Uptown Theater

In the mid-1960's I lived just down Connecticut Avenue from the Uptown and went there often. The comment about the big screen is right on target--I saw "Battle of the Bulge" and "2001" at the Uptown, and they were both visually overwhelming.

I've seen some of my favorite movies at the Uptown and have been going there for more than 30 years. I saw "2001" in 1968, "Star Wars" (on opening day) in 1977, "The Right Stuff" in 1983, and the restored "Lawrence of Arabia" in 1987 (with David Lean, selected cast and crew in person). Somehow, the cinematic experience is always more intense and memorable in a grand theater. If I ever struck it rich, I'd buy the place and secure its place as a moviegoing treasure!

3-strip Cinerama installed from 7 No 1962 until 14 Jan 1964.70mm Cinerama from 19 Feb 1964. 146 degree curved screen.76 ft x 28 ft.

I occasionally worked at the Uptown has a projectionist from 1982 until 1985. It was the only job where I would have worked for free! The Uptown is easily one of the five best movies theatres in America. I make it a point to see everything they show. It's important to support places like this with your patronage.

Any idea how to get tickets for the premier of the re-release of 2001 at the Uptown Appreciated. This is a great theatre!

Please let me know when "2001 A Space Odyssey" is playing, and when and how can I buy tickets.

Thank you for keeping "Theater" alive.

I'd also like to know when 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY will be coming to the Uptown. I live in NJ, but since it looks like it isn't being shown in New York, and the Uptown has a real Cinerama screen, it will be more than worth it to make the trip to DC.

Bill & Joe, You'll need to contact the theater directly at (202) 966-8805. Thanks!

2001 begins a 2-week run at the Uptown on November 2nd. I've gotta get down there somehow!

I grew up in AU Park and saw one of my first movies there- Empire Strikes Back. I was sure to see Jurassic Park there, as well, for the added effect, and I wasn't disappointed!

I'm not sure when the Uptown first opened, probably in the 20's or 30's. It was a standard neighborhood theater back then. In the mid 1950s, it was transformed into a Todd-AO 70mm house, for the roadshow presentation of "Oklahoma!" The long-run hit from those days, though, was "Around the World in 80 Days," which must have played there for 18 months or two years. The last Cinerama installation in DC at the Warner Theater in heart of downtown Washington was dismantled following the last three-projection travelogue, "South Seas Adventure," about 1959 or 1960. When MGM teamed up to make a new series of Cinerama films, the Uptown was revamped as a three-projector Cinerama house, running the two MGM titles -- "Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" and "How the West Was Won" -- for several years. When the three-projector Cinerama system was abandoned, the orchestra-level Cinerama projector booths at the Uptown were removed and the theater converted to a single-projector (balcony level) Panavision 70 Cinerama installation for the first of those films -- "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and the subsequent releases, the most successful of which was, of course, "2001: A Space Odyssey," which had its world premiere at the Uptown (in the 2 hour and 40 minute version) on April 1, 1968. Kubrick's trimmed version (to 2 hours and 19 minutes plus the overture, entr'acte and intermission) was soon substituted (as it was elsewhere) and played there for 18 months or so. It would have stayed longer but MGM was eager to get its final Cinerama project, "Ice Station Zebra," into release and "2001" was given the boot. After the demise of Cinerama, the 70mm projection equipment remained in the theater, though. Occasionally, blowups from 35mm prints were shown in 70mm there over the years, along with the prestige restoration, in 70mm, of films like "Lawrence of Arabia," "Spartacus" and "Vertigo." The theater was renovated in the '90s, but I think they left the old, deeply curved screen intact. At least that's my impression from seeing the restored "Rear Window" there two years ago. "2001" was shown again at the Uptown for one-night only in 1993 as an American Film Institute benefit event to mark the film's 25th anniversary, and the film returned in new 70mm prints for a brief run in late 2001. It remains a beautiful theater, one to treasure.

I saw "2001" from the front row of the Uptown on November 12, 2001. The greatest movie-watching experience I've ever had. If only there were a way for the Uptown to show this movie once a year - I'd never miss it. Thanks, Uptown Theater!

The Uptown is still the theater of choice in the Washington area. They can install all the "stadium"seating they want in the multiplexes, seeing a film at the Uptown is still an "event". The Cinerama screen is massive, the Dolby Digital sound system is second to none, and its one of the few theaters that still has a "curtain" presentation. Now if Lowe's would just get rid of those tacky slide advertisements between showings!! Even bad movies look great at the Uptown.

The Uptown is certainly one of the premier movie theatres in the metro DC area. It suffers from two serious shortcomings, unfortunately: lack of parking (for late shows, the Metro does not run late enough to make it home) and some of the most unpleasant staff I've ever seen at a theatre. Whereas most cinema staff are just plain incompetent, the staff at the Uptown border on hostile. They won't stop me from coming, but I do hope Loew's boots the lot and trains the next set in customer service!

I would LOVE to know when tix for Matrix 2 are going on sale. i really wanna see it and uptown is the only place. i wanna get them asap! thanx for anyone who can tell me!!

I remember the Uptown first as a Todd-AO theater in the 1950s when it had beautiful projection and sound. Unfortunately, the conversion to 3-strip Cinerama was a giant leap backward in sound as they used early solid-state amplifiers that produced sound that just sat there behind the screen and rattled, a far cry from the realistic Cinerama sound that the Warner had previously had. They seemed to keep these amps for the 70-mm Cinerama which followed, and it was quite a few years before the sound was any good. Now, of course, they have the best.

During the mid-50's the Uptown Theatre seated 1364 people.

I thought 2001 had its world premiere in the Loew's Cinerama in NY.
And why does Washington still have a great classic theater like this and NY nothing? And now they're destroying the Henry Miller. If Penn Station were around today I'm sure they'd be chomping at the bit to tear it down as well. Does anybody have the money to convert Toys R Us back into the great Criterion?

The hired help at this theater does leave much to be desired. I saw Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones ('02) there with a friend, who is physically challenged. After making a phone call to the theater to assure that we would be allowed first into the theater to make sure we had seats together and a spot where my friend could park his wheelchair, the ticket taker demanded that both of us go back to the end of the line (around the block) and wait our turn.

The film does have decent film presentation but the sound isn't what it could be. I'm not sure if its the acoustics in the theater or just the speaker set up, itself. The Senator, in Baltimore, while having a smaller screen, does have superior sound to the Uptown, IMHO, boasting Dolby Digital Surround EX. It would be nice if the theater could be THX certified but I've heard that because of the curved screen, THX isn't possible.

It is sad that this is one of the last of the single screen theaters in DC.

Part of the history of a great motion picture theater is the movies that played there. Listed below are the films that played at the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC (1957-77). The dates listed are Wednesdays, as most new films opened on Wednesdays in that era. Research is from microfilms of The Washington Post and Variety. My visit to the theater was to see "Fiddler on the Roof" in March 1972.

11/01/56 Oklahoma
04/09/57 Around the World in 80 Days
04/02/58 South Pacific
11/12/58 The Old Man and the Sea
12/17/58 South Pacific
02/18/59 Sleeping Beauty
05/20/59 The Diary of Anne Frank
07/02/59 The Big Circus
08/07/59 The Diary of Anne Frank (return engagement)
08/12/59 Indiscreet
08/12/59 The Diary of Anne Frank (2nd return engagement)
09/01/59 Theatre CLOSED for Refurbishment
10/14/59 Porgy and Bess
01/13/60 Beloved Infidel
01/27/60 The Last Angry Man
02/03/60 Libel
02/10/60 Anatomy of a Murder
02/24/60 L'il Abner
03/09/60 Some Like it Hot
03/23/60 The Mouse That Roared
03/30/60 Operation Petticoat
04/08/60 The Jolson Story / Jolson Sings Again
04/13/60 The Diary of Anne Frank (3rd return engagement)
04/15/60 The Shaggy Dog
04/17/60 Damn Yankees
04/20/60 Bell, Book & Candle
04/22/60 The Bramble Bush
04/29/60 Who Was That Lady?
05/05/60 The Sword and the Cross
05/11/60 Wild Strawberries
05/18/60 Theatre CLOSED to prepare for Can-Can
05/25/60 Can-Can
10/05/60 Sunrise at Campobello
12/02/60 Embezzled Heaven
12/21/60 The Alamo
02/22/61 Exodus
06/28/61 Spartacus
09/13/61 Fanny
10/25/61 Upstairs & Downstairs
11/01/61 Carousel
11/15/61 West Side Story
09/05/62 Theatre CLOSED for Cinerama Installation
11/07/62 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
03/13/63 How the West Was Won
02/19/64 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
10/28/64 Circus World
11/18/64 Theatre CLOSED
11/20/64 Lili
12/23/64 Father Goose
03/10/65 The Greatest Story Ever Told
07/21/65 The Hallelujah Trail
09/22/65 Mediterranean Holiday
11/03/65 The Agony and the Ecstasy
03/09/66 The Battle of the Bulge
06/21/66 Theatre CLOSED
06/22/66 Khartoum
09/21/66 JFK: Years of Lightning, Days of Drums
10/23/66 Theatre Closed
10/26/66 The Bible
05/24/67 Grand Prix
10/18/67 Far From the Madding Crowd
01/24/68 Love Mates
02/14/68 Grand Slam
02/28/68 Doctor Zhivago
04/03/68 2001: A Space Odyssey
04/02/69 Ice Station Zebra
06/25/69 Sweet Charity
09/24/69 Belle de Jour/A Man and A Woman
10/01/69 Journey to the Far Side of the Sun
10/08/69 Can Hieronymus Merkin Forget Mercy Humppe...?
10/15/69 Doctor Zhivago
10/22/69 The Madwoman of Chaillot
11/19/69 Don't Drink the Water
12/24/69 Marry Me! Marry Me!
01/07/70 Trilogy
02/04/70 Marooned
04/22/70 2001: A Space Odyssey
05/27/70 Hello, Dolly!
09/23/70 Tora! Tora! Tora!
02/10/71 The Last Valley
02/24/71 My Fair Lady
04/07/71 Waterloo
05/26/71 Red Sky at Morning
06/09/71 Dr. No/From Russia, With Love
06/30/71 Murphy's War
07/21/71 Evel Knievel
08/25/71 Gone With the Wind
09/22/71 Windjammer
10/06/71 Around the World in 80 Days/West Side Story
11/10/71 Fiddler on the Roof
12/13/72 Man of La Mancha
04/18/73 2001: A Space Odyssey
06/13/73 Fiddler on the Roof
06/27/73 Jesus Christ Superstar
10/03/73 This is Cinerama
11/14/73 The Serpent
12/19/73 Marco
01/02/74 Paper Moon/Romeo & Juliet
01/09/74 The Getaway/Life & Times of Judge Roy Bean
01/16/74 Live and Let Die/Harry in Your Pocket
01/23/74 The Godfather/Lady Sings the Blues
02/06/74 Fantasia
02/13/74 A Touch of Class
02/27/74 Nicholas and Alexandra
03/06/74 Klute/Man in the Wilderness
03/13/74 The Candidate/Blume in Love
03/20/74 A Clockwork Orange
03/27/74 Conrack
06/26/74 That's Entertainment
11/13/74 Earthquake
05/21/75 2001: A Space Odyssey
06/04/75 Gone With the Wind
07/02/75 Rollerball
09/03/75 Last Tango in Paris
09/17/75 A Delicate Balance
09/24/75 The Homecoming
10/01/75 Rhinoceros
10/08/75 Doctor Zhivago
10/22/75 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
10/29/75 American Graffiti
11/05/75 2001: A Space Odyssey
11/12/75 Scenes From a Marriage
11/19/75 Yessongs
12/03/75 Whose Child Am I?
12/10/75 Harry & Tonto
12/17/75 Malizia
12/24/75 Lucky Lady
01/28/76 The Shelter of Your Arms
02/04/76 Hard Times
02/11/76 All Screwed Up
02/25/76 Give 'Em Hell, Harry
03/03/76 Farewell My Lovely/Carnal Knowledge
03/10/76 Gone With the Wind
03/24/76 Moses
03/31/76 Gone With the Wind
04/07/76 Family Plot
05/26/76 Jaws
06/16/76 That's Entertainment II
08/11/76 Gator
08/18/76 Survive
08/25/76 The Groove Tube/Monty Python & the Holy Grail
09/01/76 Car Wash
11/03/76 The Passover Plot
11/17/76 The Song Remains the Same
12/01/76 2001: A Space Odyssey
12/15/76 Network
02/16/77 Scott Joplin
03/23/77 Airport '77
05/11/77 Cinderella 2000
05/25/77 Star Wars

Seeing the title Car Wash almost made me fall out of my chair. Earthquake in Sensurround...now that was a crazy experience. The Odeon in my hometown even had nurses and ambulances on stanby for the premiere screening. When the theater started to shake (with the help of huge speakers installed in the auditorium), my best friend promptly threw up in the seat next to her. She was immediately 'treated' in the lobby by the medical staff. That beautiful theater is now closed and abandoned.
2001: A Space Odyssey was released three times at the Washington Uptown?

It's interesting to see that foreign films played there from time to time as well, i.e.: WILD STRAWBERRIES, BELLE DE JOUR, A MAN AND A WOMAN, SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, MALIZIA, ALL SCREWED UP, LAST TANGO IN PARIS. Not what you normally associate with the Uptown.

As you can see there were occasional spells where no appropriate new first-run films were available to be released, such as 1960, 1961, and the mid-70s, so the Uptown occasionally resorted to second-run rilms or rereleases played there to fill in until the next big box-office spectacular worthy of the theater was ready for release. This accounts for the double features as well as the foreign films.

In the first half of the 1970s, MGM trotted out "Gone With the Wind," "2001," and "Doctor Zhivago" every year as a part of what it called "MGM's Big 3." In some cities it was "MGM's Big 4" with "Ryan's Daughter" added. Usually this package played at one of the theaters in each city which had formerly shown "roadshow" films.

For excellent reading regarding motion picture theaters in Washington, D.C., try MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF PARLORS, PALACES AND MULTIPLEXES IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA, 1894-1997, by Robert K. Headley, published by McFarland & Company, Publishers in 1999.

Thanks, Ron, for that fantastic list. I appreciate all the work you must have done to put it together. I only wish I'd lived in DC during all those years so I'd be able to see "Around the World in 80 Days", "West Side Story" and all the Cinerama features on the Uptown screen.

