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Ultra Panavision 70 and MGM Camera 65 were, from 1957 to 1966, the marketing brands that identified motion pictures photographed with
Panavision Panavision Inc. is an American motion picture equipment company (law), company founded in 1954 specializing in cameras and photographic lens, lenses, based in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk a ...
's
anamorphic Anamorphic format is a cinematography technique that captures widescreen images using recording media with narrower native Aspect ratio (image), aspect ratios. Originally developed for 35 mm movie film, 35 mm film to create widescreen pres ...
movie camera A movie camera (also known as a film camera and cine-camera) is a type of photographic camera that rapidly takes a sequence of photographs, either onto film stock or an image sensor, in order to produce a moving image to display on a screen. In c ...
lenses on
65 mm film 70 mm film (or 65 mm film) is a wide high-resolution film gauge for motion picture photography, with a negative area nearly 3.5 times as large as the standard 35 mm motion picture film format. As used in cameras, the film is wid ...
. Ultra Panavision 70 and MGM Camera 65 were shot at 24
frames per second A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (co ...
(fps) using
anamorphic Anamorphic format is a cinematography technique that captures widescreen images using recording media with narrower native Aspect ratio (image), aspect ratios. Originally developed for 35 mm movie film, 35 mm film to create widescreen pres ...
camera lenses A camera is an instrument used to capture and store images and videos, either digitally via an electronic image sensor, or chemically via a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. As a pivotal technology in the fields of photograp ...
. Ultra Panavision 70 and MGM Camera 65's anamorphic lenses compressed the image 1.25 times, yielding an extremely wide
aspect ratio The aspect ratio of a geometry, geometric shape is the ratio of its sizes in different dimensions. For example, the aspect ratio of a rectangle is the ratio of its longer side to its shorter side—the ratio of width to height, when the rectangl ...
of 2.76:1 (when a 70 mm projection print was used). Ultra Panavision saw much less use than its sibling, the more popular
Super Panavision 70 Super Panavision 70 is the marketing brand name used to identify movies photographed with Panavision 70 mm spherical optics between 1959 and 1983. It has since been replaced by Panavision System 65. Ultra Panavision 70 was similar to Super Pa ...
, and was only used on ten films from 1957 to 1966. However, nearly fifty years later, Robert Richardson famously resurrected Ultra Panavision 70 after the lens test he came to do at the Panavision headquarters for the upcoming project with
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
, where he discovered that the lenses and equipment were still intact. Tarantino was fascinated by this and was able to refurbish the lenses for use in his next film, ''
The Hateful Eight ''The Hateful Eight'' is a 2015 American western thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce De ...
''; which was shot entirely on 65 mm film using Ultra Panavision lenses, the first film to do so since ''
Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum is the capital city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people, Greater Khartoum is the largest urban area in Sudan. Khartoum is located at the confluence of the White Nile – flo ...
''. Tarantino also released the film as a roadshow release, and this was the first time there were widely circulated 70 mm film prints to theaters with 70 mm projectors since 1992's ''
Far and Away ''Far and Away'' is a 1992 American epic Western romantic adventure drama film directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Bob Dolman and a story by Howard and Dolman. It stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. This was the last cinematography cr ...
''. This ultimately led to a resurgence in the use of Ultra Panavision lenses, which have now been used (albeit with digital cameras) to shoot blockbusters such as ''
Rogue One ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first '' ...
'' and '' Avengers: Endgame''.


