AMC Mazza Gallerie 7

5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20015

Unfavorite 3 people favorited this theater

Additional Info

Previously operated by: AMC Theatres, General Cinema Corp.

Architects: James Thomas Martino

Previous Names: GCC Mazza Gallerie 7

Nearby Theaters

Dec 23, 2007

The upscale Mazza Gallerie had its roof raised to accommodate Washington DC’s first stadium seated movie theater. General Cinema Corp(GCC) opened this 7 screener in 2000, with each auditorium equipped with digital THX sound. AMC took over when they bought GCC theatres. This theatre is on the top floor of the shopping mall and reached by escalators. The shopping mall has its own exit from the Friendship Heights subway stop on the Metro’s Red Line.

The theatre lobby is colorful, with a domed ceiling with strips of red drapes. To soundproof them from noise from the lobby or hallway that leads to the auditoriums, each auditorium has two sets of doors. Auditoriums 1, 2 and 4 have very large movie screens, about 40 to 45 feet wide for a ‘scope movie. Auditorium 3 has a screen that appears about 30 feet wide for a 'scope movie. Auditorium 5 is smaller.

Auditoriums 6 and 7 have leather seats, and both are entered from the Club Cinema bar, which is only for adults over age 21.

The current movie theatre replaced an earlier theatre. The basement three-screen Paris (1985 to 1998) was opened by KB and was later operated by Cineplex Odeon. That theatre found its lease terminated because the landlord wanted to upgrade the shopping mall.

The AMC Mazza Gallerie 7 was permanently closed in February 2021.

Contributed by Howard B Haas

Recent comments (view all 51 comments)

Giles
Giles on August 20, 2015 at 7:57 pm

there used to be a THX placard near the ticket desk, but I can’t recall if it’s there or not – I’ll check. As to THX trailers haven’t seen one in ages.

tmundell
tmundell on July 19, 2016 at 2:05 pm

According to THX website this theatre is still certified. AMC took down the THX placard and they don’t show the THX trailers. With absolutely no promotion of the format anywhere I can’t figure out why they even bother.

Any word on whether cinema 1 (or any other rooms) have been updated to 7.1? I haven’t been there in ages…I only go to Arclight these days.

Giles
Giles on July 19, 2016 at 2:15 pm

only auditorium / screen #2 offers 7.1

Auditorium #1 can and should be easily upgraded to 7.1, since it’s still 6.1 as to why AMC won’t do the simple conversion is beyond me.

I agree tmundell, acoustically Arclight and the Angelika Mosaic are the best in the area and all their auditoriums are outfitted for 7.1 playback.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 25, 2017 at 1:54 pm

Auditorium # 3 is set to “flat.” No matting/masking is used, so a ‘scope movie is letterboxed at top & bottom. The other auditoriums use masking/matting for a proper presentation. Manager last week told me auditorium 3 uses “digital masking” i.e. make believe, The Emperor Has No Clothes.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on December 25, 2017 at 2:31 pm

I hope they retrofit one of the screens to a dolby cinema.

jeffpiatt
jeffpiatt on April 17, 2018 at 10:29 pm

it’s no longer listed by THX a Razer Inc company http://www.thx.com/cinema-finder/?zip=+20015&dist=25&type=&units=mile&submit=Go it looks like AMC just is not wanting to pay the fees to keep up with THX.

Giles
Giles on November 17, 2018 at 8:43 pm

I was talking with the manager this afternoon, after seeing ‘Widows’ and he stated that the remaining six auditoriums will be upgraded to playback in 7.1 surround sound within the next six to seven months – that’s great news in my book! AMC seems to be stepping up to the plate and doing technical improvements.

Giles
Giles on January 2, 2020 at 9:59 pm

sorry this isn’t about the upstairs theaters, but a comment about the prior basement ‘Paris’ theater/screens. I just got from a friend an email of the original Washington Post advert for ‘Aliens’ (1986) and while I know that the 70mm engagement was at the KB Fine Arts, I didn’t realize it was also it’s sole in-town run. I for some reason, saw it when the popularity and box office success moved it to more theaters and specifically to upper Northwest DC to here. Even the largest screen was on the miniscule side, but man what an audience, the scene when the face hugger scuttles across the floor towards Newt and Ripley, everyone, including myself and a friend just completely lost it – oh the memories.

MrWolf98
MrWolf98 on February 12, 2021 at 1:10 pm

This is my 100th Comment on this site

This theater is Permanently closed according to this

https://wtop.com/entertainment/2021/02/amc-mazza-gallerie-7-permanently-closes-in-friendship-heights/

Giles
Giles on February 12, 2021 at 6:55 pm

For a major city in the US and having lived here since 1972 watching the decline of the ‘film scene’ and theaters come and go,it’s downright depressing. The Avalon is the last theater in the affluent Ward 3 section of the city.

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