MacArthur Theater

Steve, by now you must think I’m hallucinating exteriors and curtains. However, I’ve not actually been to the Fairfax Square, so I didn’t realize there isn’t an exterior. I am, however, thinking about the Fine Arts curtain….where I did see movies.

I created it earlier today:
/theaters/20626/

And, this one, which needs somebody to photograph it real soon! (exterior, and if somebody can, lobby and and a large auditorium)
/theaters/20638/

JodarMovieFan, the community was really upset, which is especially ironic considered how apprehensive they were that a movie theater was going to open back in 1946.

I’ve searched flickr for photos, but none. Can’t somebody photo its exterior?

My 1995 notes are that MacArthur’s 2 small screens, both from in the sides of the auditorium but not all the way to the front, were maybe each about 20 feet wide. The middle auditorium with original Proscenium Arch (screen) had about 500 seats, a stage, and orange curtain that was used before the screen (whereas the vertical curtains in the small auds were no longer used in 1995) and screen that looked like 40 feet wide. There were 25 rows of 2 seats, 13, 2 more, and then additional seats in front of that configuration. Each auditorium had a tiny balcony of 12 seats. There weren’t any bothersome (glaring) lights or exit signs near the screen. I saw John Boorman’s Beyond Rangoon that day, which was beautifully filmed; in 1998, I saw his Hope and Glory but possibly in one of the small screens.

JodarMovieFan, why don’t you post some memories of the Cinema on that page? I saw Empire of the Sun in 70 mm there. I’ve been the only one posting on that page, and that theater deserves way more!

Given the fact that the CVS selling floor occupies the old theater’s lobby space, perhaps the theater part could come back again. It would be an odd combo walking into the theater through a drug store but hey, wouldn’t it be great to have the place showing movies again?

Howard, I never knew about the write-in campaign. I’m surprised Cineplex Oden still decided to close it. I think part of the problem was getting exclusives to show here. I remember they had Star Trek IV advertised in 4 track Mag Stereo, but I preferred to see it in 70mm and THX at the then new Multiplex Cinemas in Virginia. Empire of the Sun played in 70mm at the Cinema, whereas it could have played here. Same with Roger Rabbit, which played at the Uptown in ‘88, Batman and Star Trek V at Wisconsin Ave.

3-23-1997 Washington Post article (page C-2) stated this theater would closed, despite 5000 petition signatures from the community wishing it to continue showing movies. The article says the theater, which opened 12-25-1946, had met with community protest before it opened! The article said that KB & Warner Brothers ran the theater, but in the early 1950’s, WB departed. KB made much money back then, in 1952 with Best of British movies, such as Peter Sellers comedies, dramas with Alec Guiness, Lawrence Oliver. It then had a 2nd floor lounge, assigned seats, ushers, candy but no popcorn. In the mid 1960’s it became 1st run, previously having served a nabe theater ike KBs Naylor, Princess, Atlas, Senator, Apex (and also Ontario, Calvert). In 1981, KB proposed demolition, to build an office building. In 1982 it became a Circle theater, with 2 more screens created within the original auditorium. However, since the 1987 sale of Circle to Cineplex Odeon, Cineplex Odeon lost money operating it.

Ahhh Steve. You’re the one I can thank for many years of experiencing cinema at some of my favorite DC venues like the MacArthur, Langley and Uptown, etc etc.

To add to my post above, my school buds and I saw Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan opening show, on opening day. My friends and I tried to stay back for the second show by hiding in the mens restroom..and almost succeeded until an Usher came in to inspect the place and we were almost caught. Instead of just going home, I bought my friends tickets and went to the back of the very long line to see it again. This time, we sat right smack in the front row to almost become part of the adventure with the crew of the Enterprise. This particular showing was more enjoyable as there were a lot more people to fill the theater with and they were a lot more alive than the first one.

