Filmmaker Jason Reitman is working on a deal to take over Westwood’s historic Fox Village Theater in the next few weeks, Variety has confirmed. The approximately 1,375-seat theater has been listed for sale for the past year. Reitman is leading a group of other entertainment industry figures in the purchase, which was first reported by The Ankler’s Transom column.
It’s not known whether Reitman and his associates have plans to keep the venue as a first-run theater or to add additional screens.
Reitman, the director of “Juno” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” is currently at work on “SNL 1975,” a fictionalization of the iconic sketch show’s first broadcast. He’s also a producer on the upcoming “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”
The Fox Village, built in 1930, has hosted hundreds of premieres over the past 90 years, including Reitman’s own “Juno” (pictured above), “Licorice Pizza” and many others. Recently streaming services including Apple, Disney+ and Netflix have also hosted events for series and films there.
The location also includes a row of retail shops, including a Starbucks, and a parking lot. The distinctive Spanish mission revival -tyle building is topped by a 170-foot neon-lit tower, making it a beacon for filmgoers on the Westside of Los Angeles.
Though the large venue was massively popular with audiences for its first six decades, competition from modern multiplexes with adjacent parking and the downturn in Westwood Village’s foot traffic make it a somewhat challenging location, despite the large number of UCLA students in the area.
The Fox Village stands across from the much smaller 1937 Bruin Theatre, also run by Regency, which was immortalized in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
The Fox Village’s real estate listing, which did not list a price, called it a “Rare opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic assets in Westwood Village,” continuing, “This is a multi-generational asset which has not been previously made available for sale by the ownership adding to the uniqueness and rarity of the offering.”
Regency has run the Fox Village since 2010. It was designated as a historic-cultural monument in 1988.
The movie theater business apparently runs in the family, as Jason Reitman’s late father Ivan Reitman contributed the land and helped develop the building where TIFF’s Bell Lightbox Theater now stands.
The Los Angeles exhibition scene has seen numerous changes since the city was impacted by the COVID pandemic beginning in early 2020, including the closure of the Landmark Pico and the Cinerama Dome and Arclight Hollywood, which is reportedly set for a 2025 reopening.
Came here Sat the 28th to see EEAAO in Auditorium #1. The place looks great. The new recliners are quite comfortable, and the new laser projection looks great, but the best change is the addition of screen masking as it makes a big difference in the overall presentation. No commercials, just a few trailers. Regency is really doing presentation right. Love what they did here. Hopefully people will catch on and this place will be crowded again.
I visted this location last week for an IMAX showing of TG:Maverick. I gotta say, this place is cool. The other auditoriums in the complex are very generic but nice, however the IMAX theater is really one of the best newer IMAX builds I have seen.
When you enter the Laser IMAX auditorium, the handicapped aisle is almost at the top of the theater. There are 8 rows below the aisle and only 3 above it. I dont recall seeing this set up before at an IMAX. I sat in the last row of the bottom section and was blown away with how immersive this was. They have the overhead speakers (I think its 11.1?) and the huge IMAX logo on each side of the screens. Also, there is no exit door near the screen, so the screen fills up the entire wall. Its about 60 feet, with a nice curve to it, but with the dimensions of the theater is just feels larger. The seats do not recline as in the other auditoriums, but they are nice comfortable rockers. Really a nicely designed theater.
This is now open and from what I can tell, it seems they really did not do anything in terms of a remodel here. They even kept the same 25 year old crappy seats and the old carpet. They did nothing to update this theater which has the potential to be a wonderful location.
There is no large format, no laser and no recliners. I will head over this week to see if they added new screens, projectors and speakers.
This will be the AMC Northridge 10. It appears the opening date is July 15th with Thor LAT. The website is up on AMC. Per Google, there are a few images of the new remodel, including one of the auditoriums that have new seats! Not sure if they will get a Dolby or an IMAX, but they did have 2 large theaters with 60 foot screens, so hopefully its going to get a premium screen at some point.
CHATSWORTH, CA — Pacific Theatres Exhibition Corporation, the owner of Pacific Winnetka 12 movie theater in Chatsworth, announced Thursday it is filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy to liquidate assets from creditors.
BY KENAN DRAUGHORNE, RYAN FAUGHNDER
DEC. 17, 2021 3:30 PM PT
The Cinerama Dome and the attached theater complex formerly known as ArcLight Hollywood plans to reopen, two people familiar with the matter told The Times on Friday.
