Last night I arrived at Cinerama to enjoy one of my favourite films, and probably the longest film I’ve ever seen in the theater: Lawrence of Arabia. The overture boomed through the soundsystem a few minutes late at twenty minutes past, but the power of the score put me in the perfect mood before I could open my mouth to comment. The lights were extinguished from above our heads and the curtains pulled back to reveal the first glorious shot of David Lean’s masterpiece.
The opening sequence of Lawrence prepping his Brough Superior for an ill-fated afternoon ride is certainly what hooked me into the film on my first viewing years ago. The first act of the film is so beautifully paced, I hardly shifted in my seat for the first hour. And speaking of beauty, David Lean’s work was absolutely stunning on a proper screen. Cinerama is one of the few places that can properly screen the 70mm print of the film, and it made the DVD I’ve watched so many dozen times feel like a worn out beta.
The story is one I’m intimately familiar with, but somehow seeing the film as it was intended opened up a flood of new details for me. There were shots that I simply don’t ever remember seeing, which will have me re-watching my copy this weekend with a weather eye. Right around the time my butt began complaining about the state of things in my theater seat, the most glorious thing happened.
The music came up along with the lights and the curtains drew closed. This part of the experience has always escaped me watching from my couch. There was a proper fifteen minute break, which provided ample time to visit the restroom and get my bloodflow sorted out. As I climbed the stairs to my seat the music fired up again, issuing the classiest of reminders. The final act of the film was as compelling as the first, and I stepped out into a rainy Seattle evening confident that I will make it my business to be back to Cinerama for every future showing.
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