With such small theatres and tiny screens why did they not just put in 5 cinemas with a larger seat capacity and big screens. People will just stay home for food and watch on their large home screens and save $20. No call button needed.
No mention of 70mm Stereo Sound. This was probably a case like many theatres did all over the USA they charged reserved seat prices and just booked the cheap mono 35mm version. They did this at the UA Alhambra Theatre in Sacramento CA for many years. They even advertised SHOWN JUST LIKE ROADSHOW. The UA and Blumenfield circuits in California cheated the public all the time till Disney made them put in 4 ch stereo when they booked Mary Poppins at Oakland CA’s House Of Hits ‘Roxie Theatre’
The new tiny flat not curved screen at the UA Egyptian Theatre Hollywood is so bad and no curtains or color lights. How sad. Now all the courtyard fountains are gone except one that does not work.
I took a private tour a few days ago and I have been told this will be the only IMAX screen with masking that moves. So when you see a wide screen movie black masking will come down and come up from the bottom. No more boring white screen at the top and bottom. The screen will be 94 feet wide and 33ft something tall. They will have curtains that open and close also. Lets hope they bring back some color lights in the ceiling lights when the film is on. Glad they are not doing what they did across the street at Disney’s El Cap with Dolby Atmos. They wrecked the whole ceiling by installing hanging metal bars to hold up the new junky ceiling speakers. The only place you can hear them is in the balcony when the sound comes on in a Dolby Atmos mix. No one at Dolby thought that they needed to add some small speakers also under the El Cap balcony for people on the main floor to hear overhead sound. Now lets see what IMAX digital video movie will open up at the Graumans Chinese Hollywood in September.
This was a great place to see a film in the 50’s. They closed and never put in a wide CinemaScope screen in the early 50’s. Owned by the same family that had the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek CA that still stands today as a pizza place. Time to move out the food and bring back movies for this little town in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Goodbye Landmark It’s time to move on and get someone new in that will book the place with movies and live entertainment plus food snacks. Show classic movies that the other first run theatres don’t show in the Seattle area. Good place for the Sundance or Drafthouse owners to take over. We hope the Landmark gang takes care of the 70mm combo projector that I think is still in the booth that they very seldom use these days.
Have not heard any more info on the Hollywood Warner Cinerama. I did hear last week people from Shubert NYC were in Hollywood looking at the Warner and a few other older theatres in the area. I think they are looking for a theatre spot in Southern CA. All my friends in the real estate business in LA say things are about to open up soon for the old Warner Hollywood. Pacific wants to sell or lease out the place bad. Please not another night club!!!!!
This is one of the best theatres in the USA. Curtains that open and close. We hope they can re open soon as I hear that the front only had some wind damage. Plastic letters were found miles away from the cinema after the storm.
Looks like a great DVD. I’ll be ordering a few. We went to the ENCINA DI in Santa Cruz CA. Now a parking lot. I remember I got lost going to the candy stand on a foggy night and they had to flash my name on the screen for my parents to pick me up. We only have 2 left in the SF Bay Area, one in Concord CA and the other in San Jose both owned by the Syufy brothers. They use the West Wind name. As soon as they get a good offer for the land they will be gone. The old Syufy family is only interested in land money these days. They just tore down the Dome in Pleasant Hill CA for a mall. Does anyone have any information or photos of the many new Drive In’s that have opened up in the last few years?
Today we checked out the brand new EX screen they just put into Theatre#1 and watched Gatsby in 3-D. Such a shame they did not put in the same type of curved EX screen they had in their first EX screen in Theatre#6 The new one is not that curved at the top or bottom and seems smaller then the one across the lobby. At least Theatre#1 has the first install of the Dolby Atmos sound system and sounded hot. Like all Cinemark/Century EX screens when you watch a scope print you will have boring white screen at the top and bottom of the giant square white/silver screen. No masking has been put in at the top or bottom. I don’t know who goes into these multiplex theatres to re do them but in the Century 9 in the new EX #1 cinema they have bright WHITE lights on the side and set to close to the big screen so when the pre show and previews are on the whole screen is washed out with bright white lights leaking on the screen. Does anyone think these days about putting a color lamp in like blue and haveing a shield in the first set of side lights close to the screen.