Being a part of and observing an audience reaction to the right mix of sound and picture is something to experience. Not just the cheering and clapping but things like when in this movie Khan released those ceti eels to the shreiking jump of James Horner score..then Chekov and Terell scream…there was always a few women who would also shriek during that scene. Then there was that fish-out-of-water shot of the Reliant leaping up and over the Enterprise filling up the screen
accompanied by that subwoofer rrruuummble. So cool. My favorite sound effect/experience from the movie was a quiet one. The scene where Kirk and the landing party beam down to the Genesis cave, there is this momentary silence. Then there is a sound of a bolt dropping and then rapidly bounces on the floor. The sound is quick, distinct but heard in the rear right of the theater. I noticed heads turning back, foolishly, as if there was actually something THERE.

If there was one thing that bugged me about this presentation and many other 70mm of this time period was the grain. I know that the movie was NOT shot in 65mm and this and others during the 80s are blow ups from 35mm. It shows on screen, but the 6-track sound is oh so marvelous.

I do remember seeing Arch Campbell sitting in the back row wearing a hat. He was chatting up with some other patrons but I did not feel comfortable (being a geeky teen) enough to approach him. Even though the audience thoroughly enjoyed the movie, his rating later that night was only 2 stars or something and from then on, I never had much respect for the guy as a reviewer.

Of all the closed DC big screen venues, I wish this one comes back someday.

I was the manager during the first Star Trek (we had the World Premier as well) film, where we filled the joint up for the first 2 weeks, every show, everyday. KB Theatres ran it and it had some characters. Most of the older employers claim it was haunted and never went into the theatre alone. When I moved back to DC in 1982, I managed it again when REDS played there. There was probably no theatre anywhere that had so many politicians seeign movies there. And they were regulars.
By the way, the joint was indeed haunted.

photo & memories at this link:
View link

I was in the neighborhood last week and had to stop by and see how CVS redid the interior of the old theater. The marquee, box office and foyer are left intact but after that everything is what you’d expect from what CVS drugstore would look like.

The actual selling floor space does not make use of the entire theater. What was the balcony area seems to have been made into management offices. Beyond the store, there must be a large storage area going back towards where the screen(s) were.

I saw TOTAL RECALL here, it was a great theatre with very friendly management. Sad to see it go.

I remember seeing Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan in 70mm and being awestruck by the presentation as it was the only theater in DC that had it there in that format. It was during this time, I began to enjoy seeing movies in the largest and best venues, travelling almost any distance (from MD where I lived) to the best around town. The theater was remodeled that year, becoming a triplex and adding small balconies and reopened with The Dark Crystal (also in 70mm). When I saw Brainstorm there (in ‘83), I noticed that some of the speakers were blown as when some scenes went from 35mm mono to 70mm 6-track, there was a definite crackling sound in the middle part of the theater. The Return of the Jedi (70mm) was an event as the film was sold out and Auditorium 2 (the biggest one) was filled to capacity as people oohed, ahhed, cheered and booed to what was happening on screen. Even the smaller auditoriums had decent Dolby surround sound and balconies. I saw Flashdance in '83 (for the third time) and was impressed with the surround sound and even the curtains opening for the show!

During the 90s, the theater didn’t book any 70mm event films and I stopped going there. The last film I remember seeing there was Total Recall back in ‘90. I was sad to hear that it was closing back in '97. Its too bad there wasn’t enough support to keep CVS from taking it over. I’m surprised that given the rather affluent neighborhood, there wasn’t enough financial support to keep it a local theater much like the Avalon, also in DC.

I never had the privilege of visiting this theatre during its hey days, but I have had the privilege to purchase discount band-aids here. It’s sad to stand in the middle of the store and look up at its vaulted ceiling and projection booth, seeing what became of a classic theatre. At least they have maintained the original doors, marble floor at the entrance, ticket booth (inoperational) and poster cases outside, complete with old movie posters, and they still light the big neon signs at night, with the CVS sign lower, just above the door, in place of the marquee.

The McArthur Theatre was located at 4859 MacArthur Blvd..