Do you know how long "Star Wars" played there? It played 65 weeks at the Loew's Astor Plaza in New York, which is where I saw it for the first time.

Six separate engagements for "2001", huh? May there be many more.

Actually Bill, believe or not...I've never lived in DC, although I have lived in NYC, Chicago, but mostly Pittsburgh. I've made it a hobby to research first-run theaters in various cities to see what movies they played each week. I always liked the DC movie theaters ever since I visited the city wih my family on a vacation when I was 11. That's why I chose to put DC on this website first. Check out other cities and theaters in Washington for more lists as I can add them.

I still have more researching to do, as so far I've been trying to get 34 cities from the period 1960-1975. Trying to borrow microfilms of other cities' old newspapers is a process that is slower than molasses in January and they will only lend you 6 reels at a time.

I hope to eventually get all research on this website for posterity from 1957-1981 for all 34 cities that I have been researching...and NYC will be my biggest challenge.

I know that "Star Wars" in its first release at the Uptown did play over a year. Watch for another posting at some time and I'll take the theater up to December 31, 1981.

That's great news, Ron. I will certainly look forward to your future posts with the results of all your hard work. It's very enjoyable to read through these lists of movies and their release dates - so many memories come flooding back. And I know what you mean about working with microfilm - in my college years, I think I spent more time looking at pages from old movie sections in the New York Times than I did going to class!

I saw How The West Was Won & It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World when they came out originally in this theatre. I used to spend a lot of time at the zoo nearby and remember poor Smokey The Bear in his concrete cage looking forlorn and bored.

George Senda
Concord, Ca

Ron I really like your listing of movies 1958-1981. It tells a lot about the specific theatre. Its a little easier picking the theatres that were the deluxe roadshow reserved seat houses such as the Uptown. Each large city had at least four or more of these theatres. New York City had the following, Criterion, Rivoli, Loews State,Warner Cinerama(Strand),Loews Capitol. The Roxy and Radio City were in a class by themselves and the Paramount.The Demille was also a roadshow house for a time and the Palace. The studios preferred theatres that sat 1500 and would reduce capacities of theatres such as the Loews Capitol in NY and the Pantagees in Hollywood to achieve this goal. The last successful reserved seat roadshow engagement was United Artists "Fiddler on The Roof" released in the early 1970's.brucec

I lived in DC for a couple of years in the mid 90s and enjoyed a couple of fun trips to the Uptown - to see Twelve Monkeys at a full house right after the great blizzard of 99, and American President and Twister...One of the attractions was also a fantastic 1960s era Chinese restaurant up the block which attests to being a meeting place for Dean Rusk and the Russian delegation during the Cuban Missile Crisis - great sizzling rice soup.
Ron's list also brought to mind one other sadly lost trend...that even great roadshow houses in the 60s & 70s had to put a double feature on once in a while in a fallow period...Studios would package some classics or a couple picture at the end of their runs and give us another taste...Another casualty of VCR/DVD that we don't have that anymore...Remember seeing A Touch of Class & Paper Moon on the same bill in New York on wide release and Paul Mazursky's The Tempest paired with a Richard Pryor concert film at the Loews State 2...we can only dream...Thanks Ron for sharing that great research

I had the honor of being one of the Projectionist at the Uptown from 92-95, it has to go down as one of my favorite Theatres. The Warner in Pittsburgh will always be my very favorite. I liked working the Avalon as well. I also know the Chinese place down the street, and know that President Kennedy ate there as well. My favorite DC Theatre will always be the Wisconsin ave. 6 plex. at 4000 wisc. ave.
Dave Grau
(Mungo)

To Ron3853 Have you ever done any research on the Warner Theatre in Pittsburgh? If so please contact Dave Grau. At caroldave@bellsouth.net

I am wondering what played at the Uptown here in DC after The Four Feathers (2002) with Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, and Kate Hudson. I really neeed to know this for some reason.

Are there any 70mm revivals coming to this theater anytime soon?

Now I have made my own list of more recent movies that have played at Uptown in DC. This is only a list of what I can remember. If I am wrong , please tell me.

07/12/02 Road To Perdition
09/06/02 City By The Sea
09/20/02 The Four Feathers
11/15/02 Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
12/18/02 The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
04/04/03 Phone Booth
05/02/03 X2: X-Men United
06/20/03 The Hulk
07/25/03 Seabiscuit
10/29/03 Alien: The Director's Cut
11/28/03 Mystic River (8th week)
12/05/03 The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of Thge Ring (re-release)
12/12/03 The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (re-release)
12/17/03 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
04/02/04 Hellboy
05/07/04 Van Helsing
05/28/04 The Day After Tomorrow
06/18/04 The Terminal

I just rememebered that I forgot to add two movies to list of recent movies at Uptown before Road To Perdition. Again, if am wrong please tell me! Here are the two movies before Road To Perdition.

05/16/02 Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones
06/21/02 Minority Report

I just rememebered that I forgot to add two movies to list of recent movies at Uptown before Road To Perdition. Again, if am wrong please tell me! Here are the two movies before Road To Perdition.

05/16/02 Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones
06/21/02 Minority Report

The 70mm revivals aren't as frequent as they used to be. Actually, I don't think they've had a 70mm series since the 90s? I imagine, if the Uptown does host a 70mm series, it will be after the summer movie season, since attendance will drop and there won't be any event films coming out until Thanksgiving.

If I had a wish, I would hope for a science fiction/fantasy series starting with the Star Wars films, Star Trek, Superman, Alien, all in 70mm. I read that 20th Century Fox was going to re-release a director's cut of Aliens in theaters like they did the recent Alien one. Perhaps, they could show it here. Even older films would be nice to revisit. I remember watching Vertigo, in a restored 70mm print with a remastered soundtrack. The movie looked like it had just been shot yesterday. The print was so sharp and scratch free!

What would be really cool is if this theater had digital projection capabilities.

Does anyone one know what played at Uptown here in DC before Star Wars Episode II ?

I had the privilege of revisiting the Uptown to see the midnight opening of Spiderman 2. It has been a year since I've been to this theater and was looking forward to being enveloped by the big screen that this gem has to offer.

The single most irritating item about watching a movie at this theater is the constant stream of commercials. While I have not been to another Loews/Cineplex theater to confirm whether it is an isolated incident, the commercials just keep coming and were in bad quality and were not even in stereo.

While the picture was good, the sound was not. As mentioned, the commercials and previews were not played in stereo. The sound, for the most part was very tinny and muddled. It was centered but some of the dialog was almost intelligible. The only time that the sound came alive was during the fusion reaction scenes with Doc Ock. You could feel the theater come alive at that time. It was like the picture played in mono and was only turned on towards the middle and end of it.

I did contact customer service at Loews/Cineplex and received an Email response from an intern, who stated that they apologized for the commercials and that the chain has to show them to compensate for the "$20M salaries that stars are demanding..." There was no response as to the rather disappointing sound presentation.

Will this second bad experience hinder me from going back to the Uptown? I don't know. But I will think twice before travelling downtown again. I think our suburban theaters have better sound presentation and picture, albeit in a smaller and less grand setting.

The commercials are actually a chain-wide phenomenon with Loew's so I wouldn't fault the Uptown specifically for that problem. As for the sound on Spiderman 2: this is one of two films I have ever seen at the Uptown (my first was Star Wars in 1977 as I am a life-time DC resident) where the presentation was less than perfect. The other was the awful remake of Godzilla with Matthew Brodrick several years ago.

Please, give the Uptown another chance. She is a grand old dame of a theater.

Sad to say the presentation at the grand old dame is bound to get a whole lot worse after recent developments. On Monday January 3, 2005, for the first time in its 70 year history, the theater was run without a projectionist. Loews Cineplex Entertainment announced it would begin using a "manager" to operate the all manual two projector system for the majority of the week using a projectionist only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday or as requested. The very first show under this new policy was canceled after "technical difficulties". The up to then pristine print of Martin Scorcesse's "Aviator" was already scratched by Friday when a projectionist returned to find damage including shutter blades scorched and warped clanging together from negligent or untrained behavior. It is disheartening to see such a treasure go to waste. The slides and advertisements (almost all mono) so ubiqutous at the multiplexes were never run at the Uptown in the past. It was considered too classy. The bookings have progressively been getting worse or duplicated at one of the chains nearby multiplexes thereby marginalizing this classic theater as with so many like it around the country. Still it routinely outgrosses many of the largest multiplexes due to it's large seating capacity and reputation for impressive presentation. Will we forget the grandeur of film in such a jewel case? Or just painfully put up with a steady deterioration until we no longer remember its majesty.

Keith

If enough people write, like I did, perhaps someone will notice and make the necessary changes. Otherwise, people just won't go there anymore. I rarely go downtown anymore to see a movie. Since they don't have films in 70mm anymore, whats the point travelling all the way to see it in a place where management doesn't care?

It would be a good thing if the Uptown was taken over by Landmark or another specialty chain. I don't think Loew's cares about any of there single screen theatres. Start making major complaints to Loew's concerning presentation. If this was an industry house this wouldn't be tolerated.The large theatre chains such as Loew's only care about the megaplex that has between 14-20 screens.brucec

The theate will lose much of its patronage, if serious problems such as those described here, are not rectified. Perhaps, there is only one tried and true way to get problems such as these fixed, before the theatre crumbles under its own weight. That way is to arrange a boycott, led by a neighboorhood group, and complete with adequate publicity identifying the reasons for the boycott. If the revenue subsequently slows, the current ownership will either have to address the concerns, or sell to a buyer who understands that listening to the patrons is what it will take to suceed.

Big theater chains don't care about the customers anymore. If people complain, they get a free pass to come back. When they come back, they buy more candy and soda. That's how it works now. It's all about the money to them. I see it happening everywhere. People can write letters and complain all they want. It will not help. That is a FACT!!!!!

"EARTHQUAKE" WITH SURROUND SOUND and "Grease". Glad to see something remains intact in DC. Hence, a CVS is just a block away!

Did anyone notice the double bill on 10/6/71? Around the World in 80 Days and West Side Story, now thats a long show.

I agree with Keith, seems everyone is trying to save money, and by doing so is f--king over the public, who should matter the most. yes it is a FACT,they do not care as long as they are saving money. Go to another theatre is thier response. I also read recently where they were going to put a platter system in the old girl, that may help a little, but nothing beats a good projectionist that knows what he or she is doing.
Dave Grau (Mungo)
Norelco

Well they have installed an old Kelmar automation unit and a Christie Autowind 3 platter for the manager/operators to run. They have also damaged 6 prints since the theatre went limited service. The union projectionist rate of pay at the Uptown Theatre is $12.00 an hour. During the late 90's the union projectionist rate of pay at Pacific's Cinerama Dome was $10.50 for the full service job. The rate of pay was based on how many screens the operator ran. So a single screen union base rate was $10.50 in Los Angeles at that time. Loews ran the Century Plaza 4 in Century City, CA., but during the last few years that the theatre was operated. Loews put the theatre on a limited service contract for projection. And the theatre had a slow death before they finally closed the theatre and the complex was razed. But when that theatre was at it's peak, it was one of the best theatres to see a movie in. The Studios liked using it for premires and special media screens. Look at how Loews handled the Loews Astor Plaza here in New York City.

We can all thank that peice of shit named Ronald Reagan for his union busting to help his friends in big business. I am from Pittsburgh, Pa. and look now no more steel mills, and all the people who lost thier lifelong pensions, as well as everthing else.
still the same today, gas prices are going up, companies now hire you for minimum wages (witch they refuse to raise) treat you like gabage took away overtime,and paid vacations,and if you mention union, they can fire you. I seem to remember just recently they voted themselves a cost of living raise. Where is ours?
Norelco

Not to mention all the outsourcing. How many times have you called an american company for customer service and someone from India picks up. How many Seven Elevens are owned and run by americans. None that I have seen. Cheap labor. That's what it's all about. Nothing else. It does not matter how hard you work anymore. It's all about money. Screw the customer. Give them a free pass to come back. They will just buy more popcorn and candy.

Well it seems to me that people are somewhat unhappy with the Uptown? I am thinking of going tonight to see 'Sin City' and I've been real excited about it. My girlfriend has misgivings because they do not have stadium seats. She says the stadium seats are more comfortable for your back. So how are the seats in terms of comfort at the Uptown? And is it even worth going if so many seem to think they're failing in their unique qualities? I mean, could we possibly be better off going to the Georgetown Loews?

I like large single screen theatres for the screen size and that they can play those digital or mag soundtracks without blowing the next theatre (plex type) out. The theatres like the Uptown, Chinese, Cinerama Dome, Astor Plaza, Rivoli and the names go on. Were event type theatres, you got a Great presentations every time you went, no matter how good or bad the feature was. With the Uptown damaging some many print in a short time. I would go elsewhere, if there is a better presentation nearby.

"Sin City" is a Flat 1.85 presentation.

The Uptown was remodeled back in 1996 or so. The seats have higher backs and are a marked improvement from what was installed before. The sight lines are good given the enormous size of the screen. Now, I haven't been there since Spiderman 2, so I can't say how much worse the presentation is now. I saw Sin City in DLP and enjoyed the presentation, but the movie was so so.

I do plan on seeing Revenge of the Sith there to compare it to Baltimore's Senator and Crown Annapolis' digital presentation of the movie. I'm sure there will be posts about this theater, again, at that time.

I saw a 70mm revival of "Lawrence of Arabia" here in 2002 on that huge screen and was never as overwhelmed by that great movie as I was at that showing. That theatre and that film constituted a marriage made in heaven.

Unfortunately this theater will never be the same if they continue to use non union, non professionals to run the booth. As you all have seen in these posts, the quality of presentation here is being destroyed. It will not change until the professional operators are put back in place. This is a fact. I have seen it happen for the last 10-15 years. This will continue to happen until enough people start to complain and stop going to these theaters. The theater owners do not care because people continue to go. If you are not satisfied with the presentation, demand your money back. This has to stop! Stop letting these people take advantage of the paying public.

RCDTJ, could not have said it better. Thanks.
Dave Grau (Mungo)
Norelco

I heard yesterday that Uptown will be opening at 6pm starting this week or next week. Also that the Dupont Theatre is closing in 6 Weeks for good.

The person that told me that Dupont is closing in six week heard wrong.