There was no timetable for a potential reopening date, although one source who was not authorized to comment publicly said it could be as early as next year.
The owner of the iconic venue, Decurion Corp., could not be reached for comment.
A public notice of application to sell alcoholic beverages was placed outside the dome Thursday, under the name DT Operator LLC. DT Operator is a holding company for Decurion Corporation.
Records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control show multiple permit applications were placed on Nov. 22, including permits for catering, a portable bar, events and a “general eating place.” All permits were still pending as of Friday.
The dome has been closed since the start of the pandemic. On April 12 of this year, Pacific Theatres announced it would not reopen the historic venue, or its other theaters, due to financial pressures caused by the pandemic.
“After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations,” Pacific Theatres said in a statement. “This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.”
Calls to save the Hollywood ArcLight were loud and long. AMC Entertainment previously said it was interested in buying cinema locations formerly operated by ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres. A spokesperson for the chain said Friday that AMC was not involved with the reopening.
The Cinerama Dome first opened in 1963. The venue survived a demolition scare in 1998, when a proposal by Pacific Theatres would have stripped the dome and replaced it with restaurants and a movie multiplex. However, fierce public opposition overpowered the effort and Pacific Theatres agreed to keep the location intact.
“There’s a reason every movie lover in L.A. is in mourning,” filmmaker Rian Johnson told The Times in April.
“If you lived in this town and loved movies, you’ve had life changing experiences in that complex,” Johnson said via email. “But more than that, it’s easy to forget how the ArcLight completely transformed the moviegoing experience: assigned seating, plush comfy chairs, no late entry to screenings, these were all considered wild and crazy ideas when they first opened. The ArcLight loved and respected movies, and you felt that from every person who worked there. This is a huge, huge loss.”
I finally made it out to this theater after the opening was pushed from 2019 to 2020 and then to 2021. There are two bigger theaters (Dolby Cinema and Prime) and 7 smaller ones in this complex.
We went to see In The Heights in the Dolby theater. It was a bit smaller than I would have liked to see. The screen is about 45 ish feet wide and they use those half recliner seats that make your legs go numb after a while. However, the image and sound was just spectacular. None of the speakers were lit up like at other Dolby Cinemas, and the Atmos array was really loud and noticeable.
I peaked into the other theaters and it seems like the Prime Screen might be a bit larger. The other auditoriums are smaller, and have decent screens, although none with masking and all Common Width. I would still venture out to Burbank or Hollywood for ‘event’ films to see on much larger screens, but to have a Dolby Cinema out in the west valley is an improvement for this part of LA.
Has anyone seen OUATIH here yet? Since it is in 70mm here, I wonder if they will use the entire screen and did they leave the curve intact with the image filling the bottom corners…..I am thinking of giving the Dome one last chance…..
Terrywade, you nailed it about the Dome. That screen is a joke since they installed the new laser projector. Also, they are only using about 64 feet of the 86 foot screen, and the way the bottom corners turn up take me out of the movie. I just stare at the screen and wonder why it looks so bad. I have not been here in years, and this was my absolute favorite in LA. Its a shame really. I have brought the curve up with Managers there and the response is that since the screen is so curved, this is better for viewing….ridiculous.
Came her Sunday 5.12 for the 11.30am showing of Endgame. The theater now boasts it as a THX Ultimate Theater. The changes are not that noticeable, but welcomed.
Sound: The sound is much more discreet, and not so much in your face. I always thought this theater had the best sound in LA (I know I am in the minority on that opinion=), and whatever they did for this upgrade improved an already impressive system. Real nice THX Ultimate trailer showed before the film.
They still use Dolby Atmos and show the trailer before the movie.
Picture: The picture is light years better then what it was. First off, the screen is bigger. Its maybe just a few feet wider, but there is no more room for the screen to get any larger. It appears they pulled it as wide as they could. The manager confirmed with me that the screen was replaced with a slightly larger screen.
The new laser projection was amazing.I previously saw this movie at a Dolby Cinema, and this was just as good if not better.
For $10.50 for a matinee, this theater is the best deal in town.
This theater (and the Topanga) was my go to local theater in the late 70’s early 80’s while I was in high school. In the fall of 1980 I won a Rocky Horror costume contest which gave me a free pass to this place for 1 year! Rocky was always playing the large yellow theater to the back right of the lobby. I ended up coming here at least twice a week that year. I would skip out of high school at lunch, and spend many afternoons just watching movie after movie.
