comparing Mazza to the relatively newer Tysons Corner cineplex I figured out what I can’t stand about the former – the drink holder part of the seat is too close to one’s fore arm, and it’s not comfortable (at all) in my opinion.
Either it’s the movies or it seems like the sound levels in Auditorium #1 are raised – both ‘The Soloist’ and ‘Wolverine’ sounded great with both effective 5.1 soundmixes. Unfortunately the 35mm (mass produced) print of ‘Wolverine’ had problems – there were waves in the print, not that the projector could have fixed this, but I’m looking forward to this not being the case when Sony intalls it’s proposed Sony 4K systems nationally (of course I could have trekked down to Georgetown where the only DC engagement of ‘Wolverine’ is presented digitally)
what’s the deal here, I get the sense that the IMAX-Digital conversion has come to a stall – the Tysons' location is now in doubt and I gather isn’t going to happen, has the recession affected other AMC theatres that were part of the overall national installation plan?
while I was there for a Saturday screening of ‘Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past’ I enquired about the IMAX-Digital screen – well I got an even more vague answer as if to suggest the installation plan is now dead in the water.
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
not to digress regarding the Rockaway, but I believe all the pre-release festival showing of ‘Battle for Terra’ (originally just ‘Terra’) were not 3D, I saw this at last Fall’s Virginia Film Festival, and enjoyed it.
I think this article I found online suggests that Sony is asking studios to output/distribute 4K based product for their systems (according to Sony literature Warner Bros. is also included in the deal but not listed here):
Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services (DCSS) group has entered into a non-exclusive digital cinema deployment agreement with Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. The companies will work together to provide operational and financial resources to exhibitors that encourage them to feature Sony’s 4K SXRD™ projection technology in both 2D and 3D digital cinema-enabled screens across North America and Europe.
Sony’s digital cinema group has now signed digital cinema deployment agreements with four major studios: Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Disney continues to be very excited about the possibilities of digital cinema, and has long supported new technologies that give moviegoers the best possible theatrical experience, and provide a wide range of benefits to our partners in exhibition,” said Anthony Marcoly, president, sales and distribution, for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. “We’re pleased to be working with Sony’s Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group in deploying this advanced technology and finding new ways to help theater owners upgrade their equipment economically and efficiently. Sony’s 4K projection system offers magnificent state-of-the-art technology, and gives theaters the flexibility for high-quality 2D playback as well as the increasingly important ability to display spectacular 3D productions.â€
He added that, “With 17 3D feature films in the Disney pipeline, ranging from great animated fare to fantastic live-action epics, we believe that 3D exhibition and digital cinema are vitally important to the future of moviegoing."
The Sony DCSS group was formed to provide turn-key solutions for exhibitors, enabling them to efficiently convert their operations to digital technology. In addition to digital projection system deployment, the DCSS group will offer installation and maintenance services, customized solutions, delivery of alternative content programming, and high-level service support.
“Walt Disney Studios is known for its innovative and pioneering work throughout the history of cinema,†said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Sony’s DCSS group. “It’s only natural that they are among the studios on the forefront of our industry’s move toward 4K digital technology, and we are truly excited to be working with them.â€
Sony’s 4K SXRD projection technology will also support the deployment of alternative content â€" including gaming, sporting events and music concerts â€" in order to develop more revenue-generating opportunities for exhibitors. (LAS VEGAS (ShoWest)â€"Mar 31, 2009)
Last weekend “Stop Making Sense"
rocked The Senator!
It’s The Same as it Ever Was!
This Friday, April 17th & Saturday, April 18th it's
Back By Popular Demand For Encore Presentations
Friday & Saturday only at 9:00pm.
Relive The Senator’s legendary 1984 engagement on
the big screen, cranked up with state-of-the-art sound!
A Jonathan Demme Film
(1984)
“One of the greatest rock movies ever made."
Leonard Maltin
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Stay over for “Secret World Live” at no extra cost.
An innovative concert movie for the rock group The Talking Heads.