*** " '2001: A Space Odyssey,' which had its world premiere at the Uptown on April 1, 1968...and played there for 18 months or so." ***

*** "I thought 2001 had its world premiere in the Loew's Cinerama in NY." ***


The world premiere of "2001" was on April *2*, 1968. The Uptown engagement ran for 51 weeks.

The three premieres for the film's first-week release were...
DC: April 2
NY: April 3
LA: April 4

For more about the original roadshow release of "2001" I recommend the following article/list. Be sure to click the link to the engagement list, which is page two of the article.
http://www.in70mm.com/news/2004/2001/release.htm

In 1977, I saw "Star Wars" at the Uptown. I wonder if they plan on showing "Revenge of the Sith"?

Yes, they are showing it starting with a 12:01 AM show that is sold out. Since they've gone to a platter system, I suspect the projection qualities aren't quite up to decent standards. I'm going to see it in DLP and then at Baltimore's Senator Theater, then maybe the Uptown, unless someone has a post that indicates the picture and sound are bad first. My experience seeing Attack of the Clones, in '02, here was quite bad.

I love going to the Uptown, but sadly, Loews seems to be killing it. I've heard enough about the mice that I won't buy anything from their stands anymore or allow my friends to do so when we go. Which is getting rarer and rarer, because I have no desire to see the movies they book. (Aviator? Not a chance. The Interpreter? No thanks.) They almost didn't get Star Wars. I really don't think it's going to last much longer.

How can we get Lowe's out and someone esle in? I have never been to the Uptown but after reading about it here for the first time I might just go tonight to see Star Wars. Does this theater, or rather, Lowes hold film fests? Possibly after summer? I am so jonesing to go to this theater I might leave work early...I am just drooling! 70 ft screen....WOW!!!

Incredible viewing experience! I will see every possible movie at this theater that I am able to. I suggest you do the same. Almost a full house for a Wednesday 6:30 showing of Star Wars. Fantastic...I'm glad the community comes out to support this theater!

These pictures of the Uptown were taken on November 10, 2001, the last time "2001" played there:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/Uptown2.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/Uptown3.jpg

The Uptown was among the theatres included in the original limited-market launch of "Star Wars." The Uptown's 5/25/77 opening-day gross, as reported in Daily Variety, was a house record $12,896.

Would love to hear how the projection situation is going there now. I was actually in one of the audiences when The Aviator showed and had to ask the manager repeatedly to get the film centered on the screen, and later got to see when a reel got out of registration and the screen was a full blur. Wondering if things have changed there at all.....

I am sorry to hear about your bad experience with The Aviator at the Uptown. Sadly this was not an isolated incident. Loews wisely chose to schedule projectionists full time for the opening weeks of Star Wars at the Uptown. The print remained flawless unlike those for all of the other features since the beginning of the year when they installed a platter and made "managers" run the equipment.

Loews recently began cutting back projectionist hours again. War of the Worlds opens next. Unfortunately all it takes is one misthread to scratch a print. Out of frame, out of focus, out of every other spec seems to be the accepted norm at multi screen mall complexes but it seems such a shame to have it happen at the Uptown where quality presentation was taken for granted.

To their credit Loews lifted an antique chandelier from one of the theaters it closed in New York City and it now adorns the Uptown lobby. Ultimately however what keeps the audiences coming back is the light on the giant screen not the light in the lobby.

Interesting development this week, AMC and Loews have announced plans to merge. How will the new stewards of this grand olde dame treat her?

Having returned from a mid-week, evening showing of "Revenge of the Sith," I'm sad to report that things haven't changed a whole lot at this theater. The presentation was a disappointment all around. The movie was scratchy, blotchy and had a noticeable line running down the middle during previews and at the end credits. I realize this is a dark movie, both in subject matter and lighting, but in many of the scenes, especially during the one where Sidious reveals his true self to Anakin, the costumes were too dark. No texture differences, washed out color. The digital projection of this film was so much better hands down. The only saving grace to watching this film, at this theater, is its enormous screen size. It draws you in, but the horrible picture and sound brings you back to reality like a slap in the face. *sigh*

The sound was subdued even though this was supposedly an event film. Given the fact there may have been less than 20 in the audience, in a theater that could seat 800 or so, I guess whomever was responsible for the audio settings just turned it down. A waste of my $9.50.

The chandelier mentioned in Keith Maddens post above, was originally in the Loew's Capitol in New York City, and more recently in the Copley Place theatre in Boston.

If you mean this chandelier, the Loews press release says it formerly hung in Boston's Cheri theatre, not Copley Place.

Oh OK, you're right - I didn't have the paper in front of me, since the Copley recently closed I thought it came from there.

Universal presents KING KONG. World Premiere Monday, 12 December 2005 Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City. Regular performances start Wednesday, 14 December 2005 at the Ziegfeld Theatre, New York, the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood, CA, Seattle Cinerama and Uptown Theatre, Washington, DC.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when you take the qualified, union operators out of the booth and replace them with managers and concessionists that do not know what they are doing. They do this because they know people will still go to the theater. They will complain, but they will still go. Say goodbye to the perfect presentations. They are a thing of the past.

Who cares if King Kong is coming to the Uptown? With its current lousy projection and sound standards, I'll stick to my closer, better sounding and looking (especially if its in DLP) multiplex movie screen, thank you.

Forget about the theatre - who cares about "King Kong"?? - a re-make of a re-make [yawn].

http://www.kingkongmovie.com/ef239524432ba87f1ca8f70eed4b1fa7/en_splash.html

Way to go Keith, you still got it pal.
Mungo

I saw the movie on Wed and the movie had no scratches. So the person that said it had scratches must had seen it when a projectionist was running it. I heard that the projectionist have there print and the manager's have there print. I saw the manager's print and no scratches.

I have never heard of such a thing as 2 different prints, for one thing it would cost to much and theatre companies are not going to spend more than they have to. Keith is right, one misthread, plus no one in the booth to keep an eye on the running of the print, and guess what,there goes your print. I have seen it happen more times than I can remember.
Dave Grau (Mungo)
Norelco

I'm sure it was a misthread. Piddy, if you think the managers are not the ones scratching the prints then think again. Managers have no business in the booth.

The Uptown Theater has many happy memories for me. I grew up in Southeast Washington DC during the 1960's and 1970's. My parents were very strict and did not allow my sisters and I to see the Blaxploitation movies that became popular during the 1970's. While the neighborhood children were going local Senator Theater on Minnesota Avenue NE to see Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, Super Fly and all the other Blaxploitation movies of the time, my mother took us to the Uptown Theater on Connecticut Avenue to see the Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and other wholesome family movies. We would buy our candy at the People’s Drug Store across the street to avoid purchasing the high priced theater candy. To this day I am a big fan of muscials and anything written by Rogers and Hammerstein thanks to my mother and our many trips to the Uptown Theater.

I have many happy memories of the Uptown Theater. I grew up in Southeast Washington, DC during the 1960's and 1970's. My parents were very strict and did not allow my sisters and I to see the Blaxploitation movies that became popular during the 1970's. While the neighborhood children were going the local Senator Theater on Minnesota Avenue NE to see Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, Super Fly and all the other Blaxploitation movies of the time, my mother took us to the Uptown Theater on Connecticut Avenue to see the Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and other wholesome family movies. We would buy our candy at the People’s Drug Store across the street to avoid buying the high priced theater candy. To this day I am a big fan of musicals and anything by ROgers and Hammerstein, thanks to my mother and the Uptown Theater.

The uptown does indeed have 2 prints. One for the managers and one for the projectionists. Oh, by the way, the managers print no longer will run in Dolby digital because of the damage to it. So if you are going to see a movie there, find out when the projectionists' print is running or else you will only hear it in analog sound. What a surprise!!!

I am saddened to hear that the Uptown theatre is becoming just another Loew's theatre. The 70mm presentation of "Rear Window" was the last time I saw a show at the Uptown. I had a bad incident at the parking lot across the way that discouraged me from coming b (Some advice - if you're not anywhere within walking distance of the Uptown, take the Metro. Unless you're really experienced parking is hard to find. I gave up going to the Avalon before that theatre closed because I had a problem finding somewhere to park my car. I went there because of their top notch presentation but getting to the box office to find the show was sold out was discouraging.) After reading the postings here I've come to the conclusion that Loew's is giving the Uptown very low maintenance. Evidently, they're looking at the bottom line and cutting corners. The Uptown is just another theatre among the million others. I still remember the 70mm showings of "Grease" and "Alien." The revival showing of "Lawrence of Arabia" was undoubtedly the best in the region with the Uptown's extra-large screen and brilliant sound. To me this was a 70mm roadshow was about. I considered going to see the last "Star War" movie at the Uptown but after reading the posts here I went to a theatre in Baltimore instead. It might have been nice as that's where I saw the original "Star Wars". It was in 35mm but the Uptown was the only theatre in town to hear the Dolby Stero. Going there for the last time would have brought it to a full circle. As a matter of fact I saw the original 3 SW films in DC theatres - the second one showed at the Cinema and the final one was at the Jenifer. Funny - they're both gone.

This is another photo of the Uptown Theater in DC.

Seeing the new Harry Potter premiere tonight (11.15) at the Uptown...I can't wait.

My most memorable experience was trying to see Revenge of the Sith again before it left. Slightly under the influence, I was freaked out by the large number of Naval officers in line to see the movie. I moved past the line to the ticket booth, only to find out that a premiere for Stealth was there that night instead. With headphones on, I yelled louder than I hoped, "F@#$!"

Fearing that naval officers would take me away, I tried to move from the masses when I accidentally bumped into the very hot Jessica Biehl. She could tell from my eyes what kind of state I was in and laughed and said hello....pretty cool.

I saw "Around the World in 80 Days" during its first run at the Uptown. That was an experience that I can still recall with great clarity. It was marvelous!

exterior photo at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/howardbhaas/69209548/

Bad news for all...

After speaking to the attendent or manager at the theatre tonight, it seems there is little doubt that AMC weill close this theatre when it takes over. She seemed pessimistic about it remaining, and said the owner of the land may want to keep it as a movie house. It appears Loews is a renter.

Although this place is falling apart... No armrests in balcony anymore, paint chipping broken handrails etc, with some fixing up this can be a GREAT place.

Unfortunately, AMC being a more corporate company, will close the single screen thearte (as it has none its ownership).

I hopwe this does not happen, but I have a BAD vibe about this...

If they close it they need to get that recently-installed chandelier from the Loew's Capitol in NYC and donate it to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens - don't let it get lost....

In the book "Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, DC" there is a photograph of the interior of the Uptown as it appeared at the time of the opening--1936. I assume it looked like this until the big screen and draperies were installed for Cinerama--the appearance the theatre has today.
My question: Does the "old" theatre still exist behind all those drapes? Is it in a restorable condition? Does anyone out there know?
I know we're talking a considerable amount of money, but what are the chances of a non-profit buying the theatre? I know it doesn't have a stage because it was built after vaudeville for movies only, but what if a stage could be added? Maybe it could host plays, concerts, etc. I would love to see it remain as movies-only, but I don't know if that's possible.
I think one would find a huge outpouring of support for such a project--similar to the Avalon's experience. Many more people have had contact with the Uptown over the years, and may be willing to join a "Restore and Save the Uptown" organization.
Am I just dreaming?

Glenn M.
Washington, DC

In Thursday's (12/22/05) Washington Post, there is a news bite about 10 Loews/AMC Theaters that are closing nationwide, the Uptown isn't listed as one of them. The two multiplexes that are closing, in downtown DC, are the AMC Union Station 9 (not a bad plex, with several auditoriums named after older DC theaters..the Grand being the best and THX certified) and the Loews Wisconsin 6 (an okay 20 y.o. plex that is decked out in Loews purple, with auditoriums 4 and 5 having had 70mm projection and were formerly THX certified.)

As far as 'restoring' the Uptown, why would you want to tear down the current curved Cinerama capable screen and put back the old flat one? Part of the allure and charm of the Uptown was its unique wrap around screen. The theater was refurbished back in '96 and isn't in disrepair and has hosted various charity film premiers over the year. The only 'restoration' the Uptown needs is better film programming and employees and projectionists, in particular, who can bring back a sense of showmanship and pride that this theater had in years past.

I saw KING KONG at the Uptown last weekend and the presentation was excellent. I guess the union projectionist was in the booth. It would be sad if we lost the Uptown, there are only a handful of venues left in the world that can provide an experience like this.
Seeing the 70mm restorations of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, MY FAIR LADY, and VERTIGO here was incredible. I wish somehow AFI or a similar organization could take over here to make sure this last vestige of true wide screen cinema is maintained and used to its fullest.

The 10 AMC/Loews theatres mentioned above are not closing, they are going to be sold to other operators to prevent acusations of monopoly in certain markets. This was negotiated with the Justice Dept. and various state attorneys general in order to get approval of the merger. Don't worry, they will still be around, just not operated by AMC or Loews anymore.

I was a projectionist at the Wisconsin 6 and it was built by Cineplex Odeon, not Loews. It was later sold to Loews.
Norelco

I also attended King Kong this past weekend. The Uptown is not falling apart. Some armrests need repair in the balcony, but that's all. I was told the landlord would show movies if AMC pulls out, and had shown them before. That makes the landlord the Pedas Brothers who had the Circle chain, selling the Chain (but apparently not the Uptown building) to Cineplex Odeon, which then merged into Loews, and is now merging into AMC.

What will save the Uptown for some time is PATRONAGE. From New York City to Washington, there's not a greater moviehouse experience than the Uptown! The exterior is a great, and the auditorium's huge 70 to
80 feet wide movie screen fantastic!

I also saw the restored Lawrence of Arabia, My Fair Lady, and Vertigo, and agree such experiences were wonderful. In the last few years, I also enjoyed restored or reissues of Raiders of the Lost Arc, 2001, and Alien, and new movies. In 1997, I enjoyed the Warner Bros 75th Anniv. films, and the big screen epics like The Wild Bunch and Blade Runner were terrific on the huge screen. And, I've been fortunate to see many other classics & new films there.

AFI isn't going to takeover the Uptown. They have the Silver. The Avalon programs arthouse & classics in a historic moviehouse. The Uptown is too big for arthouse of fulltime classic. The asset is the enormous auditorum including balcony.

