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EspañolROADSHOW THEATRICAL RELEASE
(Redirected from Roadshow)
:''For the media company in Hong Kong, see RoadShow.''
The 'roadshow theatrical release' (also commonly known as 'reserved seat engagement') is a practice whereas a film opens in a special limited number of theaters in large cities like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco for a specific period of time before it spreads to nationwide release (also known as general release and wide release).
Unlike the common modern-day limited release, roadshow films were run only once or twice a day, and were shown to audiences who had had to reserve their seats and were given or able to purchase program books, as they did with live theater productions. Road show films were nearly always shown with an intermission either halfway or two-thirds of the way into the film. Most films shown in this format were movies that were two-and-a-half hours or longer in length, and admission prices were more expensive than those films shown as regular attractions. Many of the films given roadshow releases were subsequently distributed to regular theater houses. This was called a general release, and was akin to the modern day wide release of a film.
The road show format has been used since the days of silent films, but it especially took hold between 1955 and 1972. Films shown in road show format before 1955 included the 1929 part-talkie version of ''Show Boat'' (based not on the stage musical but on Edna Ferber's original novel), the 1929 versions of ''The Desert Song'' and ''Rio Rita'', Cecil B. DeMille's ''The Sign of the Cross'' (1932), and the classic films ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939), ''Fantasia'' (1940), and ''The Song of Bernadette'' (1943).
Large-scale epic films would open in larger cities in an engagement much like a theatrical play or musical, with components such as an Overture, the First Act, the Intermission, the Entr'acte, the Second Act, and the Exit Music, and special reserved seat admission charges. (The Overture should not be confused with the Main Title Music. The Overture was always played ''before'' the beginning of the film, while the lights were still up and the curtains were still closed. As the lights dimmed, the Overture ended, the curtains opened, and the film began with its Main Title Music and opening credits.) An early example of this was 1939's ''Gone with the Wind''. Running almost four hours in length, the film was divided into the above components, so that the film patron can experience the film as if they were seeing an actual play in a theater. The original theatrical release of Walt Disney's ''Fantasia'' , which never did contain an Overture, Intermission Music, or Exit Music, also was released in roadshow format, and was originally presented without on-screen credits to perpetuate a concert-going experience (the lobby program presented the film's credits).
During the 1950s and continuing through the 1970s, with the rise of television and the closing of some movie palaces, studios came up with ways to bring movie audiences back to theatres by making widescreen epics, again using the "roadshow" formula. As a result, there was an avalanche of roadshow films, among them ''Oklahoma!'' (1955), ''War and Peace'' (1956), ''Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956), ''The Ten Commandments'' (1956), ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' (1957), ''South Pacific'' (1958), ''Ben-Hur'' (1959), ''El Cid'' (1961), ''King of Kings'' (1961), ''Lawrence of Arabia'' (1962), ''Cleopatra'' (1963), ''My Fair Lady'' (1964), ''The Sound of Music'' (1965), ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965), ''Camelot'' (1967), ''Paint Your Wagon'' (1969), ''Ryan's Daughter'' (1970), ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (1971), ''The Andromeda Strain'' (1971), ''The Towering Inferno'' (1974), and many others. Nearly all of these films were shown in six-track stereophonic sound, a then non-standard feature of motion pictures.
It was common practice in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, however, for studios to re-edit some of these epics for general release in order for theaters to book more showings a day and present the film at reduced "popular prices". Sometimes this was done to a successful film, but more often to one that had been a notable flop. As a result, some of these films have not been seen in their entirety since their first release, as the original edited footage is either missing or no longer exists. With the work of film preservation and restoration, such films as the 1935 ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', ''Fantasia'', ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'', ''Joan of Arc'' (with no overture, intermission, or exit music), ''Lawrence of Arabia'', and ''Around the World in 80 Days'' have been restored in recent years to match the filmmakers' original intent. However, several extremely popular long films, such as ''The Ten Commandments'', have never been released in edited form.
The practice of roadshow presentation began dying out in the 1970s. Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning epics ''The Godfather'' (1972) and ''The Godfather Part II'' (1974), for instance, were shown without intermissions despite their extreme length. Many films made in the various widescreen processes, such as Cinerama and Todd-AO, were given road show presentations. For over three decades, the last film release to officially receive a "roadshow/reserved seat engagement" was the 1972 film version of ''Man of La Mancha'', although it was made to be shown without an intermission. In 2006, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical ''Dreamgirls'' was given a three-theater road show release, with reserved seats and program guides. The film itself was not shown with an intermission. [1]
By the 1980s the practice had largely been abandoned, as the rise of the multiplex and competition from cable TV and home video began forcing changes in the nature of film industry. The 1984 film ''Amadeus'', for example, although nearly three hours long, was not shown in a road show format, while 1982's ''Gandhi'' was. The latest film to be shown with an intermission was ''Gods and Generals'', but it was not shown in a strict road show format - performances were not limited to two per day, and seats were not reserved.
Today, a similar theatrical release practice of first premiering a film in larger cities is more common, mainly towards the end of the year, in order to qualify for film award consideration, including the Academy Awards. In many cases, such releases will have a better chance at being nominated for the Oscar. Such recent films that have gone the limited release route include 2004's ''Million Dollar Baby'' and ''The Aviator'', as well as 2005's ''March of the Penguins'', which eventually opened wide.
★ Film release
1. McClintock, Pamela (Nov. 6, 2006). "D'Works takes 'Girls' on road." ''Daily Variety''. Retrieved on November 11, 2006.
:''For the media company in Hong Kong, see RoadShow.''