Starts Friday, April 17th @ The Senator
Friday & Saturday 10:30pm
A Francois Girard Film
Peter Gabriel
Secret World Live
(1994)
Featuring:
Come Talk to Me | Steam | Across the River | Slow Marimbas
Shaking the Tree | Blood of Eden | San Jacinto | Red Raid
Kiss That Frog | Washing of the Water | Solsbury Hill
Digging in the Dirt | Sledgehammer | Big Time
Secret World | Don’t Give Up | In Your Eyes
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Saturday, April 18th & Sunday, April 19th
@ The Senator Theatre
The Senator Theatre
& The Belvedere Improvement Association
Present
The 14th Annual
Belvedere SpringFest
An Earth Day Celebration
Featuring
BARAKA
(90min)
BARAKA (an ancient Sufi word for the essence of life) took filmmakers
to 24 countries on a worldwide 14 month odyssey capturing breathtaking
images to tell the story of earth’s evolution, human culture
diversity,
and humankind’s ecological impact on the earth. BARAKA is a
stunning visual and auditory masterpiece when presented on
the big screen at “Baltimore’s Premiere Showplace.”
Admission is FREE
(Donations appreciated)
12:00 – 1:00pm (SATURDAY ONLY) :
We’re “Drumming up Support” for The Senator with a one-hour drum jam.
(Bring your own drums and shakers, or use ours!)
1:00 – 2:45pm (SATURDAY & SUNDAY):
BARAKA showtime for Saturday & Sunday is 1:00pm.
Monterey Pop
Saturday & Sunday only at 2:45pm
Filmed at the Monterey International Pop Festival
A D.A. Pennebaker Film
(1968)
Performances by:
Scott McKenzie, The Mamas & The Papas, Canned Heat,
Simon & Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, Jefferson Airplane, The Who,
Big Brother & The Holding Company, Country Joe & The Fish,
Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar & Janis Joplin
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Stay over to see “HELP!” at no extra cost
A documentary of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, focusing on the
audience as
well as performances by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin &
The Who.
HELP!
Stop worrying! HELP! is on the way!
Saturday & Sunday only at 4:15pm
A Richard Lester Film
(1965)
Featuring: The Beatles
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
~
they aint first run, but wow, what a selection of movies! Anyone know if ‘Baraka’ will be 35mm or 70mm?
I actually loved the Sony Hot Ticket presentations: Cirque De Soleil and ‘Rent’ – will they be doing any thing in the near future??
I think the fact that Sony added their own 3D systems (as of last month)sealed the deal – REAL-D (3D) was 2k technology, Sony with 4k resolution and 3D was the obvious superior choice.
this sounds too good to be true… now let’s see what studios will actually distribute 4K based content/movies. So far only Sony and Warners Bros. have committed to release actual 4K harddrives of certain movies. Converting to “all digital” seems a bit premature, considering not all the studios are releasing everything digitally (i.e, the independent studios).
well let’s see if AMC can hook up Sony’s digital system and display an image on the curved 70 foot screen at the Uptown Theatre here in Washington DC – that will be the real test.
Hah! AMC are a bunch of boneheads – great to hear the latest news with Sony and it’s 4K system rollout, but talk about flip flopping, DLP, IMAX-Digital, REAL-D and now Sony… jeesh make up your flippin' minds (?!)
I’m sorry I’m a broken record regarding this topic, but everytime I read some new news blurb about AMC and it’s scatterbrained plans on digital conversion of it’s theatres, it always doesn’t include Tysons or really any of the other DC/VA/Maryland theatres in it’s chain.
“According to the LF Examiner website (LF=Large Format), Rockaway 16 is now scheduled for a flat screen IMAX 3D system for June 30, 2009. We’re listed as a future theater which may not open on time or at all. Here we go again! Check it out… http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm#NY
Rockaway 16 is listed under NY, not NJ.
posted by JJD on Mar 25, 2009 at 6:22pm” (FROM AMC ROCKAWAY 16)
well, according to ‘that’ list Tyson’s should have it’s IMAX-Digital up and running by now… there’s no reason why AMC hasn’t made it mind up or not if Tysons is getting such a system. I’m really livid at AMC for not making a definitive decision on this matter. They are losing my money considering I’ve been running over to Hoffman everytime a movie debuts on their IMAX-Digital screen.
