TCL Chinese Theatre

Nice photo, Chrles. Really red! But I am surprised there is no usual balcony. What is up there on the second level?

Everyone visiting Hollywood has to take in the Chinese at least once. When I was a theatre manageer in NY The Chinese management were kind enough to let me come and walk around. Later that week I watched from outside the premiere of “Beverly Hills Cop II”. A few years later I got to see what she could do when I went to see not yet Gov. Arnold in “Eraser”. The film wasn’t memorable but the presentation was. A huge screen and enough boom booms to satisfy. My last time there they were only starting the Highland and Kodak complex but my next trip out, it’s the first place I go.

Quenty:

There is a photo on page 191 of “Cinema Year by Year 1894-2004” of the opening night of King of Kings. “Last night the theater was the venue for a special premiere of director Cecil B. DeMille’s King of Kings before a select audience of 2,000. Outside, a crowd of 50,000 gathered.”

Great clear night shot:
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Caption: Grauman’s Chinese Theater at night with floodlights shining at the premiere of The Robe, first film made in Cinemascope, Hollywood, California, 1953.

I hope that everyone in California, if not the United States, appreciates what they have in the superb single screen cinemas in Los Angeles. May I just make a comment about Dolby v THX? In my younger days, I was involved in the audio business in the UK, and always used hi fi equipment to listen to my TV with obviously varying results. “Varying” because movies, my main interest, were recorded to Academy Curve, which emphasized the vocal frequencies.
Dolby, up to this point best known for noise reduction systems, entered the
movie sound business with, I think, “Lisztomania” by Ken Russell, because they could reduce noise, and thus the need for the Academy Curve was lessened. I.E. a flatter higher fidelity response could be obtained. Later, I believe for the film “A Star is Born”, Barbara Streisand version, rear channels were required. The only way of doing this previously was with expensive 6 channel systems on 70mm film, but Dolby rigged a system based on the old Sansui QS domestic quadraphonic system, which required only two channels to be recorded, which were processed to extract the centre voice channel and the rear effects. This was later modified and improved. Most people’s first noticeable exposure to the Dolby Stereo system was with “Star Wars”, the opening scene in particular being notable for the effect of the imperial cruiser approaching from above and behind. So, Dolby introduced a cheaper way of getting stereo surround sound into theaters and, soon after, into homes, and deserve more than the “just a noise reduction system” label.
Lucas was later dissatisfied with the performance of the sound systems being used in cinemas, and introduced the TAP, Theater Alignment Program, to certify those cinemas which were superior in their sound qualities. This later spread through the certification of equipment, both home and professional, with Thomas Holliman (?) being the designer. Hence THX, apart from jalopies and student movies, also coming from Thomas Holliman Xperiment.
Recently standing with the rest of the fans at the “Episode III” premiere in Westwood, I realized that “Star Wars”, the original, had changed the course of
my life, by taking the audio business towards the film business, this had stimulated my interest in film, and eventually lead to my current attendance of the UCLA School of Film and Television. Which has enabled me to visit the Chinese and all of the other magnificent theatres (sic —– I am English after all) in Los Angeles.

And, oh, if Sensurround did cover the frequencies suggested, down to 5 Hz, probably no sound system in use currently would reach down that far, luckily. 7 Hz at a high enough volume will probably shake your internal organs to bits.

Doug

Vito,
You’re welcome regarding the article.

As for George Lucas fleeing to Hawaii to escape the “Star Wars” mania, this is often referenced as having been during the movie’s opening weekend. I’m no sure if that is correct as by several accounts they were still working on the sound mix on opening day. Plus, as I pointed out in the Hawaii Cinerama thread (/theaters/359/), Honolulu didn’t open the movie until its third week. By then, Lucas had probably already returned to the “mainland” as Hawaiians like to call it. But then, Baxter’s (error-ridden) Lucas biography places Lucas on Oahu during the movie’s release and claims it opened there the same time as the mainland. Whatever.

A link to a cool “Star Wars” memory article:
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Thanks Michael for that very informative article.
I was in Hawaii at the time and was very agravated by the fact that we opened the picture in two locations, both in 35mm with mono
sound. The prints were SVA but we did not have Dolby processors for the playback. Later in the run, a Dolby CP100 was installed at the Cinerama. As you know “Empire” and “Jedi” did play in 70mm six track at the Cinerama.

“One of my fondest childhood memories is waiting outside the theater in line for what seemed like hours to see the original "Star Wars”. Even at age 9 I thought it was really cool to be seeing a movie THERE. I’m from Minnesota, and my dad lived in San Diego at the time. I’m not quite clear on how or why we happened to be there right then, but I’m so glad we were. It’s a cool story to tell as an adult, especially now with the release of “Revenge of the Sith”, and people talking about their own “Star Wars” memories…“ (MaraC”

A link to a cool “Star Wars” memory article:
View link

Current seating capacity in the original main auditorium is 1,492. This is due mainly to larger seats and re-spacing plus the loss of several rows from the rear orchestra when the foyer was recently enlarged into the auditorium space to accomodate a concession stand. This area was where the projection booth was located when it was moved from its ‘upper location’ when Cinemiracle was installed in the 1950’s

One of my fondest childhood memories is waiting outside the theater in line for what seemed like hours to see the original “Star Wars”. Even at age 9 I thought it was really cool to be seeing a movie THERE. I’m from Minnesota, and my dad lived in San Diego at the time. I’m not quite clear on how or why we happened to be there right then, but I’m so glad we were. It’s a cool story to tell as an adult, especially now with the release of “Revenge of the Sith”, and people talking about their own “Star Wars” memories…

my best friend worked at the theater next to graumans before they tore it down.when they let him go he took the exit signs that were over the doors,he has 2 i have one,its in a asian script,so im happy with my little piece of hollywood.the last movie i saw there was rush hour 2,and the place was empty,it connected to gruamans by some kind of tunnle,i wonder if they incorprated that into the new complex.either way my friend shane got transfered to the dome,and i saw solomon birch there and that was awsome.im a little upset about the whole archlight thing,but at least they kept it.

I’d say, spend the $10 and go inside! Who cares what’s playing. Remember, we buy tickets to theaters, not movies.