Uptown Theatre

3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008

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Showing 351 - 375 of 587 comments

rcdalek
rcdalek on December 30, 2007 at 12:48 am

The reason that your national guard commercial sounded better at the UPTOWN is most likely that the uptown is still using actual film stock for their pre show commercials thereby using the same sound setup that they would use for the movie. If I remember correctly the uptown still just has the slide projector for ads, while MAZZA is part of AMC’s National Cinemedia Network so that the commercials are being run through the HD projector and the sound is being presented through an aux or non-sync channel which is not as rich as the 5.1 or 7.1 Dolby Digital systems.

SWATMAN
SWATMAN on December 25, 2007 at 7:42 am

Yes Howard you are right. The Uptown did have the D.C. premiere of “Charlie Wilson’s War” that week.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 25, 2007 at 5:17 am

I meant to continue: as far as I’m concerned, there’s no other film experience like the Uptown from New York to D.C. I certainly hope the Uptown continues to show movies!

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 25, 2007 at 5:15 am

JodarMovieFan, Mazza Gallerie’s auditoriums WERE THX certified when GCC opened it in 2000. I saw Day After Tomorrow June 2004 at the Ziegfeld, so you haven’t been to the Mazza Gallerie in awhile. AMC didn’t present a THX trailer on Sunday. The National Guard trailer looked small on the Mazza screen (Aud 2) compared to the Uptown, and the Mazza did not have the sound turned up for it! Sound better for the movie, but not compared to the Uptown sound which rocks! They told me biggest Aud is 1. 1 & 2 are first in. I’ve seen one movie each in Auds 1 to 4.

I don’t know what AMC plans are, whether they depart the Uptown next year.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on December 24, 2007 at 9:21 pm

Howard, but all of Mazza’s screens are THX certified! How can this be?? Actually, at Mazza, my favorite is the largest one as you get off the escalator. I’m assuming its #1, but am not 100% sure. The sound is always terrific with discernible surround sounds and good sight lines. The last movie I saw there (#1) was..Day After Tomorrow.

Any word on its possible demise? Or it being sold? (The Uptown, not Mazza)

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on December 24, 2007 at 3:22 pm

HOW MANY PEOPLE FOR THE SHOW AT 7PM????

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 24, 2007 at 2:26 pm

I saw “I am Legend” 7 PM Saturday eve. I’d rather union projectionists but the projection was fine. Sound was great- the Uptown always has one of the most powerful sound systems on Earth!

Sunday, I saw Charlie Wilson’s War at the Mazza Gallerie. The National Guard commercial, showing helicopters & soldiers, wasn’t one bit as impressive as it was at the Uptown’s screen the day before!

Washington Post mentioned a D.C. premiere of “Charlie Wilson’s War” the week before. Piddy, was that at the Uptown?

unc1dmo
unc1dmo on November 29, 2007 at 5:35 pm

The Washington Post
Date: Oct 29, 1936 (NOT 1933)

The Uptown Theater, Warner Bros, new picture playhouse, located on Connecticut avenue at Newark street, will be dedicated this Thursday evening, October 29, at 8:15 o'clock, according to an announcement made late yesterday by John J. Payette, Warner Bros, gen- eral zone manager.

SWATMAN
SWATMAN on November 5, 2007 at 10:59 am

It’s the premiere of “Lions for Lambs” this Wednesday.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on November 5, 2007 at 5:42 am

Somewhere online says “Blade Runner, the Final Cut” is a 2 week engagement.

There’s no movie listed online at AMC website for this Wednesday.

Perhaps the premiere of “Lions for Lambs” or “No Country for Old Men”?

bufffilmbuff
bufffilmbuff on October 30, 2007 at 11:11 am

I was there for the Saturday screening of BLADE RUNNER and the projection and sound were great. Let us hope that this theatre stays open. There is nothing like seeing a film on the giant curved screen.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on October 23, 2007 at 2:08 pm

The Senator engagement has been postponed indefinitely due to the popularity of “Michael Clayton” at least through 11/1. Good for them as they need the patronage.

As for the Uptown…the AMC/Moviewatcher website indicates showtimes of 1, 4, 7 and 10pm, respectively.

As far as any DC area digital projection engagements, none are indicated at this time. Looks like DC has the exclusive.

