I’ve seen a few Broadway musicals at the Fox over the years, but despite my best intentions had never attended a movie there until last night. June 12, 2006 was the 25th anniversary of the release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and the Fox was showing it as part of their summer film festival. The audience was full of enthusiasm, and I had an absolute blast. Seeing one of my all-time favorite films on the big screen for the first time in the Fox’s gorgeous setting is an experience I’ll always treasure. It was more than worth the 120-mile drive, and my excitement has rubbed off on my wife; we’ll probably make our way down to another screening later in the summer.
I finally managed to get out to the Camelot for the 4 pm show on Sunday. There was a huge crowd, it looked like a near sell-out. I was happy first of all to see that things look almost exactly as they did when the place was open before. My brother-in-law was a little skeptical at first, but seeing and hearing the DLP logo trailer convinced him it was worth the drive. I was a little disappointed/confused not to see a THX or Dolby trailer (I presume DLP uses Dolby), but I’ll let it slide this once. Once the feature started, I was as giddy as a schoolboy. The 35mm print I saw Wednesday night was pristine and perfectly projected, but the digital show (my first DLP experience bigger than 60 inches or so) beat it silly. I was looking for artifacts, pixel structure, anything to say that it “looks digital.” There was nothing. Just a bright, smooth, utterly gorgeous picture that’s bigger than the front of my house.
Wally, a question and a comment: What model is the Barco projector is #1, and when I get a chance to go there without having to keep other people entertained, I do intend to take that tour.
Patsy, I’m sure Wally will have more details than I do, but here’s what I know. When the Camelot closed for renovation in 1994, it had 4 screens. Two of those rooms were combined (crazy, huh?) to make the big auditorium with ~700 seats. That left it with three, so they added a new wing with four smaller theaters to fill it out to seven.
I’ll be out there in the next day or two to get tickets, and we’re looking forward to seeing the show Sunday.
Wally, I was excited to no end when I heard through local media that the Camelot was reopening. When it was renovated in 1995, I interviewed Andy Reynolds for an article that appeared in the Clemson University student newspaper. The entertainment editor and I went there for a meeting and tour with him the day before the opening, but he was out to lunch with corporate bigwigs so we took a self-guided tour and came away deeply impressed and hopeful. The Camelot (I hardly ever used the “Carmike 7” name) quickly became the favorite theater of my friends and family, and I routinely shunned more convenient cinemas in Seneca, Clemson and Anderson when there was something good playing in the THX auditorium. I was slightly disappointed that the 70mm capability of the projector in that room was never used, but everything was so good that there was no reason to complain.
I saw every previous Star Wars film (and plenty more) that played there, and I’ll definitely make the trip to see Revenge of the Sith at the Camelot as well. My friends and I already have midnight opening tickets to one of the 14-plexes in Anderson, but with this news I’m as excited about viewing #2 (and #1 with the missus) as much as the premiere.
Thank you for bringing this jewel back. I wish you much success, and I just might take you up on the offer of a tour.
I’ve seen a few Broadway musicals at the Fox over the years, but despite my best intentions had never attended a movie there until last night. June 12, 2006 was the 25th anniversary of the release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and the Fox was showing it as part of their summer film festival. The audience was full of enthusiasm, and I had an absolute blast. Seeing one of my all-time favorite films on the big screen for the first time in the Fox’s gorgeous setting is an experience I’ll always treasure. It was more than worth the 120-mile drive, and my excitement has rubbed off on my wife; we’ll probably make our way down to another screening later in the summer.
I finally managed to get out to the Camelot for the 4 pm show on Sunday. There was a huge crowd, it looked like a near sell-out. I was happy first of all to see that things look almost exactly as they did when the place was open before. My brother-in-law was a little skeptical at first, but seeing and hearing the DLP logo trailer convinced him it was worth the drive. I was a little disappointed/confused not to see a THX or Dolby trailer (I presume DLP uses Dolby), but I’ll let it slide this once. Once the feature started, I was as giddy as a schoolboy. The 35mm print I saw Wednesday night was pristine and perfectly projected, but the digital show (my first DLP experience bigger than 60 inches or so) beat it silly. I was looking for artifacts, pixel structure, anything to say that it “looks digital.” There was nothing. Just a bright, smooth, utterly gorgeous picture that’s bigger than the front of my house.
Wally, a question and a comment: What model is the Barco projector is #1, and when I get a chance to go there without having to keep other people entertained, I do intend to take that tour.
Patsy, I’m sure Wally will have more details than I do, but here’s what I know. When the Camelot closed for renovation in 1994, it had 4 screens. Two of those rooms were combined (crazy, huh?) to make the big auditorium with ~700 seats. That left it with three, so they added a new wing with four smaller theaters to fill it out to seven.
I’ll be out there in the next day or two to get tickets, and we’re looking forward to seeing the show Sunday.
Wally, I was excited to no end when I heard through local media that the Camelot was reopening. When it was renovated in 1995, I interviewed Andy Reynolds for an article that appeared in the Clemson University student newspaper. The entertainment editor and I went there for a meeting and tour with him the day before the opening, but he was out to lunch with corporate bigwigs so we took a self-guided tour and came away deeply impressed and hopeful. The Camelot (I hardly ever used the “Carmike 7” name) quickly became the favorite theater of my friends and family, and I routinely shunned more convenient cinemas in Seneca, Clemson and Anderson when there was something good playing in the THX auditorium. I was slightly disappointed that the 70mm capability of the projector in that room was never used, but everything was so good that there was no reason to complain.
I saw every previous Star Wars film (and plenty more) that played there, and I’ll definitely make the trip to see Revenge of the Sith at the Camelot as well. My friends and I already have midnight opening tickets to one of the 14-plexes in Anderson, but with this news I’m as excited about viewing #2 (and #1 with the missus) as much as the premiere.
Thank you for bringing this jewel back. I wish you much success, and I just might take you up on the offer of a tour.