TCL Chinese Theatre

Installing an IMAX is one way to ensure top quality bookings for this theater and the next-door 6-plex: it’s a clearance model – when an IMAX is attached to a theatre they get whatever IMAX feature is out (which is normally a hot movie). I’m thinking this one will get laser projection as a dirty little secret I ran across in my research is the 2 X 2K D-IMAX image falls apart at 6 stories (why else wouldn’t IMAX let Bill Warren build the largest IMAX screen in the world when he wanted to). I’ve seen this first hand on a native IMAX auditorium that was converted to D-IMAX, it’s about 5-6 stories and you can see pixilation from dead center in the auditorium.

I actually think the IMAX brand is one of the only things that will draw current audiences to the Chinese, even though it’s vastly inferior to the theater as it is now.

Longislandmovies there is nothing wrong with turning a profit they are just going about it wrong. There is nothing special about an IMAX theater. Is IMAX that big of a draw that it will get a crowd into the Chinese. I hope the IMAX picture is 1:90 at least that is better than 1:34 Last time I went to the Chinese it wasn’t worth the extra expense and trouble. At least at the El Capitan the pre show alone is worth the price of a ticket. I just paid 45 bucks for a ticket to Gatsby at the Dome but that is reserved seat and an event. They will sell out that show and at $45 a head they will make a profit even if it is an open bar. Sad to say but the Chinese isn’t that special any more.

I think they’re arguing it’s “LieMax” because it will be digital projection and a 1.90:1 screen rather than 1.44:1, not because of the size.

According to an article I read, the screen specs are 94 feet wide by 46 feet 2 inches tall. DEFINITELY doesn’t sound like a LieMax!

This just looks like a desperate attempt to make the venue profitable again. The overhead is huge; electric and heat are big expenses and the reason why the large houses cost a lot to run. Also they have lost much of their audience. I saw the Hobbit and the place was empty. Back in the 90’s the theater used to fill up all the time. Time will tell but everything they are doing just smacks of desperation. Mann theaters lost their top technical person years ago when Brent Walker died suddenly and things started to go down hill from there. Mann never made full use of the venue they refused to run any revival stuff like the new owners are doing. That is the one idea that at least seems to draw a large crowd.

The Hollywood Highland project was supposed to do wonders for the whole area but still the Theater seems to be losing money year after year. The majority of people just seem to like their neighborhood mutiplex.

The original seats were smaller and spaced closer together. When the theater was built the seats went a lot further back to where the snack bar is now. The newest latest large snack bar takes up the space once used by the Cinemiracle booth. The seats that are installed now are wider and have more leg room than the standard theater seat so there are a lot less seats than there were when the theater first opened.

The more I’ve thought about it, the more curious I am about the potential upsides.

First off, Zubi… to be fair, the current seating in Grauman’s is actually 1,162, so a new seat count of 986 isn’t exactly a major slash in seats.

But the truth is that the Chinese is dying. They can no longer book the “A” titles and when they do, they’re stuck playing it for so long that they’re a ghost town for weeks at a time (The Hobbit is a good example). They need some way to bring in titles again and fill seats, otherwise it WILL turn into a dance club. And let’s be honest… this ISN’T the first time the Chinese has been renovated to increase the screen size. It’s just the first time most of us can remember and instead of going horizontal, this time it’s going vertical. I would love to see them use some top/bottom masking so that when they aren’t showing in full IMAX, they can return to the screen shape they’ve always had. Don’t know if that’s possible.

BUT…

The real question is going to be whether or not the studios are going to consider “The IMAX Experience” films to be different than the standard DCP/3D/35mm engagements. If they do (and I don’t see a reason they can’t) that would mean that the Chinese can book films simultaneously with the Arclight and even the El Capitan. Just imagine the Dome playing something like Man of Steel in standard 4k and (god help us) their patented god-awful 3D, while a few blocks away the Chinese is playing Man of Steel: An IMAX 3D Experience (even though I know the new Chinese won’t be re-opened by June for MOS). Will the studios allow the IMAX version to play at the Chinese at the same time as the standard version at the Dome? Technically it’s not a movie the Dome can play, so you’re not double booking in the same territory. Now Pacific is absolutely not going to want this to happen and is going to fight it, but it could make things interesting and Arclight might actually have to step it up again in the presentation department. I feel they’ve gotten waaaaayyy too complacent, especially after losing what competition the Chinese used to offer when still a Mann theater.

Add in some reserved seating and I’m certainly game to check it out. Would probably beat going to Universal City or The Rave.

Bravo , sounds like a plan that might actually save this theatre.

Hey guys, the LATHF is working with them to ensure they do it right. They are also holding an event here on 4/20.

Check out http://www.lahtf.org/2013-movie-making-movies.html

Sad News. It was bad enough they were changing to stadium seating NOW IMAX is the final nail in the coffin. Film exhibition is really going down the toilet.

The pool at the base of the fountain on the right side was removed when that fussy, fussy fire department and the Dept of Building and Safety decided that more clearance was needed at a major entrance portal. Why stop at a wading pool? Maybe add a water slide to the stairs/escalators that ascend from the portal? Next time you go, don’t miss the musical stairs and Sweet – a candy shop for the gods at the top of the stairs.

Regarding the right side fountain terrywade wondered about. While the main fixture remains, the base pool was removed.