Giles
Giles on October 23, 2007 at 11:48 am

idlewild, what is your source for this information about the opening(s) at the Uptown (and Senator) – I know that the Senator has the info up on their website, but AMC or even the folks at the Uptown have no clue this is opening this coming Friday. I would feel like an utter fool if this isn’t happening, since I’ve been posting your info on a few websites.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on October 16, 2007 at 7:01 pm

Choices, choices and more choices. The Uptown will have the superior viewing experience given its sheer screen size. The Senator has an excellent sound system when done right but its screen is smaller. Landmark Baltimore will probably get a DP version and is NEW. Heck, I may have to see it in all three venues :)

cautiouslyidle
cautiouslyidle on October 16, 2007 at 1:33 pm

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT will open in Washington,DC exclusively at the Uptown Theatre on Oct. 26, 2007. The film will also open in Baltimore, MD at The Senator on Oct. 26, 2007 and at the Landmark Harbor East on Nov. 9, 2007.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 15, 2007 at 8:03 pm

Yes, after receiving Senator email, I was about to mention it on the Senator page when you beat me to the punch. It will only be ONE week at the Senator.

I don’t know if AMC will have the smarts to put Blade Runner: The Final Cut at the Uptown, but it would be great if they did.

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on October 15, 2007 at 7:54 pm

The Tenley 3 was here before. I remember commenting on it. GRR. I suspect when Cinema Treasures moved to a new server some info was lost. I know some of my comments went missing.

Re: Blade Runner. Baltimore’s Senator is touting a ‘new 35mm’ print sometime after Oct 26. Perhaps the Uptown will get a chance at an exclusive run since there is at least one film print from The Final Cut.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 15, 2007 at 7:42 pm

I’m sure nobody noticed last week when the Tenley Circle finally was entered, because it arrived under the name of a new theater that’s there. I saw many movies at the Tenley and will comment on that page. For others who might also wish to comment, please go to this page:

/theaters/21786/

Giles
Giles on September 10, 2007 at 6:30 am

so… getting back to the original topic on hand since it’s diverged to Blade Runner – which is only getting theatrical exclusive run in NYC and LA only (boo, hiss, Warners come on), and digital projection (which the Uptown sadly doesn’t have). What’s the story about the future of the theatre – is AMC still toying with the idea of not renewing it’s lease come next Spring? Or has the commitment to satellite feed the McLean Bible Church secured the Uptown for being open longer? I don’t believe anyone did answer this question directly, if this is digitally fed through a yet to be determined server – is in fact AMC upgrading to a digital projection system – the Kinoton projector that Steve mentioned sounds great, or even NEC’s system that was specifically built for very large theatres (the Arclight, Ziegfeld, Seattle’s Cinerama all feature NEC’s DLP system).

sguttag
sguttag on September 10, 2007 at 4:59 am

“Look as good” is a tough question to answer. The simple facts are that 4K resolution digital is only as good as 1.85 35mm (.446 x .825"). This does not speak to the color aspects of which film has a greater range as well as better contrast ratio. For 70mm, you are dealing with a substantially larger image area (projection size of .870 x 1.912"). 8K digital is not going to capture it all with the color and contrast again still superior with film.

So, in the strictest sense, given an “EK” print from the original release, no today’s digitally remastered version will not have as good a resolution, contrast nor color. However, it sure seems like they are using the best of today’s technology to yield as faithful a reproduction of the original.

But lets look at other factors….you probably didn’t see an EK print back then (Off camera original) but a dupe print that went through the whole IN/IP process. So the edge in contrast and resolution gets very narrowed with the film versus digital.

Now take into account the projection system you saw the film on…how good was it? Any image stability issues in projector (or printing for that matter) come off of resolution. This is why 70mm projection, even from a blow-up is significantly better than a standard release print in 35mm…theatrical projection gets a significant improvement in steadiness as well as having more resolution for the IN/rellease print steps.

Kinoton (projector manufacturer) just this year released their “premiere” line of film projectors (uses an electronic intermittent) that is 4-5 times steadier than their previous version of their “E” series projector…that 4-5 times steadiness improvement will improve sharpness and actually allow one to resolve more of what is on the film.

So, as you can see it is very difficult to play a strict numbers game on will today’s film or digital print look as good or better after digital remastering. As a rule, in 2007, going into the digital domain almost always takes away from film original. 2K DIs are just plain horrible…they lower the bar way too much. At least Blade Runner looks like it went with notably better digital processing.

SG

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on September 7, 2007 at 5:03 pm

A fascinating article, Howard. Thanks for finding it and sharing it with us. Its too bad DC never got a 70mm engagement for this film at any time since its release in ‘82. I’ve been a fan of Ridley Scott’s work since Alien and also the Visual Effects Director, Douglas Trumbull since Close Encounters. Let’s say the combination of Ridley Scott’s attention to detail and Doug Trumbull’s flair for technical detail and brilliance with his choice of 65mm film for visual fx make Blade Runner a unique theatrical experience.

