Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square
26 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7LQ
26 Leicester Square,
London,
WC2H 7LQ
44 people
favorited this theater
Showing 376 - 400 of 752 comments
It will be worth the trip as my local dolby cinema in rockaway has fewer seats than the Imax and a regular theater.
Great news that I have been anticipating for a very long time.
Wonder if this flagship Dolby Cinema will be the largest worldwide and have the highest seat?
Hopefully, once this first Dolby Cinema in the UK has opened, many more will open across the country in 2019 and beyond?
Here’s hoping…
antovolk: Many thanks for the heads up!
Good to finally get some idea of what the auditorium will look like, and interesting that it will branded as “LUXE.”
From a “heritage” standpoint, with so much missing—ceiling, and the splay walls/proscenium—indeed, all of the stage end—of the auditorium missing it’s really difficult to see what’s been (or being) restored?
It looks like the ribbed plasterwork on the circle sidewalls is being kept, presumably extending across the ceiling. I’m assuming that stretched fabric over acoustic absorption is used from there to the screen.
What looks like wooden panelling from stalls level up towards circle level is shown—possibly pleated fabric as certainly the cavity under the balcony should be heavily acoustically treated. For those who wish to see the flying ladies back, I’m thinking this could curve upwards as before to form that feature.
Not sure what to think! I suspect that, what appears to be a new darker colour scheme, will go down like a lead weight here… but renderings can be misleading!
On the bright side, the “glass box” feature on the LSQ facade looks like a fantastic addition and place to dwell before a movie.
Official announcement now live – Dolby Cinema confirmed, opening this December, CG renders of auditorium included https://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/leicester_square/105/
Premieres from 1953-1987 including the Bond films are listed in the Overview at the top of the page. It appears to be 7 from my title count.
How many of the James Bond movies premiered here?
Footage of the June 12, 1967 world premiere of “You Only Live Twice” at the Odeon. Brief shots of the exterior.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2vxpy3
Would be the perfect showcase to launch “Mary Poppins” at Christmas although 2019 is beginning to look more likely for the Odeon as year-end looms ever closer.
Being in Leicester Square today, on this occasion the sheeting had been removed. Work continued past sunset, and thus afforded a good look into the foyer from LSQ; a photo has been uploaded.
Would seem to be a some prospect of it reopening this year, if not early next year.
Thinking further, considering that lift and escalator installation may not yet have been initiated and the extent of work required to create the “glass box” feature is also unknown, perhaps early next year is more likely.
As of last weekend, the opening into the OLS circle foyer had been largely obscured by flame retardant sheeting. Looks like Zappomatic took a photo at an opportune time!
Photo uploaded.
The producer of the first two star wars movies died today. Rest in peace gary Kurtz …
Zappomatic: Thank you for the update and photo.
I see there is lots of new plasterboard (looks like British Gypsum SoundBloc) under the circle stadia and walls.
Empire strikes back pro rata opening week record
What is the highest grossing movie at this theater?
Scaffolding and barrier material has been removed from the front of the building revealing a gaping hole where once there was glass. It’s possible to see scaffolding inside the auditorium (photos added)
LARGE_screen_format: At a “constant” 50ft. high (about that of the LSQ IMAX), the screen width needed for 2:35 would be 120ft. And for a 1.4:1 IMAX like the BFI, it would be ~140ft.
Getting a bit impractical, isn’t it? ;–)
moviebuff82: These things are usually region or country-specific, regardless of parent company.
AMC Stubs T&C’s.
To quote:
“Membership is valid at participating AMC Theatres in U.S. locations.”
CF100
I never got tired of watching the side masking open out to reveal a 2.35:1 scope screen at various venues including UCI Wycombe 6. Bigger is better! :o)
I was wondering if US moviegoers can use their AMC Stubs card at this venue since Odeon is owned by AMC. They have to get used to the british pound too.
LARGE_screen_format:
“There is nothing that says cinema better than watching side masking move out to reveal a full 2.35:1 widescreen image.”
I agree… however, this seems to be a convenient way of differentating Dolby Cinema from IMAX, whilst not requiring the vertical field of view that IMAX requires, and—not wishing to issue amateur legal advice here!—possibly infringing IMAX’s patent(s), e.g. Conversion of cinema theatre to a super cinema theatre.
Taller, wider… seems to me that using either between 1.78:1 (aka 16:9) or 1.9:1 would make the most sense!
Update: Having a quick look a couple of days ago, the outside of the Odeon Leicester Square is essentially the same as mentioned in previous posts, with the facade largely covered by fire retardant sheeting, hiding scaffolding behind.
A couple of extra photos, including a view behind the LSQ facade fire retardant sheeting taken from the left side, to follow.
‘If’ it turns out to be a flagship Dolby Cinema…
The final aspect in Dolby’s quest for the perfect projected image is the use of a constant height screen. That means the screen is the width of the auditorium and uses an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. When projecting films made in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio there is masking at the sides but when switching to a widescreen film the projector zooms, shifts and refocuses to the full width of the screen and the side masking moves out to reveal the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. There is nothing that says cinema better than watching side masking move out to reveal a full 2.35:1 widescreen image.
With all the talk in the comments below about a new screen, can I take it that it will still be a 2.39 Scope screen rather than a so called ‘Large Screen Format’ one at 1.90.
I hope so.
