Uptown Theatre
3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20008
3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20008
60 people
favorited this theater
Showing 501 - 525 of 587 comments
I saw “Around the World in 80 Days” during its first run at the Uptown. That was an experience that I can still recall with great clarity. It was marvelous!
Seeing the new Harry Potter premiere tonight (11.15) at the Uptown…I can’t wait.
My most memorable experience was trying to see Revenge of the Sith again before it left. Slightly under the influence, I was freaked out by the large number of Naval officers in line to see the movie. I moved past the line to the ticket booth, only to find out that a premiere for Stealth was there that night instead. With headphones on, I yelled louder than I hoped, “F@#$!”
Fearing that naval officers would take me away, I tried to move from the masses when I accidentally bumped into the very hot Jessica Biehl. She could tell from my eyes what kind of state I was in and laughed and said hello….pretty cool.
I am saddened to hear that the Uptown theatre is becoming just another Loew’s theatre. The 70mm presentation of “Rear Window” was the last time I saw a show at the Uptown. I had a bad incident at the parking lot across the way that discouraged me from coming b (Some advice – if you’re not anywhere within walking distance of the Uptown, take the Metro. Unless you’re really experienced parking is hard to find. I gave up going to the Avalon before that theatre closed because I had a problem finding somewhere to park my car. I went there because of their top notch presentation but getting to the box office to find the show was sold out was discouraging.) After reading the postings here I’ve come to the conclusion that Loew’s is giving the Uptown very low maintenance. Evidently, they’re looking at the bottom line and cutting corners. The Uptown is just another theatre among the million others. I still remember the 70mm showings of “Grease” and “Alien.” The revival showing of “Lawrence of Arabia” was undoubtedly the best in the region with the Uptown’s extra-large screen and brilliant sound. To me this was a 70mm roadshow was about. I considered going to see the last “Star War” movie at the Uptown but after reading the posts here I went to a theatre in Baltimore instead. It might have been nice as that’s where I saw the original “Star Wars”. It was in 35mm but the Uptown was the only theatre in town to hear the Dolby Stero. Going there for the last time would have brought it to a full circle. As a matter of fact I saw the original 3 SW films in DC theatres – the second one showed at the Cinema and the final one was at the Jenifer. Funny – they’re both gone.
The uptown does indeed have 2 prints. One for the managers and one for the projectionists. Oh, by the way, the managers print no longer will run in Dolby digital because of the damage to it. So if you are going to see a movie there, find out when the projectionists' print is running or else you will only hear it in analog sound. What a surprise!!!
I have many happy memories of the Uptown Theater. I grew up in Southeast Washington, DC during the 1960’s and 1970’s. My parents were very strict and did not allow my sisters and I to see the Blaxploitation movies that became popular during the 1970’s. While the neighborhood children were going the local Senator Theater on Minnesota Avenue NE to see Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, Super Fly and all the other Blaxploitation movies of the time, my mother took us to the Uptown Theater on Connecticut Avenue to see the Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and other wholesome family movies. We would buy our candy at the People’s Drug Store across the street to avoid buying the high priced theater candy. To this day I am a big fan of musicals and anything by ROgers and Hammerstein, thanks to my mother and the Uptown Theater.
The Uptown Theater has many happy memories for me. I grew up in Southeast Washington DC during the 1960’s and 1970’s. My parents were very strict and did not allow my sisters and I to see the Blaxploitation movies that became popular during the 1970’s. While the neighborhood children were going local Senator Theater on Minnesota Avenue NE to see Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, Super Fly and all the other Blaxploitation movies of the time, my mother took us to the Uptown Theater on Connecticut Avenue to see the Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and other wholesome family movies. We would buy our candy at the People’s Drug Store across the street to avoid purchasing the high priced theater candy. To this day I am a big fan of muscials and anything written by Rogers and Hammerstein thanks to my mother and our many trips to the Uptown Theater.
I’m sure it was a misthread. Piddy, if you think the managers are not the ones scratching the prints then think again. Managers have no business in the booth.
I have never heard of such a thing as 2 different prints, for one thing it would cost to much and theatre companies are not going to spend more than they have to. Keith is right, one misthread, plus no one in the booth to keep an eye on the running of the print, and guess what,there goes your print. I have seen it happen more times than I can remember.
