TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
159 people
favorited this theater
Showing 476 - 500 of 1,670 comments
Hello-
I suppose we shall have to wait and see. I have found the discussion of the Chinese' new IMAX installation fascinating to say the least. it kind of resembles my opinion of the IMAX screens in Manhattan. the only real or true IMAX screen is the one at the Loew’s Lincoln Square on Bway and 68th St. the other IMAX screens in Manhattan are not quite so.
Hello-
I suppose we shall have to wait and see. I have found the discussion of the Chinese' new IMAX installation fascinating to say the least. it kind of resembles my opinion of the IMAX screens in Manhattan. the only real or true IMAX screen is the one at the Loew’s Lincoln Square on Bway and 68th St. the other IMAX screens in Manhattan are not quite so.
My point was simply that The Chinese doesn’t HAVE an entire IMAX screen. I’m not bashing The Chinese, merely pointing out that (until they also do away with SHOOTING on IMAX film) the new screen will be a compromise for certain films. Christopher Nolan has just started shooting Interstellar using IMAX cameras. If/when Interstellar shows at the Chinese… it will most likely be cropped for their new screen. It won’t be cropped on traditional IMAX screens. When Catching Fire comes out later this year, the IMAX portions will also be cropped (much like they are for a Blu-ray) if shown at The Chinese. I’m not complaining, just offering observations and math. I didn’t realize that was controversial.
You ARE aware that IMAX is phasing out film prints along with all the studios, right? They’ll continue running digital this year and switch to laser in 2014…which, allegedly, can be projected to fill the entire IMAX screen (so I read).
Well, Universal City is not projecting EVERYTHING in digital. Star Trek into Darkness was 15/70, as was Pacific Rim. While Pacific Rim was close to 1.90:1 (due to Del Toro shooting 1.85:1 anyway), Trek certainly was not. And I saw Dark Knight Rises full 15/70 1.44 there as well. So, as I said, MOST things will be an improvement when shown at the new Chinese, but not everything will. But I was happy to hear that they’ll have adjustable masking to show things in more traditional ratios.
Yep, 1.9 is the standard for digital IMAX. I saw The Dark Knight Rises in 1.9 projected on a 1.44 screen—similar to the scenario RobertAlex describes above.
Cliffs, you make a good point, but you forgot that the Universal IMAX is now projecting in digital, using a Barco projector which can only get to 1.9. They cant use their full screen height anymore, a screen with no masking.
Well that answers my question about how you were going to fit an IMAX screen in there. You don’t. 47.2x90 means the screen is pretty much 1.90:1. Noooooooooooot exactly IMAX. The Universal City IMAX is (by their own website) 7 stories tall (which translates to about 70 or so feet high and 50 or so feet wide (at the correct IMAX 1.4:1 ratio). So the Chinese will be 80% wider but only about 70% as tall. So for the majority of Hollywood product converted to IMAX, the Chinese will be better. For true IMAX stuff like Dark Knight or Catching Fire… Not so much. The other sad thing will be that the Chinese will now essentially be a top/bottom masking theater for films presented in 2.4:1.
Looks like all of our questions and concerns about the big IMAX conversion are all answered in this article posted directly at TCL Chinese’s website.
http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/imax/
Here’s the best article I found: http://flavorwire.com/382554/jurassic-park-how-a-2d-movie-becomes-a-3d-movie
From the research I did, the age of the movie doesn’t matter that much. It’s moreso about the quality of the film print they use. I’m fairly certain that, since this is one of the most beloved films in cinema history, Warner Bros. has a top notch print in their vault for the team at IMAX to work with.
Hello-
I would like someone to explain to me how they can successfully to a 3-D retrofit for a film released in 1939.
Tickets are now on sale for the 9/20 (and beyond) grand reopening attraction of “The Wizard of Oz IMAX 3D” at Movie Tickets (www.movietickets.com). They’re (WISELY!) switching to a reserved seating system. New seating layout (as shown in the construction pics) is a higher level & lower level stadium arrangement with a left, center and right section.