“According to the LF Examiner website (LF=Large Format), Rockaway 16 is now scheduled for a flat screen IMAX 3D system for June 30, 2009. We’re listed as a future theater which may not open on time or at all. Here we go again! Check it out… http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm#NY
Rockaway 16 is listed under NY, not NJ.
posted by JJD on Mar 25, 2009 at 6:22pm”
and yet that list also mentions AMC Tysons Corner has having it’s IMAX screen up and running as of last month – that never happened. AMC is being vague on when or even if Tyson’s is getting it’s promised IMAX-Digital screen, a response of ‘sometime in the summer’ is a chincy way of AMC being non-committed/hypocritical of what they promise theatregoers.
but also IMAX-Digital screens can also project 2K DLP ‘films’ – but yes, REAL-D systems are much cheaper than IMAX-Digital 3D, it just seems that AMC can’t seem to think straight or figure out what they want to do in regards to the digital conversion of their theatres. Pick a system and stick with it.
“Breaking news…apparently AMC is going to add RealD in some of its theaters…. View link
posted by Justin Fencsak on Mar 26, 2009 at 10:28am”
so which is it AMC?: their objectives seem to change with the wind, national rollout of DLP digital projection (hmm that stalled)… AMC installing IMAX-Digital to more theatres, uh…strike two… AMC and RealD, it comes full circle… well which? Get your priorities sorted AMC, what a cluster[expletive].
I remember reading the time when AMC were all gun ho and going to do a massive National roll out of DLP units, that never happened and with the current state of the recession, I’m surprised that AMC is all excited about RealD – I’ll believe it when I see it, my neighborhood AMC should be among the next wave of AMC theatres to be upgraded [‘I’m waiting’ taps fingers on desk]
back on a tech question, what movies where shown in 8-channel Sony Dynamic Digital Sound when the Senator had that system for a while, as I recall (since I saw these there):
Sense and Sensibility
Immortal Beloved
what others? I think
Godzilla (remake) (didn’t extra bass speakers were added for this engagement?)
it’s too bad, the system came and went since that’s what really drew me to make treks up to Baltimore from DC. It would have made sense to keep it since it used the five channel front speakers in 70mm prints. Who ever submitted the info to Wikipedia about the Senator missed this technical sound aspect.
comparing Mazza to the relatively newer Tysons Corner cineplex I figured out what I can’t stand about the former – the drink holder part of the seat is too close to one’s fore arm, and it’s not comfortable (at all) in my opinion.
Either it’s the movies or it seems like the sound levels in Auditorium #1 are raised – both ‘The Soloist’ and ‘Wolverine’ sounded great with both effective 5.1 soundmixes. Unfortunately the 35mm (mass produced) print of ‘Wolverine’ had problems – there were waves in the print, not that the projector could have fixed this, but I’m looking forward to this not being the case when Sony intalls it’s proposed Sony 4K systems nationally (of course I could have trekked down to Georgetown where the only DC engagement of ‘Wolverine’ is presented digitally)
what’s the deal here, I get the sense that the IMAX-Digital conversion has come to a stall – the Tysons' location is now in doubt and I gather isn’t going to happen, has the recession affected other AMC theatres that were part of the overall national installation plan?
while I was there for a Saturday screening of ‘Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past’ I enquired about the IMAX-Digital screen – well I got an even more vague answer as if to suggest the installation plan is now dead in the water.
just itchin' for my copy to arrive
AMC and Cinemark? oh please no…
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
not to digress regarding the Rockaway, but I believe all the pre-release festival showing of ‘Battle for Terra’ (originally just ‘Terra’) were not 3D, I saw this at last Fall’s Virginia Film Festival, and enjoyed it.
at the six dollar matinee of ‘Observe and Report’ at Tysons (10am) there were a total of 4 people, me included…
I think this article I found online suggests that Sony is asking studios to output/distribute 4K based product for their systems (according to Sony literature Warner Bros. is also included in the deal but not listed here):
Sony Electronics’ Digital Cinema Solutions and Services (DCSS) group has entered into a non-exclusive digital cinema deployment agreement with Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. The companies will work together to provide operational and financial resources to exhibitors that encourage them to feature Sony’s 4K SXRD™ projection technology in both 2D and 3D digital cinema-enabled screens across North America and Europe.
