the mall itself screams ‘80’s as well – I can see the appeal and feel why 'Dawn of the Dead’ would be an ideal place to see that here. As to the theaters themselves – the stadium seating is decent, even if the last row is way too close to the projection window – thank you kind clueless stranger for blocking the image at one point during the movie (‘It Follows’). Pretty good sound, although the comedy ‘Get Hard’s noisier bits/bass could be heard rumbling from the adjacent auditorium.
Christie Donates Digital Cinema Projector to Kansas Town Devastated By Massive Tornado
“A Kansas town devastated by a major tornado in 2007 has rebuilt its historic theater, lighting up its giant screen with a state-of-the-art digital cinema projector donated by Christie®.
The projector illuminates the 58-foot-wide screen of the Twilight Theatre and Community Auditorium in Greensburg, Kan., which is part of Kiowa County – about 100 miles west of Wichita. The theater celebrated its grand reopening the weekend of April 24 with a red carpet-style opening night, featuring live music and a free screening of the 1985 hit movie, Back to the Future. The celebration continued over the weekend with family friendly activities and movies.
The opening of the Twilight Theatre in 1917 marked a new era of entertainment in America. It featured modern opera chairs, beautifully painted Art Deco styling throughout, and a soaring, 24-foot ceiling. It was soon offering programming that included silent films, vaudeville, musical performances, and rallies for war bonds. The entire building was destroyed in the EF-5 tornado in 2007 that also leveled 95 percent of the town and badly damaged the remaining structures. Against all odds, the town rebuilt again to become America’s leading community in LEED-Certified buildings, with wind turbine energy supplying much of its power.
The new, ultra-modern Twilight Theatre, in partnership with the Kiowa County School, will show first run movies, serve as the school’s auditorium, be a community meeting space, and host theatre, dance and other community functions. It includes an improved sound system featuring Dolby® Surround 7.1, and other modern amenities.
A Call to Action
Twilight Theatre’s Executive Director Adam Wagner, who picked up the mantle in securing funding and rebuilding the theatre, recalled walking trade show floors last year, approaching cinema manufacturers who might assist in donating equipment.
“When we approached Christie, they immediately offered to donate one of their top-of-the-line digital cinema projectors. We were absolutely thrilled by their generosity,” said Wagner. “Christie’s digital cinema projector is truly the theatre’s ‘crowning jewel,’ providing us with a state-of-the-art auditorium on par with the best, most modern facilities in the world. We are very appreciative for the consideration of great companies such as Christie.”
“Christie’s projector was installed by Cinema Equipment & Supplies (CE+S), which also donated its services, and for this I know that we, Adam, and the community, are very appreciative,” said Scott McCallum, Christie’s Midwest-based Entertainment Solutions Manager.
“Giving back to the community is an integral part of our corporate culture and something we strive to accomplish every day,” said Kathryn Cress, vice president, Global and Corporate Marketing, Christie. “We didn’t hesitate to contribute to the town’s amazing success story. They literally came back from the rubble, becoming the ultimate example of what people can accomplish when they work together for a common cause. We are proud to know that our digital cinema projector will be providing many years of exceptional entertainment to the people of this amazing community.”
mind you I heard horror stories how crappy the Olney 9 Cinemas were but where’s that listing too (here in Cinema Treasures)?? I was out there at the Olney Theater Center and was thinking that that part of Maryland or even the closed Aspen Hill theater doesn’t have a movie theater (well, it used to, but no longer).
I had completely forgotten that this was getting renovated:
from Old Greenbelt Theatre facebook page:
“Latest news! Renovations should be complete and the theater ready to open for our soft start in mid-April, with a Grand Opening at the beginning of May!”
screen 6’s projection system was recently converted to 4K DLP. Screen 9 also can present 4K content.
