Avalon Theatre
5612 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20015
5612 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20015
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 67 comments
in a selfish move on AMC’s part (and to undermine the Avalon) they booked ‘Sex and the City 2’ at both the Uptown and Mazza – my money is going to the non-profit Avalon – not the corporate leech.
Good photo Chuck1231.
as I found out from the Executive Director the peeling paint issue is from improper priming of the ceiling surface, thankfully not from roof issues, but it’s estimated that it’s a $30,000 repair job.
I was at the Avalon last Saturday night for a film at the annual FilmFest DC International Film Festival and it was great to see the side store (formerly a Ben & Jerry’s) now the concession stand and another bathroom, but… they didn’t make it handicap accessible, which I thought was very odd, since I know they want to add an elevator to screen 2 for that reason. Secondly, the ceiling paint job is getting worse, when the side beam lights illuminate it, it’s highly embarrassing, more paint is chipping at an alarming rate and there appears to be a hole in the border rim. This might be to entice people to donate to the Avalon Legacy Campaign which I hope address' the ceiling/roof problem, but at the moment it’s painful to see the ceiling becoming worse than better
The Washington Post of January 20, 1971 announced that the inaugural feature of the new Avalon2 was to be the English language “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni but a sub-title print was received of the same movie but titled “The Pizza Triangle”
The Avalon 2 was equipped with Super Simplex projectors and Peerless Magnarc lamps
Washington Post of January 10, 1971
A display ad announces
“The most unique, intimate theatre in all of Washington comes to Chevy Chase Wednesday January 20th, Avalon2”
Inaugural Attraction, “A Drama of Jealousy” with Marcello Mastroianni
The renowned and renewed RKO-Stanley Warner AvalonI theatre is giving birth to a beautiful offspring, the Avalon2 Theatre
It was great to see a nearly sold out audience at ‘Mamma Mia!’ (I wanted to stand up and personally thank the entire crowd from not seeing this over at Mazza – support the independent theatre NOT AMC, that’s my motto). Except for one print flaw, it was a great presentation, scope (2.35) films always look fantastic on the Avalon’s wide screen and the Dolby Digtial soundmix (while not as aggressive as I expected, not the Avalon’s fault more so on the film’s soundmixers creative decision)
How many of you posting here have bothered to actually ATTEND a movie at the AVALON lately? You ought to. This is Washington’s finest theatre (now better than the UPTOWN) and they’ve booked some good movies for the summer. SIGN OFF and GO!
Question: was it the release of SCHINDLER’S LIST that the Avalon’s sound system got converted to DTS? As I recall I remember seeing it opening weekend and the studio got the theatre not to sell concessions, due to the thematic and serious nature of the film.
The Avalon also saw the brief and only installation of Sony Dynamic Digital Sound for the release of the director’s cut of DAS BOOT in 1997.
just a reminder to all that the Avalon is doing a campaign called the Avalon Legacy Campaign
http://www.theavalon.org/news.cfm?id=85
“The campaign is a community effort to raise $2 million for the historic theater. This campaign will fund renovations and help secure the future of the independently owned and operated theater. We will also be celebrating the theater’s 85th year in operation, and the 5th anniversary of the reopening of the theater as a nonprofit community film center.”
money raised would be allocated to the following proposals/plans:
Right now, this minute, STOP! Don’t enter anymore comments until you get over to the AVALON, buy a ticket, and see a movie there.
Doing so is a great experience, because it’s a wonderful theatre with much comfort and the 2nd largest screen in Washington, DC. Prices are normal and street parking is easy (day or night).
OK, the last time we saw 2007’s worst movie, “No Country for Old Men,” undeniably stupid; but that’s not the Avalon’s fault. They normally play better films than most.
Here and here are photos from January 2008 of the Avalon. Great theatre, great staff, and great patrons. Help keep these neighborhood picture palaces alive and well by patronizing them often.