The old United Artists aka Market Street Cinema is now CLOSED. Was by the old locked up gated old palace today (4/29/2013) that at one time ran 70mm roadshows like Sound Of Music, Lawrence, Patton, The Bible and so many more. They had a big flat screen not curved but advertised they had Todd AO. The booth was a very long distance to the screen. When the porn girl gang took over the lease they put in a false ceiling. Now today I talked to the two remaining stores in the theatre building on the right and left side and they have not been given any close or vacate notice. I don’t think this old movie theatre is going to be torn down. It’s almost across and down the street from the Cinerama Orpheum Theatre that is to play the musical Mary Popins soon. Heard a rumor that another Chinese restaurant will move in the UA space? To bad the ACT people didn’t wait as the UA is a larger theatre then the Strand Theatre they may take over down the street If they get the funds. It’s time for the SHUBERTS to look into this old large Market Street theatre and give the Neederlanders some compition in San Francisco. Who ever takes over the theatre we hope they re paint the front as the bold RED and DARK BLUE outside paint is bad news.
The new IMAX screen at the Van Ness is not that big at all. Nothing like the IMAX at the AMC Metroen. It’s like what many theatres are putting in and call it the Imax Experience. Just another way AMC gets extra money. The new screen at the Van Ness is not that much larger then the screen they had. It’s hardly curved. Not much height to go tall. And they have reserved seats in the new IMAX theatre. Bad sound, they got rid or all the side surround speakers and just have two big old speaker box’s marked IMAX in the back left and right corners. Reserved seats don’t work in this IMAX auditorium as most people come in late in the dark when the previews are on or even at the start of the film and AMC has no one to help you find your seat number in the dark. And you pay extra for this IMAX screen. Most people don’t carry a flash light so If you are in your seat it is very distracting.
A recent trip to the Century 9 was most fun. I went into the XD Theatre and found the best curved screen in San Francisco. It’s huge and curved at the top and bottom. This screen is so popular they are adding a second one on the other side on the right section. They even cut a hole in the lobby for the left side exit from Theatre#1. I am told It will even be larger and with Dolby Atmos sound this may be the best place in SF to check out a movie on a giant curved screen in SF. They hope to be open with the new XD GIANT screen for Gatsby in 3-D next week. The theatres at the 9 complex near the cable car area of SF have the height to put in this giant screen.
Now that the Dome is closed let the legal fight to save It go on. Someone needs to check to see who SYWEST is. I beleive Its the same company that is ownded by the owners of what was Syufy Theatres. When the father died many years ago Ray Syufy the two brothers got the theatres. A few years ago they sold most of them to Cinemark. They did keep most of the old Drive Inns under the WESTWIND name. The Syufy brothers are only into cash for the land that the old theatres they still run and own are on. They are trying to make money off the land that the Century 21 Dome is on in Pleasant Hill CA. Out of respect for their dad they need to fix up the Dome, put back the huge Dimension-150 curved screen or call it EX and keep this Dome theatre a center piece of any new stores in the area. Tear down the junky other 4 theatres behind the Dome and build the stores but please keep the Dome for a new generation to enjoy.
The new screen going in is not that big. They can go 120 feet with a curve type but the new screen will be way to small. To bad this is a chance to put in a giant wide curved type screen but they choose not to. You can forget the nice neon signs out front ever coming back. The front is so dull now. If they go with a Imax square type screen It will be tall and not wide enough. Will they wreck the ceiling with all the Dolby Atomos speakers? You may never see the nice curtains again once a Imax type screen is put in with no masking. Go see Graumans before April so you will remember how nice It once was before the new disco managers took over this famous Hollywood movie theatre.
I like the blue lights. This is so different then the Century/Cinemark chain puts In. Most of their multiplex theatres just have boring white screens to look at and ads going when you come into the cinemas. Will they have armed guards in this tragic theatre? Someday soon maybe Century/Cinemark will go hi tech and put in some nice waterfall curtains with color lights on them in these hi price EX screen auditoriums that have no masking for CinemaScope® wide screen. You will just see a band of white on the top and bottom. It’s better to just see a 1.85 movie in XD then the full screen will be used. This new screen looks more semi curved on the bottom then on the top. When they cram in this giant screen ever inch of the front is used. If a curtain was put in they will have to cut and go up in the ceiling for the extra space to drop it down.
