Cinemark University City Penn 6
230 S. 40th Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19104
230 S. 40th Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19104
7 people
favorited this theater
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Has returned to original opening policy of reserved seating!
Masking aka matting screens is no longer being done this year, having sometimes not been done last year. Auditoriums 1 thru 5 are set to “flat” which means “scope” screens are letterboxed horizontally. Auditorium 6 is set for “scope”
November 8th, 2002 grand opening ad in the photo section.
The Bridge Cinema De Lux was one of many projects designed for National Amusements by the Philadelphia architectural firm SPG3. There are two photos on the firm’s web site.
I would like to thank the management of the Rave at University City 6. I went in the early evening to see The Hangover Part 2. After buying a ticket and sitting down, I noticed the crowed on it’s way to see it, I could tell I would have difficulty ejoying the film with that group. After I saw someone bringing in what looked like a newborn baby, I got up and got my money back, they gave it to me with no problem. The audience looked like the type that would not cotton to anyone telling them not to talk on cell phones. So, I ended up at the Roxy, I can only go to the Rave UC 6, only in the afternoon.
Ewww indeed! At least they didn’t go that tacky at the other former “Bridge” in LA.
Picture with the new signage….eww:
View link
After a rocky start, The Rave will come into it’s own. Maybe they will convert the resturant into an IMAX theater. I was impressed with the management on my 7/9/10 visit. At a screening of Preditors, a creatinous patron became unbearable, loud solo talking at the screen. He was “escourted” out by management. The bathrooms are now well stocked with papergoods and consessions are sold at a resonable price. The problem I have with this theater is one I have all multiplexes, continuious sneeking into auditoriums, this is disturbing, and recks the flow of the cinema experience along with the blue lights from cell phones.
That sucks – what you mentioned above: the Media Immersion Room, lounge, atmosphere and directors halls made this a really cool place. I agree with Sheri Redstone’s position on making movies more of a social event as a means of appealing to a more upscale market, and it’s worked for them.
The Bridge created a vibe, which Rave doesn’t get: they’re taking a first rate sophisticated take on the neighborhood multiplex and making it fit the mold of one of their boring neon multiplexes.
I’ve been there twice now since Rave took over operations, so here’s the play by play of what I’ve seen. Was here last night for “The A-Team”… and they’ve changed the exterior signage. Here’s a picture of the theatre with Bridge signage:
View link
Now… replace “thebridge” with “rave”, in the same font, take down the Cinema De Lux bit, and that’s what it looks like now. It looks BIZARRE and not at all like what I thought they’d put up there. More interesting, at some point after that picture was taken they put up a sign saying “RESTAURANT AND BAR” under “thebridge”. That’s stayed, so it looks all the world like this theatre is the “Rave Restaurant and Bar”. Since the decor is really subdued anyway you’d be hard pressed to tell there’s a theatre here if not for the poster cases.
Inside, the tickets/uniforms/bags/box office screens all say Rave. However, “The Bridge” was plastered over every conceivable surface when this place was built, and they haven’t changed those signs yet. Given what they did with the sign I’m curious to see what they do with the interior here. Preshow was what they were doing under NA: blank screen, 30s music. On my first post-Rave visit, they were running the NA exit trailer and rolling stock ads; last night they just ran trailers. No policy trailer as was standard for this venue.
12 Lounge has been closed both times I’ve been here. The first time, there was a sign stating it was closed due to a “system change”. The second time, it was just blocked off. The weird “media immersion room” was turned off last night though it was running the first post-Rave visit. And testing out movietickets.com, they’ve also stopped reserved seating. They were only doing that on Friday and Saturday anyway.
So it seems like Rave is focusing on just theater operations right now. We’ll see what they do with it.
Is the theater still a reserved seating venue? I’m wondering if Rave is focusing just on theaters operations and closing the extras National had like reserved seating and 12 Lounge (which would be crazy when you think about how Sex & The City must justify these amenities).
At least they lowered the price of concessions. Are you listening, REGAL?
In the Philadelphia Inquirer, this theatre is now called “Rave University City 6 Theatre”
The Bridge in LA is also being rebranded by Rave. They’re calling it “Rave 18”. Pretty bland, IMO.
April 14, 2010 from Philadelphia Inquirer movie critic Carrie Rickey’s blog
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/flickgrrl/
Rave Rechristens Bridge and Showcase at the Ritz
Say goodbye to The Bridge and to the Showcase at the Ritz Center. Rave Motion Pictures, the new operators, is rebranding both theaters.
On Friday, The Bridge Theater at 40th and Walnut will be rechristened. You may call it Rave Motion Pictures U Penn Theater. But I’ll probably just call it The Rave. (Imagine it as a Rave without a mosh pit but with a media room.)
The Showcase at the Ritz Center (formerly the Ritz 16/Voorhees) will be officially known as Rave Motion Pictures Ritz Center 16.