The staff was so cool, they all knew I had the pass, and they let me go to whatever film I wanted even though it was for one film day. I remember that the “big” house had blue seats, was in the back left of the lobby had awesome sound and a decent screen. They showed 70 mm films and once I made my dad take me to see Alien here. We splurged and spent the extra .50 cents for the LOGE seats. From what I recall, the loge seats were the last 6 or show rows and the seats were somewhat nicer and might have rocked.
After my free pass expired, sadly I do not think I ever came back to this little place. I get sad when I drive by it on Canoga Ave and see the storage facility in its place.
IMAX with Laser has been installed. Seems to be the new single projector Laser system rolling out in existing AMC IMAX locations. I have not been able to get out to see it, but for $24!!! it is going to have to be something i really want to see.
It appears this location has installed IMAX with Laser in late 2018. This is their new multiplex single projector Laser system that is just rolling out to upgrade AMC and Regal’s existing IMAX locations.
The Avengers was filmed on the IMAX digital camera and was captured and shown in 1.90. It’s not really what we think of when we think of Imax. I think the only feature length film that was shot and projected in the 4:3 IMAX aspect ratio and on old school IMAX 70mm cameras was Dunkirk. But I even think Dunkirk used standard 70mm film for some shots.
They renovated this complex over the past year or so, and the outcome is fantastic. The 20 year old grimy seats have been replaced with recliners, but it works in these theaters. The 6 auditoriums have always been decent sizes, but they are wide enough to really make the recliners seem like it was built that way. They also replaced all speakers and the sound is awesome, and the images on the screen seem much brighter then the last time i came here. This is my new favorite place. Screens are the same size as the 16 plex one block away without those horrific crowds.
@mike it stopped being a 21plex summer of ‘16 when they replaced the seats. They opened just before the holidays with 13 total auditoriums. Makes no sense how they did it. However, I used to go here and there were 3 other people. Now with the reduced seat count most shows are near capacity.
Did they at least use the full screen, like was there any notable difference from this showing vs. their laser image? When I saw Interstellar there, they did not lift up the masking on the bottom corners as they do now, it was the last time I noticed that at the DOME.
The Universal IMAX presentation was awesome on Saturday.
Well, I never thought we would have this chance again. Dunkirk is playing in the DOME in 70mm! The last time that happened i think it was for Interstellar.
Of course, I just got my tickets to see it at Universal IMAX . Guess I will be seeing this one twice….70mm in the DOME, using the full 86' screen would be awesome!
grumpy old man rant
Arclight is driving me nuts. It is great to see new releases in 70 mm this year. However, I just got over them not presenting those 70mm films in the DOME, but instead the huge auditorium #3 instead. I was ok with that when I saw BVS.
I went to see Wonder Woman in 70mm last weekend, (opening weekend), and the 70mm shows are now in auditorium 6! I mean, I understand not using the DOME since they have a crappy laser projector in there now. However, to move the 70 mm machines into the medium size houses is the last straw. The showing was sold out. Why do they not care about film?
On another note about how Arclight has gone to crap, They still have not fixed the DOME image, adjusting for the curve by messing with the masking at the bottom corners of the screen. Whenever you see a movie there it looks like the screen is smiling at you, not to mention they are only using 65 feet of the 86 feet screen. What a mess.
Name Change – This theater is now called the Pacific Winnetka 12 and XD. They renovated only 13 auditoriums last fall. I spoke to an employee yesterday who told me that they are not sure when or if they will remodel and open the other 9 theaters.
We went here yesterday and saw a “Cinemark XD coming soon” banner. Thought that was odd since this is a Pacific Theater….I asked and I was told….“we will be the only XD auditorium that is not a Cinemark.” Looks like they are taking their own large format brand, XME, and replacing it with an XD auditorium, thank god since the last two times I went i had to get a refund since the picture was so dark.
They are also becoming a reclining plex, and thankfully replacing some sound systems. This place is so outdated and uncomfortable, its nice to see some much needed renovations going on.
Great news!! I hope so!
Looks like this is sold to Jason Reitman and his group…..
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/jason-reitman-buying-fox-village-westwood-theater-1235893597/
Filmmaker Jason Reitman is working on a deal to take over Westwood’s historic Fox Village Theater in the next few weeks, Variety has confirmed. The approximately 1,375-seat theater has been listed for sale for the past year. Reitman is leading a group of other entertainment industry figures in the purchase, which was first reported by The Ankler’s Transom column.
