Buffalo Movie Theaters - Table of Contents
Resolution
Sponsor: Buffalo International Film Festival, Inc.
RE: Recognizing UNESCO's First World Audiovisual
Heritage Day
Whereas: Buffalo, New York is unique in the world in the history of Motion Picture Theaters for the number of theaters that survive from 1896, 1908, 1910, 1919 and many other years; and
Whereas: Mitchell Mark (1868-1918) of Buffalo was the visionary who founded the Vitascope Theater on October 19, 1896 at the Ellicott Square Building, the Vitascope Theater being probably the first true motion picture theater in the world; and
Whereas: The Regent Theater, built in 1910 still survives as the Bethesda International World Harvest Church; and
Whereas: In 1952, the American Optical Company of Buffalo under contract to Mike Todd developed the camera and projectors for the unique and influential TODD-AO 70mm motion picture process, used for "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Oklahoma" among other films; and
Whereas: Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II witnessed the first test demonstrations of this process in August 1953 at The Regent Theater in Buffalo leading to the adoption of TODD-AO as the method for filming "Oklahoma;" and
Whereas: The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has proclaimed October 27th as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, which will be celebrated for the first time on October 27, 2007; and
Whereas: UNESCO's stated concern is that much of the world’s 20th century audiovisual heritage is now lost, and much more is slipping beyond recovery because of neglect, natural decay and technological obsolescence; and
Whereas: The Main objectives of the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage are to:
• Raise public awareness of the need to preserve our Audiovisual Heritage;
• Provide opportunities to celebrate specific local, national or international aspects of this Heritage;
• Highlight the accessibility of Audiovisual archives;
• Attract media attention to Audiovisual Heritage issues;
• Raise the cultural status of our Audiovisual Heritage; and
• Highlight Audiovisual Heritage in danger, especially in developing countries.Now Therefore Be It Resolved
That the Buffalo Common Council hereby recognizes the City of Buffalo’s contribution to audiovisual history and will annual recognize October 27th as the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage and commends to the citizens of Buffalo and its surrounding cities, towns and villages the observation thereof.
