Century Plaza Cinemas
2040 Avenue of the Stars,
Los Angeles,
CA
90067
2040 Avenue of the Stars,
Los Angeles,
CA
90067
23 people
favorited this theater
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One of the things I loved about this theater was it’s so beautiful, it even made going to lesser movies an event. I couldn’t tolerate Alien 3, Diabolique (the remake), Flesh And Bone, and several others in a cheap theater, but at the Century Plaza they were still fun nights for me regardless of the quality of those films. And as for watching good or even great movies there, oh my God, I was in movie heaven. I’ll never forget watching the re-release of Blade Runner in 1992, after ten years of watching it on video I finally got to experience it in a great cinema. If only there was some way to save it from demolition sigh.
The Century Plaza had problems for many years because of the Westwood booking zone which wouldn’t play day and date with Century City. In later years AMC Century 14 was built and Century City could now play the same film as Westwood but the Century 14 had more booking muscle and a better location with free parking. The Century Plaza hosted many film premieres but wasn’t able to play the film they premiered. I liked the Century Plaza but it was very under used.It was built to host exclusive run films which was on the way out and never able to compete with Westwood and Century City 14.brucec
After the conversion to four screens the main screen (800 seat room) at the Century Plaza was 70MM THX Dolby Stereo equipped and the former main room was equipped for 70MM HPS-4000 Stereo and the two smaller rooms were equipped for 35mm HPS-4000 stereo. The HPS-4000 system still uses a Dolby Cinema processor.
After the conversion to four screens the main screen (800 seat room) at the Century Plaza was 70MM THX Dolby Stereo equipped and the former main room was equipped for 70MM HPS-4000 Stereo and the two smaller rooms were equipped for 35mm HPS-4000 stereo. The HPS-4000 system still uses a Dolby Cinema processor.
Room one and Room two were beautiful rooms, especially because they were NOT stadium seating. If I had won the big 200 or 300 million “Powerball” lottery I would have bought the ABC Entertainment Center (which the cinema was part of) and saved the theater. It’s a piece of history that will be sorely missed.
The Plitt Century Plaza engagement of “Star Wars” in 70MM 6 Track Dolby Stereo Sound started July 6th, 1977.
Opened in spring 1972 as a ABC theater. “Cabaret” was the first movie booked. It played in Theater #2, the larger of the two. The only way to access the auditorium was a steep flight of stairs. Many times we ushers had to lift and carry terrified wheel chaired bound patrons up and down those steps. Whoever was booking that placed had a rather difficult time finding anything to play in the smaller theater. The Movie of the Week “Brian’s Song” played there for a couple of weeks to consistent empty houses. A Orson Wells narrated documentary also was shown. I was part of the opening staff, my first job. Worked there a whole five months until they laid off the entire male staff. Two years later I received a settlement check from a class action suit from that. I saw “Jaws” there on opening day.
Regarding Bradley’s previous comment, “Star Wars' opened at the Avco in Westwood and Chinese in Hollywood.
This was a great theatre in the 70’s and Early 80’s. HUGE main auditorium with a walk up balcony. Event movies like JAWS, STAR WARS and THE RIGHT STUFF opened there. It was ruined by Cineplex Odeon in the late 80’s and is scheduled to close soon and be raised. :–(