I’m really confused – so what you’re saying tricky5500 is that there are no 4K units on the market? LA Weekly’s Paul Malcolm states the the 4k restoration of ‘Dr Strangelove’ is also being presented as such (4k projection) at Landmark’s new West LA theatre. I agree it doesn’t make a whole bunch of sense for the mass installation of 2K systems when 4K units are slowly being made available. Depending on what the fate of DC’s Uptown theatre come next Spring (when their lease is up and if another theatre chain steps up to the plate) a 4K DLP system should be paramount and essential to it’s commercial viability – it’s the only theatre of its size on the East Coast that doesn’t have a DLP system.
Next year should also be interesting when IMAX debuts its digital system (wonder if that can rival or exceed IMAX 65mm resolution??)
I agree with you Roadshow – the 70mm presentations I’ve recently seen, ‘Playtime’ ‘Hello Dolly!’ were jawdropping in it’s clarity and psuedo 3D look – at it’s best the image looked like you looking out through a window.
Actually I disagree with you JodarMovieFan. Just looking at their website, there are quite a few titles that DC hasn’t or will like not get with so few screens at the current two Landmark theatres. Movies at the ever popular Bethesda location don’t change for months. A Landmark theatre at that location is perfect for the American University students and those who don’t like to fight parking in Georgetown or downtown. Landmark could also easily add DLP units in the two former larger auditoriums (6 and 7) as well as book more mainstream popular films. Just perusing the current list of films from their website, this could include: 28 Weeks Later, Evan Almighty, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Mr. Brooks, Ocean’s Thirteen, et al (all of which will be released in the DLP format) Add a DLP-3D screen and the masses will flock (I’d go).
I find it very unfortunate that Visions Cinema Bistro Lounge couldn’t keep afloat.. granted that the person running it didn’t know one thing about operating a theatre. The staff was also quite unpleasent and incompetent. Visions was definately a much needed independent theatre booking and showing very ecletic movies (think Chicago’s Facet’s theatre) – with dozens of indie films/foreign completely bypassing the DC film scene altogether now, and with both of Landmark’s theatres, AFI Silver and the Avalon picking and choosing more discriminantly, I now miss what was Visions had shown, and “could be” shown if Visions were still around.
I saw this over at both Regal Rockville (MD) and AMC Tyson’s Corner (VA) theaters – between the two I had different reactions to the systems. For some reason, I thought the 3D effects were better implemented at the Regal, however the auditorium at the Regal they chose to upgrade is on the small size – which I thought was a big negative. Tyson’s Corner on the other hand had the larger screen and more immersive surround sound.
off comment:
I was bit peeved Regal didn’t convert one of the downtown Gallery Place auditoriums to feature ‘Meet the Robinsons’ in Digital 3D. I’m hoping the 3D-animated film ‘Beowulf’ can be seen downtown as such. Since it’s far easier to trek downtown on the subway than go into Georgetown where currently is DC’s only 3D system.
I agree once DLP systems began sprouting up at more newer theatres like AMC’s Tyson’s Corner and three systems over at National Amusement’s Cinema De Lux theatre (with stadium seating) I haven’t been back since. The Merrifield theatre chairs are hideous – loud and uncomfortable. Even their one DLP equipped auditorium was a total letdown, the surround sound always seemed set way too low, and a rather average size screen didn’t help immerse yourself into the film. I’m really kind of surprised that this theatre is still standing.
Landmark’s E Street has a DLP system, but I’m not sure if it’s 4K. There is a Sony 4K system over at the National Geographic Society auditorium.
I thought the Arclight system was a Sony 4K system. But according to a trade advertisement I saw the Arclight, Ziegfeld, the Fox theatre in Atlanta systems (as well as a few others) are NEC systems – are they 4k or 2K? What system is at Seattle’s Cinerama theatre, is that 4K?
what’s up with this theatre? I thought there was mention/rumour that it would reopen after the adjacent new apartments were completed as a complex for ‘live theatre’/touring productions like ‘Blue Man Group’.
a read a news story from last year that the theatre was running into some risk that they might be able to remain open. I guess that was solved – it’s too bad that the only time I go to this theatre, it’s for the annual Reel Affirmations Film Festival in the Fall. Whoever the booker is, needs to find a way to get more diverse live acts/bands to perform there.
a Landmark Theatre would be perfect for this location since DC is rather sparse on the foreign/indie film. I know the owner expressed interest that another chain reopen this theatre although I think Fannie Mae has dibs on the space.
Piddy, what’s your source of info on AMC not renewing it’s lease on the Uptown? It will be interesting to see if any major theatre chain will step up to the plate in keeping this Washington DC landmark open. If not, I would find it essential an organization like the Avalon’s ‘Avalon Theatre Project’ be created for the Uptown. One thing that is paramount for patron’s like myself, would be if the Uptown actually had digital projection. Theatres like the Ziegfeld, the Arclight, Seattle’s Cinerama have displayed that DLP can work on huge screens – for the Uptown not to be outfitted as such, would be counterintuitive in delivering the best digital projection can provide.
