seven ceiling speakers in the body of the house and two under the small balcony!.