Big rumor going around Hollywood these days that the Scientology people that own so many building in Hollywood are makeing a move to get the Warner Pacific Cinerama office building and theatre on Hollywood Blvd from Pacific Theatres. I beleive a small church group rents out the large theatre on Sundays. This great theatre has huge office space above, so they may want to convert to class rooms ect like they have done all over Hollywood Blvd. Some bolder people have even called me the last few weeks that they heard the Scientology gang wants to buy the whole chain Arclight with the Cinerama Dome Theatre as their world headquaters. I hope this does not happen and that’s why I think people spreading the rumor got confused and the S church people are only interested in the Warner Hollywood building and theatre. My friends at Pacific Theatres are keeping their mouth closed about what is going on. They won’t tell me yes or now. If the Scientology group get’s the Dome Tom Cruise and John Travolta can show their films along with a space religious show in the Cinerama Dome. Pacific did sell off all there San Diego theatres recently. But If the Pacific/Arclight family wants to sell the Arclight brand chain why are they going into the Chicago market at this time? I don’t think they will sell to a church they are not in the movie theatre business. Lets see who comes out with the correct info about the future of the Warner Cinerama Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Hope the new owners or renters trim the two trees that are wrecking the marquee. Gone may be the two tall Pacific blue Pacific neon towers on the roof, they may soon flash Scientology! I was always hoping that the Shuberts came into the Warner Hollywood to give the Pantages Nederlanders some competition down the street.
Thanks CTC with news about the right side fountain. Maybe the new people at TCL can put in a small plastic wading pool at the bottom and sell tickets and make some extra money for the tourists little kids on a hot day to put their feet and splash around in while the parents look at the prints in the forcourt. The strong adults can pay a rock climbing fee to TCL Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to climb what was left of the nice fountain that gurgles no more. They can make extra money If they want their photo taken on the top. Why did they take out the base pool on the right side?
Did they play It in 4 CH Stereo?
Was It shown in TODD-AO 70mm????
This was the San Francisco home for CINERAMA in the 50’s and 60’s. What a nice huge curved screen that came out off the stage.
With such small theatres and tiny screens why did they not just put in 5 cinemas with a larger seat capacity and big screens. People will just stay home for food and watch on their large home screens and save $20. No call button needed.
This ex Super Cinerama dome theatre is soon to be demolished for the property It sits on in San Jose CA.
No mention of 70mm Stereo Sound. This was probably a case like many theatres did all over the USA they charged reserved seat prices and just booked the cheap mono 35mm version. They did this at the UA Alhambra Theatre in Sacramento CA for many years. They even advertised SHOWN JUST LIKE ROADSHOW. The UA and Blumenfield circuits in California cheated the public all the time till Disney made them put in 4 ch stereo when they booked Mary Poppins at Oakland CA’s House Of Hits ‘Roxie Theatre’
Time to put in a wider larger screen better built for future storms.
The new tiny flat not curved screen at the UA Egyptian Theatre Hollywood is so bad and no curtains or color lights. How sad. Now all the courtyard fountains are gone except one that does not work.
I took a private tour a few days ago and I have been told this will be the only IMAX screen with masking that moves. So when you see a wide screen movie black masking will come down and come up from the bottom. No more boring white screen at the top and bottom. The screen will be 94 feet wide and 33ft something tall. They will have curtains that open and close also. Lets hope they bring back some color lights in the ceiling lights when the film is on. Glad they are not doing what they did across the street at Disney’s El Cap with Dolby Atmos. They wrecked the whole ceiling by installing hanging metal bars to hold up the new junky ceiling speakers. The only place you can hear them is in the balcony when the sound comes on in a Dolby Atmos mix. No one at Dolby thought that they needed to add some small speakers also under the El Cap balcony for people on the main floor to hear overhead sound. Now lets see what IMAX digital video movie will open up at the Graumans Chinese Hollywood in September.
This was a great place to see a film in the 50’s. They closed and never put in a wide CinemaScope screen in the early 50’s. Owned by the same family that had the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek CA that still stands today as a pizza place. Time to move out the food and bring back movies for this little town in the Santa Cruz mountains.