History

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
(MGM) approached Panavision founder
Robert Gottschalk Robert Gottschalk (March 12, 1918 – June 3, 1982) was an American camera technician, inventor, and co-founder of Panavision. Early life Born to Gustav and Anna Gottschalk in Chicago, Illinois. His father was an architect who built sever ...
in the late 1950s to create a large-format widescreen system capable of filling the extremely wide screens of
Cinerama Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35 mm movie film, 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, Subtended angle, subtending 146-degrees of arc. The trademarked pr ...
theaters while using a single projector, and would also be capable of producing high-quality standard 70 mm and 35 mm
CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...
prints, which Cinerama's three-strip process did not allow for. Gottschalk developed a lens system using front-mounted prisms to impart a slight 1.25x squeeze onto a 5-perf 65 mm negative, resulting in a projected ratio of 2.76:1. These prism lenses were released under the name MGM Camera 65 in 1956. In 1962, MGM's production of ''
Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...
'', which was being produced in the format, ran far over-budget, and MGM was forced to sell off many of its assets to account for the losses. This allowed Panavision to purchase the Camera 65 equipment it had developed for MGM, and the system was renamed Ultra Panavision 70. As the prism lenses were bulky, oddly shaped and optically flawed, Panavision's optical engineer Takuo Miyagishima set to work on designing a more traditional set of 1.25x lenses using cylindrical glass, which became known as the Ultra Panatar series. In 1963, the
Cinerama Dome The Cinerama Dome is a movie theater located at 6360 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Designed to exhibit widescreen Cinerama films, it opened November 7, 1963. The original developer was William R. Forman, founder of Pacific Theatr ...
in Los Angeles became the first Cinerama theater built specifically for Ultra Panavision 70, and the theater opened with the premiere of ''
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American Technicolor epic comedy film in Ultra Panavision 70 produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, from a screenplay by William and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all ...
'', which was filmed with the new Ultra Panatar lenses. 70 mm Ultra Panavision prints could be produced directly from the negative for use on flat screens, or "rectified" with increased compression towards the sides for use on curved Cinerama screens. Panavision also developed a non-anamorphic 70 mm photographic system in 1959; this was named
Super Panavision 70 Super Panavision 70 is the marketing brand name used to identify movies photographed with Panavision 70 mm spherical optics between 1959 and 1983. It has since been replaced by Panavision System 65. Ultra Panavision 70 was similar to Super Pa ...
.Samuelson, p. xiv.


Differences from Todd-AO

The Ultra Panavision 70 and MGM Camera 65 lenses and cameras were similar to the 1955 version of the
Todd-AO Todd-AO is an American post-production company founded in 1953 by Mike Todd and Robert Naify, providing sound-related services to the motion picture and television industries. The company retains one facility, in the Los Angeles area. Todd-AO ...
65 mm photographic process, in that both were intended as replacements for three-strip Cinerama. The Todd-AO system was shot at 30
frames per second A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (co ...
(fps), while Ultra Panavision 70 and MGM Camera 65 used the industry standard of 24 fps, and while the original Todd-AO process included the use of a deeply curved screen similar to that used for
Cinerama Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35 mm movie film, 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, Subtended angle, subtending 146-degrees of arc. The trademarked pr ...
(with fisheye optics to recreate its peripheral vision), its narrower, non-anamorphic 2.20:1 aspect ratio was incompatible with true Cinerama screens without cropping.