As to original decoration, it looks like the ceiling was gutted. My gut feeling is American Indian decoration on the walls is also gone, but I don't know for sure. We found lots of decoration hidden in niches in the Boyd auditorium, but you could see those niches still present. Although the Uptown's original decoration appears neat in photos, it was relatively modest. For full Art Deco spendlor, visit the Boyd in Philadelphia when it reopens in 2007,
www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org

Again, patronize the Uptown if you like it. And, buy from the concession counter, because that's how the operator profits, and profits keep the place open, and only profits will keep it open. Otherwise, it may end up being a giant retail store. Anybody really prefer the CVS in the (also John Zink designed) MacArthur?

I visited Washington from February 6-12, as work sent me down to spend a week in our DC office. I went to the Uptown to see "Good Night and Good Luck." It was as if I died and went to "movie theater heaven." The theater still looked as beautiful as ever, although there wasn't that big a crowd for the Tuesday night late show. All I can say is, "Please Washington,don't let AMC let this place die. Do what you can to make it a historical place so they can't mess with it or if they do decide to sell it, make sure it's someone who will keep it just as it is...A magnificent piece of history.

Well it has now been over a year since I worked the Uptown...I was one of the projectionists at the Uptown from 1988 until 2005. After college, I only worked Saturdays though. I can honestly say, we had the best show in town. What some projectionists think as a clean/sharp print woudn't cut it at the Uptown. The screen is so big and curved, any damage just shows up more and scractches take on a curved appearance.

Focus was another issue. 35mm is too small a gauge for the Uptown's screen. The relatively poorly made prints of today really don't have a great focus to begin with..combine that with the small gauge and the deep curve screen, which taxes the depth of focus of the lens, and you have a very tricky arrangement. While I was there, focus was checked at least every 5-minutes to ensure it is at its best. Some films were just a demonstration of futility. CinemaScope films being the worst for the Uptown due to lenses adding the most to the image challenges.

70mm is the only format the Uptown should run. It is the only format that has the resolution, light throughput and the projection lens at the Uptown is designed for the curved screen. Yes, even 35mm blow-ups to 70mm would make (and have made) HUGE differences.

As for DLP...it is definately is not up to the task at the moment. The depth of focus is not up to the task, the resolution is not good enough either. While I know that Jodar posted above about the Crown (I was part of that installation team...at least on the original system), but you are comparing apples to oranges. Technicolor limited us to 40-foot wide screens for those installations so they WOULD look good and bright. While they are in many ways quite good, they are not really at the level that cinemas should be striving for. 35mm film has the capability to exceed even 2K DCinema. DCinema needs to try and meet/exceed 70mm capability and offer an improvement.

As for the Uptown's sound...it suffers from lack of attention combined with being played with by the latest special show that comes to town. The equipment within the place is quite good and you won't do much better just by replacing it (in fact you will most likely do worse). The Uptown's sound systems is quite similar to the Senator's in Baltimore, MD. Altec A-4 stage speakers, JBL subwoofers, Altec A-7 surrounds (12 of them), QSC amps, and the Dolby CP200 (upgraded). Probably the best the Uptown sounded was back when three of us tuned the room for a Paramount film with Al Matano...we had three analyzers going for the various zones throughout the room...one could really balance it out better than even with just a multiplexed mic system...and then critical listening was done by several people rather than taking just one person's opinion. As some have discovered...the sound in a room that large can vary quite a bit...a bit tinny downstairs towards the screen (in the middle, particularly), and notably subdued in the balcony. Then again, many techs don't realize there are two HF horn systems for each speaker to properly cover the Balcony and main section separately. The potential to have good sound there is indeed doable...just not every tech is up to the task nor has the time available (nor prior experience) to do it.

As to the projection at the Uptown...I left shortly after the platter went in. However, once the non-projectionists started to operate, the equipment damage as well as print damage had started. Shutters were damaged, among other things. They went through several prints of THE AVIATOR in the weeks after I departed. I still hear of continual print damage to this day (March 2006) though I do not have first hand knowledge of it anymore. Given the operating policy there...I can't see how it could be any other way though.

The short-term answer there is not DCinema...it is 70mm with projectionists. When DCinema technology reaches the level of 70mm, then it will be time.

However, the sad thing that is also true for movies at the moment...they need to make something worth watching. Movies that have a number after the name or have the same name as a TV show just is not original thinking. Hollywood needs to start making good movies again and shooting them in 65mm as if they actually cared about the movie at the start.

Steve

I met Steve at the Uptown when he was showing The Aviator and the platter had arrived. I'm sorry he's gone.

I don't disagree that the Uptown is great for 70 mm, but those of us who love this theater do enjoy 35 mm and especially Scope films there.

Steve is correct in that there seem to be fewer movies worthy of adult patronage in movie theaters. It almost seemed that Hollywood issued better movies in 70 mm 6 track, and when a decade ago that format died when DTS arrived, Hollywood stopped trying. There arestill some worthwhile films, but fewer.





70 mm classics have often returned over the years, so I hope the current exhibitor (AMC) presents more 70 mm classic films. Hollywood doesn't seem to be issuing any new movies in 70 mm or blowups from 35 mm, but classics look & sound great on the Uptown!

This is a recent 2006 photo of the Uptown Theater.

An item from today's Washington Post:

Look! Up in the Sky, It's . . . Nothing

The Uptown Theater and "Superman Returns " battled more than Lex Luthor last week.
On opening day, the historic Cleveland Park theater blew a fuse before the show and sent disappointed matinee fans into the streets. On Saturday, the afternoon crowd was on the edge of its seats as Lois Lane , her young son and her boyfriend were trapped inside a sinking yacht . . . then the screen turned into a blob of yellow, and a voice in the dark said ominously, "Short delay . . . technical difficulties." Turns out the film snapped in two; unhappy audience members got vouchers for another screening.

Same day, three hours later: The date-night crowd endured a 35-minute delay, an extended intermission to change reels, and an overheated auditorium.

An AMC spokeswoman says heat and humidity caused the film to warp, thus the problems. By Sunday, replacement reels had arrived to let "Superman" once again fly high.

**************************

Somehow I have to wonder if all these incidents were caused by heat and humidity or maybe the lack of professional projectionists at this theatre.

It definitely is because of the union busting tactics. These problems would not be happening if trained professionals were in the booth. AMC doesnt care. They give a pass for another show and people come back and buy more popcorn. Eventually it will catch up to them. Less and less people will go to the Uptown. BTW, heat and humidity will not cause the film to warp..............unless you're putting it in an oven and baking it.

Heat and humidity will bother the polyester film stock used by the studios today. It creates static, and the layers of film don't peel apart easily and now and then more than one layer gets pulled into the brain causing a wrap - even with a professional projectionist hovering over it.

I grew up in DC and whenever I'm home, I'll go to the Uptown no matter what they are playing. I remember the frustrations when there would be a huge movie that for some reason they chose not to play (cough Titanic cough), but some of my greatest moviegoing experiences, including Vertigo, Gladiator, and all three Lord of the rings were at the Uptown.

It's been a while since someone put up a list, so here is my rough memory of everything they have played since I first attended the theater in 1996 for Twister. I was 11.

An * means I think they played it but am not one hundred percent sure. all others are definite.

1996
Twister
Independence Day
Vertigo
Ransom
Jerry Maguire*

1997
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Volcano
The Lost World Jurassic Park
Contact
G.I. Jane
In & Out*
Starship Troopers
Alien Resurrection
Tomorrow Never Dies

1998
Sphere
US Marshalls
Primary Colors
Warner Brothers Festivel of Classics (THIS WAS AWESOME! A different decade every day, a different movie every showtime)
Godzilla
Armageddon
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
Rounders
Practical Magic
Meet Joe Black
You've Got Mail

1999
Analyze This
The Matrix
The Phantom Menace
Double Jeopardy*
Sleepy Hollow
The Green Mile

2000
Mission to Mars
U-571
Gladiator
The Perfect Storm
Casablanca/A Clockwork Orange
Lawrence of Arabia
The Exorcist
The Contendor
The Grinch
Cast Away

2001
Hannibal
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Along Came a Spider
The Mummy Returns
Pearl Harbor
A.I.
Planet ofthe Apes
Don't Say a Word*
2001
Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone
The Fellowship of the Ring

2002
Time Machine*
Amadeus
Attack of the Clones
Road to Perdition
City by the Sea
Red Dragon
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Two Towers

2003
Phone Booth
X2: X-men United
The Hulk
Seabiscuit
Alien
Mystic River
The Return of the King

2004
Hellboy
Van Helsing
The Day After Tomorrow
The Terminal
Spider-Man 2
Alien vs. Predator
Hero
Shark Tale
Ray
The Aviator

2005
Sin City
The Interpreter
Revenge of the Sith
Fantastic Four
The Island
March of the Penguins
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
King Kong

2006
Scary Movie 4
Mission: Impossible III
Superman Returns

Like I said, this list is in no way perfect and not completely accurate, but it I'm almost certain about most of those films.

I'm appalled to hear about the Superman Returns presenation. Snafus on an opening week at the uptown for a big movie are what will bring this theater down. The problem really is that Loews treats it like its just another theater. I remember they were not going to play Spider-mAan 2 because they wanted to bring business to the Georgetown theater, and then naturally they played it anyway when I'd already gotten tickets somewhere else. This is why people don't go to movies anymore. If you pay 10 bucks for a ticket, your going for more than the movie, but theater owners don't realize that. Ebert has a lot of great writings on the topic (and everyone pray that he retires quickly. Don't boycott the theater, its still great. I remember talking on the phone 2 years ago with the current manager and he seemed like a huge film nut, so I got really encouraged.

Static is caused by the air being too dry not too humid. Thats why booth installed humidifiers in the winter to try and help this problem. This has not been an issue much anyway since they improved the polyester film stock. With a single screen theater, a projectionist definitely CAN help with a print if there is a static issue.

And just think of how much better the Uptown would be if it still had competent projectionists and no platter. The Uptown has damaged more film and lost more shows in the 1.5 years with the platter and lack of operators than it had in its entire history before (and that is going back a ways).

Anyone that could not see this coming is blind. We told the Clevland Park area about what was coming to their beloved theatre. I'm not happy about it, but it is all coming true, the Uptown is being chipped away into an amature attempt at putting on the big show.

Its depressing to read all of this, but I already knew this place was going down hill for awhile. The interesting thing about all of this is that this movie theater still hosts world premieres and benefit screenings. They must hire a projectionist for that.

Its depressing to read all of this, but I already knew this place was going down hill for awhile. The interesting thing about all of this is that this movie theater still hosts world premieres and benefit screenings. They must hire a projectionist for that.

Its depressing to read all of this, but I already knew this place was going down hill for awhile. The interesting thing about all of this is that this movie theater still hosts world premieres and benefit screenings. They must hire a projectionist for that.

To the best of my knowledge, this happened while a "projectionist" was on duty...well asleep at the wheel is more like it. The problem is, no qualified projectionist is going to work this job as it presently exists. That is why we walked when Loews downgraded the theatre. Some things you just can't make work. The change in the Uptown's quality can be completely tied to its operating policy. Sadly, AMC has not improved things and in fact, I hear plan to make things worse with a downgrade of the sound system.

How could they downgrade the sound system? If a system is already in place, why take the time and expense to install inferior equipment? Englighten us, please.

They will probably take the equipment out and use it for another theater.

The Uptown has equipment in it that is suitable for a theatre of this size. AMC does not know how to handle such a thing so they plan on installing equipment suitable for a mall type theatre. They think of the Dolby CP200 as too old...never mind that it has been upgraded and is up to date. They plan on replacing the stage speakers...never mind what they put in will not have the ability to fill the room...and...they are only planning on 3-screen channels...the Uptown has always used 5-channels behind the screen since 70mm was installed back in the 50s. The Left and Right speakers are 20-feet beyond the 1.85 image and would be covered by either the curtain or the masking (not acoustically transparent). Left-Center and Right-Center would diminish a 35mm Scope or 70mm show if the full screen width is used and once again the speakers are 20-feet inboard from the edge. Classic 70mm films have 5-screen channels too.

What it amounts to is not knowing what they are doing...but that seems to be just par for the course in the last couple of years. You can NOT treat a venue such as the Uptown like a common multiplex theatre. That is dumb as expecting a multiplex theatre to survive by only opening its largest house.

While there are improvements to be had in the Uptown's sound, removing the Altec A-4s or the Dolby CP200 is not how to do it. Better to update the A4s with Manatary horns and carefully aim them. The A4 are absolutely the right speaker for the job in this venue. In fact, A2s would be nice.

I am surprised AMC hasn't decided to close or twin this... They are not known for single screen theatres like this...

AMC will not twin the theater, they dont operate twins either. What they will do is operate it at what they think will generate the highest profit until the lease runs out. At that point they'll either choose to leave or renew the lease. I do believe that this is the only single screener that they operate courtesy of the loews cineplex merger/buyout. The twinning of theaters is not the way things are done anymore. It's brand new stadium complexes, and that's what American Multi Cinema is building. They are just plain closing what they call non-strategic assets they've been doing that for the last 6 years.

For decades The UPTOWN functioned simply as a neighborhood theatre, one of Washington's best, where admission prices were 10% higher than the norm. They catered to adults and would play serious adult movies on Friday and Saturday when most theaters played action films. In the 1950's Warner Bros. Theaters got the idea to remodel the Uptown and play first run movies --- a big success --- often the special reserved seat attractions such as "2001, A Space Odyssy" as well as Cinerama ("How the West Was Won").

Their greatest success was in 1977 with STAR WARS which opened here and played in excess of a year. After the initial 6 months they got a 70 MM print and kept it going for many months more.

This was the only Washington theatre which was spared ill-effect of the Martin Luther King Riots of 1966. Being in a "safe" neighborhood, it thrived, compared for example to the ultra-beautiful TIVOLI just a mile east which was doomed.

The UPTOWN is THE place to see a movie in Washington, DC. There are often World Premier events in the Nation's Capital, and more than 90% are at the Uptown. Although current ownership seems indifferent, and has changed a few times in recent years I'm hopeful the Uptown will thrive.

Two corrections: The introduction says 300 stadium type seats were added in 1997. Nonsense! Those seats were there in the 1940's and ever since. Also, the theatre does not "suffer" from lack of parking. Although parking is tough, people come anyway. The long lines you see curving around the block are people who came anyway.

rivjr

What do you mean by the Tivoli was doomed. Do you mean people stopped going to the theatres or they closed??

