Cinerama Hollywood
6360 Sunset Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6360 Sunset Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
142 people
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The top two theatres in Los Angeles that presents 70MM the way it should be shown, Grauman’s Chinese and the Dome.
Unfortunately “Scary Movie 4” is playing at the Ziegfeld right now as well. But the theater’s director has assured us that the Classics will be returning in the fall. I hope the same thing will happen at the Dome, the ultimate place to see 70mm in the entire USA.
OK, folks. What must we do to convince Pacific/Arclight to take a page from the Ziegfeld in New York and run a similar classic series at the Dome – not Arclight, BUT THE DOME! They’re currently running “Scary Movie 4” there. Pathetic! Was this the company’s vision when they restored this theatre? Somehow, I don’t think so. The kids who saw that flick this weekend know NADA about grand and epic cinema! They are in desperate need of a 70MM history lesson. What better place than this theatre! Just picture it: the same films that the Ziegfeld showed on a screen that is worthy of their glory! At the very least, can AFI take a page from American Cinematheque and run their own 70MM Film Festival here? Imagine the possibilities!
The Dome is the most unique theatre in Los Angeles.
Just attended a screening for the first time at the ArcLight. Fantastic multiplex theatre. Assigned seating, ushers in the theatres actually guiding people to their seats, very confortable seats and great sound and picture quality. Decor is somewhat minimal. Too bad the movie, Ask the Dust, was a big beautiful bore.
Michael,
Thank you for the Columbia Pictures 75th Anniversary info.
JSA
The screen at was installed at the Dome was 86 feet by 32 feet with a 126 degree curve. The louvered screen at the Warner Cinerama was 76 feet by 28 feet with a 146 degree curve. If you go back stage and look at the front lip of the stage behind the current screen you can see the original curve that was cut into the stage for the Cinerama screen.
Sorry, but as Dave Strohmaier, the fellow who made the documentary on Cinerama, will be happy to tell you, while the screen may in fact be huge, it was NOT as tall as the Cinerama screen at the Warner Cinerama or any other of the original Cinerama screens.
The Columbia Pictures 75th Anniversary festival was held during February 1999.
As to the comment re “the Dome was never designed to house a true Cinerama screen” — I don’t believe this comment is correct. The Dome WAS designed to be a 3-strip Cinerama house. It wasn’t until very close to its completion that a decision was made to install the non-slatted screen and only 70mm projection. United Artists, the studio that produced the Dome’s debut attraction, “It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World,” wrestled throughout its production as to how best to release it, and this is well-documented in the industry trades. UA’s original plan was to release the film in 3-strip.
And to say the Dome doesn’t have a tall enough screen — come on! The screen is huge.
I’ve been going to the Dome since it first opened with Mad World. One thing that hasn’t been pointed out and should be is that one of the reasons their current three-panel Cinerama isn’t quite the real deal was their inability to install a proper slatted Cinerama screen. Hence, the projection is not as bright as it should be. The other lesser problem is that the screen really isn’t tall enough – the Dome was never designed to house a true Cinerama screen. I saw Seven Wonders of The World, HTWWW and Brothers Grimm, all at the Warner Cinerama on Hollywood Blvd. and it was a higher screen (and maybe even a bit wider) – I’ve never seen anything like it before or since, and the image was incredibly bright and beautiful thanks to the louvered screen.
I got the above dates from the program that was handed during the engagements (I’ve been doing some spring cleaning!). I recall a later date for Columbia’s 75th Anniversary, but can’t exactly remember when. I just hope they bring back those films, right where they belong!
JSA
I see a comment above about Philadelphia’s Boyd, a former 3 strip Cinerama house, being restored. It won’t have the orchestra booths to project Cinerama, but the historic movie palace will survive! www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org
We found some Cinerama sound equipment tossed into old storage space. There was an old, not too exciting Windjammer poster, and I’m not sure if it was tossed. It was on the floor and not too clean. And, a ticket price sign for This is Cinerama, which we have for exhibit of the Boyd’s history.
I have an ad from New York Times for Columbia Pictures 75th Anniversary Film Fetival, with my own note that it played the Dome. This series was more recent than above. On other side, a revie of Message in a Bottle.
Lawrence of Arabia (70mm!)
Dr. Strangelove and Easy Rider
It Happened One Night and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Bridge of the River Kwai
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Tootsie
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind -DTS (Definitive Director’s Cut)
From Here to Eternity and On the Waterfront
Taxi Driver
From May 20 until June 16 1994, The Cinerama Dome presented a “Columbia Classic Film Retrospectiveâ€, advertised as “The way they were made to be seenâ€. The films screened included “Bridge on the River Kwaiâ€, “Lawrence of Arabiaâ€, “The Guns of Navarone†and “Tommyâ€. I had the chance to see “Kwaiâ€and “Navaroneâ€. They sounded and looked majestic on the giant screen. I don’t believe that a retrospective such as this has been presented in recent years. The last one I recall was done right before the renovation.