Films


Films shot entirely in Ultra Panavision 70mm

The following films were shot in either MGM Camera 65 or Ultra Panavision 70: * '' Raintree County'' (1957) – credited as MGM Camera 65 (exhibited in
CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...
as all theaters that could project in Camera 65 were showing ''
Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate ...
''). * ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to: Fiction *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace ** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899 ** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' (1959) – credited as MGM Camera 65. * ''
Mutiny on the Bounty The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...
'' (1962) – credited as Ultra Panavision. * ''
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American Technicolor epic comedy film in Ultra Panavision 70 produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, from a screenplay by William and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all ...
'' (1963) – filmed in Ultra Panavision. Also projected using the single-projector
Cinerama Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35 mm movie film, 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, Subtended angle, subtending 146-degrees of arc. The trademarked pr ...
system. * ''
The Fall of the Roman Empire The fall of the Western Roman Empire, also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome, was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vast ...
'' (1964) – credited as Ultra Panavision. * ''
The Greatest Story Ever Told ''The Greatest Story Ever Told'' is a 1965 American epic film, epic List of religious films, religious film that retells the Biblical account of Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, from the Nativity of Jesus, Nativity through to the Ascension of J ...
'' (1965) – filmed in Ultra Panavision. Also originally projected using the single-projector Cinerama system. * ''
The Hallelujah Trail ''The Hallelujah Trail'' is a 1965 American Western epic mockumentary spoof directed by John Sturges, with top-billed stars Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton and Pamela Tiffin. It was based on the book of the same title (originally relea ...
'' (1965) – filmed in Ultra Panavision. Also originally projected using the single-projector Cinerama system. * ''
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
'' (1965) – filmed in Ultra Panavision. Also originally projected using the single-projector Cinerama system. * ''
Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum is the capital city of Sudan as well as Khartoum State. With an estimated population of 7.1 million people, Greater Khartoum is the largest urban area in Sudan. Khartoum is located at the confluence of the White Nile – flo ...
'' (1966) – filmed in Ultra Panavision. Also originally projected using the single-projector Cinerama system. * ''
The Hateful Eight ''The Hateful Eight'' is a 2015 American western thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce De ...
'' (2015) – Directed by
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
, first film shot in this process since ''Khartoum''. Filmed in Ultra Panavision 70 and projected with the single-projector Cinerama system in selected theaters. Many sources often claim the 1959 film ''
The Big Fisherman ''The Big Fisherman'' is a 1959 American historical drama film directed by Frank Borzage about the life of Simon Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus. Starring Howard Keel, Susan Kohner and John Saxon, the production is adapted from the 194 ...
'' was filmed in Ultra Panavision, but Panavision itself says that the film was shot in Super Panavision 70.


Films with select scenes shot in Ultra Panavision 70mm

* '' How the West Was Won'' (1962) – selected scenes only in Ultra Panavision. * ''
Christopher Robin Christopher Robin is a character created by A. A. Milne, based on his son Christopher Robin Milne. The character appears in the author's popular books of poetry and ''Winnie-the-Pooh'' stories, and has subsequently appeared in various Disney ...
'' (2018) – some scenes filmed in Ultra Panavision 70. Also filmed with Panavision 35 mm anamorphic lenses (on both 35 mm film and
Arri Alexa The Arri Alexa is a digital motion picture camera system developed by Arri. The Arri Alexa was introduced in April 2010 and was Arri's first major transition into digital cinematography, after previous efforts including the Arriflex D-20 and ...
digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...
cameras) and in Panavision System 65 with spherical lenses. The entire film is shown in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. * ''
Sinners In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...
'' (2025) - Directed by
Ryan Coogler Ryan Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is a recipient of ten NAACP Image Awards and four Black Reel Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe ...
, filmed in Ultra Panavision 70 with sequences shot with 15/70 mm
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...
film cameras.


Films shot using Ultra Panavision lenses

Additionally, several films have been recorded digitally in conjunction with Ultra Panavision 70 lenses: ''
Rogue One ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first '' ...
'' (2016), ''
Bright Bright may refer to: Common meanings *Bright, an adjective meaning giving off or reflecting illumination; see Brightness *Bright, an adjective meaning someone with intelligence People * Bright (surname) * Bright (given name) *Bright, the stage na ...
'' (2017), '' Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018), '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), '' The King'' (2019), ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...
'' (2024) and '' Wicked: For Good'' (2025) with the Arri Alexa 65 camera, ''
The Hate U Give ''The Hate U Give'' is a 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It is Thomas's debut novel, expanded from a short story she wrote in college in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-yea ...
'' (2018) and '' Like a Boss'' (2020) with the Panavision Millennium DXL camera, and '' A Haunting in Venice'' (2023) and ''
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'' is a 2024 American gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. A sequel to ''Beetlejuice'' (1988) and the second film of the ''Beetlejuice'' fran ...
'' (2024) with the Sony Venice.