It’s not known whether Reitman and his associates have plans to keep the venue as a first-run theater or to add additional screens.
Reitman, the director of “Juno” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” is currently at work on “SNL 1975,” a fictionalization of the iconic sketch show’s first broadcast. He’s also a producer on the upcoming “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”
The Fox Village, built in 1930, has hosted hundreds of premieres over the past 90 years, including Reitman’s own “Juno” (pictured above), “Licorice Pizza” and many others. Recently streaming services including Apple, Disney+ and Netflix have also hosted events for series and films there.
The location also includes a row of retail shops, including a Starbucks, and a parking lot. The distinctive Spanish mission revival -tyle building is topped by a 170-foot neon-lit tower, making it a beacon for filmgoers on the Westside of Los Angeles.
Though the large venue was massively popular with audiences for its first six decades, competition from modern multiplexes with adjacent parking and the downturn in Westwood Village’s foot traffic make it a somewhat challenging location, despite the large number of UCLA students in the area.
The Fox Village stands across from the much smaller 1937 Bruin Theatre, also run by Regency, which was immortalized in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
The Fox Village’s real estate listing, which did not list a price, called it a “Rare opportunity to acquire one of the most iconic assets in Westwood Village,” continuing, “This is a multi-generational asset which has not been previously made available for sale by the ownership adding to the uniqueness and rarity of the offering.”
Regency has run the Fox Village since 2010. It was designated as a historic-cultural monument in 1988.
The movie theater business apparently runs in the family, as Jason Reitman’s late father Ivan Reitman contributed the land and helped develop the building where TIFF’s Bell Lightbox Theater now stands.
The Los Angeles exhibition scene has seen numerous changes since the city was impacted by the COVID pandemic beginning in early 2020, including the closure of the Landmark Pico and the Cinerama Dome and Arclight Hollywood, which is reportedly set for a 2025 reopening.
Came here Sat the 28th to see EEAAO in Auditorium #1. The place looks great. The new recliners are quite comfortable, and the new laser projection looks great, but the best change is the addition of screen masking as it makes a big difference in the overall presentation. No commercials, just a few trailers. Regency is really doing presentation right. Love what they did here. Hopefully people will catch on and this place will be crowded again.
I visted this location last week for an IMAX showing of TG:Maverick. I gotta say, this place is cool. The other auditoriums in the complex are very generic but nice, however the IMAX theater is really one of the best newer IMAX builds I have seen.
When you enter the Laser IMAX auditorium, the handicapped aisle is almost at the top of the theater. There are 8 rows below the aisle and only 3 above it. I dont recall seeing this set up before at an IMAX. I sat in the last row of the bottom section and was blown away with how immersive this was. They have the overhead speakers (I think its 11.1?) and the huge IMAX logo on each side of the screens. Also, there is no exit door near the screen, so the screen fills up the entire wall. Its about 60 feet, with a nice curve to it, but with the dimensions of the theater is just feels larger. The seats do not recline as in the other auditoriums, but they are nice comfortable rockers. Really a nicely designed theater.
This is now open and from what I can tell, it seems they really did not do anything in terms of a remodel here. They even kept the same 25 year old crappy seats and the old carpet. They did nothing to update this theater which has the potential to be a wonderful location.
There is no large format, no laser and no recliners. I will head over this week to see if they added new screens, projectors and speakers.
This will be the AMC Northridge 10. It appears the opening date is July 15th with Thor LAT. The website is up on AMC. Per Google, there are a few images of the new remodel, including one of the auditoriums that have new seats! Not sure if they will get a Dolby or an IMAX, but they did have 2 large theaters with 60 foot screens, so hopefully its going to get a premium screen at some point.
Sadly this one will be demolished. Too bad, it had 5 fantastic auditoriums with 60 to 90 feet screens.
https://patch.com/california/northridge/pacific-winnetka-theater-liquidate-assets
CHATSWORTH, CA — Pacific Theatres Exhibition Corporation, the owner of Pacific Winnetka 12 movie theater in Chatsworth, announced Thursday it is filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy to liquidate assets from creditors.
Iconic Cinerama Dome and multiplex to reopen!!
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-12-17/cinerama-dome-to-reopen-under-new-ownership-arclight
BY KENAN DRAUGHORNE, RYAN FAUGHNDER DEC. 17, 2021 3:30 PM PT The Cinerama Dome and the attached theater complex formerly known as ArcLight Hollywood plans to reopen, two people familiar with the matter told The Times on Friday.