It makes sense but I didn’t realize that screens 7 and 8 are roughly the same size as the Xtreme auditoriums – 7 can sit a whopping 521 patrons. The only difference is that the screens on 6 and 9 takes up more of the wall. DisneyNature’s ‘Monkey Kingdom’ today looked and sounded (albeit in 5.1) magnificent on Screen 7 – what a treat to see a nature doc on a truly ‘large’ screen
the reopening of the converted screen will debut with the release of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, 3D and as the Smithsonian commented: “the first new film to utilize the new 12 channel sound system.”
the new IMAX laser system features 12-channel sound (to compete with Dolby Atmos and Auro 11.1) – did they actually install the requisite 4-ceiling speakers??
sadly a news story in today’s Washington Post Weekend section regarding the closing at the end of this month
extracts:
“Josh Levin noted that the exhibition landscape has radically changed since the West End opened just before Halloween in 2010. The Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse and Cinema opened an outpost in Ashburn, the Angelika opened its Mosaic theater in Fairfax and a pop-up theater at Union Market, and the high-end ArcLight and iPic theaters opened in Montgomery County. With more theaters planned in the area, including a permanent home for the Angelika pop-up and two new Landmark theaters near 14th and U and in NoMa, Levin noted that “we simply won’t be able to compete for the same quality of films that we’ve been showing. So the only rational decision, as much as I hate to have to come to this conclusion, is to close.”
Levin, who also produces documentaries, said he has a new film coming out this summer, but has no long-term plans past that. “I have loved doing this,” he said. “And I will take some small comfort in the fact that the rationale we had in opening the West End, which was that so many theaters in D.C. had gone out of business that we felt there was room in the marketplace, that that trend has reversed and we have wonderful new theaters. As a film fan and somebody who believes in the importance of having that experience in a darkened room with other people on a screen that’s larger than your cell phone, I’m excited for the future of exhibition in D.C.”
Although regular programming at the West End will cease on March 26, Levin said he hopes to “do something fun” at the theater the following weekend, before it closes for good on March 31.
actually with Tyson’s prime time ticket pricing at $12.99 – with Arclight membership you’re saving yourself 24 cents (With the dollar off), and on Monday and Tuesday with the member discount it’s $10.75 at night. And because the ‘widescreen’ Dolby Atmos equipped auditorium is not a ‘speciality screen’ there’s no extra fee as AMC does with it’s ETX screen at Tysons. Of course, the flat up-charge price for 3D screenings is $3.50.
I didn’t expect the DCP of ‘2001’ to look as good as a 70mm print – HAH … I’m not that clueless. But really, Warner’s should be embarrassed how bad the DCP looks – the DCP should at least be encoded/created from the 4K workflow, but it isn’t, thrown up onto the 65 foot wide screen via a 4K projector, it looked (excuse my language) shitty. Close ups looked fine, but edge enhancements on the models was very apparent – the image judders in a couple of instances when the camera isn’t even moving. Did no one at Warner’s cross-check what the DCP looked like?? [ugh- face palm] Warner needs to stop being cheap bastards and pony up to encoding classic movies in 4K on their DCP’s – Sony does.
Over the next few months the IMAX Theater at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will be undergoing renovations to upgrade to the first major technological innovation since the advent of digital projection-the new laser digital projection system! The IMAX GT (Grand Theater) Laser Digital Projection System is designed to replace IMAX film projection systems, which have long been the most advanced theater projection systems in use. 3D content will fill the six-story IMAX screen with stunning brightness, clarity, and contrast, and will also contain more brilliant colors than have been possible to date with any theater projection system. Complementing the projection system will be a brand new, multi-channel and multi-dimensional sound system that will allow viewers to hear sounds at specific points in the theater space. During this transition to the laser digital projection the Airbus IMAX Theater is expected to close towards the end of February with completion and re-opening slated for April. The Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater at the National Air and Space Museum and the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater at the National Museum of Natural History will be fully operational during this time frame.
the 7.1 surround sound presentation of ‘Into the Woods’ here at Bethesda was superior to what I had heard in December at Syracuse’s (New York) Regal Destiny USA’s RPX screen. I was hearing more instruments and movement of sound to better effect.