For the time being, ticket prices will remain the same. (The $12.50 weekend ticket at the U Penn theater is the most expensive ducat in the eight-county region, where the average price for a Saturday night admission is $10.) “The price structure is under review, as are many other price points,” says Jeremy Devine, corporate spokesman for Rave, the Dallas-based theater chain that acquired the six-screen Bridge and 16-screen Showcase from National Amusements last year.
“At the present time, [we are] planning to continue with mainstream product” at at Rave U Penn, says Devine.
Rave will continue programming arthouse fare on some of the screens at the Voorhees location. (Today five of the 16 screens have arthouse offerings: Chloe, The Ghost Writer, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Greenberg and When You’re Strange.)
Soda drinkers should know that both theaters will serve Coca-Cola products.
What are the thoughts of the moviegoers who attend these theaters? Any suggestions you’d like Rave to entertain?
The LA Times reported today that about 90 National Amusement theaters are up for sale, to cover some of Redstone’s debt problems.
Finally I get to talk about the Phillies while staying on topic. Go Phils.
COME TO THE OFFICIAL 2008 WORLD SERIES FILM THEATRICAL PREMIERE
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Relive the magic of the Phillies bringing the World Series Championship back to Philadelphia!
Narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor Terrence Howard
Screening at Five Theater Locations
Red Carpet Event features World Series Trophy at Bridge Cinema Delux in Philadelphia.
Tickets Available Now to the Official 2008 World Series Film Premiere at Theaters Near You
Film Screening: Monday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m. (all theaters)
Red Carpet Event at Bridge Cinema Delux in Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA
2008 World Series DVD.
Here’s a photo of the Popcorn slide that I mentioned above, and sadly no longer shown:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iirraa/121880878/
Foyer with ceiling lanterns, 2007 photo (not my photo)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sail0rbe/2413932839/
Sadly, at least as of June 1 of this year, there’s no more showing of the popcorn slide on the screen before the show. The screens are dark. Then, also new, there are commercials before the trailers.
The Bridge is the best designed movie theater that was built in Philadelphia in the last quarter century. No other modern cinema for mainstream movies in the Philadelphia region better provides the moviegoer with a sense of elegant design. The Bridge was built in the site of a 3 screen Eric theater on the University of Pennsylvania campus, and is a few blocks away from another 3 screener which has since been demolished. Both the 3 screeners were built in the 1970s.
The exterior resembles an Art Moderne design, that of a ship. Nighttime photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iirraa/121887409/
Close up during daytime: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cholden/423701567/
The lobbies, foyers, and Men’s Restroom are elegantly wood paneled. Attendants in the Men’s Restrooms hand out towels. The foyer has Jananese style lantern ceiling lights. The foyer’s seating section with its comfortable seats is depicted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizzyfc/34907579/
There is a lounge with high resolution screens. There is also a restaurant inside the moviehouse, in addition to the Marathan Grill being adjacent in another part of the theater building.
The two largest auditoriums are # 3 with 300 seats, and # 6 with 235 seats. # 6 looks like a slightly curved screen. As could be expected from their seating capacity, both of those auditoriums have large screens of maybe about 35 or so feet wide, but not huge screens, which I define as 50 feet wide. Auditorium # 5 has 196 seats. All the seat counts are from 2003. Photos of an auditorium, the foyer, and the lounge appear in the wonderful “Cinema Treasures” book by Ross Melnick and Andreas Fuchs.
Rather than a preshow with commercials, the Bridge has long shown a slide of a piece of popcorn. Auditorium seats are luxurious, all stadium seated, with excellent sight lines, clean screens, meticulous film projection, and digital surround sound. The Bridge shows mainstream movies. Weekend evenings are reserved seating. Babies are allowed. Ushers suggest informing them if the babies make too much noise (which unfortunately does happen).
Ticket prices are a little bit higher than other movie theaters, but the experience is better.
Saw Rocky Balboa, I was very impressed with the staff and managment at the theater. They allowed my son to find me in the theater, when we missed each other outside. Now, we need another Bridge at 19th and Walnut. Enough with this foolishness, and rescreen Center City. With our resturants, hotels, and convention center. The Riverveiw and Pearl are too far away, when vistors want to see a film. I would not want the Riverveiw to represent Philadelphia, no way!!!!
One of the best movie theaters in all of Philadelphia. I don’t get down that way very often, but I’m a big fan of The Bridge.
Saw “World Trade Center” here last week and was pleased to see ushers patrolling the theatre.
And I like that’s there’s a bar to get one’s buzz on.
Two reasons this beats the ghastly Riverview.
Actually The Bridge: Cinema de Lux is a joint venture between Cinebridge Inc (which also opperates the Kino Star Line), they are National Amusements and some venture company. This location was set to be the first “Sundance Cinema” – it orginaly intended to offer a 7th screen in the basement.
This is one of my favorite places to chill when I’m in Philadelphia, the classiest movie theatre on this coast- it proves once again that National Amusements knows how to run a theatre.
The mailing address is 230 S. 40th Street.