There was no timetable for a potential reopening date, although one source who was not authorized to comment publicly said it could be as early as next year.
The owner of the iconic venue, Decurion Corp., could not be reached for comment.
A public notice of application to sell alcoholic beverages was placed outside the dome Thursday, under the name DT Operator LLC. DT Operator is a holding company for Decurion Corporation.
Records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control show multiple permit applications were placed on Nov. 22, including permits for catering, a portable bar, events and a “general eating place.” All permits were still pending as of Friday.
The dome has been closed since the start of the pandemic. On April 12 of this year, Pacific Theatres announced it would not reopen the historic venue, or its other theaters, due to financial pressures caused by the pandemic.
“After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations,” Pacific Theatres said in a statement. “This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.”
Calls to save the Hollywood ArcLight were loud and long. AMC Entertainment previously said it was interested in buying cinema locations formerly operated by ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres. A spokesperson for the chain said Friday that AMC was not involved with the reopening.
The Cinerama Dome first opened in 1963. The venue survived a demolition scare in 1998, when a proposal by Pacific Theatres would have stripped the dome and replaced it with restaurants and a movie multiplex. However, fierce public opposition overpowered the effort and Pacific Theatres agreed to keep the location intact.
“There’s a reason every movie lover in L.A. is in mourning,” filmmaker Rian Johnson told The Times in April.
“If you lived in this town and loved movies, you’ve had life changing experiences in that complex,” Johnson said via email. “But more than that, it’s easy to forget how the ArcLight completely transformed the moviegoing experience: assigned seating, plush comfy chairs, no late entry to screenings, these were all considered wild and crazy ideas when they first opened. The ArcLight loved and respected movies, and you felt that from every person who worked there. This is a huge, huge loss.”
I heard they took out all the masking and all the film projectors they had at this location.
I finally made it out to this theater after the opening was pushed from 2019 to 2020 and then to 2021. There are two bigger theaters (Dolby Cinema and Prime) and 7 smaller ones in this complex.
We went to see In The Heights in the Dolby theater. It was a bit smaller than I would have liked to see. The screen is about 45 ish feet wide and they use those half recliner seats that make your legs go numb after a while. However, the image and sound was just spectacular. None of the speakers were lit up like at other Dolby Cinemas, and the Atmos array was really loud and noticeable.
I peaked into the other theaters and it seems like the Prime Screen might be a bit larger. The other auditoriums are smaller, and have decent screens, although none with masking and all Common Width. I would still venture out to Burbank or Hollywood for ‘event’ films to see on much larger screens, but to have a Dolby Cinema out in the west valley is an improvement for this part of LA.
Has anyone seen OUATIH here yet? Since it is in 70mm here, I wonder if they will use the entire screen and did they leave the curve intact with the image filling the bottom corners…..I am thinking of giving the Dome one last chance…..
Terrywade, you nailed it about the Dome. That screen is a joke since they installed the new laser projector. Also, they are only using about 64 feet of the 86 foot screen, and the way the bottom corners turn up take me out of the movie. I just stare at the screen and wonder why it looks so bad. I have not been here in years, and this was my absolute favorite in LA. Its a shame really. I have brought the curve up with Managers there and the response is that since the screen is so curved, this is better for viewing….ridiculous.
Came her Sunday 5.12 for the 11.30am showing of Endgame. The theater now boasts it as a THX Ultimate Theater. The changes are not that noticeable, but welcomed.
Sound: The sound is much more discreet, and not so much in your face. I always thought this theater had the best sound in LA (I know I am in the minority on that opinion=), and whatever they did for this upgrade improved an already impressive system. Real nice THX Ultimate trailer showed before the film.
They still use Dolby Atmos and show the trailer before the movie.
Picture: The picture is light years better then what it was. First off, the screen is bigger. Its maybe just a few feet wider, but there is no more room for the screen to get any larger. It appears they pulled it as wide as they could. The manager confirmed with me that the screen was replaced with a slightly larger screen.
The new laser projection was amazing.I previously saw this movie at a Dolby Cinema, and this was just as good if not better.
For $10.50 for a matinee, this theater is the best deal in town.