Goodbye Landmark It’s time to move on and get someone new in that will book the place with movies and live entertainment plus food snacks. Show classic movies that the other first run theatres don’t show in the Seattle area. Good place for the Sundance or Drafthouse owners to take over. We hope the Landmark gang takes care of the 70mm combo projector that I think is still in the booth that they very seldom use these days.
Have not heard any more info on the Hollywood Warner Cinerama. I did hear last week people from Shubert NYC were in Hollywood looking at the Warner and a few other older theatres in the area. I think they are looking for a theatre spot in Southern CA. All my friends in the real estate business in LA say things are about to open up soon for the old Warner Hollywood. Pacific wants to sell or lease out the place bad. Please not another night club!!!!!
This is one of the best theatres in the USA. Curtains that open and close. We hope they can re open soon as I hear that the front only had some wind damage. Plastic letters were found miles away from the cinema after the storm.
Looks like a great DVD. I’ll be ordering a few. We went to the ENCINA DI in Santa Cruz CA. Now a parking lot. I remember I got lost going to the candy stand on a foggy night and they had to flash my name on the screen for my parents to pick me up. We only have 2 left in the SF Bay Area, one in Concord CA and the other in San Jose both owned by the Syufy brothers. They use the West Wind name. As soon as they get a good offer for the land they will be gone. The old Syufy family is only interested in land money these days. They just tore down the Dome in Pleasant Hill CA for a mall. Does anyone have any information or photos of the many new Drive In’s that have opened up in the last few years?
Sorry the name brand at Century is XD. Not EX.
Today we checked out the brand new EX screen they just put into Theatre#1 and watched Gatsby in 3-D. Such a shame they did not put in the same type of curved EX screen they had in their first EX screen in Theatre#6 The new one is not that curved at the top or bottom and seems smaller then the one across the lobby. At least Theatre#1 has the first install of the Dolby Atmos sound system and sounded hot. Like all Cinemark/Century EX screens when you watch a scope print you will have boring white screen at the top and bottom of the giant square white/silver screen. No masking has been put in at the top or bottom. I don’t know who goes into these multiplex theatres to re do them but in the Century 9 in the new EX #1 cinema they have bright WHITE lights on the side and set to close to the big screen so when the pre show and previews are on the whole screen is washed out with bright white lights leaking on the screen. Does anyone think these days about putting a color lamp in like blue and haveing a shield in the first set of side lights close to the screen.
The old United Artists aka Market Street Cinema is now CLOSED. Was by the old locked up gated old palace today (4/29/2013) that at one time ran 70mm roadshows like Sound Of Music, Lawrence, Patton, The Bible and so many more. They had a big flat screen not curved but advertised they had Todd AO. The booth was a very long distance to the screen. When the porn girl gang took over the lease they put in a false ceiling. Now today I talked to the two remaining stores in the theatre building on the right and left side and they have not been given any close or vacate notice. I don’t think this old movie theatre is going to be torn down. It’s almost across and down the street from the Cinerama Orpheum Theatre that is to play the musical Mary Popins soon. Heard a rumor that another Chinese restaurant will move in the UA space? To bad the ACT people didn’t wait as the UA is a larger theatre then the Strand Theatre they may take over down the street If they get the funds. It’s time for the SHUBERTS to look into this old large Market Street theatre and give the Neederlanders some compition in San Francisco. Who ever takes over the theatre we hope they re paint the front as the bold RED and DARK BLUE outside paint is bad news.
The new IMAX screen at the Van Ness is not that big at all. Nothing like the IMAX at the AMC Metroen. It’s like what many theatres are putting in and call it the Imax Experience. Just another way AMC gets extra money. The new screen at the Van Ness is not that much larger then the screen they had. It’s hardly curved. Not much height to go tall. And they have reserved seats in the new IMAX theatre. Bad sound, they got rid or all the side surround speakers and just have two big old speaker box’s marked IMAX in the back left and right corners. Reserved seats don’t work in this IMAX auditorium as most people come in late in the dark when the previews are on or even at the start of the film and AMC has no one to help you find your seat number in the dark. And you pay extra for this IMAX screen. Most people don’t carry a flash light so If you are in your seat it is very distracting.