Update: Essentially no changes visible externally from Leicester Square, the facade is still largely hidden by fire retardant sheeting. Looking through a slight gap in the sheeting on the far right, it appears the facade works are a long way from complete.
Based on this alone, I think it is fair to guess that the OLS won’t be reopening by opening by the 10th October for the BFI London Film Festival 2018, and looking through the calendar for this, it is indeed not one of the festival’s venues.
The lettering across the glass entrance doors of OLS was part of the 1998 rebranding and the new style of blue lettering adopted by Odeon Cinemas actually read “ODEON LEICESTER SQUARE EUROPE’S LARGEST CINEMA”. The word “largest” was replaced by “Premier” very early this century when, presumably, someone remembered Le Grand Rex cinema in Paris.
Ian: Perhaps I should explain the purpose behind my “super cinema” comment?
LARGE_screen_format has made various contributions to this site and opened up numerous discussions that I’ve enjoyed responding to and learning from, which I very much hope will continue.
However, LARGE_screen_format seemed eager for the OLS to have a “giant” screen installed, even though the licensing application plans suggest otherwise, and I thought I’d post what I thought was a gentle reminder about heritage considerations.
I’m afraid that I didn’t forsee any controversy!
I think Terry’s definition is about the same as the one I’d have in mind for classic “super” cinemas; ultimately, “super” or not, maybe we should just be glad that the venues you mention still exist?!
Of course you’re right that most of the original decorative elements have been removed.
To be clear, by “form” I was referring more to the (three dimensional) shape, in particular of the auditorium, rather than decorative details, and that’s what the refurbishment seems to retain, c.f. a more radical scheme to shoehorn in a truly “giant” screen.
We shall just have to wait and see what the ongoing refurbishment yields!
Ah, OK—I think I see what you’re getting at?
My uninformed view on its future is not optimistic, but I wish all involved in “saving” the Empire (Carlton) Haymarket all the very best in their endeavours.
To compete with bed + video on demand + 65" TV = no trip to cinema…
Recliners will surely adjust the perceived scale and massing; however, the new “rear” circle seating capacity won’t be too different to the existing; the seating will be wider whilst keeping the same back-to-back distance; however, the added rows and removed centre aisle compensate for this.
Not sure all of those elements are going the way of the dinosaur exactly, it just depends on the market segment?
I grew up with “showman” theatrical presentation in the West End cinemas; concurrently, however, the average local Cannon/Coronet/etc. were hardly being fit for purpose.
I can understand that seeing the physical instantiations of one’s memories “bulldozed” time and again is not an enviable set of experiences—however, there are lots of interesting developments in the cinema world today which I think are worthy of attention—it isn’t all doom and gloom. :–)
Thank you Ian—I should express my gratitude to this site for providing a repository which holds a wealth of material on cinemas, I trust for posterity—as well as a focal point for what most people would consider to be a rather strange avocation—without it I would never have been able to fully develop my own interest in this subject.
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No disrespect was intended from my post – I am hugely appreciative of CF100’s updates (particularly the links to the plans) of the OLS.
BUT, I am also aware of the lazy journalism around, and the fact that this site is the pre-eminent source of cinema history in the UK (if not worldwide), and felt the need to contest the impression that the OLS was the last “super” in which to see a movie.
Indeed it is contestable that the OLS is still in its original form. The cinema has been turned down on at least two occasions for listing because of the myriad of alterations over the years. It will be interesting to see if the Empire (former Carlton and built in conjunction with Paramount) Haymarket, which contains more original features than the OLS (despite sub-division), is successful in the current listing application.
Part of the problem lies with the lack of a succinct definition of the term “super cinema”. We know more-or-less what we mean, but is largely a marketing term, and we now perm any three of the four elements that Terry enumerates. The term itself precedes the 1930’s by around a decade. There is a good case to make that Frank Tugwell’s Futurist at Scarborough, recently shamefully demolished, was the first (opened 27th June 1921), closely followed by Brightons Regent Theatre. Both by any definition were “super cinemas” and were referred as that at the time.
Following there were (amongst many others) the Piccadilly Manchester (1922); the Pavilion Shepherds Bush (1923); the Kensington/Odeon (1926); and the Davis Croydon (1928). It is possible to argue that the “super” peaked in 1930/1 as generally (notable exceptions) the later 1930’s super cinemas tended to be smaller and less luxurious. The 1937 Birmingham Paramount for example was a pale imitation of the Manchester (1930), Newcastle (1931) and Leeds (1932) namesakes, and few matched the four London Astorias (1929/30).
The Rio Dalston by F E Bromige was referred to as a minature “super” and IMO is probably the best place in 2018 London to get the “super” experience. I hope to be proved wrong, but with the reclining seats (why do people need to lie down to watch a film?) I suspect the OLS will look even less like a “super” when it reopens. And I hate the fact that it will prosaically be known as screen 1.
I fully realise that I am a dinosaur who fondly remembers the days of stalls and balcony luxury cinemas (Gaumont Manchester aged around 5), with screen tabs, separate performances, masking and all the other extras which have been junked in most venues. I do find it depressing that the only – I think – place you can now regularly view a film authentically in a large “super” is at the Plaza Stockport which is grade 2* listed.
Incidentally the OLS’s claim to be the largest in Europe was palpably wrong as the Futurist, with 2,155 seats, was operating mainly as a cinema at the time. The fact that at least 1,500 of those seats were rarely occupied for a film did not make it smaller that the OLS!