“Posted at 07:39 AM ET, 10/31/2006
The Tragedy of the Dying Movie Houses
The roster of Washington area movie theaters shut down in the last few years is already depressing: the Biograph, Key, Cerberus, Fine Arts, Janus, Visions, Inner Circle, Outer Circle, Cinema, Jenifer, MacArthur, Paris, Studio, Tenley, and West End theaters closed, most of them to make way for CVS drug stores or to sit empty for year after year.
Now add two more to the list of the lost: In the suburbs, one of the last of the second-run theaters, the Premier Cinemas at Jumpers in Pasadena in Anne Arundel County, shut its doors on Sunday, a victim of changing moviegoing habits and an inability to afford the new digital screening technology. And in the District, the Loews Wisconsin Avenue in upper Northwest is next to go, a victim of the merger between the Loews and AMC chains. Insiders say it will shut its doors at the end of November.
And while there’s no official word, projectionists and other local movie industry workers are hearing more and more gloomy rumors about the future of the region’s grandest remaining movie house, the Uptown in Cleveland Park. If its days are numbered too, that calls for a popular uprising even more vociferous than that which eventually saved the Avalon in Chevy Chase.
The culprits for all those losses: Home video, the multiplexing of American movie houses, the insatiable spread of CVS, and the decline of the second-run and repertory formats.
The replacements: The AFI Silver, the Landmark art houses on E Street and in Bethesda, and the Loews complex in Georgetown.
Net loss: Huge, especially in Dupont Circle, the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in upper Northwest, and Georgetown.
Moviegoing at the 4000 Wisconsin was never a spectacular experience; the place is among the better of the 1980s theaters, but that’s not saying much. The walls are too thin, the sound bleeds from one theater to the next, several of the boxes are way too small—but there are decent-sized screens and even advanced sound and projection systems in the two largest theaters in the multiplex. But this is a case of Loews wanting to push business to its new Georgetown complex and of the landlord, Fannie Mae, never having been all that thrilled about having the unwashed public wandering through its corporate headquarters, according to workers at the theater.
Can and should the Uptown be saved?"
The thought of The Uptown closing is and would be truly terrible loss for the city. If and when AMC closes the theatre I hope there is enough public/private support to continue this theatre as Chevy Chase did with the Avalon.
I’m really confused – so what you’re saying tricky5500 is that there are no 4K units on the market? LA Weekly’s Paul Malcolm states the the 4k restoration of ‘Dr Strangelove’ is also being presented as such (4k projection) at Landmark’s new West LA theatre. I agree it doesn’t make a whole bunch of sense for the mass installation of 2K systems when 4K units are slowly being made available. Depending on what the fate of DC’s Uptown theatre come next Spring (when their lease is up and if another theatre chain steps up to the plate) a 4K DLP system should be paramount and essential to it’s commercial viability – it’s the only theatre of its size on the East Coast that doesn’t have a DLP system.
Next year should also be interesting when IMAX debuts its digital system (wonder if that can rival or exceed IMAX 65mm resolution??)
I agree with you Roadshow – the 70mm presentations I’ve recently seen, ‘Playtime’ ‘Hello Dolly!’ were jawdropping in it’s clarity and psuedo 3D look – at it’s best the image looked like you looking out through a window.
question: the Senator can playbak 35mm and 70mm but does not have a DLP system, correct?
Actually I disagree with you JodarMovieFan. Just looking at their website, there are quite a few titles that DC hasn’t or will like not get with so few screens at the current two Landmark theatres. Movies at the ever popular Bethesda location don’t change for months. A Landmark theatre at that location is perfect for the American University students and those who don’t like to fight parking in Georgetown or downtown. Landmark could also easily add DLP units in the two former larger auditoriums (6 and 7) as well as book more mainstream popular films. Just perusing the current list of films from their website, this could include: 28 Weeks Later, Evan Almighty, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Mr. Brooks, Ocean’s Thirteen, et al (all of which will be released in the DLP format) Add a DLP-3D screen and the masses will flock (I’d go).
I find it very unfortunate that Visions Cinema Bistro Lounge couldn’t keep afloat.. granted that the person running it didn’t know one thing about operating a theatre. The staff was also quite unpleasent and incompetent. Visions was definately a much needed independent theatre booking and showing very ecletic movies (think Chicago’s Facet’s theatre) – with dozens of indie films/foreign completely bypassing the DC film scene altogether now, and with both of Landmark’s theatres, AFI Silver and the Avalon picking and choosing more discriminantly, I now miss what was Visions had shown, and “could be” shown if Visions were still around.
I saw this over at both Regal Rockville (MD) and AMC Tyson’s Corner (VA) theaters – between the two I had different reactions to the systems. For some reason, I thought the 3D effects were better implemented at the Regal, however the auditorium at the Regal they chose to upgrade is on the small size – which I thought was a big negative. Tyson’s Corner on the other hand had the larger screen and more immersive surround sound.
off comment:
I was bit peeved Regal didn’t convert one of the downtown Gallery Place auditoriums to feature ‘Meet the Robinsons’ in Digital 3D. I’m hoping the 3D-animated film ‘Beowulf’ can be seen downtown as such. Since it’s far easier to trek downtown on the subway than go into Georgetown where currently is DC’s only 3D system.