A recent trip to the Century 9 was most fun. I went into the XD Theatre and found the best curved screen in San Francisco. It’s huge and curved at the top and bottom. This screen is so popular they are adding a second one on the other side on the right section. They even cut a hole in the lobby for the left side exit from Theatre#1. I am told It will even be larger and with Dolby Atmos sound this may be the best place in SF to check out a movie on a giant curved screen in SF. They hope to be open with the new XD GIANT screen for Gatsby in 3-D next week. The theatres at the 9 complex near the cable car area of SF have the height to put in this giant screen.
Now that the Dome is closed let the legal fight to save It go on. Someone needs to check to see who SYWEST is. I beleive Its the same company that is ownded by the owners of what was Syufy Theatres. When the father died many years ago Ray Syufy the two brothers got the theatres. A few years ago they sold most of them to Cinemark. They did keep most of the old Drive Inns under the WESTWIND name. The Syufy brothers are only into cash for the land that the old theatres they still run and own are on. They are trying to make money off the land that the Century 21 Dome is on in Pleasant Hill CA. Out of respect for their dad they need to fix up the Dome, put back the huge Dimension-150 curved screen or call it EX and keep this Dome theatre a center piece of any new stores in the area. Tear down the junky other 4 theatres behind the Dome and build the stores but please keep the Dome for a new generation to enjoy.
The new screen going in is not that big. They can go 120 feet with a curve type but the new screen will be way to small. To bad this is a chance to put in a giant wide curved type screen but they choose not to. You can forget the nice neon signs out front ever coming back. The front is so dull now. If they go with a Imax square type screen It will be tall and not wide enough. Will they wreck the ceiling with all the Dolby Atomos speakers? You may never see the nice curtains again once a Imax type screen is put in with no masking. Go see Graumans before April so you will remember how nice It once was before the new disco managers took over this famous Hollywood movie theatre.
I like the blue lights. This is so different then the Century/Cinemark chain puts In. Most of their multiplex theatres just have boring white screens to look at and ads going when you come into the cinemas. Will they have armed guards in this tragic theatre? Someday soon maybe Century/Cinemark will go hi tech and put in some nice waterfall curtains with color lights on them in these hi price EX screen auditoriums that have no masking for CinemaScope® wide screen. You will just see a band of white on the top and bottom. It’s better to just see a 1.85 movie in XD then the full screen will be used. This new screen looks more semi curved on the bottom then on the top. When they cram in this giant screen ever inch of the front is used. If a curtain was put in they will have to cut and go up in the ceiling for the extra space to drop it down.
Big rumor going around Hollywood these days that the Scientology people that own so many building in Hollywood are makeing a move to get the Warner Pacific Cinerama office building and theatre on Hollywood Blvd from Pacific Theatres. I beleive a small church group rents out the large theatre on Sundays. This great theatre has huge office space above, so they may want to convert to class rooms ect like they have done all over Hollywood Blvd. Some bolder people have even called me the last few weeks that they heard the Scientology gang wants to buy the whole chain Arclight with the Cinerama Dome Theatre as their world headquaters. I hope this does not happen and that’s why I think people spreading the rumor got confused and the S church people are only interested in the Warner Hollywood building and theatre. My friends at Pacific Theatres are keeping their mouth closed about what is going on. They won’t tell me yes or now. If the Scientology group get’s the Dome Tom Cruise and John Travolta can show their films along with a space religious show in the Cinerama Dome. Pacific did sell off all there San Diego theatres recently. But If the Pacific/Arclight family wants to sell the Arclight brand chain why are they going into the Chicago market at this time? I don’t think they will sell to a church they are not in the movie theatre business. Lets see who comes out with the correct info about the future of the Warner Cinerama Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Hope the new owners or renters trim the two trees that are wrecking the marquee. Gone may be the two tall Pacific blue Pacific neon towers on the roof, they may soon flash Scientology! I was always hoping that the Shuberts came into the Warner Hollywood to give the Pantages Nederlanders some competition down the street.
Thanks CTC with news about the right side fountain. Maybe the new people at TCL can put in a small plastic wading pool at the bottom and sell tickets and make some extra money for the tourists little kids on a hot day to put their feet and splash around in while the parents look at the prints in the forcourt. The strong adults can pay a rock climbing fee to TCL Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to climb what was left of the nice fountain that gurgles no more. They can make extra money If they want their photo taken on the top. Why did they take out the base pool on the right side?
Yes the big neon sign will come to life. I beleive the tubes are a bright red/orange neon. The paint will be a rustic red Southwest look.