We hope for a lively discussion of all aspects of Cinerama and widescreen films, with emphasis on the preservation of the existing Cinerama theaters, equipment and films/negatives.

We'll try to hit all areas of the vanishing art of the Cinerama technique. Also welcome are memories of your experience with Cinerama, and any other widescreen format films. Discussion of the growing number of movies being released today in widescreen format is encouraged.

The reason for this group, the Indian Hills Theatre in Omaha, Nebraska, the last surviving round Super-Cinerama Theatre in the world, was torn down August 20, 2001. The theatre had been recently sold to Methodist Hospital, a multi-arm conglomerate; on June 20, 2001 Methodist announced plans to bulldoze the theatre just to create more parking. Please call Methodist CEO Stephen Long at 402-354-4000 and tell him that the theatre should have been preserved and reopened as an operating, first-run movie house. Also, send an email protesting the theatre's destruction to comments@bestcare.org, their website. Take a look at the Flyer in the files section, and call or email the people on the flyer and let them know the theatre should have been saved as a historic cinema and as a working venue. Since it was the last of it's kind in the world, it is irreplaceable and Methodist is guilty of a terrible crime.

Celebrities around the world are still sending letters of protest to Methodist Hospital and the Omaha World Herald, urging the Methodist board to save the theatre; these include Leonard Maltin, Ray Bradbury, and many more.