Uptown Theatre
3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20008
3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20008
60 people
favorited this theater
Showing 276 - 300 of 592 comments
XTC screen is AMC’s theatre version of Cinemark’s XD screen – it’s the IMAX alternative so they can playback any movie on the digital projection system. Because of the size of the Uptown’s screen it’d make sense to have a system that can playback 4K enchanced DLP – Barco, Christie and NEC projector’s can do this as well as Sony’s digital projection system.
I don’t see what’s so special about 2 k digital projection. What’s an XTC screen?
I don’t know how many speakers are implemented on AMC’s XTC’s screens but hey why not go with the flow and have AMC convert the Uptown screen as such. I’d assume there are at least 6 speakers behind the screen already. I’d think that with Barco DP system able to display such a bright and colorful image on the Cinemark Egyptian screen there ’s no reason why the Uptown can’t have digital projection as well. Is the curved screen really that problamatic?, isn’t the screen comparable to the Arclight’s screen size and curvature?
I guess the lobby work ad on 2001 was thrown in the trash.I wouldn’t card it a lobby card.Never seen a lobby card that big.Never noticed other theatres promoting 2001 in such a big way.Would have loved to had it.I do have the original one sheet from 1968.
Interior, also from Jack Coursey:
View link
The revival of “Ben Hur” at the Uptown in ‘99 or '00 was 35mm. They held it for a week. Despite the fact that it wasn’t in 70mm, it was still a sight to behold on the Uptown’s massive Cinerama screen. And as a bonus, it was presented in it’s original “Roadshow” presentation – Overture, Intermission, Entr'Acte, and Exit music. Now that’s entertainment!
I doubt it was 70mm. AFI had it in 70mm last year or fairly recently. I missed it. :P Or maybe it was 10 Commandments.
If they can do digital now on 60ft screens at the IMAX-lite and Cinemark XD venues, they should try retrofitting the Uptown for digital. With the curved screen, they may have to reduce it.
I thought there waa revival showing of ‘Ben Hur’ in 1999 or 2000 – does anyone remember if it was 35mm or 70mm?
oh wow, ‘The A-Team’ looked AND sounded great!! – a nice change from the occasional ratty looking 35mm pirnts the Uptown sometimes gets.
oh I know they don’t give a crap about the Avalon – and given that my money always goes to the non-profit independent theatre – AMC can suck it.
I’m familiar enough with all these theaters, having written or rewritten their introductions on this website, and seeing movies each year in them. It IS unusual for the same movie to be at all of them. However, I doubt AMC is thinking one bit about the Avalon. I’m guessing AMC is only thinking of one thing: how much money the chain will make at the theaters it is placing this movie at.
Myself, I’m not going to see “Sex and the City 2” at all.
Oh I don’t doubt ‘Sex and the City 2’ won’t be a megahit, I just think it’s rather assholish on AMC’s part to book this at the Uptown and at Mazza (DC/Maryland’s ‘Rodeo Drive’) when the Avalon wants the piece of the pie as well â€" and they should, since they deserve the money more so, in my opinion. Sure AMC has the clout and power to book anything it wants but they continually screw the Avalon over when it comes to the summer Hollywood fare. I’m really surprised that the closeness and proximity between the Avalon and Mazza is not being compromised, I’m sure though AMC would supercede the Avalon’s booking ability
Don’t be so harsh. Clearview booked “Sex and the City 2” at the Ziegfeld, so perhaps it is perceived as a mega hit.
in a completely asinine move on AMC’s part: AMC has booked ‘Sex and the City 2’ at the Uptown (and Mazza for that matter) I was hoping for ‘Prince of Persia’ – but no luck.
I remember when the Uptown was a neighborhood house in the 50’s. Cinerama was shown at the Warner in downtown.
Renewing link.
ah….. 1977, I remember seeing ‘Star Wars’ at least 7 times during it’s run at the Uptown – good times!
My father took my brothers and I to see Star Wars on a Sunday in May of 1977. We waited in line for 2 hours and missed the first 5 minutes and sat in the balcony. It was awesome! One of the best days of my life.
This is the best theater to see a movie, bar none, in DC. You have to go at least once and make it a specatacle movie, so you can appreciate the size of the screen. I also saw both Die Hards here and I think, Return of the Jedi.
Beautiful place.
Rodents are in every theatre…particularly old ones with as many cavities for them to hide, as the Uptown. Traps and exterminators were a regular thing when I worked there (for 18 years)…then again, I don’t know any theatre…particularly one with some age on it, that doesn’t fight this battle.
SG
went to a play in hollywood last year think it was called When Pigs Fly and i must say, i was disgusted, i saw 3 big rats run around grabbing food that people left around the seats, it was strange to see this knowing that we paid $50 a ticket to be seated next to disgusting rodents ewwwwww
my rc electric radio control airplanes
You are probably right; they are probably in every theater. I guess the difference is when you actually see a rather large one… I have to say that in most theaters I’ve been in, I have NOT seen rats. Then again, I’m not searching for them and don’t really want to see any. Perhaps I’m simply in denial.
What I was saying is rodents are everywhere. The management at the Uptown is not stupid. They see their problems & deal with them. AMC isn’t monitoring this site, so you likely won’t get a more specific reply. But, don’t think, exterminators or not, that ANY theater or other place is always rodent free. Show up at any place…..and you will see the most resilent creatures on earth.
Looking only for useful responses, thanks just the same. We’re specifically discussing the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC. Did you watch Avatar last week in “all cinemas, new or old — or in restaurants, hotels, the Metro, outside, etc.?”
What I was hoping to hear from someone is that the management was aware that they had a rodent problem a year or two ago, but that the exterminators were called in and the problem is now under control. Or something similar…
Why not open the question to all cinemas, new or old? or restaurants, hotels, the Metro, outside, etc.
I visited a week ago for “Avatar” and as always, truly enjoyed the spectacle of seeing a movie on the huge screen with a great sound system, in such a large auditorium.
I truly love this theater, and have seen several movies there, including the 70mm re-release of Lawrence of Arabia, back in 1988. However, last time I was there (I believe it was early 2008), during one of the brighter screen moments in the film, I clearly saw a very LARGE rat crossing the aisle 10 or so rows down from where I was sitting. Since then I have not felt comfortable returning to the Uptown. Has anyone else had such an experience there? I wonder if the management knows they have a rodent problem…