Sony’s digital cinema group has now signed digital cinema deployment agreements with four major studios: Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Disney continues to be very excited about the possibilities of digital cinema, and has long supported new technologies that give moviegoers the best possible theatrical experience, and provide a wide range of benefits to our partners in exhibition,” said Anthony Marcoly, president, sales and distribution, for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International. “We’re pleased to be working with Sony’s Digital Cinema Solutions and Services group in deploying this advanced technology and finding new ways to help theater owners upgrade their equipment economically and efficiently. Sony’s 4K projection system offers magnificent state-of-the-art technology, and gives theaters the flexibility for high-quality 2D playback as well as the increasingly important ability to display spectacular 3D productions.â€
He added that, “With 17 3D feature films in the Disney pipeline, ranging from great animated fare to fantastic live-action epics, we believe that 3D exhibition and digital cinema are vitally important to the future of moviegoing."
The Sony DCSS group was formed to provide turn-key solutions for exhibitors, enabling them to efficiently convert their operations to digital technology. In addition to digital projection system deployment, the DCSS group will offer installation and maintenance services, customized solutions, delivery of alternative content programming, and high-level service support.
“Walt Disney Studios is known for its innovative and pioneering work throughout the history of cinema,†said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Sony’s DCSS group. “It’s only natural that they are among the studios on the forefront of our industry’s move toward 4K digital technology, and we are truly excited to be working with them.â€
Sony’s 4K SXRD projection technology will also support the deployment of alternative content â€" including gaming, sporting events and music concerts â€" in order to develop more revenue-generating opportunities for exhibitors. (LAS VEGAS (ShoWest)â€"Mar 31, 2009)
Last weekend “Stop Making Sense"
rocked The Senator!
It’s The Same as it Ever Was!
This Friday, April 17th & Saturday, April 18th it's
Back By Popular Demand For Encore Presentations
Friday & Saturday only at 9:00pm.
Relive The Senator’s legendary 1984 engagement on
the big screen, cranked up with state-of-the-art sound!
A Jonathan Demme Film
(1984)
“One of the greatest rock movies ever made."
Leonard Maltin
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Stay over for “Secret World Live” at no extra cost.
An innovative concert movie for the rock group The Talking Heads.
Starts Friday, April 17th @ The Senator
Friday & Saturday 10:30pm
A Francois Girard Film
Peter Gabriel
Secret World Live
(1994)
Featuring:
Come Talk to Me | Steam | Across the River | Slow Marimbas
Shaking the Tree | Blood of Eden | San Jacinto | Red Raid
Kiss That Frog | Washing of the Water | Solsbury Hill
Digging in the Dirt | Sledgehammer | Big Time
Secret World | Don’t Give Up | In Your Eyes
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Saturday, April 18th & Sunday, April 19th
@ The Senator Theatre
The Senator Theatre
& The Belvedere Improvement Association
Present
The 14th Annual
Belvedere SpringFest
An Earth Day Celebration
Featuring
BARAKA
(90min)
BARAKA (an ancient Sufi word for the essence of life) took filmmakers
to 24 countries on a worldwide 14 month odyssey capturing breathtaking
images to tell the story of earth’s evolution, human culture
diversity,
and humankind’s ecological impact on the earth. BARAKA is a
stunning visual and auditory masterpiece when presented on
the big screen at “Baltimore’s Premiere Showplace.”
Admission is FREE
(Donations appreciated)
12:00 – 1:00pm (SATURDAY ONLY) :
We’re “Drumming up Support” for The Senator with a one-hour drum jam.
(Bring your own drums and shakers, or use ours!)
1:00 – 2:45pm (SATURDAY & SUNDAY):
BARAKA showtime for Saturday & Sunday is 1:00pm.
Monterey Pop
Saturday & Sunday only at 2:45pm
Filmed at the Monterey International Pop Festival
A D.A. Pennebaker Film
(1968)
Performances by:
Scott McKenzie, The Mamas & The Papas, Canned Heat,
Simon & Garfunkel, Hugh Masekela, Jefferson Airplane, The Who,
Big Brother & The Holding Company, Country Joe & The Fish,
Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Ravi Shankar & Janis Joplin
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
Stay over to see “HELP!” at no extra cost
A documentary of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, focusing on the
audience as
well as performances by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin &
The Who.
HELP!
Stop worrying! HELP! is on the way!
Saturday & Sunday only at 4:15pm
A Richard Lester Film
(1965)
Featuring: The Beatles
“Recession Buster” Admission is $5
~
they aint first run, but wow, what a selection of movies! Anyone know if ‘Baraka’ will be 35mm or 70mm?
I actually loved the Sony Hot Ticket presentations: Cirque De Soleil and ‘Rent’ – will they be doing any thing in the near future??