I’m loving the ‘Arclight Presents’ film series, although whoever over at Warner’s did the 2K DCP of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ should have been kicked in the knees there were so many flaws, you wouldn’t have believed the movie was shot on 70mm film stock in the first place (it looked like a projected DVD) – the 2K bluray is far and away the better transfer (creating a new 4K DCP should be paramount). The 5.1 sound though was the highlight.
did a double feature of ‘Big Hero 6’ and ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ (HFR-3D) today on the ‘widescreen’ screen (auditorium 6) and my impression was cemented that it’s in my top five favorite screens in the DC area. The screen is impressively wide at 65 feet and the auditorium is tall. Dolby Atmos sound is staggering as it’s not played back to obscene high volume levels as it is on AMC Tysons' ETX screen. The pinpointing of sound is enveloping and extends the aural imaging around the image as well as the standard side and rear surround channels. Numerous music cues and sound effects, notably in ‘The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies’ achieved this illusion to astonishing nuanced soundscaping.
not real recent comment but I have say, ‘Gone Girl’s immersive 7.1 surround soundmix really showed off auditorium 1’s sound system to fantastic effect.
My fingers are crossed that the acclaimed Russian film ‘Leviathan’ which is opening later in the month will be shown on screen 1, since Sony is releasing the DCP’s of this in 4K.
just recently saw ‘Into the Woods’ here on the RPX screen – the 7.1 sound was decent not great – for a musical, that’s expected. As to the theater, not to keen with the huge RPX lettering just to the left and right of the screen (on the adjacent walls). The biggest flaw I noted was that some light from below the screen either from the wall or stair lighting is being projected back onto the screen which causes reflection thus ruining any scene in the movie that is dark or low lit. [Side comment: I wanted to belt the teenagers behind me during the movie who were making some really rude highly explicit comments during the movie – not cool]
the mall itself screams ‘80’s as well – I can see the appeal and feel why 'Dawn of the Dead’ would be an ideal place to see that here. As to the theaters themselves – the stadium seating is decent, even if the last row is way too close to the projection window – thank you kind clueless stranger for blocking the image at one point during the movie (‘It Follows’). Pretty good sound, although the comedy ‘Get Hard’s noisier bits/bass could be heard rumbling from the adjacent auditorium.
Christie Donates Digital Cinema Projector to Kansas Town Devastated By Massive Tornado
“A Kansas town devastated by a major tornado in 2007 has rebuilt its historic theater, lighting up its giant screen with a state-of-the-art digital cinema projector donated by Christie®.
The projector illuminates the 58-foot-wide screen of the Twilight Theatre and Community Auditorium in Greensburg, Kan., which is part of Kiowa County – about 100 miles west of Wichita. The theater celebrated its grand reopening the weekend of April 24 with a red carpet-style opening night, featuring live music and a free screening of the 1985 hit movie, Back to the Future. The celebration continued over the weekend with family friendly activities and movies.
The opening of the Twilight Theatre in 1917 marked a new era of entertainment in America. It featured modern opera chairs, beautifully painted Art Deco styling throughout, and a soaring, 24-foot ceiling. It was soon offering programming that included silent films, vaudeville, musical performances, and rallies for war bonds. The entire building was destroyed in the EF-5 tornado in 2007 that also leveled 95 percent of the town and badly damaged the remaining structures. Against all odds, the town rebuilt again to become America’s leading community in LEED-Certified buildings, with wind turbine energy supplying much of its power.
The new, ultra-modern Twilight Theatre, in partnership with the Kiowa County School, will show first run movies, serve as the school’s auditorium, be a community meeting space, and host theatre, dance and other community functions. It includes an improved sound system featuring Dolby® Surround 7.1, and other modern amenities.
A Call to Action Twilight Theatre’s Executive Director Adam Wagner, who picked up the mantle in securing funding and rebuilding the theatre, recalled walking trade show floors last year, approaching cinema manufacturers who might assist in donating equipment.
“When we approached Christie, they immediately offered to donate one of their top-of-the-line digital cinema projectors. We were absolutely thrilled by their generosity,” said Wagner. “Christie’s digital cinema projector is truly the theatre’s ‘crowning jewel,’ providing us with a state-of-the-art auditorium on par with the best, most modern facilities in the world. We are very appreciative for the consideration of great companies such as Christie.”
“Christie’s projector was installed by Cinema Equipment & Supplies (CE+S), which also donated its services, and for this I know that we, Adam, and the community, are very appreciative,” said Scott McCallum, Christie’s Midwest-based Entertainment Solutions Manager.
