Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Cinemas
6360 Sunset Boulevard,
Hollywood,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6360 Sunset Boulevard,
Hollywood,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
110 people
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Went to the “Mad (etc) World” screening and had a great time – the movie was 70mm and stereo (even in the Shirelles song!) for the first time in ages. Got to meet Edie Adams (told her she was one of the funniest performers ever; she said “Well, it was all those years at Juillard!”), Stan Freberg and Marvin Kaplan. Stanley Kramer’s widow and Billy Bob Thornton introduced the film. Only downside? It was the shorter version of the film. But the clarity was amazing! Right before the end of the last chase you can see a big “Nixon for Governor” banner. Still Hollywood’s finest theatre IMHO.
The Dome is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary this year. It will recreate it’s grand opening with a benefit screening of “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” in 70mm on Oct. 16. Sid Caesar, Jerry Lewis, Edie Adams, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney and others are scheduled to attend. The event is sold out.
How the West Was Won is now re-scheduled for Spring 2003.
A special engagement of the original 3-strip Cinerama version of “How The West Was Won” is scheduled for February 2003. In answer to the comment below, both of the films mentioned were indeed shown in single strip 70mm although referred to as Cinerama.
Yesterday I took my 14 year old daughter to experience the restored “This Is Cinerama” in the original 3-strip process. This is not the first time this film played here but the first time was 70mm single strip. Despite it’s name, 3-strip Cinerama never before played in this theater. In the lobby was John Sittig from Pacific Theaters' Cinerama archives answering questions and displaying Cinerama Camera #3 used to shoot several Cinerama productions (not this one). David Strohmaier, Producer/Director of the documentary “Cinerama Adventure” manned the Abel projection booth. It did, and still does, require 5 projectionists to present Cinerama. The presentation of this 50 year old film was excellent. Projection was flawless and the only drawbacks were in the film itself (some fading, deterioration, etc). While the actual screen size appeared to be about the same as 70mm presentations here (the screen and throw are only so large) the film is still impressive and I heard comments afterwards about how spectacular the film still is. Following the feature was a 3-strip trailer for “How the West Was Won” which is said to be scheduled for after the first of the year. The trailer looked even better than the feature. Reprints of the original souvenir program were available in the gift shop. In all, this was a wonderful trip through some cinematic history and I look forward to the next one.
Just attended a screening of Spider Man at the renovated Dome. While the outside looks the same, save for the new complex built around it, the inside is another matter. The lobby cases showcase the history of the theater and the Cinerama process. The seats are new, as is the carpeting and curtains. The decor has gone from gold to a dark blue which allows the theater to become darker, involving the viewer in the image on the huge screen. The image WAS huge, even though it was not anamorphic and the sound was excellent. Only complaints: The presentation began out of focus which should never happen at $14 a pop and the curved screen distorted the picture some. There was a minor hassle when the theater sold the same seats twice (all seats are reserved). 3 hr parking is included in the price. In the Arclight complex, sporting 13 new auditoriums, are poster reproductions from 3 strip Cinerama productions which are from the American Widescreen Museum. The Dome is now equipped to show these for the first time and will later in the year. There is a cafe and a gift shop containing some Cinerama souveniers. Unfortunately, those Cinerama posters are not available although others are. An interesting historical fact is that Pacific Theaters bought the Cinerama company before this theater opened, then discontinued the 3 strip process in favor of Ultra Panavision 70 beginning with “Mad World”.
The Dome, along with the new Arclight complex around it, have opened. It now costs $14 to see a movie there.
The first film shown here was “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”.
The last film I saw there before it closed for renovation was “Godzilla”. The one before it was a revival of the uncut version of “The Wild Bunch” in 70mm. Although I have seen it dozens of times, it was like seeing it for the first time. Amazingly, that nearly 30 year old film played for six weeks.
I am anxiously awaiting more info as to when the “dome” will be ready for “This Is Cinerama”. I am a former member of IATSE and ran a Cinerama booth in New Jersey, back in 1963.