The 'roadshow theatrical release' (also commonly known as 'reserved seat engagement') is a practice whereas a film opens in a special limited number of theaters in large cities like Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco for a specific period of time before it spreads to nationwide release (also known as general release and wide release).
Unlike the common modern-day limited release, roadshow films were run only once or twice a day, and were shown to audiences who had had to reserve their seats and were given or able to purchase program books, as they did with live theater productions. Road show films were nearly always shown with an intermission either halfway or two-thirds of the way into the film. Most films shown in this format were movies that were two-and-a-half hours or longer in length, and admission prices were more expensive than those films shown as regular attractions. Many of the films given roadshow releases were subsequently distributed to regular theater houses. This was called a general release, and was akin to the modern day wide release of a film.
| Contents |
| History |
| Road shows from the Golden Age of Hollywood |
| Road shows from the 1950s to the 1970s |
| The rise of the limited release |
| See also |
| References |
History
Road shows from the Golden Age of Hollywood
The road show format has been used since the days of silent films, but it especially took hold between 1955 and 1972. Films shown in road show format before 1955 included the 1929 part-talkie version of ''Show Boat'' (based not on the stage musical but on Edna Ferber's original novel), the 1929 versions of ''The Desert Song'' and ''Rio Rita'', Cecil B. DeMille's ''The Sign of the Cross'' (1932), and the classic films ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939), ''Fantasia'' (1940), and ''The Song of Bernadette'' (1943).
Large-scale epic films would open in larger cities in an engagement much like a theatrical play or musical, with components such as an Overture, the First Act, the Intermission, the Entr'acte, the Second Act, and the Exit Music, and special reserved seat admission charges. (The Overture should not be confused with the Main Title Music. The Overture was always played ''before'' the beginning of the film, while the lights were still up and the curtains were still closed. As the lights dimmed, the Overture ended, the curtains opened, and the film began with its Main Title Music and opening credits.) An early example of this was 1939's ''Gone with the Wind''. Running almost four hours in length, the film was divided into the above components, so that the film patron can experience the film as if they were seeing an actual play in a theater. The original theatrical release of Walt Disney's ''Fantasia'' , which never did contain an Overture, Intermission Music, or Exit Music, also was released in roadshow format, and was originally presented without on-screen credits to perpetuate a concert-going experience (the lobby program presented the film's credits).
Road shows from the 1950s to the 1970s
During the 1950s and continuing through the 1970s, with the rise of television and the closing of some movie palaces, studios came up with ways to bring movie audiences back to theatres by making widescreen epics, again using the "roadshow" formula. As a result, there was an avalanche of roadshow films, among them ''Oklahoma!'' (1955), ''War and Peace'' (1956), ''Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956), ''The Ten Commandments'' (1956), ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' (1957), ''South Pacific'' (1958), ''Ben-Hur'' (1959), ''El Cid'' (1961), ''King of Kings'' (1961), ''Lawrence of Arabia'' (1962), ''Cleopatra'' (1963), ''My Fair Lady'' (1964), ''The Sound of Music'' (1965), ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965), ''Camelot'' (1967), ''Paint Your Wagon'' (1969), ''Ryan's Daughter'' (1970), ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (1971), ''The Andromeda Strain'' (1971), ''The Towering Inferno'' (1974), and many others. Nearly all of these films were shown in six-track stereophonic sound, a then non-standard feature of motion pictures.
It was common practice in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, however, for studios to re-edit some of these epics for general release in order for theaters to book more showings a day and present the film at reduced "popular prices". Sometimes this was done to a successful film, but more often to one that had been a notable flop. As a result, some of these films have not been seen in their entirety since their first release, as the original edited footage is either missing or no longer exists. With the work of film preservation and restoration, such films as the 1935 ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', ''Fantasia'', ''For Whom the Bell Tolls'', ''Joan of Arc'' (with no overture, intermission, or exit music), ''Lawrence of Arabia'', and ''Around the World in 80 Days'' have been restored in recent years to match the filmmakers' original intent. However, several extremely popular long films, such as ''The Ten Commandments'', have never been released in edited form.
The rise of the limited release
The practice of roadshow presentation began dying out in the 1970s. Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning epics ''The Godfather'' (1972) and ''The Godfather Part II'' (1974), for instance, were shown without intermissions despite their extreme length. Many films made in the various widescreen processes, such as Cinerama and Todd-AO, were given road show presentations. For over three decades, the last film release to officially receive a "roadshow/reserved seat engagement" was the 1972 film version of ''Man of La Mancha'', although it was made to be shown without an intermission. In 2006, the film adaptation of the Broadway musical ''Dreamgirls'' was given a three-theater road show release, with reserved seats and program guides. The film itself was not shown with an intermission. [1]
By the 1980s the practice had largely been abandoned, as the rise of the multiplex and competition from cable TV and home video began forcing changes in the nature of film industry. The 1984 film ''Amadeus'', for example, although nearly three hours long, was not shown in a road show format, while 1982's ''Gandhi'' was. The latest film to be shown with an intermission was ''Gods and Generals'', but it was not shown in a strict road show format - performances were not limited to two per day, and seats were not reserved.
Today, a similar theatrical release practice of first premiering a film in larger cities is more common, mainly towards the end of the year, in order to qualify for film award consideration, including the Academy Awards. In many cases, such releases will have a better chance at being nominated for the Oscar. Such recent films that have gone the limited release route include 2004's ''Million Dollar Baby'' and ''The Aviator'', as well as 2005's ''March of the Penguins'', which eventually opened wide.
See also
★ Film release
References
1. McClintock, Pamela (Nov. 6, 2006). "D'Works takes 'Girls' on road." ''Daily Variety''. Retrieved on November 11, 2006.
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