The Cinema Retro time machine takes you back to the day the following news item was published in Motion Picture Daily.
DATELINE: November 17 1964: Cinerama Deal on Battle of the Bulge is Set
Cinerama has embarked upon a new program of developing its own production. As the first major step in the new policy, Cinerama, Inc, has concluded a production deal on Battle of the Bulge, it was announced yesterday by William R. Forman, president of the company.
The Milton Sperling-Philip Yordan-Sidney Harmon production, to be filmed by United States Productions will be filmed in the new single lens Cinerama process. It marks the first time that the Cinerama process has been used in the production of a war film. Battle of the Bulge is scheduled to get under way on Jan. 15, 1965....the multi million dollar production will be distributed by Warner Bros. Richard Fleischer will direct the picture. It will be filmed in its European locale...It is expected that 10 important personalities with international reputations will star in the production...It will be the third Cinerama production to be released next year. Previously announced were The Greatest Story Ever Told and Hallelujah Trail.
Note: Battle of the Bulge proved to be a troubled production. Director Richard Fleischer dropped out of the film and was replaced by Ken Annakin. The film was not shot on location in Belgium where the battle was actually fought, but in Spain and ultimately became regarded as one of the most historically inaccurate war films ever made. Mr. Annakin has given Cinema Retro an exclusive, in-depth interview about the trials and tribulations of making the film. Look for it in a future issue.
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