Originally was supposed to be Mann’s replacement for the Janss Marketplace 9 and Mann 5 at the Oaks, but the plans were soon sold off after nearly a million dollars invested in the project when they decided not to pursue it after all.
The Nuart got new seats a few years back, and it was decided to give more space between rows at that time. Seat count, confirmed by management at that time, is now exactly 300.
Let me get this logic of yours straight, ArtDirector… we should allow more alterations to the most famous movie theatre in the world solely because past generations may not have cared about history and preservation as much the current generation?
The proscenium arch needed to be changed back in the 1950s because the movies themselves were changing to a wider screen format. Stadium seating is not a format change, and the slope of the floor in the main Grauman’s auditorium is sufficient enough where the main reason to have stadium seating in any auditorium is moot.
Stadium seating at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre will not make the building a desirable place to see a movie again. Booking the best films at the theatre and cleaning out the scum that has invaded the area just outside the theatre will.
Al, I think the “exclusivity” Raysson was referring to was that most theatres playing Les Miz do not have reserved seating nor have a print complete with full overture, intermission or exit music. But then, one has to wonder where all these extra goodies are placed in the film, if Mr. Hooper had any say in the creation and execution of said special print, and why Clearview doesn’t even advertise such a thing on their own website or why I cannot find anything about this special print anywhere on the world wide web.
Current seating for all theatres is 3,864. The IMAX house is still 15/70 film. Saw Zero Dark Thirty in the Loews house last Thursday. Still a treat to sit in a real balcony.
PTA is a strange bird. I ran a test screening of his cut of Sydney (later to be known as Hard Eight) years ago, and he demanded my projectionist jerry-rig a volume knob for him so he (PTA) could control the sound levels in the theatre during the screening… even though that meant having to remove the smaller port glass window so the cable could run down to the theatre, causing the noise from the projector to drown out portions of the sound from the screen. And you can’t tell the director “Hey dude, that’s the job of the sound mixer during post-production, man!”
Roger: it is true, which is also why the 70mm prints are hard-matted to 1.85:1. No, it doesn’t really make sense, especially considering all of PTA’s other features were shot 2.39:1, which is closer to 70mm’s 2.20:1 than Academy flat’s 1.85:1, but that’s what happened.
CSWalczak: PTA shooting most of the film in 65mm (only using 35mm for scenes where a 65mm camera would not have fit or otherwise worked) was his way of making a statement about the current state of digital cinema. If one may never be able to work with film again, especially if one is only making a film every five years now, why not go out on the format with something special?
According to the Maya Cinemas web site, the location is now being called the Century Mall 16. From the showtimes, it looks like 12 of the auditoria are now open.
The Village East Cinemas website used to have a rental pricing chart which listed the seating capacity of each theatre. According to that chart, the main house has (or had, in 2003) 444 seats.
It’s obvious Westwood is a dead zone for moviegoing. From 10 commercial movie theatres with 19 screens just ten years ago to three single screeners today, with nary a sellout at any of those houses no matter what is playing is proof of that.
The moviegoing public today would rather go down Westwood Blvd. a mile or so and go to a certain twelve-screener with smaller rooms with smaller screens, because there is more and cheaper parking closer to the building, more things to do near the theatre and a nice wine bar right there in the lobby. Or they’ll go a couple miles down Santa Monica Blvd. to a certain fifteen-screener with smaller rooms and smaller screens, because there is more and cheaper parking closer to the building, more things to do near the theatre and a place to have beer and wine next door to the theatre.
If they come back to the IPic Theaters at Avco Center in 2013, it’ll be solely because there isn’t anything else like it in the area, because it’ll be expensive to keep the kids and tightwads out, and they’ll be beer and wine right there at your seat.
The plain and simple truth is, exhibitors go where the patrons go. If people didn’t want dinner theatres, there wouldn’t be so many dinner theatres opening. If the people didn’t want the screening lounge seating with plush leather sofas and love seats, there wouldn’t be so many of these types of auditoriums being converted.
Westwood’s issues with theatrical exhibition could be fixed in a heartbeat, if those in charge of Westwood Village wanted those changes. But they don’t. They don’t want the excessive traffic problems of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. They don’t want an Arclight-style setup for the Bruin or Village. They don’t care if the Crest or the Festival ever open again or they get torn down like the National and left as unused plots of land.
It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and bemoan what’s wrong with the exhibition industry. The Avco wouldn’t be where it’s going now, and the Crest and Festival where they remain, if the business supported their staying open in their previous states.
Mark it as demolished, please. Happening right now. :(
Good sized crowd for its final show last night. Time to mark this one as closed, and time to add the Century 16 across the freeway to CT.
Originally was supposed to be Mann’s replacement for the Janss Marketplace 9 and Mann 5 at the Oaks, but the plans were soon sold off after nearly a million dollars invested in the project when they decided not to pursue it after all.
That’s great that you’re very confident, but your response doesn’t answer my questions.
Sorry, but what happens if they do not raise the necessary first step funds in time? Do I get my donation back?
For the record, the Dome has not been demolished yet. I just drove by it not twenty minutes ago.