Great 2007 photo of facade: http://www.flickr.com/photos/avatar1/410336464/
and View link
upper portion of facade: http://www.flickr.com/photos/avatar1/410335106/
VERTICAL neon sign: http://www.flickr.com/photos/avatar1/410331555/
and http://www.flickr.com/photos/avatar1/410330618/
This is a wonderful 2007 photo of the main auditorium ceiling mural:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alykat/875443323/
Note, the Avalon was never a K-B Theatre…it was a Circle Theatre…which provided rather unappealing color schemes you mentioned
SG
Tonight, I had the privilege of attending a sneak peak of a new indie film called “I Do & I Don’t” which is basically a romantic comedy about a couple who seek mandatory ‘counselling’ from a married couple while all kinds of strange events unfold. The film was okay, not a roll-in-the-aisle mainstream kind of comedy, that will probably have a very short theatrical run, if anyone is interested in it.
Theater 1 has a nice pre-show bit probably done in PowerPoint about current and future bookings, that was probably cheaply made but very effective and well done and informative as to the programming diversity at this wonderful independent theater. There’s something for the kids, families and adult moviegoers here.
The theater seems to have gone through more refurbishing as the lobby has reportedly been restored to its “original” appearance, which is a luxurious, deep reddish in paint carpet and reinstated mouldings…a far cry from the purple and gray colors of my memories of the old Cineplex Odeon, KB days. And lastly, the mens room has been fixed with the sink pipe having been installed! Hooray!
The Avalon DOES have a 70mm projector but that is about it. It is a Century JJ. I’m not sure the 70mm kit is there (Gate/Trap) and their primary processor, Panastereo CSP1200 CAN play 70mm with the CSP4600 Accessory unit but that is currently absent.
The Avalon only installed one projector on each screen so it would have a difficult time booking archival films (which all 70mms are being treated as since they are not for mass distribution). No one want’s their few prints cut up.
As to the AFI running ‘80s films…Why Not? The AFI should run films from ALL eras. I hear that Friday the 13th actually did REALLY well….as did Fast Times. I personally went to see Scarface and it seemed to be doing well too.
I completely agree though that it should be running MUCH more 70mm than it does and dipping into the same well (Lawrence) all the time will dilute its appeal.
SG
Photos from 2004 premiere:
Exterior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outfoxed/158351/
Auditorium 2004 premiere:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outfoxed/158332/
Facing the movie screen, 2004, a wonderful photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/outfoxed/158339/
So why then can’t/shouldn’t AFI book other 70mm than 2001 and Lawrence? Is it just management choice? They must be desparate to have a “Totally Awesome: Films of the 1980s” retrospective. Avalon should have taken the 70mm projector out of the now closed Cinema, since they were just a street over, instead of giving it to …what was it..the Jersey?
It’s not just hire a union projectionist to get to book these new 70MM prints. But it’s also the theatres track record on damaged prints in the past that the studio would have a problem with.
Perhaps Uptown could hire a union projectionist for the 70 mm screenings?
And, comments on that page indicate AMC may not renew lease so next year, if someone else operates it…
I’m not sure if Avalon has 70mm. I don’t think they’ve shown anything in 70 mm since reopening. I also wish they’d return to using curtain for each movie.
I agree about AFI Silver and 70mm showings. There are some great newly struck 70mm prints out there of classic titles…. like SOUTH PACIFIC and CLEOPATRA… that are being shown elsewhere to great acclaim. I realize these prints are expensive to ship and require special handing as they are increasingly rare, but that is the kind of thing one would expect AFI to do. An 80’s retrospective???? NOT my idea of film classics, but I guess the idea is to get younger audiences in the door….even if the films are junk. Of course, the dream 70mm festival would be at the Uptown on that giant screen, but sadly the way that theatre is currently run, with new prints regularly damaged, I doubt they would be allowed access to the 70mm prints.
How on earth did I miss that? AFI had a 70mm of that recently, unfortunately, they did not run it long enough for me to catch it. I truly wish this venue and AFI would show more 70mm other than Lawrence and 2001. I cannot believe they are currently doing a 80s retrospective with such great titles such as Friday the 13th.
One of the best film experiences of my life was seeing the restored, El Cid, shown in 70mm in 1993 at the Avalon.
Is the AVALON even still equipped for 70mm? I had understood that when Loew’s Cineplex closed it, they ripped out everything, including the projectors. The last 70mm presentation there that I recall was the 1996 Kenneth Branaugh version of HAMLET. This film was also the last film to be entirely shot on 65mm negative (parts of THE NEW WORLD were shot this way). Most films shown in 70mm in the 70’s through the 90’s were blow ups from 35mm sources. Overall I think the Avalon theatre project has done a great job.