I think what he was saying about 300 stadium seats is that they were not stadium before the renovation.

Also I am sorry that II said it may be twinned. Someone bit my heard off. There are plenty of old houses that are chopped even now like the Pavillion in Brooklyn.

Here is a recent photo of the Uptown Theater.

MikeRadio, have you ever been to the Uptown?

Regarding the Tivoli, you might want to read a bit about the effects of 1960's racial rioting in American cities.

Tonight the Uptown hosted the world premier of the Kevin Costner-Ashton Kutcher film "The Guardian." The local news here reports that Disney spent $1 million on the premier event this evening. I suppose the Uptown still has some meaning to some even though AMC seems to be neglecting this theater.

I would like everyone to know that the 4000 Wisconsin theatre will close on November 30,2006. Someone who works for Donohoe show me a letter that AMC sent to Donohoe. Also I heard that AMC will close the Uptown soon, no date on when.

If the Uptown ceases to show movies, that would be tragic! For decades it has been the greatest theater to see movies on the East Coast!

Jesus Steve this is so depressing to read. I just got out of the hospital, and was catching up on things and I read this. I just had another heart attack and had triple bypass this time. You are right, I remember when we worked there it was fun to go to work and run perfect shows. Even though I messed with you allot I always said you were a great projectionist, and a damn good tech. Say hi to all for me, I miss you all allot.
Mungo
Norelco

My e-mail is dave.grau@yahoo.com

One of the greatest movies ever made had its world premiere here at the Uptown - April 1968:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/uptown.jpg

Does anyone have any new news about AMC possibly closing the Uptown?

according to Washington Post's Marc Fisher:

"Posted at 07:39 AM ET, 10/31/2006
The Tragedy of the Dying Movie Houses
The roster of Washington area movie theaters shut down in the last few years is already depressing: the Biograph, Key, Cerberus, Fine Arts, Janus, Visions, Inner Circle, Outer Circle, Cinema, Jenifer, MacArthur, Paris, Studio, Tenley, and West End theaters closed, most of them to make way for CVS drug stores or to sit empty for year after year.

Now add two more to the list of the lost: In the suburbs, one of the last of the second-run theaters, the Premier Cinemas at Jumpers in Pasadena in Anne Arundel County, shut its doors on Sunday, a victim of changing moviegoing habits and an inability to afford the new digital screening technology. And in the District, the Loews Wisconsin Avenue in upper Northwest is next to go, a victim of the merger between the Loews and AMC chains. Insiders say it will shut its doors at the end of November.

And while there's no official word, projectionists and other local movie industry workers are hearing more and more gloomy rumors about the future of the region's grandest remaining movie house, the Uptown in Cleveland Park. If its days are numbered too, that calls for a popular uprising even more vociferous than that which eventually saved the Avalon in Chevy Chase.

The culprits for all those losses: Home video, the multiplexing of American movie houses, the insatiable spread of CVS, and the decline of the second-run and repertory formats.

The replacements: The AFI Silver, the Landmark art houses on E Street and in Bethesda, and the Loews complex in Georgetown.

Net loss: Huge, especially in Dupont Circle, the Wisconsin Avenue corridor in upper Northwest, and Georgetown.

Moviegoing at the 4000 Wisconsin was never a spectacular experience; the place is among the better of the 1980s theaters, but that's not saying much. The walls are too thin, the sound bleeds from one theater to the next, several of the boxes are way too small--but there are decent-sized screens and even advanced sound and projection systems in the two largest theaters in the multiplex. But this is a case of Loews wanting to push business to its new Georgetown complex and of the landlord, Fannie Mae, never having been all that thrilled about having the unwashed public wandering through its corporate headquarters, according to workers at the theater.

Can and should the Uptown be saved?"

The thought of The Uptown closing is and would be truly terrible loss for the city. If and when AMC closes the theatre I hope there is enough public/private support to continue this theatre as Chevy Chase did with the Avalon.

Just read the posts above as to why people don't travel to see movies at the Uptown, or downtown for that matter. The quality of projection and sound, as well as the programming choices just plain suck. They should be booking classic movies ala NYC's The Ziegfeld and make use of that wonderful 80' screen to show 70mm movies during the slow period such as now. Or, offer them during the weekdays and the traditional Hollywood fare on the weekends, maybe even mix it up!

Even Wisconsin Ave had 70mm projection in #4 and 5. They could offer counter programming to the traditional fare. How many screens do you have to have to show Saw 3, or similar garbage anyway?

If you offer something that you can't see in your neighborhood multiplex, or even at home in HD, and drum it up, people will come, which includes myself and, I'm sure, many others in this market.

I just went to this theater on 10/30/06. What an experience. Glad I got to it before any rumored closing. The screen is immense.
What a shame if she closes.

I don't understand why the listings for this theater, both in the newspaper and online, have it listed as the Uptown 1. Why bother putting in the 1? If you leave it off and look at the listings, you know it is just a single screen theater. Washingtonians know it is a single screen theater, so its of no use to anyone unless you're looking at showtimes and are outside of the area. On the other hand, maybe there are plans to carve up the theater????

Some exhibitors like AMC place a "1" after any single screen they operate. Especially with the merger, AMC is operating other singles like the Tower East (72nd Street) in NYC.

The magnficience of the Uptown is its huge screen and its balcony. It won't be chopped up.

Whether AMC cares or not, the Uptown is still viable for movies, mainstream issues as well as classics. Whether under AMC operation, or another operator, let's hope the Uptown survives so the people who want to see a movie on a huge screen in a movie house with a real presence can do so!

One indication of AMC's intentional running of the UPTOWN into the ground was the newsmaking World Premiere of Kevin Costner's THE GUARDIAN. A big event, financed by Disney, the picture was shown on prime digital projectors --- ONE TIME ONLY. AMC re-installed the older substandard equipment the very next day.

Washingtonians love the UPTOWN and have supported it with huge box office for decades. The ONLY reason for its decline is AMC --- booking substandard movies, using substandard equipment. Employees used to be well dressed and speaking English as a native tongue. Now the staff is 100% foreign, and the manager hangs around with his shirt unbuttoned to the waist, showing off his oversized belly and chest hairs. STANLEY WARNER and later CIRCLE THEATRES, still later CINEPLEX ODEON prided themselves in maintaining the UPTWON as DC's finest. AMC, in contrast, is working toward failure.

This could be truly bad news. Although I've lived in Seattle all my life, I did have the opportunity to see a film at the Uptown back in 1985 (I don't remember what I saw) and the theater (if not the film) provided me an unforgettable experience. Here's hoping that a responsible exhibitor such as Landmark is able to take over operation should AMC pull out. The demographics of Northwest Washington would be a perfect fit for them.

Here in Seattle, AMC manages our much-beloved Cinerama Theater. Unlike the Uptown's experience, they are doing a credible job here despite the fact that they got rid of the union a couple of years ago. The difference between the Uptown and the Cinerama as far as operations go probably lies with the owners of the two theaters.

I have no idea who actually owns the Uptown, but the Cinerama is owned by one of our resident billionaires, Paul Allen. It was he who saved it from being razed and sunk 15 Million of his own money to upgrade it to perhaps the finest theater in the country. I have a feeling that he and his associates keep a pretty tight rein on AMC and their antics. Case in point: The Cinerama looks as new today as when it first reopened about six years ago.

I had to laugh about the post questioning why there is a "1" after the listing for the Uptown. This happens at the Cinerama, too, and I've often wondered why. A little trivia: Before the Loews merger, the Cinerama was the only theater in AMC's portfolio that was a single screener. And the only reason they got it was because of their buyout of General Cinema after that circuit tanked.

HowardBHaas...

I go to the Uptown OFTEN.. why do you ask??

I am looking forward to see Bobby again this weekend.... Being in media, I saw a press showing several weeks ago, and found it to be a VERY good movie... maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but definitely entertaining if you want a true feel of the country during the time.. A true period piece with a real all star cast...

Despite what people have said here about projection and whatnot, the Uptown is still the best in DC and is a place to take people from out of town since single screen large houses are so rare.

I hope AMC holds on to it.

You didn't seem to realize the attraction is the Uptown's giant screen, and the balcony. That's why it has survived all these years. It won't be twinned.

I started attending when it was the Circle Uptown. Circle, Cineplex Odeon, and Loews all respected the house. Loews closed the Avalon and the Cinema, and wasn't keen on full time projectionists, but they had excellent staff. They were polishing the brass on the doors, and using the curtain at the screen.

Two Saturdays ago, I enjoyed Flags of the Fathers. The presentation was excellent- projection, sound, and the curtain was used before and after the movie. The staff however, did appear and act underwhelming. This was the first time in 21 years that I've been attending when there wasn't a professional staff. AMC can do better.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE THEATER WHEN YOU WENT?

Well, it wasn't a huge crowd because Flags of Our Fathers wasn't popular nationwide. It was in its 4th week at the Uptown and had already been dropped from whatever multiplexes likely had run it, such as the Georgetown and downtown.

If people want to see the Uptown survive as a daily movie house, you need to go to the Uptown and see them there!

Besides going there and seeing what the interior looks like. Does anyone have pictures of the interior or the exterior of the Uptown at night?

Lobby Card for 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Uptown Theater.

This past Saturday, 12/30, we caught the 7:20pm show of Dreamgirls. I timed my arrival to park my car in a space, in front of the theater, just as patrons were leaving :) Given the success it has had in limited runs, I had expected a greater turn out at the Uptown. There was a line that stretched the block, but was not enough to fill the house. The film was warmly received but not lively and somewhat restrained given some of the production numbers and standout performance by Jennifer Hudson. Probably the make up of the patrons had something to do with it. A good decision by the manager to tear stubs while we were in standing line to get in made theater entry and seating much faster and efficient.

The presentation, itself, was good up to a point. The curtain was opened wide enough at the beginning to facilitate the preshow ad slides. Then it was closed and opened wide before the movie started, which was an unexpected surprise! The sound was good with decent surrounds. Midway through the movie, there was that annoying black line that ran down the middle of the screen, which I recall seeing when I saw the last Star Wars movie there. On a screen as tall and wide as the Uptown, such a prominent black streak is especially annoying and irritating. If they had had digital projection here as they did at NYC's Ziegfeld, I'm sure the presentation would have been far better. But I'm curious as to how, or even if DP projects on the curved screen at the Arclight in Hollywood, as it would need to here to fill the screen.

Overall, my experience for this show was better than the last several times. I am perplexed as to why there was that seemingly same black streak during the movie. Is it part of the projection system maybe? If so, they need to get it fixed. If its due to print handling, then they need to do a better job at taking care of their prints. If they can fix that problem, then catching event films here would make me a regular patron again.

Unfortunately, They will not get it fixed. The problem is film handling. The so called projectionists that they have now do not know how to handle film. Once they got rid of the union, the presentation went downhill. It will continue to suffer until the place closes.

JodarMovieFan,

The Cinerama Dome at Arclight in Hollywood has DP. It is very impressive on their giant curved screen. A large percentage of their features last year were screened in digital format. As far as I can tell, among the few recent non-digital presentations at the Dome were "A Scanner Darkly" and "Flags of Our Fathers".

Regards,

JSA

I for one am happy to know that I am no longer subsidizing the cushy pensions and medical plans of the union projectionists. This will only increase my pleasure at tonight's showing of Dreamgirls.

Boy what an idiot you are, What planet are you from? pensions and medial ha ha ha. The only pensions and meds. we ever got was the ones we paid for ourselves. Theatre owners are by far the cheapest owners out there, I know my own dad was one.Companies today want to hog all the profits for themselves and to hell with the employees. So really there are no bennifits anymore. So go watch your interupted movie asshole, and know if a union projectionist was in the booth you would most likely watch a perfect movie.
Norelco

I'm wondering what an idiot like that is basing his comments on. He obviously knows nothing about the projectionists job. Morons like that are the ones that dont complain about the scratched prints and bad presentations. Are you happy spending your 10 bucks or so and another 15 on popcorn knowing that the theater owners removed the projectionist because stupid people like you dont care about real movie presentation? Sounds like it to me.

Norelco.. I was wondering how long it would take for you to response to jhoffa post, and it wasn't long. Well said indeed.

Any more word about if and when AMC is going to close the Uptown? I saw DREAMGIRLS last weekend there myself and noticed the scratched print.... something that wouldn't have happened with a real projectionist and would have never been tolerated in the past. It is a great and rare venue, it is too bad the people who own it do not appreciate it.

At the rist of throwing more gas on the fire, could someone explain why a union projectionist can work a projector and handle film properly and a non-union projectionist cannot? Seems like that is a skill that could be passed to someone regardless of whether they belong to a union.

Any skill can be passed to anyone. The difference is in the training. Not only do you need to be properly trained how to handle film, you need to know how to work the equipment. It's not a simple job even with a platter and automation. Union training is very thourough. The people running these machines now were taught how to thread the projector and hit the start button and pray that nothing goes wrong. In the meantime, they are scratching print, they dont set maskings properly, they dont focus, they dont check sound levels and worst of all they dont handle film properly. So yes, it can be passed down to someone if they have the proper training. The problem is, you have stupid morons like JHOFFA that dont care about the bad presentations and continue to spend their money without complaining.

Any skill can be passed to anyone. The difference is in the training. Not only do you need to be properly trained how to handle film, you need to know how to work the equipment. It's not a simple job even with a platter and automation. Union training is very thourough. The people running these machines now were taught how to thread the projector and hit the start button and pray that nothing goes wrong. In the meantime, they are scratching print, they dont set maskings properly, they dont focus, they dont check sound levels and worst of all they dont handle film properly. So yes, it can be passed down to someone if they have the proper training. The problem is, you have stupid morons like JHOFFA that dont care about the bad presentations and continue to spend their money without complaining.

UNIONS ARE THE REASON MANY OF THESE SMALLER THEATERS ARE GONE!

Thats even more ridiculous than hoffa's statements.

If this theater was a union theater it would be closed!

This theater WAS a union theater and it is still here. It wasnt until they pulled out the union that the problems began. I didnt hear any complaints before that about presentation issues. Now all of a sudden the complaints start. This isnt just this theater either. Presentation declined when the qualified operators were pulled out.

That may be very true but union greed put theater chains in this position as well if not more the mom and pop theaters!