“Giving back to the community is an integral part of our corporate culture and something we strive to accomplish every day,” said Kathryn Cress, vice president, Global and Corporate Marketing, Christie. “We didn’t hesitate to contribute to the town’s amazing success story. They literally came back from the rubble, becoming the ultimate example of what people can accomplish when they work together for a common cause. We are proud to know that our digital cinema projector will be providing many years of exceptional entertainment to the people of this amazing community.”
mind you I heard horror stories how crappy the Olney 9 Cinemas were but where’s that listing too (here in Cinema Treasures)?? I was out there at the Olney Theater Center and was thinking that that part of Maryland or even the closed Aspen Hill theater doesn’t have a movie theater (well, it used to, but no longer).
they should have rejigged one of the auditoriums for ETX or Dolby Cinema.
got some tech news of the renovation:
I had completely forgotten that this was getting renovated:
from Old Greenbelt Theatre facebook page:
“Latest news! Renovations should be complete and the theater ready to open for our soft start in mid-April, with a Grand Opening at the beginning of May!”
screen 6’s projection system was recently converted to 4K DLP. Screen 9 also can present 4K content.
It makes sense but I didn’t realize that screens 7 and 8 are roughly the same size as the Xtreme auditoriums – 7 can sit a whopping 521 patrons. The only difference is that the screens on 6 and 9 takes up more of the wall. DisneyNature’s ‘Monkey Kingdom’ today looked and sounded (albeit in 5.1) magnificent on Screen 7 – what a treat to see a nature doc on a truly ‘large’ screen
the reopening of the converted screen will debut with the release of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, 3D and as the Smithsonian commented: “the first new film to utilize the new 12 channel sound system.”
a recent (two days ago) picture shows the auditorium with the ceiling speakers:
https://i0.wp.com/silverscreeningreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Furious-7-In-Imax-Las_Lest.jpg
they are tastefully integrated/installed into the ornate ceiling.
the new IMAX laser system features 12-channel sound (to compete with Dolby Atmos and Auro 11.1) – did they actually install the requisite 4-ceiling speakers??
did anyone check out last weekend’s 70mm screening of ‘2001’ ?
regarding the ‘Blade Runner’ screenings according to the Environmental Film Festival:
1982 Domestic Cut (116 min, Blu-ray) 1991 Director’s Cut (117 min, 35mm) 2007 The Final Cut (118 min, 2K DCP)
sadly a news story in today’s Washington Post Weekend section regarding the closing at the end of this month
extracts:
“Josh Levin noted that the exhibition landscape has radically changed since the West End opened just before Halloween in 2010. The Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse and Cinema opened an outpost in Ashburn, the Angelika opened its Mosaic theater in Fairfax and a pop-up theater at Union Market, and the high-end ArcLight and iPic theaters opened in Montgomery County. With more theaters planned in the area, including a permanent home for the Angelika pop-up and two new Landmark theaters near 14th and U and in NoMa, Levin noted that “we simply won’t be able to compete for the same quality of films that we’ve been showing. So the only rational decision, as much as I hate to have to come to this conclusion, is to close.”
Levin, who also produces documentaries, said he has a new film coming out this summer, but has no long-term plans past that. “I have loved doing this,” he said. “And I will take some small comfort in the fact that the rationale we had in opening the West End, which was that so many theaters in D.C. had gone out of business that we felt there was room in the marketplace, that that trend has reversed and we have wonderful new theaters. As a film fan and somebody who believes in the importance of having that experience in a darkened room with other people on a screen that’s larger than your cell phone, I’m excited for the future of exhibition in D.C.”
Although regular programming at the West End will cease on March 26, Levin said he hopes to “do something fun” at the theater the following weekend, before it closes for good on March 31.
from what I read only one scene was shot in IMAX for ‘Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens’
According to IMAX: “Lincoln Square is signed on, however we have not announced additional information at this point.”
