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Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
5 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7NA
42 people
favorited this theater
Showing 551 - 575 of 722 comments
Does that mean an 80ft.+ screen is coming with seating primarily in the “circle”? (Hmm… possible limitation may be the “kink” in the right wall where the narrower “extended” part of 1928 site begins from the original 1882 site… and access to any new screen(s) built in the “stalls”?)
its gonna be a 800 seat imax apparently empire cinemas will release a press statement on Screen 1 sometime next week..
This is absolutely terrible news. As the laser show used to say… “The Most Spectacular Cinema in the World.” :–(
Fortunately managed to catch “Life of Pi” (stunning!) and “Star Trek into Darkness” (less so) in Dolby Atmos in Screen 1 this year… The days of continuous first run Universal/Paramount product are long gone though…
Is it just possible that there will be a sympathetic “drop wall” conversion and some of the Screen 1 interior will remain? “Rip out” makes it sound otherwise…
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times have changed the most I’ve seen Recently in there was 350 for a sherlock holmes on boxing day..as most films are second pick anyway most saturday nights would be about 150 to 200
if I’m going to see a film on at saturday night i would rather travel to LS for either Odeon main screens or the Empire because these would be Emptier than than local multiplexes the Vue always seems busy cos basically its a multiplex with small screens the Odeon will survive but on a bank holiday monday afternoon showing there was less than 30 people in the 1700 Screen 1 thats why these big auditoriums can’t survive.
Still think Empire Cinemas could of done a bit of PR work saying Screen 1 going this is whats happening & a final week with some blockbuster classics charity screening at reduced rate
So they can stick the Digital iMax screen which is not the real thing anyway..
With Getting rid of Spectacular Auditoriums.. There is little point in watching a Major Film in an “Airing Cupboard” Hmm I find watching Films at home on my 7" screen (LCD projection system)has as much impact.. To-days Cinema Owners have just lost the plot.. Alas gone of they days of “Showman Management” Now they are Sweetshops that just happen to show films out the back…. Progress ALL RUN BY LITTLE MEN… :O(
someone asked on their facebook page about Dolby Atmos Showing and was told we won’t be booking any for a while.
All very underhand By Empire Cinemas not to Announce the Closure & Rip out of Screen 1,obviously it can’t be a improvement if your ashamed to Announce the plans…Empire Cinemas will never get another £ off me…..
I sure hope not. It is one of the few remaining beautiful cinema auditoriums in London.
Rumour is that screen 1 will be twined with work started on 27/08/13
sad times if true
Interior photos from July 2013 here:–
EMPIRE 1
EMPIRE 1
FOYER
EMPIRE 4
PROJECTION SUITE
The 1962 remodeling of the Empire Theatre is the subject of an article starting on this page of the June, 1963, issue of International Projectionist. There are two photos of the auditorium. Enlarge the image by clicking on the + sign in the tool bar at lower right of the page. Scroll down for the second page of the article.
the seating that was installed in 1962 (and is still in use today albeit refurbished a few times) was made by The American Seating Company. They are still in business.
Exterior photos from April 2008 and exterior and interior photos from February 2009.
As of this date, still 9.95 lbs all day everyday with website proclaiming that it is the Best Value in the West End.
Is this cinema feeling the pinch? Now advertising all tickets for all screens at £9.95 all day, every day. Seems an odd tactic for what should be a premier venue and must make it the cheapest first-run cinema in the West End
A vintage photograph from April 1955, showing the Empire Theatre playing the film “So Deep in My Heart” starring Jose Ferrer, and the Monseigneur News Theatre (later Jacey Leicester Square Cinema):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allhails/5154554082/
Vintage photographs of the Empire Theatre, and the console of its Wurlitzer organ;
http://www.ukwurlitzer.co.cc/1931.html
Oh, one more thing the sign on the doors the letterheads typeface is still there and new Empire typeface just doesn’t fit. It looks robotic and they even took down the gold brass typeface that stood above Empire 1 I think Empire 2 had similar typeface, I never cared for Empire 2 or 3, just as I don’t care for the new Empire screens only Empire 1 I won’t pay to watch a film on wimpy sound system even thou its JBL and I’m a fan of JBL. If I’m going to travel 120 miles its for Empire 1.
Also I think its Empire I forget which number its on the far left and side up a few stairs, and wow you can hear the lows from Empire 1 fitter badly into that no bigger to swing cat around auditorium. I bet its get a lot of complaints from customs paying to watch a film in silly sized room that is about the size of fair decent home cinema.
I think Empire got a little big for their shoes and it should be knocked down and used as store room because its not suitable as cinema, I think its Empire 9?
@MarkDHite
You know I still can’t aspect the new look of the front it looks cheap and bland kinder reminds me of coffee and I hate coffee. The colour of the panel that now sits on the front.
The look of the late 80’s was jazzy full of sparkle colour and chactutre that draws you towards the Empire away from the Odeon LS if you get my meaning. LOL It was like a magnetic THX force pulling you towards it.
Today it just looks naff! I’ve taken so many pictures myself of the new look, which they had cheap digital cameras around in the late 80’s to bring back home some Empire memories. The late 90’s look was like thumbs down as well.
Cinema is about glitz and style just as much as important on the outside as on the inside. I guess the like to wait and see the reactions of people going in first timers or do they even care to notice that?
It’s a shame the old curtains have gone in Empire 1 as that was style second to none and now its just cheap simple curtains that pull back, not upwards then outwards as they used to.
I was chatting to guy that runs company that outfits cinema seating nice chap. I mentioned the Empire and its rocker seats as I have just brought a set not the same as the Empire as he said that type is no longer available and that, the company went bust years ago, many years ago
I can’t recall if he said the name of the seating was called (broccoli seating)?
Anyone, anyone know if that’s the right name?
Too bad there are no interior photos of the 1920s Empire designed by Thomas Lamb to be found online. But photos can be found in a long-ago back issue of MARQUEE magazine. Here’s one of the exterior, which has been retained. It is identical to the 1926 Albee Theatre in Cincinnati, also by Lamb! The rest of the theatre bore no resemblance.
View link
Interesting find Mike. The Allen Theatre Circuit of Canada must have only operated the old Empire Theatre for a short time, as in 1925, it was sold to Loew’s Inc., and closed in January 1927, to be demolished for the new (current) Empire Theatre building.
This was taken over by the Allen Theatre Circuit of Canada.
Montreal Gazette June 5th, 1920 View link
In the old days a lot of the West End cinemas were no better inside then surburban cinemas were and they charged more to attend infact the cinemas in the East End and seaside resorts were much much better but the West End cinemas usually had much better posters and lobby cards outside. would be nice to see an old photo.
cinemamad
Wow is that so incredible. Are there any rare pictures of this before the cinema was refitted out?
I went to the old Empire in 1960 to see ‘Ben-Hur’ and I was stunned MGM’s premier cinema was a dump the screen may have been big but there were poles hoiding up the balcony which must have blocked viewing from some of the seats no wonder it was gutted.