See also

*
Super Panavision 70 Super Panavision 70 is the marketing brand name used to identify movies photographed with Panavision 70 mm spherical optics between 1959 and 1983. It has since been replaced by Panavision System 65. Ultra Panavision 70 was similar to Super Pa ...
*
Super Technirama 70 Super Technirama 70 was the marketing name for a special type of deluxe film exhibition that was most popular in the 1960s. It was the 70 mm version of the Technirama exhibition format. Unlike Super Panavision 70 and Ultra Panavision 70, Super T ...


References


Bibliography

*
Altman, Rick Rick Altman is a professor of Cinema and Comparative Literature in the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States. He has also publish Publishing is the activities of making information, li ...
. ''Sound Theory, Sound Practice.'' Florence, Ky.: Psychology Press, 1992. * Balio, Tino. ''United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry.'' Madison, Wisc.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1987. * Belton, John. ''Widescreen Cinema.'' Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1992. * Block, Alex Ben and Wilson, Lucy Autrey. ''
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
's Blockbusting: A Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies, Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success.'' New York: HarperCollins, 2010. *
Burum, Stephen H. Stephen Henry Burum, A.S.C. (born November 25, 1939) is a retired American cinematographer, best known for his work with directors Brian De Palma and Francis Ford Coppola. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his wor ...
''American Cinematographer Manual.'' Hollywood, Calif.: ASC Press, 2007. * Cameron, James Ross. ''Cameron's Encyclopedia on Sound Motion Pictures.'' Manhattan Beach, N.Y.: Cameron Pub. Co., 1930. * Casper, Drew. ''Postwar Hollywood, 1946-1962.'' Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2007. * Carr, Robert E. and Hayes, R.M. ''Wide Screen Movies''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1988. * Clark, Al. ''The Film Year Book 1984.'' New York : Grove Press, 1983. * Eldridge, David. ''Hollywood's History Films.'' London: Tauris, 2006. * Enticknap, Leo. ''Moving Image Technology: From Zoetrope to Digital.'' London: Wallflower, 2005. * Eyman, Scott. ''The Speed of Sound: Hollywood and the Talkie Revolution, 1926-1930.'' New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997. * Haines, Richard W. ''Technicolor Movies: The History of Dye Transfer Printing.'' Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1993. * Hall, Sheldon and Neale, Stephen. ''Epics, Spectacles, and Blockbusters: A Hollywood History.'' Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2010. * Hughes, Howard. ''When Eagles Dared: The Filmgoers' History of World War II.'' London: I.B. Tauris, 2011. * Hutchison, David. ''Film Magic: The Art and Science of Special Effects.'' New York: Prentice-Hall, 1987. * IMAGO. ''Making Pictures: A Century of European Cinematography.'' New York: Abrams, 2003. * * Lev, Peter. ''Transforming the Screen: 1950-1959.'' Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 2003. * Lightman, Herb A. "Why MGM Chose Camera 65." ''American Cinematographer.'' March 1960. * McGhee, Richard D. ''John Wayne: Actor, Artist, Hero.'' Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 1990. * Reid, John Howard. ''20th Century-Fox: CinemaScope.'' Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu Press, 2009. * Samuelson, David W. ''Panaflex Users' Manual.'' Boston: Focal Press, 1996. *
Sklar, Robert Robert Anthony Sklar (December 3, 1936 – July 2, 2011) was an American historian and author specializing in the history of cinema. Sklar began his career as a reporter for the ''Los Angeles Times''. He received a Ph.D. in the History of Am ...
. ''Film: An International History of the Medium.'' New York: Prentice Hall 1993. *
Tibbetts, John C. John Carter Tibbetts (born Paola, Kansas, October 6, 1946, and grew up in Leavenworth, Kansas) is an American film critic, historian, author, painter, and pianist. He is a retired a film professor at the University of Kansas. Career After receiv ...
''American Classic Screen Features.'' Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2010. * Ward, Peter. ''Picture Composition for Film and Television.'' Oxford, UK: Focal, 2003. {{Amazon MGM Studios 70 mm film Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Motion picture film formats Panavision Products introduced in 1957