Dave Grau (Mungo)
Norelco
I saw the movie on Wed and the movie had no scratches. So the person that said it had scratches must had seen it when a projectionist was running it. I heard that the projectionist have there print and the manager’s have there print. I saw the manager’s print and no scratches.
Way to go Keith, you still got it pal.
Mungo
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Forget about the theatre – who cares about “King Kong”?? – a re-make of a re-make [yawn].
Who cares if King Kong is coming to the Uptown? With its current lousy projection and sound standards, I’ll stick to my closer, better sounding and looking (especially if its in DLP) multiplex movie screen, thank you.
Unfortunately, this is what happens when you take the qualified, union operators out of the booth and replace them with managers and concessionists that do not know what they are doing. They do this because they know people will still go to the theater. They will complain, but they will still go. Say goodbye to the perfect presentations. They are a thing of the past.
Universal presents KING KONG. World Premiere Monday, 12 December 2005 Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City. Regular performances start Wednesday, 14 December 2005 at the Ziegfeld Theatre, New York, the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood, CA, Seattle Cinerama and Uptown Theatre, Washington, DC.
Oh OK, you’re right – I didn’t have the paper in front of me, since the Copley recently closed I thought it came from there.
If you mean this chandelier, the Loews press release says it formerly hung in Boston’s Cheri theatre, not Copley Place.
The chandelier mentioned in Keith Maddens post above, was originally in the Loew’s Capitol in New York City, and more recently in the Copley Place theatre in Boston.
Having returned from a mid-week, evening showing of “Revenge of the Sith,” I’m sad to report that things haven’t changed a whole lot at this theater. The presentation was a disappointment all around. The movie was scratchy, blotchy and had a noticeable line running down the middle during previews and at the end credits. I realize this is a dark movie, both in subject matter and lighting, but in many of the scenes, especially during the one where Sidious reveals his true self to Anakin, the costumes were too dark. No texture differences, washed out color. The digital projection of this film was so much better hands down. The only saving grace to watching this film, at this theater, is its enormous screen size. It draws you in, but the horrible picture and sound brings you back to reality like a slap in the face. sigh
The sound was subdued even though this was supposedly an event film. Given the fact there may have been less than 20 in the audience, in a theater that could seat 800 or so, I guess whomever was responsible for the audio settings just turned it down. A waste of my $9.50.
I am sorry to hear about your bad experience with The Aviator at the Uptown. Sadly this was not an isolated incident. Loews wisely chose to schedule projectionists full time for the opening weeks of Star Wars at the Uptown. The print remained flawless unlike those for all of the other features since the beginning of the year when they installed a platter and made “managers” run the equipment.
Loews recently began cutting back projectionist hours again. War of the Worlds opens next. Unfortunately all it takes is one misthread to scratch a print. Out of frame, out of focus, out of every other spec seems to be the accepted norm at multi screen mall complexes but it seems such a shame to have it happen at the Uptown where quality presentation was taken for granted.
To their credit Loews lifted an antique chandelier from one of the theaters it closed in New York City and it now adorns the Uptown lobby. Ultimately however what keeps the audiences coming back is the light on the giant screen not the light in the lobby.
Interesting development this week, AMC and Loews have announced plans to merge. How will the new stewards of this grand olde dame treat her?
Would love to hear how the projection situation is going there now. I was actually in one of the audiences when The Aviator showed and had to ask the manager repeatedly to get the film centered on the screen, and later got to see when a reel got out of registration and the screen was a full blur. Wondering if things have changed there at all…..
The Uptown was among the theatres included in the original limited-market launch of “Star Wars.” The Uptown’s 5/25/77 opening-day gross, as reported in Daily Variety, was a house record $12,896.
These pictures of the Uptown were taken on November 10, 2001, the last time “2001” played there:
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Incredible viewing experience! I will see every possible movie at this theater that I am able to. I suggest you do the same. Almost a full house for a Wednesday 6:30 showing of Star Wars. Fantastic…I’m glad the community comes out to support this theater!
How can we get Lowe’s out and someone esle in? I have never been to the Uptown but after reading about it here for the first time I might just go tonight to see Star Wars. Does this theater, or rather, Lowes hold film fests? Possibly after summer? I am so jonesing to go to this theater I might leave work early…I am just drooling! 70 ft screen….WOW!!!