The unions arent the ones charging the ridiculous prices to go see the movies. They didnt lower any of the prices when they got rid of the union either. They just lowered their standard of presentation.

Ok, now I am curious. What did or does a union projectionist make an hour? And what responibilities does the job entail?

Depends on many different things. How many screens, type of theater, etc...Anywhere between $10 and $25 an hour. Responsibilities entail anything that has to do with the presentation of the film. Starting with making up the prints to actually showing them. Maintaining the equipment. Adding and taking off trailers. Troubleshooting problems. There is a lot of different equipment in the booth. I would love to see a concession person change a 7000 Watt xenon bulb that can take your face apart if it explodes. Its happened. There are a lot of things people dont know about that projectionists are responsible for. Most people think we just thread the film and push the button.

In NY $25 -40 HOUR WITH OT BEFORE AND AFTER MIDNIGHT ..25%MATCHING RETIERMENT ......HEALTH INS ...HOLIDAY DOUBLE TIME.....AND ON AND ON

I don't know about DC, but in New York the union shot themselves in the foot. While they have a number of very good operators who are well worth the money, they are over-shadowed by an inordinate number of schmucks who have no more business being in the booth than the concession attendant. And the union does nothing about them except to move them to another theatre to become someone elses headache. This includes elderly operators (over 80 yrs) who refuse to retire, with failing vision and can no longer focus or frame properly; another beginning Alzheimer's and I had to go behind him to make sure the keys were flipped on the reel spindles so the reels didn't fall off the machine in the middle of the show, and that the gate and pad rollers were all closed. There were others who would be passed out drunk in the balcony, another didn't know how to change a xenon bulb, another loon who smashed up the machines with a lead pipe. I could go on and on. Every manager had a shit-list, and if someone on that list showed up to cover a vacation you knew you were going to be in for an adventure and better have a good supply of refund envelope, emerg tix or passes on hand because you were gonna need them. If the theatres were paying a high wage and got a highly qualified operator, the jobs probably would not have been phased out. In NYC however, with the exception of a few high-profile houses, this was seldom the case.

I am very surprised with the numbers you came up with considering you were a DM. The regular theaters pay nowhere near that amount. Specialty screening rooms like Sony, Universal,etc.. can get that high, but well worth it considering you probably will be running video, film, picture and track, etc.... and where is this overtime? I've been in the city for 15 years and never once got OT before or after midnight. 25% matching retirement???????? are you crazy. The city is 19% pension and medical combined. You go add that up and see what it comes out to for a pension. As for the medical, it covers me only. Most of the full time workers I know in other fields have a much better pension and better health coverage which a lot of times includes their whole family. Tell me where the greed is there. Now we move onto holiday double time. It's time and a half for holidays and that doesnt include all holidays. Most people I know get at least that in their profession. I would love to hear the "and on and on stuff".
Dave,
your comments can be applied to almost any profession. You have dumb schmucks everywhere. If every manager had a shit list, they should have requested someone else. They dont have to accept just whoever is sent. I'm sure there are wacky stories about people in other professions also. Like I said, it happens everywhere, not just unions. These jobs were never phased out because of unqualified operators. They were taken away because theater owners could save money with unqualified people running the booths. That is the only reason. Why do you think that in NYC they have union guys in on thursdays through sundays? Because they dont want anything going wrong with making up prints on thursdays. They also make most of their money on the weekends. If the union guys are so bad, why not have their "film threaders" do it? Look at the uptown now. Are you going to blame the union because of how fucked up the place is getting? And why do the few "high profile houses" use union operators? Because they know what the fuck theyre doing!!

You look at any industry today. What are they doing? Cutting back. Why? To save money. Are they making any improvments for the customers in any way? No. They dont give a shit about their customers. They want to make as much money as they can. With the theaters, they know enough people dont complain about problems with the shows. When they complain, they give a free pass. Now they come back again and buy more candy and popcorn. So don't tell me about union greed. Take a look at how the theater chains are fucking everybody going to the movies....

NICE MOUTH...........NO MORE FOR YOU!

DAVE-BRONK YOU HAVE IT ON THE MONEY!

DIGITAL WILL SOON BE ON ITS WAY BIG TIME..........NO MORE PROJECTIONISTS..............

RCDTJ,
I am old-school, having worked in the theatres since the 60s - I'd always had a union man in the booth and if it was up to me there would still be a union man in the booth. I don't want to do their job, and I don't want to be bothered teaching people how to run those machines. I agree that the owners were looking to cut costs. My issue is that the union made it easy for the owners to decide that they no longer need a union man. The union didn't make themselves indispensable. By not forcing the elderly ones, who were clearly in decline, to retire; by continuing to send guys around who have been kicked out of every theatre in town; by not insisting that these guys get themselves together or get out for the good of the membership. Years ago they used to stash these guys away in the porn houses, where the audience was doing everything in the world except watching the movie, so it didn't matter, but those places were no longer available when they switched to VHS. When we had a crazy man in the booth we would call up to request someone else we were told there was nobody else available, or his seniority gives him the choice, or some other excuse, they were basically saying F.U. to the theatre. The owners probably figured why pay $25./hr for a lousy presentation when they can get the same presentation from the manager or usher for a lot less and maybe train them to do it better. I've worked in other cities with other locals where the membership consisted, in large part, of professionals, who put up an excellent presentation, knew how to handle the film and maintain the equipment, and we seldom had to worry about the booth operations. In New York, however, it was always a crap-shoot.

To your other point, you are absolutely correct about the greed of most companies today, which is driving all this. But when UA started all this manager/operator stuff in the Long Island theatres in the mid-90s the greed was not so blatant. When the circuits went bankrupt and then the bean-counters took over is when it really started getting cut-throat.

Of course there are people like that in the union Dave, but don't make it sound like it's the majority. There are people like that in every job. Also, it was automations and platters that screwed the union. The majority of operators in the union today work their best to put on a good show even while management is trying to get rid of them. I'm not saying that the union dont share the blame but dont put it all on them. Besides, my main point was that you get a better presentation with the qualified union guy in the booth. That claim will never change. It keeps being proven too.
Long island movies.......where is this widespread digital they have been talking about for over 10 years? I keep hearing everyone talk about it coming soon...coming soon...its not coming soon. It is in a handlful of theaters that dont use it that often. They still have problems with it. It will never be as good as film either.
Nice mouth...no more for you...yeah nice reply. Go get your numbers straight before telling everyone how greedy us union projectionists are.

rCDTJ MY NUMBERS ARE STRAIGHT THESE ARE ny city or li numbers not bumfuck ark.....

Been in NYC for 15 years. Your numbers are wrong!

I'm not putting it all on the union - It began as cost-containment on the part of the owners, which today has now developed into outright greed. And today the overall quality of the union projectionist has improved since the old ones have finally retired or passed away and the reduction in the number of jobs has caused a lot of the bad apples (and some of the good ones) to move on to something else. But it happened too late - like closing the barn door after the horse ran away. Had the union transformed itself 10-15 years earlier when theatre-people were still running things I don't think they would have been quite so gung-ho to make severe reductions. Keep in mind that today there are no theatre-people running the circuits anymore - they've all been pushed aside and money-men are running the show, and this is what we get - the Wal*Mart-ing of the theatre business.

I dont think it would have mattered. With xenon bulbs, platters, automations, etc..., I think they would have gotten rid of them anyway.

As to the Uptown pay...I want to say it was $12/hour with something like a 35-cents/hour pension contribution...yes yes...with a 40-hour week, 52-week/year a full-time Uptown worker had about $728.00 put into a pension fund...why I haven't retired from the working world is beyond me with all THAT money.

When I left in 2005, I want to say the pay went up to maybe as much as $13/hour but it might well have been $12.00 Yes it is more than the typical mall-operator might get but is not a living wage in the Metro DC area. I did it for enjoyment...when it stopped being enjoyable (and the time was interferring on my regular job as well has home life), I moved on.

As to qualified projectionists...it really isn't a union/non-union thing...many a union projectionist worked non-union for a period. However it is true that if you throw out the best of the union and non-union, throw out the worst of the union and non-union and look at the crux in the middle, you will more than likely get a better projectionist from the union pool unless the chain operating the non-union side actually train their projectionists, keep high standards and compensate their employees fairly. But heck, following those rules, unions wouldn't be needed. Sadly most business deserve unions so an employee IS treated fairly.

The real problem is how the Uptown is being run...that is it is not being run like a showplace. The changes Loews made and AMC has continued were about downgrading the quality. The VP of operations for Loews on their last contract negotiations (just before the AMC take over) stated that they "were willing to loose shows and damage prints" they didn't care about that. What the "union is selling is quality assurance" and Loews was "not interested in that."

That is certainly a business' choice, it is their business. Customers may not choose to patronize such a business and employees, such as myself, may not choose to work under such circumstances...as was the case. They didn't get rid of me, I was the senior operator and I worked on Saturdays. Saturdays were a day they were willing to pay for quality assurance. But to work in a theatre that mutiliates the film 4 out of every 7 days is like only changing one quart of oil in your car at a time...it is still filthy damaging old oil...the 1 new quart did not make it clean! Also, the platter, which was a beat up piece of junk was installed, not to improve presentation but to degrade presentation...you need to keep a sharp eye on the focus on the Uptown's screen...a platter will just let the lens heat up and drift. However, it was just not enjoyable. I had other obligations so I made way for someone that may want to work under these conditions.

I do think that the union would have better served its members and community by making the patrons aware of this errosion of quality presentations (not just at the Uptown). I know a group of us from the Uptown tried to rally the Cleavland Park community, which did take the time to talk with us. Sadly, it takes like what the Senator in Baltimore just went through to shock people into understanding that something that IS important to them is being taken away. The downgrading in quality of movie theatres is not something that has just happened...it is an errosion process that has left the exhibitors in a position of not feeling like there is any money in the showing of the movie itself. They have gradually negotiated all of their boxoffice away (or damn near) and thus the ticket money is less important than the concession and advertising revenue.

However, you, the movie goer, came there to see the MOVIE and have the experience in a theatre. The exhibitor giving you that experience has no interest (since there is no profit in it) in providing you a good movie going experience so they will do the very least to actually show the movie since if they didn't show the movie, you wouldn't come to see their ads and buy their concessions. Believe me, if they could do away with the whole theatre building and just have the concession stand with ad revenue, they would do it in a heartbeat.

In today's business world, the bean counters look at the spread sheets. If you spend money on the projection booth (anywhere, equipment or payroll), you can see that expense on the spread sheet. Nowhere can you see the return on that investment on a spread sheet. If you pay real close attention over time you might be able to pick out a trend on money in the booth turing into increased sales though improved attendance (comparatively with other venues running identical features with identical demigraphics). However, if you cut the payroll in the booth (or anywhere) you get an immediate boost to your bottom line.

If you do the same thing with say the concession stand employees, it is quite different. They study and study what the per-capita should be, what the yield should be and if you add people to the payroll at what point do you just end up spending money or if you take away from the stand at what point do you loose sales due to long lines....etc.

But good presenations? Where do you enter that onto a spreadsheet? It has to have what I call Marquee value. If you can boast something on the Marquee or in advertisement that somehow makes you seem superior to other theatres...they can track that on a spreadsheet...did the theatres runing the movie in 3-D do more business than those that ran it in 2-D and such. For awhile, Dolby Stereo, Digital sound...etc had Marquee value...now they are expected...so much so that some theatre STILL use mono sound systems since how do you know what they have when you are sold a ticket?

The Uptown is an oddity that the bean counters can't figure out anymore than the record companies could figure out the Beatles. Why do people go to the Uptown over a closer theatre? Is it the Balcony?. The big screen?, The deeply curved screen?, the location?, the sound?, the presentation? the experience? How can you predict it? If you opened a chain of Uptowns with big curved screens and balconies would they all do well? The chains want a formula to follow. They are not good a original thinking. That is why when one goes bankrupt...just about all of them do...they follow the same game plan right over the cliff.

Check it out now...DCinema...this is the latest scam....

A DCinema system costs roughly 4-5 times as much as a film system and has less than 1/10th the useful life. Why on Earth would a smart business man invest in that technology at this point (as an exhibitor)? The solution? Get somebody else to pay for it. Of the projectors going in for ordinary theatres, almost none were paid for by the theatre!

I have witnessed first hand how fast this stuff goes obsolete...the 1.3K projectors that Jodar liked in an earlier post are now not supported by Hollywood. Anyone that spent over $125K on them just as little as 3-years ago not have nothing more than a limited use A/V projector. SOMEBODY had to pay for that. So now we have 2K projectors, certainly a notable improvement but they didn't make the 1.3K projectors worse...instead of moving the 1.3K projectors down to the smaller screens or sub-run houses...etc, Hollywood just threw a switch...no more 1.3K.

So 2K was pumping along now with MPEG technology and everyone is noting how much better it is than that old 1.3K technology. But wait, JPEG2000 hits DCinema...and now some studios will no longer release in MPEG format so you old (less than 1-year old in some cases) that only supported MPEG are rendered worthless (and these items are 10 of thousands of dollars). Some manufacturers upgraded their products other charged for it and others have you buy new again. Where is all this money coming from to blow on DCinema technology that is only in Betawear, at best?

I bring this up because of a comment about how AMC put back their old obsolete equipment when they had a current state-of-the-art DCinema projector (which they didn't own) installed for a premier.

The problem with the comment was that 2K DCinema technology is really only about as good as 35mm's worst format, 1.85:1 FLAT. It has far less resolution for Scope (DCinema actually uses fewer pixels for Scope than for FLAT while film uses substantially more film for Scope than flat such that on balance Film has more information per inch for Scope presentations than for Flat presentations).

The Uptown's projectors (yes they still have two of them) are Century Ceneramas. They are 35/70mm machines. They are capable of out performing the best of DCinema (and can deliver twice the resolution of the 2K projector that was used for the premier) with their worst format (35mm) and can stomp all over the best DCinema if 70mm is shown.

Yet the movie going public is being offered this state-of-the-art technology as BETTER! Talk about misleading the public. Then again, with the way exhibitors present film, I guess there is truth in that...a 2K DCinema projector (running JPEG2000 now) will deliver an unscratched film with even the worst of "operators" running it...which is to say nobody is running it.

