It’s not a “grand opening” if its been open for almost 11 years. The theatre simply has a name change. Kodak lost its naming rights as part of their bankruptcy and Dolby claimed them.
It should also be noted that the theatre is intended for live performances, not film. It is currently showing Cirque du Soliel’s live cinema tribute “Iris” and will be showing it for at least another year. I believe “Brave” is the first time a film was actually screened in this place.
Creve Coeur Cine was where I saw it. I was only 4 and I don’t quite remember if it was opening weekend…but knowing my Dad, it proabably was opening weekend. We saw it there twice. I just remember it being so…so…BIG!
I saw “Ben-Hur” at the Dome during its final weekend before it shut down to build ArcLight back in Summer 2000. It wasn’t a 70MM print…but it was definitely shown in 2:70:1 aspect ratio! I clearly remember the techs having to expand the side making beyond their 2:40:1 point in order to fit the whole image on screen. Unforgettable!
I think I posted this exact same info a few hundred comments before this one. :)
It’s Mother’s Day Weekend so I’ll only be able to go to “The Shining” on Friday night. Never seen it…scared already!
Now that the dead hath awakened (running The Raid/Five Year Enagaement and no Avengers is ONE WAY to get some fire in your belly!), could we finally be on our way to a proper 70MM film festival here? Then again…with their newfound love for 4K digital, I doubt it. I’ll still keep hope alive!
Paul Allen and his management team are continously making a mockery out of ArcLight/Pacific/Decurion. Seattle gets a new 70MM 2001 print while The Dome gets a 1 time only “digital” one. Shame.
It was independently owned before Flagship took them over.
On a personal note, this particular movie theatre brings back memories…and not in a good way. I lived in South Central LA in the mid-late 80’s through the 90’s. This was the closest (and SAFEST) theatre in the area. Due to both an overprotective parent as well as my own fears of learning LA area bus routes, 90% of the movies I saw were here. So while the rest of LA was Chinesing, Doming and Pre-Split Avcoing in glorious 70MM THX 6 Track Dolby Stereo, I was here spending Saturdays, Sundays and summer breaks with 3 puny movie choices a week, mono sound, fixed width screens, center aisle split seating arrangement with torn up seats, and, if I was lucky, the smell of marijuana enhancing my theatrical experience.
Once I got a driver’s license in the fall of 1990, I ditched this dump and never looked back! When you CT regulars see me ranting about top masking, inferior sound and shoebox auditoriums, this theatre is the reason why.
Brad: In our perfect old school world, studios would book at Chinese simply because IT’S THE CHINESE THEATRE! Unfortunately, this is a completely different era. Like RobertAlex said, they’ve got to get unique with their marketing. Market the screen size! Market the (still ear-splitting) Dolby/THX combo! Market the fact that this is the theatre that first showed the original Star Wars! And get a savvy film booker who will negotiate titles that are TRULY WORTHY to be shown in THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MOVIE THEATRE!
Crazy thought: The screen inside Chinese is 60 feet…and very obviously masked from top to bottom and from the sides. Maybe the owners can expand the masking to its fullest capability and readvertise Chinese as a Large Screen Experience house? Heck…the CURRENT sound and screen blows LieMax (the digital version), ETX and all the other pretenders out of the water! Why not go all in to justify the raising of the ticket price? Then they could offer 2 out of the remaining Chinese 6 as supplemental houses.
So the plan is to live off of pimping the footprints, more film fests and T-shirts/coffee mugs & the inevitable iPhone/Android apps. But ZERO plans or thoughts on how to put butts back in the seats. Sigh.
Saw “The Avengers” during opening weekend in the Premiere Cinema – which has added Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound to its capabilities. Pretty decent!
The facade was changed in May 2012 (I think).
It’s not a “grand opening” if its been open for almost 11 years. The theatre simply has a name change. Kodak lost its naming rights as part of their bankruptcy and Dolby claimed them.
