Uptown Theatre

3426 Connecticut Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008

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Showing 76 - 100 of 587 comments

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on April 12, 2018 at 8:26 am

If they do show 2001 here, it will probably be in 4K. I haven’t been here since Dreamgirls, which I believe was 2K DP. One would think 4K would be better but my memory of the DP presentations here were that they tended to be darker.

In70mm reports a new 70mm print made from the original negative, so you know it doesn’t get much better than that. Although, I wonder if that means the cut scenes are also restored.. :)

On the other hand, if they did a IMAX version and showed it at one of the Smithsonian venues…now THAT would be quite immersive. I think I’d get motion sickness rewatching some the scenes that involved anti-grav or earth-orbit shots that go in circles.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on April 12, 2018 at 5:25 am

Since I assist with both websites, I will note that 3 theaters have announced- in Chicago (Music Box), NYC (Village East), and Boston area (Sommerville). There are all great historic theaters though without Uptown’s huge curved screen. We look forward to updating the list when announcements are made. I’d expect AFI Silver to likely show this sometime. http://www.in70mm.com/now_showing/index.htm

peekytoe
peekytoe on April 12, 2018 at 5:20 am

I can’t find any officially announcements online with the schedule for the 50th Anniversary Screenings of 2001: A Space Odyssey in May. Since this is where it all started, I’d love to make the pilgrimage to DC and see it here. I haven’t reached out to AMC directly…does anyone on this forum have any intel?

Giles
Giles on April 6, 2018 at 6:43 am

@ Howard: AMC for whatever reason removed the left/center, and right/center channels out from behind the screen, but retained the original center and left/right speakers, they’re still there, but the original cinerama configuration is gone.

@ veyoung52 – yes in the 90’s 6-track split stereo surround became the standard, but Sony also it’s 8-channel mixing, cinema presentation that brought back the five stage channels, and boy did it sound glorious.

if AMC were to ever consider integrating/renovating the Uptown’s sound system to feature Dolby Atmos, reinstalling the left/center and right/center is paramount as Atmos does recommend the two additional speakers for especially wide screen dimensions (Arclight Bethesda for example is five front [plus bass] on it’s Atmos,‘widescreen’ screen)

MSC77
MSC77 on April 4, 2018 at 8:06 am

Here’s the link to a new article on roadshow and large format presentations in Washington, DC, which includes numerous mentions of the Uptown.

Showcase Presentations in Washington, DC

The piece is a work in progress, so please don’t hesitate to offer up any useful feedback.

MSC77
MSC77 on April 2, 2018 at 4:26 pm

Just in time for the big anniversary, here’s a new retrospective article on Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The Uptown and lots of other cinemas get mentioned in the piece.

Still the Ultimate Trip: Remembering “2001: A Space Odyssey” on its 50th Anniversary

cineramafan
cineramafan on April 2, 2018 at 8:10 am

Happy Birthday, “2001: A Space Odyssey!”

PeterApruzzese
PeterApruzzese on April 1, 2018 at 9:25 am

Howard – 70mm used to have five backstage speakers: Left, Left/Center, Center, Center/Right, and Right. The mixers eventually used those channels on the prints for subwoofers, so many theatres took them out.

veyoung52
veyoung52 on April 1, 2018 at 7:05 am

Channels two and four in six-track mixes and their associated loudspeaker placements became obsolete in the nineties.

markp
markp on April 1, 2018 at 6:54 am

Weinstein installed the 70MM equipment for Hateful 8. Warner Bros bought most of it when Dunkirk was coming out last summer. I highly doubt that any of the equipment would be removed from a theatre somewhere to be installed here.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on April 1, 2018 at 4:46 am

Giles, are you saying there is only a center channel behind the screen? and, left and right speakers exist but to the actual left and right of the screen?

It would be cool if the curtain’s motor would be replaced or fixed so a curtain could be used again including classics like 2001 in 70mm…..the way I saw it the last time, in the year 2001.

Giles
Giles on March 31, 2018 at 7:23 pm

^^ while they’re at it put back the left/center, right/center speakers behind the screen that were removed years ago.

MarkDHite
MarkDHite on March 30, 2018 at 9:29 pm

WB installed 70mm in several theatres to show The Hateful Eight. How cool if they would do that at the Uptown for 2001. Just dreaming.

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on March 2, 2018 at 7:09 am

Thanks, JodarMovieFan. I should have realized the 70mm projectors would be gone. It would be so great to see it again on a real Cinerama screen – unless they got rid of that too?

JodarMovieFan
JodarMovieFan on March 1, 2018 at 9:42 pm

Bill, that would be so awesome. On the other hand, the 70mm projectors are gone, so if they do decide to show it here, it would be in 4K Digital. The only other close 70mm auditoriums would be the AFI Silver (so so past presentations), Library of Congress and maybe the MPAA theater(?).

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on March 1, 2018 at 5:29 pm

Does anyone know if the Uptown is planning to show “2001: A Space Odyssey” during its 50th anniversary year? In 1993, the 25th anniversary, they showed it for a week. The movie had its world premiere at the Uptown on April 2nd, 1968.

Giles
Giles on January 13, 2018 at 9:27 am

apparently there was a December edition with ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘Elf’ – who knew ?? (I’m slipping here). For the record last weekend’s movie was ‘Sing’ (I love that movie).

Myrna38717
Myrna38717 on January 13, 2018 at 8:47 am

Yes, they’ve put it together with the Cleveland Park Business Association: https://www.cpcadc.org/wp-content/uploads/WEEKEND-MORNING-SHOWS.pdf

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on January 13, 2018 at 4:23 am

Big (1988) at 10 AM today at the Uptown. Is there a family classic series on weekend mornings?

MikeRadio
MikeRadio on January 6, 2018 at 8:47 pm

This is AMCs ONLY single screen theater.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 23, 2017 at 7:29 am

A former Uptown projectionist who has commented on this page, tells me that until c. 1986, the Uptown’s giant letters on the facade had always spelled out the name in a manner that I think would’ve been like this “U….Up…Upt…Upto…Uptow…Uptown…..U….”

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on September 2, 2017 at 5:09 am

“Close Encounters of the Third Kind 40th Anniversary” (the new 4k restoration only in theaters for one week) is being shown now here. So far as I recall, the 1st classic in many years!

Giles
Giles on August 21, 2017 at 5:46 am

in response to jeffpiatt – there is a ADA certified restroom on the main floor.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on August 20, 2017 at 1:54 pm

Hello-

in reference to sguttag’s comment. many of the most beloved movie theaters across the country were built as very grand neighborhood theaters and only became exclusive 1st run venues years later. for instance the Coronet in San Francisco only became 1st run with the Todd-AO roadshow premiere of Oklahoma in 1955.