If you see a Dcinema picture that looks better than a 35mm picture, you got ripped off. The hard numbers say the 35mm film should win. The realities are that theatres get prints that are made mostly for their speed, not quality (they often now skip a step printing stage since contact printing is faster) which adds to the image movement and takes away from clarity. They show the film on machines now built for low cost and they don't want to pay anyone to show the film because there is no perceived business reason to have a high quality presentation.

Without a doubt, the absolute best main stream cinema image format is 70mm. It isn't even debatable...the numbers show it (resolution, color...etc). Hollywood should be shooting on 65mm almost exclusively for their big budget features and show place theatres like the Uptown should be showing 70mm exclusively. It is THAT much better than 35mm or DCinema. 70mm, even after 50-years remains the true State-Of-The-Art. That is the target that DCinema should be shooting for and that is what should be attained before the industry converts to DCinema. I'm not against DCinema. It is just silly from a financial standpoint at this stage and it is not there technologically either. It can be quite good but it isn't 70mm and it isn't quite 35mm either. I think when DCinema gets up to 70mm's quality it will be truely a terrific medium deserving of replacing film in Showplaces.

So what endangers theatres like the Uptown (and really the whole theatre industry in general)? It is the lack of quality and attention to detail. I'm amazed by the talents of those that make movies and how they look with an EK print only, during the release, be subjected to a crap showing of a high-speed duped print, in dirty theatre running ads just like you were watching TV back at home...if DCinema gets forced onto the public and exhibitors at this stage...you really will be watching a movie on a TV that doesn't even pause (when you want it to) to go to the rest room. Once upon a time movies had Intermissions.

If you really want to save places like the Uptown, you have to let the business know that IT matters. That is, they have to be able to see that how they operate the theatre WILL affect how many people will walk through the door (any of their doors, not just the Uptown, because the other theatres really are not being operated any better...you will only get theatre-by-theatre bright spots due to individuals). You really need to demand quality. In 2007, you SHOULD be demanding 70mm presentations...that is the best and the Uptown looks FANTASTIC with them. Movies that are presented in 70mm at the Uptown really ARE more enjoyable than most any other theatre. Exhibtors and Hollywood need to see on their spreadsheets that quality in the movie going experience affects how many people go into the theatre (profit and potential profit)

And to bring it full circle...so long as film remains the movie medium at the Uptown, it really HAS to be run by qualified projectionists that will handle it properly without damaging it regardless of the length of run. And finally, loose the stupid platter, it has NO purpose in the Uptown other than to give the patron a lesser show. It has ruined (directly and indirectly) enough shows already.

Okay...wordy enough? ;)

Steve

And the Oscar for Longest Cinematreasures blog goes to..... :: drumroll :: Steve!!

It is great to have this forum to hear what people, from within the industry, have to share about exhibition and practices.

My comment about my preference for digital projection is solely because regular film projection in the DC/MD/VA venues just plain suck! I've posted comments about independents like the Old Greenbelt and Avalon and their presentations that were consistently first rate but they don't always book films that I want to see and, in the case of Greenbelt, they get movies sometimes several weeks after their initial release.

As for 70mm, I'd be glad to see its reemergence. In the 80s, my friends and I would go to places like the Uptown and now closed MacArthur, Fine Arts, Cinema, Embassy, Onatrio, Jenifer and, at one time, the tiny Tenley 3 for 70mm exclusives of first run films because we knew of its difference. Even if the majority of the prints were blow ups. But let's face it, given its expense and the lack of venues to properly show it, its dead, dead, dead. Digital is the future and is here to stay. If I'm wrong and 70mm somehow miraculously makes a comeback (unlikely), then no one would be happier than I.

And how does this all relate to the Uptown???? Given several moviegoers documented experiences here of late, including my own, why should anyone patronize this venue given its less than average presentation qualities? None, if other than for nostalgia reasons. If they had fairly regular 70mm presentations of classics, then sure people will come. But they haven't had any 70mm since "2001" in 2001, if memory serves me correctly. So short of a 70mm revival, this place is scrap left on the cutting room floor! Finito!

Jodar,

Hmmm aside from the Ontario, I operated all of the theatres on your list and showed 70mm in all of them except the Embassy...which btw was actually a rather small theatre with an even smaller screen...it just seemed a bit larger with the "Aisle 1" and "Asile 2" signs! The MacArthur (before triplexing) was my favorite and I closed it as a single running "Raiders" in 70mm on a reissue.

I take issue with your statement about its "expense" because it just is NOT that much more expensive. In terms of production it doesn't even add millions to the cost of film (though it probably adds to the cost of making things with enough detail since it WILL show everything). For the exhibitor it is relatively cheap...often just a different projector head and a 70mm kit for the platter, for those running platters (most). So as to venues, there are many still out there and any number of venues that could quickly and inexpensively run 70mm on short notice.

If you got my message from the previous post, it was YOU the patron have the ability to affect this sort of change. If you the PATRON demanded quality and such things as 70mm, it would be there in virtually no time. Exhibitors didn't put in cup holders and stadium seating into their theatres because they wanted to spend more money and open themselves up to legal hassles....they did it because Patrons demanded it...it is pure business. The silly thing on stadium seating is that had architects done proper sight-lines on the sloped floor theatres, NOBODY would have complained about them...but once you start looking into the back of someone's head instead of the screen, it becomes a serious problem. Sloped floors are absolutely safer in a darkened environment and don't restrict mobility like risers do.

Digital IS the future. I don't think there is any question on that. I encourage the better technology every time. Museums are for nostalga. However, digtal in 2007 is 2nd rate compared to film so that is why I'm not in favor of it right now and definately not in a venue like the Uptown where nothing short of 1st rate will do.

So I encourage you and others to become more informed about what is the best quality (not the advertising hype and often poorly researched news articles) and demand a better movie going experience at the Uptown and other theatres. The companies will listen to you dollars. You demand 70mm, they will show it.

Steve

Steve...I have a question for you inregards to wahington movie theaters. How long were you a projectionist in DC? The reason why I ask. I was in DC on a church trip in 1975 and seen the movie "The Man Who Would Be King" starring Sean Connery. Which movie theater might I have seen it in? Any idea?

Steve,

Most of the younger generation don't even know what 70mm is. On my AFI Silver post, I made mention of the fact that the introduction of the manager (probably someone just out of school) should have made some mention of it since a lot of the audience, for "2001: A Space Odyssey", was probably in their 20s or much, much younger. I saw kids who were probably 5 and 6 in the front rows! Since a lot of them fuel the box office numbers these days, education is important.

I've written to Loews, now AMC, to no avail. Maybe the independents will have better luck like Balto's Senator, but Mr. Kiefaber has been mum to 70mm posts for the last 3 years and has recently been preoccupied with his venue's financial woes. But if the Uptown continues with its lousy projection, 70mm or 35mm, it will die.

I suppose the next time we see "2001" at the Uptown it will be in glorious 4K digital on the curve screen. ;)

With the Dreamgirls recent Oscar wins, I suspect it will stay around a little longer.

Sorry...I didn't start showing movies in theatres until 1980 so no help for you on a 1975 question.

The introduction of 2001 was improved upon after your viewing at the AFI...much mention of it being 70mm was made as well as preparing the audience for the tapping in the surrounds for the middle 1/3 of the film.

Don't hold your breath on 4K digital coming any time soon...Sony is the only one trying it at the moment and they don't have the best name in the Cinema industry...even Regal has publically stated it isn't ready and feels very much like an experimental machine. My own personal view of SXRD with 65mm source material was very underwhelming.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm involved in some way with most of the presentation houses, especially the non-chain theatres...including the Senator in Baltimore. You may find it odd, but the Senator's sound system and the Uptown's are more similar then they are different!

Here is a recent photo of the Uptown Theater.

I have some bad news that I heard. AMC will not renew the Lease on the Uptown Theatre. The lease is up in the beginning or spring of 2008. AMC doesn't give a F about the Theatre. If I had the money I would keep it open.

This place is cool. My recollection of the screen is that it is GIANT. I was in DC once years ago and saw a film I could care less about just to check the Uptown out: When Harry Met Sally.

Hope it lives on for another chapter.

Piddy, what's your source of info on AMC not renewing it's lease on the Uptown? It will be interesting to see if any major theatre chain will step up to the plate in keeping this Washington DC landmark open. If not, I would find it essential an organization like the Avalon's 'Avalon Theatre Project' be created for the Uptown. One thing that is paramount for patron's like myself, would be if the Uptown actually had digital projection. Theatres like the Ziegfeld, the Arclight, Seattle's Cinerama have displayed that DLP can work on huge screens - for the Uptown not to be outfitted as such, would be counterintuitive in delivering the best digital projection can provide.

For PIRATES #3 we skipped the multiplex and saw it on the UPTOWN's huge curved screen with superior stereo. It was well worth the extra few miles for the exceptional experience. In case anyone doesn't know, the price is the same. AMC management, however, is not the best; and a long-time customer will be aware of the difference --- as prior owners (particularly Warner, Pedas Bros) were determined to keep the UPTOWN as Washington's shining jewel.

What the F--K is with AMC. The Uptown Theatre is becoming a Church.I found this on Mclean Bible Church website. In January we will be launching two community campuses. Whether you ride the metro or not, this guide is to help you pray for our new location at the Uptown Theatre in Cleveland Park, DC. As you ride the metro to and from work use the different stops to move from prayer topic to prayer topic, or you can simply use this in your own personal time with God no matter where you are.

Van Ness- UDC Stop
As we approach the Cleveland Park stop let’s begin to focus in on our New location at the Uptown Theatre.

Pray that as we get the word out about this location of our church people would hear the message and commit to attending.
Pray that current MBC attendee’s and small groups who live in this area would commit to making this their church location.
Pray that current MBC attendee’s in this area will dedicate themselves to serving so that this location is launched with excellence.
What is God calling you to do to make our community campus initiative a success? Ask God to show you exactly what He wants you to do to make this campus a success or what He wants you to do to help pave the way for a campus in your community.

The community doesn't like the Idea.

This says it is Sunday mornings. Will the Uptown still be a moviehouse?
http://www.mcleanbible.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=18091

MBC Uptown is a Community Campus of McLean Bible Church. MBC will rent the historic Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park on Sunday mornings. The campus will impact the District of Columbia and nearby communities in both Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Ministries at MBC Uptown will include:

Videocast messages by Lon Solomon and the MBC Teaching Team
Worship led by the MBC Worship Leaders and Bands
Localized ministry teams and outreach events
Opportunities to connect in biblical community with others who live in the DC metro area
Weekly services will start in January 2008.

Ah, I found this item on the Internet from this fellow who seems to be listed as the Captain of the Washington DC blogs:

posted by Tom Bridge at 11:12 PM on July 18, 2007
There was some hullaballoo this afternoon on DC Drinking Liberally, and the Cleveland Park Yahoo Group about the McLean Bible Church buying the Uptown Theatre. Not happening. The Uptown is merely being rented on Sunday mornings as an outreach service to the public.

Fear not, you can still get your Godless Heathen on while watching Transformers.

For now.

The obviously unfocused pimps at AMC have rented out the palace on Sunday mornings from 7 am to noon for a whopping $300 per week. I am sure that will boost the corporate bottom line to new heights. This AMC is disgusting.

According to your earlier comment, Piddy, the lease is up in early 2008, so if that's correct, and if you are correct that AMC is who has done the leasing (for which they might need permission from the owner, depending on the lease) then either it is a rather short term rental or AMC has renewed the lease?

$300/week for theater rental on a Sun AM basis doesn't sound bad at all to me. That's probably more than what the theater rakes in on shows that early anyway, if they do have them that early.

Another way to make a buck, nothing wrong with that. I know of a theater in Carlisle Pennsylvania that rents to a church on Sunday mornings. Both church and theater are happy with the arrangements.

The McLean Bible Church is an aggressively anti-gay church with a ministry encouraging us gay folks to "pray the gay away..."

I, for one, will never go to the Uptown Theater again as long as they let their space be used by an organization that dehumanizes and insults me. This is an insult to their gay customers. And why on earth the McLean Bible Church would seek to locate in a largely Jewish neighborhood like Cleveland Park is also a mystery to me.

Stand outside on Sunday mornings and protest the church if you like.

However, boycotting movies would be counterproductive! if people don't attend movies at the Uptown, then it will for sure cease movies and become something else like a full time church, CVS, etc. For that matter, if movie attendence was higher, there would be no need to rent out the Uptown. The Georgetown megaplex has Sunday morning movies.

On the news last night, they reported that the community leaders are concerned about increased traffic because of the church. Maybe this will not happen at all. On the other hand, the argument about traffic can be said about the theater, itself, when it books those blockbusters that would have people lining up and around the block.

If the theater becomes a satellite church, that means they will need to install some kind of satellite/digital projection system. Perhaps this new DP system will show movies as well? :)

Digital projection will not save this theater. Unfortunately, I don't think anything will. Single screen theaters just can't stay open by showing only movies.

Properly run & programmed, the Uptown still has life left in it for movies!

RCDTJ..checkout the Lafayette theater.

AMC will run this theater to the ground and it will close running movies alone. They already destroyed the presentation by getting rid of the union operators.

I'd prefer union projectionists, but strongly disagree about "destroyed" presentation. The films I've seen have been projected fine. The Uptown is still a great movie going experience. Please don't scare the audience away because you are upset about the union.

The only Lafayette theater I found on here with a single screen also runs other events during the year. That's the only way it can stay around.

I'm not the one scaring them away. I have heard many very unhappy customers complain about the presentation there since they let the operators go. I have seen it firsthand too. Believe me, I love these big old places more than anything. They are just becoming harder to find these days.

You've heard "many" complain? Really! Then pigs are flying. (Link a blog, cinematour, or other website to "many"!) I've been to countless theaters in numerous cities and know that no matter how lousy projection is, almost nobody actually commplains to the management. I've seen movies at the Uptown since 1985. Yes, I'd prefer 70 mm 6 track films with union projectionist, and 35 mm also with staff of Circle, Cineplex Odeon or Loews (which got rid of the union). However, with its enormous screen, the projection & sound at the Uptown make it a great experience!

I'm not doubting on occasion there have been problems, some mentoned above, just as there are at most movie theaters. But, most screenings at the Uptown have not been a problem.