As I posted on the Ziegfeld Theater site, I believe the special engagement print refers to film and not a digital presentation. As I write this, I’m virtually drooling at the thought that they did 8K scans of the visual effects and high scans of the film from the original 65mm negatives. If the master remains at such a high level and gets transferred to film, it should play very well, better than anything done natively on 35mm film stock for sure, even if you’re dealing with reduced elements.

I forget the website but there was a comparison of true 70mm to 20K or 21K digital based on some mathematical formulation of digital projection and film. The only true 70mm film I can recall seeing is 2001 and probably the remastered and reissued Vertigo several years ago. Those presentations, as you know, were spectacular and probably something we will never see again except for those periodic limited-run special re-releases.

Whatever ends up at the Ziegfeld, let’s hope we can get it over here to DC. If its film, the Uptown would be good to have it as long as its properly run. Or heck, send it to AFI. At least it will be in one of their THX certified theaters.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on September 7, 2007 at 1:21 pm

oops- the “Can’t wait for this one. I may have to take the day off” comment is from the Ziegfeld poster, not me. I might go there & see it, though.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on September 7, 2007 at 1:19 pm

Steve Guttag- you are an expert.
It seems that the NYC Ziegfeld digital projector will show a digital print (if I understand this correctly). Will it look as good as the original 70 mm print? or at least, will it look as good as 35 mm?I myself saw the version shown at the Uptown only in 35 mm in 1998 at WB 75th Anniv Film Festival. Blade Runner looked great on the Uptown screen then. I hadn’t fallen too much for the movie on TV, but on the big screen…

this from the Ziegfeld thread, which I place here as I’m not sure whether you are reading that thread, but feel feel to comment there
or here, of course-Can’t wait for this one.
I may have to take the day off.
View link
BLADE RUNNER
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE ZIEGFELD
BLADE RUNNER
Deckard is a Blade Runner, a police man of the future who hunts down and terminates replicants, artificially created humans. He wants to get out of the force, but is drawn back in when 4 “skin jobs”, a slang term for replicants, hijack a ship back to Earth. The city that Deckard must search for his prey is a huge, sprawling, bleak vision of the future. This film questions what it is to be human, and why life is so precious.
Friday October 5th – Thursday October 18th (New Print)

View link

<<All of this was occurring as the fifth version â€" Scott’s final cut â€" was painstakingly assembled from original elements, including the original 65mm negative. De Lauzirika has been working on it over a seven-year period. “And this time, Ridley approved every single thing that went into it â€" every single cut, every single effect,” he says.“We’re right back to square one,” Galvao says of The Final Cut elements. “We scanned the cut negative, plus the negatives we dug out of vaults in England, here at Warner Bros., and [co-executive producer] Jerry Perenchio’s vault as well. We went through and viewed every frame of every roll that we could find.” “Honestly, I got to go through 977 boxes and cans of mag, IP, INs, 65mm visual effects comps, 35mm original dailies … everything ever printed,” de Lauzirika says. “I saw amazing, amazing material â€" much of which we’ve been able to pull and put on the DVD in some form, even if it didn’t make it into The Final Cut.“I think The Final Cut is the best version of them all. The picture and sound on it are just astounding. We really put a lot of work into the restoration, and we transferred the actual original neg at 4K, and it just looks stunning. Even more stunning are the visual effects, which were originally 65mm elements, then scanned at 8K. It looks like 3D. It’s so sharp, with all these details that I’d never seen before.”
According to Galvao, the assembly and restoration for The Final Cut included some reworking of the original effects â€" tightening some mattes, doing some wire removal, etc.>>
posted by celboy on Sep 7, 2007 at 10:51am

SWATMAN
SWATMAN on July 31, 2007 at 7:44 pm

Myrna38717,
My sources are from the theatre. I have a copy of the rental agreement with me.

Giles
Giles on July 31, 2007 at 7:03 pm

The only beef I have with the AFI when it was over at the Kennedy Center was when they promised a screening of the 111 minute UK cut of Ken Russell’s ‘The Devils’ – they weren’t able to get the print at the last minute, BUT they did screen the rarely seen original X-rated American theatrical cut (not complete, but still had scenes that were not present in the more censored R-rated cut). Have yet to check out Harry Potter (which I have already seen at Tysons – screen 3 – which was amazing, because it’s one of the larger screens and has a stellar soundsystem. saw it in IMAX at Udvar Hazy – visually great , albeit in standard 2D, but suffered in the audio department cause of a left speaker was clipping).