This theater (and the Topanga) was my go to local theater in the late 70’s early 80’s while I was in high school. In the fall of 1980 I won a Rocky Horror costume contest which gave me a free pass to this place for 1 year! Rocky was always playing the large yellow theater to the back right of the lobby. I ended up coming here at least twice a week that year. I would skip out of high school at lunch, and spend many afternoons just watching movie after movie.
The staff was so cool, they all knew I had the pass, and they let me go to whatever film I wanted even though it was for one film day. I remember that the “big” house had blue seats, was in the back left of the lobby had awesome sound and a decent screen. They showed 70 mm films and once I made my dad take me to see Alien here. We splurged and spent the extra .50 cents for the LOGE seats. From what I recall, the loge seats were the last 6 or show rows and the seats were somewhat nicer and might have rocked.
After my free pass expired, sadly I do not think I ever came back to this little place. I get sad when I drive by it on Canoga Ave and see the storage facility in its place.
IMAX with Laser has been installed. Seems to be the new single projector Laser system rolling out in existing AMC IMAX locations. I have not been able to get out to see it, but for $24!!! it is going to have to be something i really want to see.
It appears this location has installed IMAX with Laser in late 2018. This is their new multiplex single projector Laser system that is just rolling out to upgrade AMC and Regal’s existing IMAX locations.
The Avengers was filmed on the IMAX digital camera and was captured and shown in 1.90. It’s not really what we think of when we think of Imax. I think the only feature length film that was shot and projected in the 4:3 IMAX aspect ratio and on old school IMAX 70mm cameras was Dunkirk. But I even think Dunkirk used standard 70mm film for some shots.
They renovated this complex over the past year or so, and the outcome is fantastic. The 20 year old grimy seats have been replaced with recliners, but it works in these theaters. The 6 auditoriums have always been decent sizes, but they are wide enough to really make the recliners seem like it was built that way. They also replaced all speakers and the sound is awesome, and the images on the screen seem much brighter then the last time i came here. This is my new favorite place. Screens are the same size as the 16 plex one block away without those horrific crowds.
Theater 16 is now another Prime auditorium. That leaves only one of the 4 big houses left that has not been ‘upgraded’ into a large scale format.
@mike it stopped being a 21plex summer of ‘16 when they replaced the seats. They opened just before the holidays with 13 total auditoriums. Makes no sense how they did it. However, I used to go here and there were 3 other people. Now with the reduced seat count most shows are near capacity.
Did they at least use the full screen, like was there any notable difference from this showing vs. their laser image? When I saw Interstellar there, they did not lift up the masking on the bottom corners as they do now, it was the last time I noticed that at the DOME.
The Universal IMAX presentation was awesome on Saturday.
Regency just announced that Dunkirk will play here in 70mm! I cannot remember the last time they played that format here, perhaps it was Titanic.
Well, I never thought we would have this chance again. Dunkirk is playing in the DOME in 70mm! The last time that happened i think it was for Interstellar.
Of course, I just got my tickets to see it at Universal IMAX . Guess I will be seeing this one twice….70mm in the DOME, using the full 86' screen would be awesome!
grumpy old man rant Arclight is driving me nuts. It is great to see new releases in 70 mm this year. However, I just got over them not presenting those 70mm films in the DOME, but instead the huge auditorium #3 instead. I was ok with that when I saw BVS.
I went to see Wonder Woman in 70mm last weekend, (opening weekend), and the 70mm shows are now in auditorium 6! I mean, I understand not using the DOME since they have a crappy laser projector in there now. However, to move the 70 mm machines into the medium size houses is the last straw. The showing was sold out. Why do they not care about film?
On another note about how Arclight has gone to crap, They still have not fixed the DOME image, adjusting for the curve by messing with the masking at the bottom corners of the screen. Whenever you see a movie there it looks like the screen is smiling at you, not to mention they are only using 65 feet of the 86 feet screen. What a mess.
Name Change – This theater is now called the Pacific Winnetka 12 and XD. They renovated only 13 auditoriums last fall. I spoke to an employee yesterday who told me that they are not sure when or if they will remodel and open the other 9 theaters.
We went here yesterday and saw a “Cinemark XD coming soon” banner. Thought that was odd since this is a Pacific Theater….I asked and I was told….“we will be the only XD auditorium that is not a Cinemark.” Looks like they are taking their own large format brand, XME, and replacing it with an XD auditorium, thank god since the last two times I went i had to get a refund since the picture was so dark.
They are also becoming a reclining plex, and thankfully replacing some sound systems. This place is so outdated and uncomfortable, its nice to see some much needed renovations going on.