Hello Again-
every grand old theater no matter how state of the art when it opened has to be fine tuned every so often to keep it viable as a 1st run venue. to which my question- other than the auditorium is any other part of the theater being renovated?
Hello-
from what I have read and from Howard H.’s comments the Grand Lake in Oakland appears to be a true gem.
so its fascinating that of all the grand old movie theaters/palaces built in the 1914-1941 building boom the Chinese is the only one built from the get go as a 1st run venue and has continued to operate as such since the day it opened. when you consider the countless grand old movie theaters/palaces that were built in all 50 states that the Chinese is the only one to operate as a 1st run venue since the day is opened is beyond remarkable.
Oakland’s Grand Lake is awesome, but not being in downtown Oakland, I doubt it was 1st run until the 1950s or later. Remember the Paramount, Fox, and others were built downtown. Lucky Oakland to have all 3 of them!
Regarding the whole IMAX issue: In the end, the theatre will have a larger screen and, more importantly, competitive bookings. Whether the branding attached to that is IMAX, ETX, IDX, XD, or Giganto-Vision is a moot point. I would much rather see the Chinese thriving with “IMAX lite” than struggling without it.
Hello-
I thank Robert A. for his reply. while I know of the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland i wasn’t aware it opened as a 1st run theater and has continued to operate as such since the day it opened as has the Chinese.
This bickering over IMAX/LieMAX is pointless. IMAX is a privately owned brand, and any theater using an IMAX system, be it 70mm or Digital, IS an IMAX theater! It is not a “lie” to call the Chinese an IMAX theater! Unless you folks own the company, you can’t tell them how to use the brand! So if the screen is 69.5 feet tall it is not “true IMAX”? Sorry, but I think this is silly!
The article presented above it helpful, except for the snarky misuse of the the term LieMAX. People should be made aware that the same ticket price should not be charged for different experiences, but I feel that way in any mall theater, IMAX or not. a shoebox should not charge the same as a larger screen. Simple solution, I always ask about screen size before I buy.
The real argument, which is fully legitimate, is screen size and projection equipment. Argue that all you want, but for the vast majority of ticket buyers, they will not know the difference.
What they will notice, is that the Chinese will have one of the biggest screens they have witnessed, and will still be the historic and beautiful theatre it has been for decades, now with better sight-lines, more comfortable seats, better accommodations for those in wheelchairs, and no awkward steps at the rear of the house! I have personally fallen down these steps more than once while looking up at the magnificent ceiling, and will be happy to see them gone!
Yes it is still IMAX Lite. The screen would need to be in excess of 70 feet tall and run 70/15 to be considered true IMAX. Check out the following article.
http://nyulocal.com/entertainment/2012/12/06/when-buying-hobbit-tickets-know-the-difference-between-imax-and-lie-max/
90 feet wide & 46 feet tall according to the big press release in the LA Times. Taller and wider than (GASP!) The Dome. Anyone still wanna label this a LIEMAX?
Hey Big Joe, what about the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland? Opened in 1926 and still going strong.
Hello-
i thank Howard H. for the info. i was under the assumption that the Uptown in D.C. had opened as a 1st run theater but according to you it only became 1st run in the late 50s.
therefore that makes the Chinese distinctive in that its the only grand old movie theater/palace built in the 1914-1941 building boon that opened as a 1st run theater and has continued to operate as such since the day it opened.
Chris, to be fair, IMAX didn’t “step away” from 15/70. The company was going broke, and the only way to keep the brand going was to get updated and adapt into something different than what we’re used to. Had they not made the move, IMAX would be gone now.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-fi-ct-chinese-oz-20130806,0,6967513.story
Nice find, Robert! This must be what the big announcement is supposed to be tomorrow (Aug 6) on the Chinese Facebook page!