South Coast Plaza III Theatres
3410 Bristol Street,
Costa Mesa,
CA
92626
3410 Bristol Street,
Costa Mesa,
CA
92626
11 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 36 of 36 comments
Regency Theatres re-opened it a few months ago with many upgrades.
I have very fond memories of the Plaza III as well – Close Encounters, Superman:The Movie, Popeye, Temple of Doom to name a few. It had a nice lobby with two 180-degree ramp entrances, one on either side of the concession stand, that always made you feel like you were entering someplace special, almost regal. You always hoped the big event movies played at either the Big Newport or the Plaza III. No other theaters in OC even came close. I basically grew up in the dark there over three decades – flicks with my mom in the 70s, school buddies in the 80s and girlfriends in the 90s. Rounders was the last film I saw there shorly before its closure in ‘98. I wish
some independent would take it over, make it special again. Movie lovers would come.
I saw “Die Hard” the first time at the South Coast Plaza Theatre III when it opened in Orange County. The print was a 35mm Dolby print. I remember loving the film, but being disappointed that I didn’t take the drive to Westwood to see it in 70mm. The 35mm print, in my opinion, didn’t have the “oomph” and excellent print quality of a 70mm print. (Fox, along with many other studios in 1988, wasn’t releasing a lot of widescreen or 70mm prints. It was a pretty dry year for movies). I was disappointed that OC didn’t get a print, but perhaps Fox didn’t have enough confidence in the film to release more 70mm prints.
I did, later that summer, take a drive to Westwood and saw it at the Avco. Wow! What a difference! This was the best 70mm presentation I had seen at that point in time. Even the best 70mm shows at the Cinedome, City Center or “Big” Newport couldn’t compare with the Avco. Awesome sound (THX, when it was done right and meant something to an audience), and a crisp 70mm print—-plus a packed house with 1100 people. Really spectacular! I could hear bullet casings dropping to the floor in some scenes (or a scene as I recall); the helicopter flying into Century City sounded like it was in the Avco auditorium. Too bad that the main auditorium was split in two in 1993. I guess GCC, like most theatre operators, didn’t learn a thing from the carvings from the 1970s.
I, too, saw “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” at South Coast “III.” What an experience. I remember the opening credits and jumping out of my seat when John Williams' score come crashing over the loudspeakers. And the mother ship’s loud, bassy response to the humans at the end of the film—again, jumped out of my seat. I’ve seen this film in 35mm DTS at the Cinerama Dome (and of course on a small television screen for many years) and it’s just not the same as that 70mm presentation I saw way back in 1977/early 1978.
Thanks for the memory update, Papibear! :)
I saw many, many films at this theater as well as the “backhouse” or Theater III, which was an extremely popular theater during the 1980s. All three Star Wars films and all three Indiana Jones films were shown in Theater III in 70mm, as were Superman and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a re-release of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty in 70mm, Gone With The Wind in 70mm, Poltergeist in 70mm (I sat in the third row on opening night, first show, and still clearly recall literally jumping out of my seat at the clown doll scene), Braveheart (not sure if it was 70mm), Aliens, and many others. In the twinned side, I recall seeing numerous 70s Disney live action films like Hot Lead and Cold Feet and The Cat from Outer Space, as well as various other comedies and dramas, including the Japanese film The Makioka Sisters in a special screening in Theater II. I clearly remember seeing Die Hard in 1988 in Theater I, and being absolutely blown away by the subwoofers during the scene where Bruce Willis drops the chair strapped with C-4 down the elevator shaft. I have NEVER been able to duplicate the depth and intensity of that explosion on ANY home theater system since. It was awesome. I seriously thought the wall behind the screen was going to cave in, it was that strong.
Here’s a photo of the twinned side – View link
I should add that both UA and Edwards are now owned by Regal Cinemas.
The UA Cinema is on Sunflower across from Sears. That theatre has a large auditorium and still runs films (independent) and seasonal classic film festivals (mostly films from the 1980s). It’s been operated by Edwards for some time now.
I have a 1975 ad for a UA Cinema tri-plex located on South Coast Plaza. Is this the same theatre?
Manwithnoname: Yes, “Gone With The Wind” did play there in 70mm, as did “Days Of Heaven.”
The snack bar in the original theatre is round, but off-hand, I’m not recalling if it sat in the center of the lobby, or was located against the center wall of the lobby just before you entered the auditorium(s) on either side. I guess this was a feature I didn’t pay too much attention to while attending this theatre. All I remember is that the snack bar was round. The lobby windows have since been covered in paper so you can’t see inside.
I tend to recall this trailer of “The Goonies” that Mr. Coate is taking about. Not sure if I had seen it in the theatre, or perhaps on television at the time (Entertainment Tonight…before it got all into subjects not pertaining to the film industry), or on a television program devoted to 1985 summer movies. But it does sound very familiar and I can picture it in my mind. But you know how memory has a way of tricking oneself! :)
I always liked this theater. Screen #3, that is. Not too big. Not too small. (What we now call) stadium seating in the back half. Excellent presentation quality.
Memorable visits included a digital sound presentation of the re-issue of “Das Boot” and a 70mm showing of “Ladyhawke.”
That “Ladyhawke” presentation, by the way, included a fantastic 70mm Six-Track Dolby trailer for “The Goonies,” which I saw only that one time and, unless it’s an “Easter Egg” that I cannot locate, is not included on the DVD. If I am remembering correctly, it was basically a short teaser which featured the logos of Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner movies with a single letter remaining as the logo faded out. Collectively, the letters, one by one, spelled “Goonies” which then dissolved into the “Goonies” logo lettering. Anyone remember this?
The original South Coast theatre opened on March 13, 1968. There was an “Invitational Screening” the night before, and the theatre seated 1174 patrons before being split in two by 1976.
It’s a shame that Edwards/Regal hasn’t gone back to the plan of refurbishing this theatre, and the one behind it. This area of Costa Mesa has always had a “ritzy” aura about it, and a luxury theatre similar to ArcLight in Hollywood would serve the area well. It’s right down the street from the Performing Arts Center, for heaven’s sake!
I only remember the original South Coast (Plaza) being a two screener. I don’t recall going to the theatre when it was a single screen, as I was barely 7 when it was split in two.
Nice lobby, but seeing movies in those ultra long auditoriums was always a chore. Sometimes I’d get excited to see a movie at the theatre, thinking it would be playing in the 700-seat house in the back, only to be surprised it was playing in the the “twin.” I had to sit close as possible to the screen to get any enjoyment of seeing widescreen movies.
The Plaza “III” with its early stadium seating is still a personal favorite. Nice big screen, excellent sight-lines and great sound. It was still fairly impressive, despite the worn appearence of the interior, to see movies there in the late-1990s. The theatre was just the right size, in my opinion, where it was big enough to hold a Saturday night crowd, but intimate enough to enjoy quiet movies like “Aliens” and “Saving Private Ryan.” :)
Manwithnoname: South Coast “I” was split into two auditoriums by 1976. By your recollection, do you know if the 70mm projection equipment remained in one of the twin houses, or was moved over to South Coast Plaza Theatre III (which opened in 1970)? Or was SC Plaza III always equipped for 70mm?