Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square

I attended a number of lunchtime organ concerts at the Odeon in the early ‘seventies during Gerald Shaw’s tenure and I was sad to learn the nature of his death. I’ve since enjoyed many concerts there by Donald Mackenzie and a number of guest organists including the late Carlo Curley. Despite not being played on a regular basis, the “Duchess” five manual Compton is just one of the features that set this fine theatre apart, and it is great that the instrument is maintained and playable almost seventy six years since its installation.

The Group Photo… The Man behind Oscar Deutsch is Andrew Mather.. Who designed The Odeon Leicester Square

The Odeon, Leicester Square is now a two screen cinema – though mercifully not “twinned”. A white screen for 2D product sits in the conventional screen frame with attendant top and side masking. When 3D product is shown, the frame is wheeled to the rear of the stage and a silver screen is lowered from the fly tower to replace it. The screen speakers are separately mounted and positioned behind whichever screen is being used. Having both white and silver screens enables optimum visual quality for both digital formats. When the silver screen is being used, it precludes the use of both sets of tabs and when it was hung, the spot bar with twelve profile spots focussed on the screen tabs and filtered blue (part of 1998’s revamp) had to be removed to allow for the raising and lowering of the silver screen. Fourteen of the eighteen pageant spotlights housed on the balcony front survived the revamp but were rewired on one circuit instead of three so the blending and changing of three different colours was replaced by all lanterns being filtered rose pink. The “pageant box” also accommodates four less powerful spots shuttered and focussed – open white – on the golden figures adorning the splay walls.

Looking at the Odeon’s official website today, I see it proclaims that the Odeon Leicester Square premiere screen is Europe’s premiere cinema.

Have loaded a picture showing How Rank organised Royal Premier seating in the old days…

It is a double World Premier using the Odeon Leicester Square and the Empire Theatre. Due to renovations to Leicester Square (to return it to its Victorian splendour in time for the 2012 Olympic Games), the pre-show is being held in Trafalgar Square, after which guests will walk to the two Leicester Square cinemas to view the film.

a rare diagram of what this place is and was about !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevp/5350564388/

A wonderful theatre. I used to go there all the time when I lived in London prior to retirement, Its great to still have a large cinema and not a shoe box with 6 armchairs and a TV screen, I think they call them Multiplex Cinemas. Ha Ha. Go to the Odeon on a special occassion and see the Compton Organ played by Donald MacKenzie,the House Organist…Its well worth it. or better still go to the Odeon when they are showing a special Saturday morning Silent Movie with Donald at the Compton Organ as backgroung for music and special effects. That is an experience.
If only the Odeon Group would bring back the Organ for most Friday and Saturday evening performances I’m sure it would enhance ticket sales. Where else in the Capital would you get such a treat,like cinemas were 40or 50 years ago.

I have been here twice, most recently during the run of “Casino Royale” and it certainly is a must-see for lovers of classic cinema, given its history and, to a degree, its architecture and interior design (keeping in mind that interior modifications have apparently robbed it of some of the original detail). That said, I suspect that 70mm here would not be as impressive as it would be at the Empire (or as it would have been at the original Marble Arch). As others have noted, the screen and proscenium arch seem rather small, given the size of the auditorium. As a side note, if you ever get there, I recommend getting seats in the circle (balcony); even though one is further from the screen, seats there are newer and more comfortable, whereas the seats in the stalls (main floor) are older (and upholstered, if memory serves, in leopard skin design) with limited legroom.

So what, MikeRogers, the James Bond movies were not in 70mm here in the United States, either (except for “Octopussy” and, if you wish to count it, “Never Say Never Again”).

Very interesting stories and photos.

Exterior shot from across the Square (February 2010):–

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stagedoor/4352604967/

two organ shots from the opening night of the London Film Festival 2009
in green
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4037833499/
and red
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/4037824713/