I think the fact that Sony added their own 3D systems (as of last month)sealed the deal – REAL-D (3D) was 2k technology, Sony with 4k resolution and 3D was the obvious superior choice.
this sounds too good to be true… now let’s see what studios will actually distribute 4K based content/movies. So far only Sony and Warners Bros. have committed to release actual 4K harddrives of certain movies. Converting to “all digital” seems a bit premature, considering not all the studios are releasing everything digitally (i.e, the independent studios).
well let’s see if AMC can hook up Sony’s digital system and display an image on the curved 70 foot screen at the Uptown Theatre here in Washington DC – that will be the real test.
Hah! AMC are a bunch of boneheads – great to hear the latest news with Sony and it’s 4K system rollout, but talk about flip flopping, DLP, IMAX-Digital, REAL-D and now Sony… jeesh make up your flippin' minds (?!)
Kansas?
I’m sorry I’m a broken record regarding this topic, but everytime I read some new news blurb about AMC and it’s scatterbrained plans on digital conversion of it’s theatres, it always doesn’t include Tysons or really any of the other DC/VA/Maryland theatres in it’s chain.
“According to the LF Examiner website (LF=Large Format), Rockaway 16 is now scheduled for a flat screen IMAX 3D system for June 30, 2009. We’re listed as a future theater which may not open on time or at all. Here we go again! Check it out…
http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm#NY
Rockaway 16 is listed under NY, not NJ.
posted by JJD on Mar 25, 2009 at 6:22pm” (FROM AMC ROCKAWAY 16)
well, according to ‘that’ list Tyson’s should have it’s IMAX-Digital up and running by now… there’s no reason why AMC hasn’t made it mind up or not if Tysons is getting such a system. I’m really livid at AMC for not making a definitive decision on this matter. They are losing my money considering I’ve been running over to Hoffman everytime a movie debuts on their IMAX-Digital screen.
“According to the LF Examiner website (LF=Large Format), Rockaway 16 is now scheduled for a flat screen IMAX 3D system for June 30, 2009. We’re listed as a future theater which may not open on time or at all. Here we go again! Check it out…
http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm#NY
Rockaway 16 is listed under NY, not NJ.
posted by JJD on Mar 25, 2009 at 6:22pm”
and yet that list also mentions AMC Tysons Corner has having it’s IMAX screen up and running as of last month – that never happened. AMC is being vague on when or even if Tyson’s is getting it’s promised IMAX-Digital screen, a response of ‘sometime in the summer’ is a chincy way of AMC being non-committed/hypocritical of what they promise theatregoers.
but also IMAX-Digital screens can also project 2K DLP ‘films’ – but yes, REAL-D systems are much cheaper than IMAX-Digital 3D, it just seems that AMC can’t seem to think straight or figure out what they want to do in regards to the digital conversion of their theatres. Pick a system and stick with it.
“Breaking news…apparently AMC is going to add RealD in some of its theaters….
View link
posted by Justin Fencsak on Mar 26, 2009 at 10:28am”
so which is it AMC?: their objectives seem to change with the wind, national rollout of DLP digital projection (hmm that stalled)… AMC installing IMAX-Digital to more theatres, uh…strike two… AMC and RealD, it comes full circle… well which? Get your priorities sorted AMC, what a cluster[expletive].
I remember reading the time when AMC were all gun ho and going to do a massive National roll out of DLP units, that never happened and with the current state of the recession, I’m surprised that AMC is all excited about RealD – I’ll believe it when I see it, my neighborhood AMC should be among the next wave of AMC theatres to be upgraded [‘I’m waiting’ taps fingers on desk]
actually I’m answering my own question – I found out it’s Hagerstown Maryland.
where’s the new Costo?
back on a tech question, what movies where shown in 8-channel Sony Dynamic Digital Sound when the Senator had that system for a while, as I recall (since I saw these there):
what others? I think
it’s too bad, the system came and went since that’s what really drew me to make treks up to Baltimore from DC. It would have made sense to keep it since it used the five channel front speakers in 70mm prints. Who ever submitted the info to Wikipedia about the Senator missed this technical sound aspect.
Jodar is there a ‘new’ Muvico opening in soutthern, Maryland, where? I know there’s one opening in Virginia in late spring/early summer