Add me to the list of people whose purchase of American Picture Palaces began a life-long love of movie palaces. Thank you, Mr. Naylor.
The Nuart got new seats a few years back, and it was decided to give more space between rows at that time. Seat count, confirmed by management at that time, is now exactly 300.
Let me get this logic of yours straight, ArtDirector… we should allow more alterations to the most famous movie theatre in the world solely because past generations may not have cared about history and preservation as much the current generation?
The proscenium arch needed to be changed back in the 1950s because the movies themselves were changing to a wider screen format. Stadium seating is not a format change, and the slope of the floor in the main Grauman’s auditorium is sufficient enough where the main reason to have stadium seating in any auditorium is moot.
Stadium seating at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre will not make the building a desirable place to see a movie again. Booking the best films at the theatre and cleaning out the scum that has invaded the area just outside the theatre will.
Time to go ahead and change the name to AMC Brentwood 14. The switchover is happening today.
Al, I think the “exclusivity” Raysson was referring to was that most theatres playing Les Miz do not have reserved seating nor have a print complete with full overture, intermission or exit music. But then, one has to wonder where all these extra goodies are placed in the film, if Mr. Hooper had any say in the creation and execution of said special print, and why Clearview doesn’t even advertise such a thing on their own website or why I cannot find anything about this special print anywhere on the world wide web.
Current seating for all theatres is 3,864. The IMAX house is still 15/70 film. Saw Zero Dark Thirty in the Loews house last Thursday. Still a treat to sit in a real balcony.
It’s easy to see where the original writer made their mistake, if one is not familiar with how the company is set up.
Half his problem is that he serves Pepsi, and at ridiculously low prices.
At 0:17, they show a 6,000ft reel that has “Monica 4-plex” written all over it. Think someone would have caught that before they started filming.
PTA is a strange bird. I ran a test screening of his cut of Sydney (later to be known as Hard Eight) years ago, and he demanded my projectionist jerry-rig a volume knob for him so he (PTA) could control the sound levels in the theatre during the screening… even though that meant having to remove the smaller port glass window so the cable could run down to the theatre, causing the noise from the projector to drown out portions of the sound from the screen. And you can’t tell the director “Hey dude, that’s the job of the sound mixer during post-production, man!”
Roger: it is true, which is also why the 70mm prints are hard-matted to 1.85:1. No, it doesn’t really make sense, especially considering all of PTA’s other features were shot 2.39:1, which is closer to 70mm’s 2.20:1 than Academy flat’s 1.85:1, but that’s what happened.
CSWalczak: PTA shooting most of the film in 65mm (only using 35mm for scenes where a 65mm camera would not have fit or otherwise worked) was his way of making a statement about the current state of digital cinema. If one may never be able to work with film again, especially if one is only making a film every five years now, why not go out on the format with something special?
RogerA, while more than half of The Master was shot in 65mm, using Kodak 5201, 5207 and 5213 stock, the remainder was shot in 35mm.
According to the Maya Cinemas web site, the location is now being called the Century Mall 16. From the showtimes, it looks like 12 of the auditoria are now open.
The Village East Cinemas website used to have a rental pricing chart which listed the seating capacity of each theatre. According to that chart, the main house has (or had, in 2003) 444 seats.
Theatre 3 has 416 seats. It and its upstairs twin #10 are the two largest auditoria in the Arclight part of the complex.
Seating at the Sundance Sunset has been reduced from 836 (230/131/131/150/194) to 606 (177/98/97/113/121).
Theatre projection is only as good as the equipment used and the talent trained to use it.
It’s obvious Westwood is a dead zone for moviegoing. From 10 commercial movie theatres with 19 screens just ten years ago to three single screeners today, with nary a sellout at any of those houses no matter what is playing is proof of that.
The moviegoing public today would rather go down Westwood Blvd. a mile or so and go to a certain twelve-screener with smaller rooms with smaller screens, because there is more and cheaper parking closer to the building, more things to do near the theatre and a nice wine bar right there in the lobby. Or they’ll go a couple miles down Santa Monica Blvd. to a certain fifteen-screener with smaller rooms and smaller screens, because there is more and cheaper parking closer to the building, more things to do near the theatre and a place to have beer and wine next door to the theatre.
If they come back to the IPic Theaters at Avco Center in 2013, it’ll be solely because there isn’t anything else like it in the area, because it’ll be expensive to keep the kids and tightwads out, and they’ll be beer and wine right there at your seat.
The plain and simple truth is, exhibitors go where the patrons go. If people didn’t want dinner theatres, there wouldn’t be so many dinner theatres opening. If the people didn’t want the screening lounge seating with plush leather sofas and love seats, there wouldn’t be so many of these types of auditoriums being converted.
Westwood’s issues with theatrical exhibition could be fixed in a heartbeat, if those in charge of Westwood Village wanted those changes. But they don’t. They don’t want the excessive traffic problems of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. They don’t want an Arclight-style setup for the Bruin or Village. They don’t care if the Crest or the Festival ever open again or they get torn down like the National and left as unused plots of land.
It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and bemoan what’s wrong with the exhibition industry. The Avco wouldn’t be where it’s going now, and the Crest and Festival where they remain, if the business supported their staying open in their previous states.