Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
42 people favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 720 comments
An article on p24 of the Kinematograph Weekly, Thursday 7th January 1960 titled “Preparing The Empire for ‘Ben-Hur’–Special problems required drastic alterations” contains quite a bit of information on the 1959 alterations made for “Ben Hur.”
Some of the key points:
The article notes that “Ben-Hur” would be the last film to play at the Empire, with its run anticipated to last 12-15 months, upon which “the theatre was to be demolished and replaced with a smaller cinema.” Of course, literally speaking, this turned out to not quite be the case–though it would be no exaggeration to describe the 1962 reconstruction scheme as “drastic!”
The link Zappomatic posted to the video showing the installation of the IMAX screen is no longer working.
However, it’s also been posted by Cineworld on Facebook.
Some comments:
Having attended a few performances since the installation of the replacement screen:
Additional comments:
Finally, the seating in the IMAX auditorium, particularly in the “sweet spot” central area, is getting tired with one or two cases of poor quality attempts at reupholstering them. AFAIK the supplier (Seating Concepts) is no longer in business. On all occasions, the auditorium was also in need of a full clean.
IMAX screen replaced this week https://x.com/marcusryder/status/1757395406235840768?s=20
Another picture of the marquee in the 1990s:
https://www.dreamstime.com/editorial-image-empire-cinema-london-england-image63186885
Royal Film Performance 1997 for TITANIC in 70mm. Nice views of the marquee, foyer and projection booth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfquSxcN084&t=1s
CF100 - please send me your contact details to
theatreofvarieties: Many thanks for offering the original Empire 1 seats. I’d love to have one… how can we go about arranging this?
I’m having a clear out and have some of the original reclining seats from Empire 1 that were removed when it was converted to IMAX. Would anyone be interested in one?
CF 100 - yes there was removal of asbestos on the boiler pipework and some elements of the structural steels. No, the decorative plasterwork did not contain asbestos, it was tested for it before removal.
Cineworld have announced:
“Cineworld and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Group Chapter 11 Companies”) have commenced Chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the “Court”).”
Source: Cineworld Group plc - Announcement.
The above link is to a newly launched website pertaining to the proceedings, under the domain cineworldstrong.com, a somewhat odd name.
Meanwhile, IMAX’s CFO states that IMAX sites operate under a master lease agreement that covers all of an operator’s locations. She goes on to suggest:
“[If they’re going to operate they will] clean up the under-performing complexes and either sell them off or do something with them. But that’s not where IMAX screens are — IMAX screens are all in the top-performing complexes.”
Clearly, in a world where “tentpole” releases still drawn in crowds, whilst streaming is snapping on the heels of mid-budget titles, a cinema with 3 premium format screens, one of which is exceptional, and 6 “studio” sized auditoria, is configured in a way that is more suitable than “megaplexes”…
next the skips to throw that cineworld sign and that liemax superscreen into the rubbish skip like, empire cinemas did to the only THX cinema in the uk.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Cineworld are preparing to file for bankruptcy. The writing has been on the wall, given mounting debts. Will be interesting to see the future of this and their other flagship locations.
Exterior footage of The Empire, Leicester Square in 1896 (!) with “Lumiere Cinematographe” signage (and yes, horses and carts to boot…)
Filmed in 1986 and posted today on YouTube:
Demonstrating screen masking for 35mm and 70mm aspect ratios at the Empire
This was the installation from 1962 on to when they slightly enlarged the screen in the early 2000’s.
Couldn’t care less about empire 1 anymore its gone turned into a rubbish Liemax video screen tiny screen.
Bagnall Demolition — The Empire.
According to the above-linked page, when UCI operated the cinema, this company performed an asbestos survey, in which asbestos-containing materials identified included “spray coatings, asbestos insulation board ceilings and cement.” Subsequently, removal work took place (logistically not so easy) and a new survey to update the asbestos register was undertaken.
Hmm. I’d still be surprised if no asbestos removal was needed above the ceiling during the strip-out of the old Empire 1. I’m fairly surprised that the old wall/ceiling tiles apparently didn’t contain any… (otherwise the wall tiles wouldn’t have been removed aggressively ASAP after the auditorium closed for renovation.)
Photos of the old Empire 1 (press conference with actor Robert Vaughn) taken in 1966:
Photo 1.
Photo 2.
Shame they are not colour!
Thank you rivest266. That does bring into sharp relief just how long ago it was! The 1960’s auditorium combined modernism with traditional theatrical elements in a way that, unlike those adverts, it never felt dated (even if for practical purposes, it was.)
1962 and 1985 grand opening ads posted.
December 19th 1962 reopening
Empire Leicester Square reopening 19 Dec 1962, Wed Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Ron Knee:
Concessions have been a key part of the cinema “business model” for as long as I’ve been alive, and probably going back decades before.
There are plenty of aspects of cinema operation to grumble about, and in my writeups on this site I even mention a poor signal-to-noise ratio on the left surrounds!
Cineworld, however, were investing in top-of-the-line “IMAX with Laser” screens. All IMAX digital screens feature daily automatic recalibration systems (for audio, they use a version of Audyssey EQ, as found in various consumer AV receivers) and are connected to IMAX’s Network Operations Centre in Mississauga, Canada… Suffice it to say, the picture won’t be out of focus!
Modern cinema auditoria may lack the decorative aspects of yore, but they invariably are built with double stud walls full of Rockwool, neoprene isolation pads, acoustic absorption on all walls behind stretched fabric, and so on. Not to mention comfortable seating and excellent sightlines.
Here’s some blurb on the “Acoustic Isolation of Cinemas”:
Mason UK - Vibration Control - Acoustic Isolation of Cinemas.
Does cineworld still Liemaxing to the public as well as consumer rubbish Liemax for home cinema.
Okay now lets Roast imax corp, sound department and mixers that lie with LIEMAX sound mixes cos I believe along with stop the fomo, is correct and I never seen a Liemax myself only an imax that is rubbish with fake sub bass that only uses it from the fullrange 6ch. I never liked imax and certainly do not like Liemax. Empire 1 was perfect with JBL THX of the original 89 install.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW2AphhCAhs
Couldn’t care less about, disney or its star wars.
Now Warner Bros, what I find interesting is the 70mm Dolby Megasound on few movies, Wolfen, Superman II, Altered States,Outland.
Yes, the Sheds and Warehouses that are called cinemas are within sight, they were really only there to sell food, not interested in those of us who wished to enjoy the film!!!! Now that Disney has joined Warners, who will be next?
Ron
Well best news I have read. Empire 1 is long gone and I’m glad cinemas futures are bleak I couldn’t care less. Cinema in uk was dead when Empire 1 was killed by empire cinemas. Well I have no time to die, care for any bond movie or any movie. I hope imax liemax goes bust.