It’s about time for the Dome to host another event like this…
JSA
I said it before…I’ll say it again. The real crowds and $$$’s are waiting for Arclight to steal the annual “Great Big 70MM Festival” from the American Cinematheque/Egyptian Theatre and to bring it to the Dome where 70MM belongs!
When I went to HTWWW at the Dome in 2003 the joint was packed like sardines on a Sunday afternoon. Maybe the crowds are scarce because of the fact that this film has already played in the Dome fairly recently. Could it be that LA area audiences are hungry for other classic films (like “2001”) to play in the Dome as opposed to reruns such as this?
It was sad to see that the Friday and Saturday night shows did not sell out, especially when compared to the overflow crowds in 2003, but I hope this doesn’t deter Arclight from showing the film every couple of years or so. The Cinerama faithful will come from all over, just to experience it one more time. As I said to one of the ushers, entering the Dome to see “How the West Was Won” was like walking into a church.
Bill Kallay and Manwithnoname are right – if there’s any way you can get there before the engagement ends, you won’t be disappointed. In fact you won’t believe your eyes. Cinerama can turn a simple shot of Debbie Reynolds and Carroll Baker standing among a bunch of trees on a riverbank into a truly beautiful, awe-inspiring sight. Don’t even get me started on what it can do for the action sequences.
If you live on the West Coast and can attend one these screenings of HTWWW, please do. You haven’t seen this film in its proper presentation until you’ve seen it in true Cinerama. The picture (or pictures) shining on the large Dome screen are clear and bright, and the sound is good, warm analog sound.
John Sittig and his crew put on a spectacular show, and a lot of effort goes into these special engagements. They deserve an audience and deserve applause for their efforts. Sittig has been at the forefront of many special engagements at the Dome of Cinerama and Super Cinerama shows. It doesn’t get any better than this.
The films that audiences see in their local shoebox megaplex are such a far cry from the epic quality of HTWWW. Before I saw it at the Dome in 2003, I had only seen it on LaserDisc and wondered what was so special about it. I found it boring and stagey. BUT, when seen in Cinerama, what a difference! This is a true film with showmanship in mind and shouldn’t be missed!
Out in Philadelphia, a former Cinerama theatre is being restored. the RKO stanley Warner Boyd Theatre, which was also known as Regal Entertainment Group’s United artists Sameric 4 Theatre. This cinerama house (it was one of the first cinerama theatres on the east coast, along with the RKO Stanley Warner’s Warner Cinerama & Penthouse Theatre.
Sameric’s auditorium #1 was the former Boyd Theatre, which had all incarations of Cinerama until it was moved in the late 1960’s to William Goldman’s Randolph Theatre (which closed in 1971 with Tora! Tora! Tora! as the last film).
It would be great if a cinerama style theatre was built in Philadelphia, that uses cinerama, imax, 70mm, 35mm and digital formats.
HTWWW is coming back? Great. Maybe I’ll take some friends who’ve never been here.
To piggyback on Bill Huelbig’s comments, the American Cinematheque is running their yearly 70MM festival in the wrong theatre! With all due respect to the Egyptian, the Dome is THE PLACE to experience the true glory of 70MM projection!
I think the Dome should be running festivals and classics during the not so busy season. There’s no reason why this auditorium should be showing anything “fluffy” in the slow months. January-April and September-October are the perfect times for the Dome to go retro and show classics worthy to fit on that glorious screen.
I’m waiting patiently (or trying to) for the announcement of the dates for the rumored Fall 2005 engagement of “How the West Was Won”. Wouldn’t it be great if they had a Cinerama festival (3-strip as well as 70mm) and showed “2001” at the same time?
Yeah…but not in this decade…and not since it’s reopening.
The Dome has shown “2001”…on several occasions.
First time I went here was to see T2 on opening day in 70MM and CDS. One of the greatest movie experiences of my life!
Now if they’d only get permission to show 2001 in here!
Yes, the Dome had Cinema Digital Sound installed in the early 90’s, and what a great system that was! I saw “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” there in 70mm and CDS. This was an expensive format, and faded with the advent of the much cheaper Dolby Digital and DTS formats.
But Cinema Digital Sound was MUCH higher quality, the best sound I’ve ever heard in a movie theater, ever.