Comments from markinthedark

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markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on Jun 12, 2007 at 2:46 pm

Perhaps Columbia Pictures will strike a 70mm print of Yor just for the occasion. Oh! to heart the title track “Yor! He’s a man! Yor! He’s a man!” in glorious 6-Track magnetic stereo for the first time…

One can only dream. Sends chills up the spine.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about Beverly Center 13 Cinemas on Jun 12, 2007 at 2:07 pm

This happened to me when I saw “Girl With the Pearl Earring”. Except it was the reverse in a top-masking auditorium so there was open screen above and below the 2.35:1 projected image. They did come in and fix it without anyone asking.

It is a wonder it is open in a town like this when better theatres in the area have been shuttered. Mann must have a good deal with the mall in order to keep the place open. Their ticket prices are lower the other Mann theatres, however, making it a quasi-first run/second run theatre.

Funnily I am always amused coming here (only under dire cirqumstances, like when it was the last place in LA that “Flags of Our Fathers” was still playing). Its like seeing a bad car crash, a museum of bad cinema design. I do have to hand it to Cineplex Odeon, even though all their builds were generally crappy grey and purple shoe boxes with bad slope, bad line of sight, bad light reflective painted grey walls in auditoriums, (the list goes on), they ALWAYS at least had Dolby Stereo in all their theatres, something which many crummy shoeboxes of the 70’s and 80’s did not have.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about NEW SITE UPDATE: Email is coming soon! on Jun 7, 2007 at 8:58 pm

Me too…

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 29, 2007 at 3:42 am

For those Plaza showings why didn’t they put the Midnight 70mm screenings at the National in the first place?

I second the motion for some 70MM revivals at the National. How about “70MM Mornings” every Saturday and Sunday at 10 AM. and “70MM Midnights” on Friday and Saturdays. That would leave the normal hours for open for their regular engagement commitments. Of course the occasional 70MM week-long festival would be great. Would probably draw more people than “Hitcher 2: Sequel to a Crummy Remake”.

Somebody should direct the current operators to this website and thread so they can see our wishes.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 28, 2007 at 11:19 pm

3.5 hours of Yor? Good God! One gets suicidal feelings after watching just the first ½ hour…

Proof again that Seattle is one of the top movie watching cities in the world.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about Happy 30th, Star Wars! on May 26, 2007 at 11:33 pm

Here is my Star Wars history:

I was 7 years old when it came out….

1&2: Roxy Theatre (twice), Tacoma WA (now the Pantages)
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=9998

3: UA Cinema 150 (RIP), Seattle WA (70mm)
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2593.html

4: Narrows Theatre, Tacoma WA
View link

5: Lakewood Theatre, Lakewood WA (1982 Reissue)
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/11164.html

  1. Cinedome Cinema 150 (formerly UA) 70MM (1991 Children’s Hospital charity showing)
    http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2593.html

The Special Edition (UGH!):

  1. Act III Crossroads 8, Bellevue WA – Dolby Digital THX

  2. Act III Supermall Stadium 17, Auburn WA – Dolby Digital THX

  3. American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, CA – Dolby Digital (2007 showing)
    http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=2993
    (I was hoping this would be the original version, but it wasn’t. They had made no indication on their website or Calendar as to which version it was).

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 19, 2007 at 1:00 pm

Nice to see a gathering of people around the box office…

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 18, 2007 at 9:25 am

Does anyone know if they have changed the “Mann” sign that is perched in top of the “National” sign. I am out of town for a month and it is driving me crazy to not be able see what they have done to my favorite theatre!

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 18, 2007 at 6:31 am

I love bad movies. I actually own Yor on Laser Disc….

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 14, 2007 at 1:19 pm

I cannot believe “Yor: The Hunter From the Future” played at the National. Oh if I were able to go back in time…

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about iPic Westwood on May 12, 2007 at 7:51 am

Does anyone out there have pictures of the Avco’s original main auditorium?

Also, Michael: When you get the pictures William is telling us about on your site please make announcements on Cinematour and Cinema Treasures so we can know when to look.

Thanks!

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about iPic Westwood on May 11, 2007 at 11:21 am

Michael, I know it would be wildly long, but could you post that compete list of the National on your site or under the National’s thread on this site?

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about Mann National Theatre to reopen this week on May 9, 2007 at 8:32 pm

Good News! Hope it works out!

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 8, 2007 at 4:54 am

Bad location compared to Village, bad parking, underappreciation of vintage 60’s/70’s decor, can’t hold a film as long as the Avco, especially since Mann has hardly any screens left to move a film to…

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 7, 2007 at 6:11 am

Too bad they didn’t keep it and book Spider Man 3 there, staggering showtimes with The Village.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about When will retro be more in style? on May 5, 2007 at 11:54 am

Adam has posted my closing night shots of the national on Cinematour.

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2134.html

And somebody on Cinema Treasures claims the National will reopen under a new operator on May 11th. True? or speculation?

/theaters/799/

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 5, 2007 at 11:51 am

Adam has posted my closing night shots of the national on Cinematour.

http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2134.html

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on May 4, 2007 at 11:46 pm

Thats great news if it’s true. But if Mann couldn’t make it work…

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on Apr 24, 2007 at 2:48 pm

As much as the National is in need of an upgrade comfort-wise, there is a part of me that likes it the way it is. It is a perfectly preserved represtation of its era for design etc. As I look through my photos I took, the ones of the front row seats make me think that at some time some fan sat in that chair to see the latest Indiana Jones in 70mm. I know that it is probably not viable to preserve the theatre as is, but it has character and a real sense of time. The kind of place that many of us growing up in the 70’s and 80’s learned to love (and want to work in) movies.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on Apr 24, 2007 at 2:11 pm

But I thought it wasn’t Mann’s to sell. Were they not leasing it?

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about When will retro be more in style? on Apr 21, 2007 at 4:25 pm

Or how about the American Cinematheque?

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about When will retro be more in style? on Apr 21, 2007 at 4:22 pm

Truely a sad loss. This was my favorite theatre in LA and it represented its era of spectacle: Giant Screen! Big Sound! Larger than life! Movie going as an event!. The Village is great and all, but it will never match the National in terms of wide-screen spectacle. It is sad that is seems a building of this era cannot be protected. If the Village or Chinese were threatened by demolition, there would be angry demonstrations and calls to protect a “classic theatre”. Not so for the National. Just a small group of fans who came to the last show and were lucky that the management let us snap some pictures.

Regency Theatres, can you rescue this one?

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on Apr 21, 2007 at 12:49 pm

April 19th was a sad night. I attended the final screening at the National and was surprised by number of cinema-philes who turned out (with their cameras as well). I took a bunch of photos that I will try to get over to Cinematour in the next couple of weeks. The National’s presentation was flawless, of course (too bad the movie wasn’t better), putting any other theatre to shame. The explosions in the film reminded me of the first film I saw there, “Saving Private Ryan”, and how much in awe I was of the presentation!

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about National Theatre on Apr 19, 2007 at 4:10 pm

Final show tonight! “Shooter” 10:10 PM. Dolby Digital THX. I will be there. Hope everyone can join.

markinthedark
markinthedark commented about Mann National goes dark on Apr 19, 2007 at 4:07 pm

I plan on being there tonight as well. Hope everyone can join.