I agree once DLP systems began sprouting up at more newer theatres like AMC’s Tyson’s Corner and three systems over at National Amusement’s Cinema De Lux theatre (with stadium seating) I haven’t been back since. The Merrifield theatre chairs are hideous – loud and uncomfortable. Even their one DLP equipped auditorium was a total letdown, the surround sound always seemed set way too low, and a rather average size screen didn’t help immerse yourself into the film. I’m really kind of surprised that this theatre is still standing.
I thought I had read that Sony demo'ed it’s new 4K system for ‘The DaVinci Code’s run at the Dome.
wish the Uptown theatre had a DLP system… (sigh) guess I’ll catch it in digital over in Georgetown.
Landmark’s E Street has a DLP system, but I’m not sure if it’s 4K. There is a Sony 4K system over at the National Geographic Society auditorium.
I thought the Arclight system was a Sony 4K system. But according to a trade advertisement I saw the Arclight, Ziegfeld, the Fox theatre in Atlanta systems (as well as a few others) are NEC systems – are they 4k or 2K? What system is at Seattle’s Cinerama theatre, is that 4K?
what’s up with this theatre? I thought there was mention/rumour that it would reopen after the adjacent new apartments were completed as a complex for ‘live theatre’/touring productions like ‘Blue Man Group’.
a read a news story from last year that the theatre was running into some risk that they might be able to remain open. I guess that was solved – it’s too bad that the only time I go to this theatre, it’s for the annual Reel Affirmations Film Festival in the Fall. Whoever the booker is, needs to find a way to get more diverse live acts/bands to perform there.
a Landmark Theatre would be perfect for this location since DC is rather sparse on the foreign/indie film. I know the owner expressed interest that another chain reopen this theatre although I think Fannie Mae has dibs on the space.
as other members have noted, yes the Atlas Theatre has reopened but not as a film venue.
Piddy, what’s your source of info on AMC not renewing it’s lease on the Uptown? It will be interesting to see if any major theatre chain will step up to the plate in keeping this Washington DC landmark open. If not, I would find it essential an organization like the Avalon’s ‘Avalon Theatre Project’ be created for the Uptown. One thing that is paramount for patron’s like myself, would be if the Uptown actually had digital projection. Theatres like the Ziegfeld, the Arclight, Seattle’s Cinerama have displayed that DLP can work on huge screens – for the Uptown not to be outfitted as such, would be counterintuitive in delivering the best digital projection can provide.
according to Washington Post’s Marc Fisher:
“Posted at 07:39 AM ET, 10/31/2006
The Tragedy of the Dying Movie Houses
The roster of Washington area movie theaters shut down in the last few years is already depressing: the Biograph, Key, Cerberus, Fine Arts, Janus, Visions, Inner Circle, Outer Circle, Cinema, Jenifer, MacArthur, Paris, Studio, Tenley, and West End theaters closed, most of them to make way for CVS drug stores or to sit empty for year after year.
Now add two more to the list of the lost: In the suburbs, one of the last of the second-run theaters, the Premier Cinemas at Jumpers in Pasadena in Anne Arundel County, shut its doors on Sunday, a victim of changing moviegoing habits and an inability to afford the new digital screening technology. And in the District, the Loews Wisconsin Avenue in upper Northwest is next to go, a victim of the merger between the Loews and AMC chains. Insiders say it will shut its doors at the end of November.
And while there’s no official word, projectionists and other local movie industry workers are hearing more and more gloomy rumors about the future of the region’s grandest remaining movie house, the Uptown in Cleveland Park. If its days are numbered too, that calls for a popular uprising even more vociferous than that which eventually saved the Avalon in Chevy Chase.
The culprits for all those losses: Home video, the multiplexing of American movie houses, the insatiable spread of CVS, and the decline of the second-run and repertory formats.
The replacements: The AFI Silver, the Landmark art houses on E Street and in Bethesda, and the Loews complex in Georgetown.
Net loss: Huge, especially in Dupont Circle, the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in upper Northwest, and Georgetown.
Moviegoing at the 4000 Wisconsin was never a spectacular experience; the place is among the better of the 1980s theaters, but that’s not saying much. The walls are too thin, the sound bleeds from one theater to the next, several of the boxes are way too small—but there are decent-sized screens and even advanced sound and projection systems in the two largest theaters in the multiplex. But this is a case of Loews wanting to push business to its new Georgetown complex and of the landlord, Fannie Mae, never having been all that thrilled about having the unwashed public wandering through its corporate headquarters, according to workers at the theater.
Can and should the Uptown be saved?"
The thought of The Uptown closing is and would be truly terrible loss for the city. If and when AMC closes the theatre I hope there is enough public/private support to continue this theatre as Chevy Chase did with the Avalon.