It should also be noted that the theatre is intended for live performances, not film. It is currently showing Cirque du Soliel’s live cinema tribute “Iris” and will be showing it for at least another year. I believe “Brave” is the first time a film was actually screened in this place.
Creve Coeur Cine was where I saw it. I was only 4 and I don’t quite remember if it was opening weekend…but knowing my Dad, it proabably was opening weekend. We saw it there twice. I just remember it being so…so…BIG!
The theatre/center is actually spelled “Pointe” with an “E” on the end.
I saw “Ben-Hur” at the Dome during its final weekend before it shut down to build ArcLight back in Summer 2000. It wasn’t a 70MM print…but it was definitely shown in 2:70:1 aspect ratio! I clearly remember the techs having to expand the side making beyond their 2:40:1 point in order to fit the whole image on screen. Unforgettable!
I think I posted this exact same info a few hundred comments before this one. :)
Revival in the land??? Say it ain’t so!
It’s Mother’s Day Weekend so I’ll only be able to go to “The Shining” on Friday night. Never seen it…scared already!
Now that the dead hath awakened (running The Raid/Five Year Enagaement and no Avengers is ONE WAY to get some fire in your belly!), could we finally be on our way to a proper 70MM film festival here? Then again…with their newfound love for 4K digital, I doubt it. I’ll still keep hope alive!
Paul Allen and his management team are continously making a mockery out of ArcLight/Pacific/Decurion. Seattle gets a new 70MM 2001 print while The Dome gets a 1 time only “digital” one. Shame.
I wish the American Cinematheque had kept this sucker!
Precisely, Scott!
Howard: So the right thing for me to do was to keep my mouth closed about my wasted years watching movies here?
Sarcasm? :)
More observations about this (ahem) theatre:
Once I got a driver’s license in the fall of 1990, I ditched this dump and never looked back! When you CT regulars see me ranting about top masking, inferior sound and shoebox auditoriums, this theatre is the reason why.
Memories. Painful painful memories.
“All within a couple blocks of one another… all playing essentially the same stuff.”
All makes me wonder if it was a wise decision to even pick up this theatre.
LOL!
Stood in line for opening day of “Jedi” myself! It was so weird to me that the flick was playing here instead of at Creve Coeur.
You’re right, Edward. I haven’t. And as long as they’re doing indie/arthouse, I’ll probably never go inside! :)
Saw “Red Tails” on 1/21. Small to medium crowd. Tech top notch as usual. Theater has NO BUSINESS being reserved seating!
The theatre tour has been running for years. It’s not a new thing.
Back when they still owned it, Mann was advertising the screen as 60 feet wide. It sure ain’t 90 feet wide right now…they’d be wider than THE DOME!
In other news: looks like my final visit will be worthwhile: RED TAILS!
Biggest auditorium in a Laemmle I’ve ever seen!
moviebuff82 FOR THE WIN!
Brad: In our perfect old school world, studios would book at Chinese simply because IT’S THE CHINESE THEATRE! Unfortunately, this is a completely different era. Like RobertAlex said, they’ve got to get unique with their marketing. Market the screen size! Market the (still ear-splitting) Dolby/THX combo! Market the fact that this is the theatre that first showed the original Star Wars! And get a savvy film booker who will negotiate titles that are TRULY WORTHY to be shown in THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MOVIE THEATRE!
Crazy thinking, I know…
Crazy thought: The screen inside Chinese is 60 feet…and very obviously masked from top to bottom and from the sides. Maybe the owners can expand the masking to its fullest capability and readvertise Chinese as a Large Screen Experience house? Heck…the CURRENT sound and screen blows LieMax (the digital version), ETX and all the other pretenders out of the water! Why not go all in to justify the raising of the ticket price? Then they could offer 2 out of the remaining Chinese 6 as supplemental houses.
Like I said…crazy thought. Right?
KingBiscuits FOR THE WIN!
So the plan is to live off of pimping the footprints, more film fests and T-shirts/coffee mugs & the inevitable iPhone/Android apps. But ZERO plans or thoughts on how to put butts back in the seats. Sigh.