The IMAX install for the new laser system also involves adding additional speakers (side wall plus four in the ceiling).
what are the dimensions of the IMAX screen?
does anyone know what the dimensions of the IMAX-D screen IS?
actually with Tyson’s prime time ticket pricing at $12.99 – with Arclight membership you’re saving yourself 24 cents (With the dollar off), and on Monday and Tuesday with the member discount it’s $10.75 at night. And because the ‘widescreen’ Dolby Atmos equipped auditorium is not a ‘speciality screen’ there’s no extra fee as AMC does with it’s ETX screen at Tysons. Of course, the flat up-charge price for 3D screenings is $3.50.
I didn’t expect the DCP of ‘2001’ to look as good as a 70mm print – HAH … I’m not that clueless. But really, Warner’s should be embarrassed how bad the DCP looks – the DCP should at least be encoded/created from the 4K workflow, but it isn’t, thrown up onto the 65 foot wide screen via a 4K projector, it looked (excuse my language) shitty. Close ups looked fine, but edge enhancements on the models was very apparent – the image judders in a couple of instances when the camera isn’t even moving. Did no one at Warner’s cross-check what the DCP looked like?? [ugh- face palm] Warner needs to stop being cheap bastards and pony up to encoding classic movies in 4K on their DCP’s – Sony does.
screen dimensions is 85ft by 62ft
screen dimensions is 74ft by 48ft
new press release:
Over the next few months the IMAX Theater at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will be undergoing renovations to upgrade to the first major technological innovation since the advent of digital projection-the new laser digital projection system! The IMAX GT (Grand Theater) Laser Digital Projection System is designed to replace IMAX film projection systems, which have long been the most advanced theater projection systems in use. 3D content will fill the six-story IMAX screen with stunning brightness, clarity, and contrast, and will also contain more brilliant colors than have been possible to date with any theater projection system. Complementing the projection system will be a brand new, multi-channel and multi-dimensional sound system that will allow viewers to hear sounds at specific points in the theater space. During this transition to the laser digital projection the Airbus IMAX Theater is expected to close towards the end of February with completion and re-opening slated for April. The Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater at the National Air and Space Museum and the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater at the National Museum of Natural History will be fully operational during this time frame.
the 7.1 surround sound presentation of ‘Into the Woods’ here at Bethesda was superior to what I had heard in December at Syracuse’s (New York) Regal Destiny USA’s RPX screen. I was hearing more instruments and movement of sound to better effect.
I’m loving the ‘Arclight Presents’ film series, although whoever over at Warner’s did the 2K DCP of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ should have been kicked in the knees there were so many flaws, you wouldn’t have believed the movie was shot on 70mm film stock in the first place (it looked like a projected DVD) – the 2K bluray is far and away the better transfer (creating a new 4K DCP should be paramount). The 5.1 sound though was the highlight.
did a double feature of ‘Big Hero 6’ and ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ (HFR-3D) today on the ‘widescreen’ screen (auditorium 6) and my impression was cemented that it’s in my top five favorite screens in the DC area. The screen is impressively wide at 65 feet and the auditorium is tall. Dolby Atmos sound is staggering as it’s not played back to obscene high volume levels as it is on AMC Tysons' ETX screen. The pinpointing of sound is enveloping and extends the aural imaging around the image as well as the standard side and rear surround channels. Numerous music cues and sound effects, notably in ‘The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies’ achieved this illusion to astonishing nuanced soundscaping.
not real recent comment but I have say, ‘Gone Girl’s immersive 7.1 surround soundmix really showed off auditorium 1’s sound system to fantastic effect.
My fingers are crossed that the acclaimed Russian film ‘Leviathan’ which is opening later in the month will be shown on screen 1, since Sony is releasing the DCP’s of this in 4K.
just recently saw ‘Into the Woods’ here on the RPX screen – the 7.1 sound was decent not great – for a musical, that’s expected. As to the theater, not to keen with the huge RPX lettering just to the left and right of the screen (on the adjacent walls). The biggest flaw I noted was that some light from below the screen either from the wall or stair lighting is being projected back onto the screen which causes reflection thus ruining any scene in the movie that is dark or low lit. [Side comment: I wanted to belt the teenagers behind me during the movie who were making some really rude highly explicit comments during the movie – not cool]
why DID ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Grease’ start their runs in 35mm – when 70mm had already been in place to begin with?