Almost nobody complains???? You don't have a clue what you're talking about. I'm in theaters for 10 hours a day at least 4 days a week. Don't tell me nobody complains. I hear about it all the time. I have also seen the majority of single screen theaters split or close unless used for other venues. Of course the screen and sound make a difference, but if you don't have enough people coming, these theaters will not survive. That's just a fact.

Where do you work? New York? But, you are hearing Uptown customers complain? You are a projectionist, right? A union projectionist?

As an audience member, my perception is different. It seems that 99% of the audience doesn't complain as long as the movie runs. If you are a projectionist, yes, I'm sure you get complaints. I often hear that the sound has been turned low because one person asked. (I'm not saying you would do that).

Yes, most single screeners are gone, but there are still some special ones that have survived. I don't know if considering the Uptown's huge screen, they could also host some live events (other than church).

I meant that in various theaters, sound sometimes is lowered. I didn't mean at the Uptown.

Since there's no staging area at the Uptown, there would be no room for singing or preaching., I suspect there would be just the satellite feed of the main service.

As an infrequent patron of the Uptown, they have to do it right all the time, everytime, for people to come back to this place on a regular basis. I paid $10 to watch Dreamgirls with a scratch down the screen during its play...same thing during Sith. I wonder if its still there during the current run of Potter. Based on my experiences there of late, its not worth it for me to drive into town to see movies here unless its a classic one or in 70mm.

Lafayette theater, Suffern New York

JodarMovieFan, did you say something to the staff? I've been there since, to Spiderman 3, and didn't see any scratches.

That was my whole point Howard. The majority of the single screens close because they can't get the business to stay open. Amc lowering their presentation standards just made it worse. As an audience member, how can you possibly tell what percentage of the audience complains. Also, I have a lot of family, friends and people in my field that live and work near the Uptown. I trust what they tell me. I believe it too. The fact is, the presentation at the Uptown HAS suffered whether you want to admit it or not. If everyone wants to continue to pay the outrageous prices that they do for a subpar performance than go right ahead. Along with Jodar, I am sure there are plenty more people that feel the same way.

Since AMC tookover, I've been there for Flags of our Fathers, Bobby, Eragon, and Spiderman 3, and haven't seen scratched prints or screen!

My point is the Uptown will close if you chase people away (and we don't know if another operator will show films there or not). If customers experience problems, such as scratched anything, they should directly say something to the staff.

AMC doesn't have union projectionists, classics or 70 mm presentations at the Uptown, but they are operating the Uptown and movies are fun experienced at the Uptown.

At the Uptown there is union projectionists. They work 3-4 days a week.And there is scratched prints the last one was Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. If you go to AMC Mazza Gallerie or AMC Georgetown there a plenty of films that have scratched prints. I saw transformers at Mazza Gallerie and it had black leader at the end of each real so the movie looked like it stopped but it didn't.AMC is the worst company.

I am not the one chasing people away. They will see for themselves. It's a shame too. This was such a great theater.

Howard, the last time I visited the Uptown that to see Dreamgirls. There was that annoying scratch down the middle of the screen and, yes, I should have complained to Staff but I did not. I was basking in the afterglow of watching a very good film and was discussing it with my friend and another patron at the time. Its fair to say that a bad movie going experience in today's multi and megaplexes is like going to a McDonalds. You know you're going to get a hamburger when you order one and not a steak burger :) The thing is when you get your burger and open it up and its flat and looks like a pancake and not sitting high and proud waiting to be devoured, you will still eat it anyway because, hey, its McDonalds and you bought something quick and fast to eat. BUT, the next time you go to a McDonalds, you just won't go to THAT particular one again because of the experience you had the last time. You could complain, but what will management do? Give you another burger? Your money back? Maybe throw in some fries and a McFlurry and more cholesterol and fat grams to clog your arteries? :)

In the case of movie going, you complain, they'll apologize and give you another ticket to come back to another lousy presentation. So why bother? I prefer to complain to corporate. Unfortunately, AMC doesn't have a system in place for that. They just refer you to the local theater manager. Now Regal will usually log, acknowledge and report a thoughtful comment/complaint to the District Manager, who will review it with the Theater Manager. I've received responses from concerns about dirty auditoriums, staffing and projection/sound issues...and yes, they have been corrected AND I received a few free passes. And I do go back to my local Regal plex because most of the time, they now get it right.

Its just not worth it for me nowadays to see movies at the Uptown, to spend 45 minutes to get there and have to pay $10 to sit through a less than satisfactory presentation. I'd rather spend 45 minutes and go the other way to Baltimore's Senator and pay $9 for a better experience (and parking). Programming is another issue. If they offered counter programming such as this often forum has suggested; 70mm classics or just plain classic programming, then maybe I and many others would regularly come back. They haven't had 70mm here in years, which is a waste of this venue's capabilities.

JodarMovieFan, don't eat that food often!

I'm hoping that if AMC does depart, that a future operator could in addition to new releases, show some giant screen 70 mm epics again! I saw the restored Lawrence of Arabia at the Uptown, but missed the color corrected version in 2002 and would like to see it at the Uptown. I saw a color faded Dr. Zhivago at the Uptown in 1991, and not that long thereafter skipped the restored 70 mm Dr. Zhivago at the Avalon, but I'd like to see it at the Uptown. And, there's many more 70 mm classics. The Egyptian in Hollywood has a summer 70 mm classic series.

Your best bet for 70mm in the DC area at this time is the AFI/Silver. As for the Uptown's projection quality...I know the operator there and the equipment...it just isn't likely that they doing a very good job.

While I don't fault the church for seeking the venue, it is something that should never have been done to this theatre...it is yet another nail in the coffin.

SG

With the exceptions of an old John Wayne film and a 60s French film, whose titles escape me, the AFI shows the same old 70mm classics Lawrence and 2001 over and over again. They can't or won't book much else. And despite having state-of-the-art sound and projection, the screen in the historic auditorium doesn't overwhelm and draw you in as the Uptown can when you sit in that perfect sweet spot, in the center 1/3 of the way back where your peripheral vision spans the width of its enormous screen.

If the Uptown were to become independent, perhaps an area Zillionnaire, with the passion for movies and exhibition like Paul Allen had for the Seattle Cinerama place, could run it and maybe, maybe bring back another DC favorite of mine such as the MacArthur triplex. And Steve, you can run both venues projection booths showing classics at least once a week, along with the normal Hollywood releases.

Hey, you won't get any arguement from me which venue brings you more into the picture...the Uptown can beat em all (and I'm not limiting it to the DC-Metro area). But in its present state...the Uptown is incapable of handling such shows. I agree that the AFI needs to expand its 70mm play list to be more like the Egyptian in Hollywood. BTW...add _Playtime_ to your repeat list for the AFI. Lawrence is coming back to the AFI soon.

Piddy,
The projectionists at the Uptown are NOT union operators. I know this for a fact.

Hi Piddy -- What is your source for the $300 figure? It does seem low, especially given the Avalon advertises a $275 rental for two hours of use of their small upstairs theatre, in the morning. Thanks.

Here is a recent night view of the Uptown Theater.

I recently went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the Uptown and it was glorious. Also saw Dreamgirls there with no problems. It's still the Rolls Royce of movie theaters to me. AFI is a pain because they often cancel showings with no warnings. I got burned there several times and gave up my membership. It was much better when it was at the Kennedy Center.

The only beef I have with the AFI when it was over at the Kennedy Center was when they promised a screening of the 111 minute UK cut of Ken Russell's 'The Devils' - they weren't able to get the print at the last minute, BUT they did screen the rarely seen original X-rated American theatrical cut (not complete, but still had scenes that were not present in the more censored R-rated cut). Have yet to check out Harry Potter (which I have already seen at Tysons - screen 3 - which was amazing, because it's one of the larger screens and has a stellar soundsystem. saw it in IMAX at Udvar Hazy - visually great , albeit in standard 2D, but suffered in the audio department cause of a left speaker was clipping).

Myrna38717,
My sources are from the theatre. I have a copy of the rental agreement with me.

This is another recent night view of the Uptown Theater.

Steve Guttag- you are an expert.
It seems that the NYC Ziegfeld digital projector will show a digital print (if I understand this correctly). Will it look as good as the original 70 mm print? or at least, will it look as good as 35 mm?I myself saw the version shown at the Uptown only in 35 mm in 1998 at WB 75th Anniv Film Festival. Blade Runner looked great on the Uptown screen then. I hadn't fallen too much for the movie on TV, but on the big screen...

this from the Ziegfeld thread, which I place here as I'm not sure whether you are reading that thread, but feel feel to comment there
or here, of course-Can't wait for this one.
I may have to take the day off.
http://www.clearviewcinemas.com/special-engagement-br.shtml
BLADE RUNNER
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE ZIEGFELD
BLADE RUNNER
Deckard is a Blade Runner, a police man of the future who hunts down and terminates replicants, artificially created humans. He wants to get out of the force, but is drawn back in when 4 "skin jobs", a slang term for replicants, hijack a ship back to Earth. The city that Deckard must search for his prey is a huge, sprawling, bleak vision of the future. This film questions what it is to be human, and why life is so precious.
Friday October 5th - Thursday October 18th (New Print)

http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mil/features/video_real_deal_2/

<<All of this was occurring as the fifth version — Scott's final cut — was painstakingly assembled from original elements, including the original 65mm negative. De Lauzirika has been working on it over a seven-year period. “And this time, Ridley approved every single thing that went into it — every single cut, every single effect,” he says.“We're right back to square one,” Galvao says of The Final Cut elements. “We scanned the cut negative, plus the negatives we dug out of vaults in England, here at Warner Bros., and [co-executive producer] Jerry Perenchio's vault as well. We went through and viewed every frame of every roll that we could find.” “Honestly, I got to go through 977 boxes and cans of mag, IP, INs, 65mm visual effects comps, 35mm original dailies … everything ever printed,” de Lauzirika says. “I saw amazing, amazing material — much of which we've been able to pull and put on the DVD in some form, even if it didn't make it into The Final Cut.“I think The Final Cut is the best version of them all. The picture and sound on it are just astounding. We really put a lot of work into the restoration, and we transferred the actual original neg at 4K, and it just looks stunning. Even more stunning are the visual effects, which were originally 65mm elements, then scanned at 8K. It looks like 3D. It's so sharp, with all these details that I'd never seen before.”
According to Galvao, the assembly and restoration for The Final Cut included some reworking of the original effects — tightening some mattes, doing some wire removal, etc.>>
posted by celboy on Sep 7, 2007 at 10:51am

oops- the "Can't wait for this one. I may have to take the day off" comment is from the Ziegfeld poster, not me. I might go there & see it, though.

A fascinating article, Howard. Thanks for finding it and sharing it with us. Its too bad DC never got a 70mm engagement for this film at any time since its release in '82. I've been a fan of Ridley Scott's work since Alien and also the Visual Effects Director, Douglas Trumbull since Close Encounters. Let's say the combination of Ridley Scott's attention to detail and Doug Trumbull's flair for technical detail and brilliance with his choice of 65mm film for visual fx make Blade Runner a unique theatrical experience.

As I posted on the Ziegfeld Theater site, I believe the special engagement print refers to film and not a digital presentation. As I write this, I'm virtually drooling at the thought that they did 8K scans of the visual effects and high scans of the film from the original 65mm negatives. If the master remains at such a high level and gets transferred to film, it should play very well, better than anything done natively on 35mm film stock for sure, even if you're dealing with reduced elements.

I forget the website but there was a comparison of true 70mm to 20K or 21K digital based on some mathematical formulation of digital projection and film. The only true 70mm film I can recall seeing is 2001 and probably the remastered and reissued Vertigo several years ago. Those presentations, as you know, were spectacular and probably something we will never see again except for those periodic limited-run special re-releases.

Whatever ends up at the Ziegfeld, let's hope we can get it over here to DC. If its film, the Uptown would be good to have it as long as its properly run. Or heck, send it to AFI. At least it will be in one of their THX certified theaters.

"Look as good" is a tough question to answer. The simple facts are that 4K resolution digital is only as good as 1.85 35mm (.446 x .825"). This does not speak to the color aspects of which film has a greater range as well as better contrast ratio. For 70mm, you are dealing with a substantially larger image area (projection size of .870 x 1.912"). 8K digital is not going to capture it all with the color and contrast again still superior with film.

So, in the strictest sense, given an "EK" print from the original release, no today's digitally remastered version will not have as good a resolution, contrast nor color. However, it sure seems like they are using the best of today's technology to yield as faithful a reproduction of the original.

But lets look at other factors....you probably didn't see an EK print back then (Off camera original) but a dupe print that went through the whole IN/IP process. So the edge in contrast and resolution gets very narrowed with the film versus digital.

Now take into account the projection system you saw the film on...how good was it? Any image stability issues in projector (or printing for that matter) come off of resolution. This is why 70mm projection, even from a blow-up is significantly better than a standard release print in 35mm...theatrical projection gets a significant improvement in steadiness as well as having more resolution for the IN/rellease print steps.

Kinoton (projector manufacturer) just this year released their "premiere" line of film projectors (uses an electronic intermittent) that is 4-5 times steadier than their previous version of their "E" series projector...that 4-5 times steadiness improvement will improve sharpness and actually allow one to resolve more of what is on the film.

So, as you can see it is very difficult to play a strict numbers game on will today's film or digital print look as good or better after digital remastering. As a rule, in 2007, going into the digital domain almost always takes away from film original. 2K DIs are just plain horrible...they lower the bar way too much. At least Blade Runner looks like it went with notably better digital processing.

SG

so... getting back to the original topic on hand since it's diverged to Blade Runner - which is only getting theatrical exclusive run in NYC and LA only (boo, hiss, Warners come on), and digital projection (which the Uptown sadly doesn't have). What's the story about the future of the theatre - is AMC still toying with the idea of not renewing it's lease come next Spring? Or has the commitment to satellite feed the McLean Bible Church secured the Uptown for being open longer? I don't believe anyone did answer this question directly, if this is digitally fed through a yet to be determined server - is in fact AMC upgrading to a digital projection system - the Kinoton projector that Steve mentioned sounds great, or even NEC's system that was specifically built for very large theatres (the Arclight, Ziegfeld, Seattle's Cinerama all feature NEC's DLP system).

I'm sure nobody noticed last week when the Tenley Circle finally was entered, because it arrived under the name of a new theater that's there. I saw many movies at the Tenley and will comment on that page. For others who might also wish to comment, please go to this page:

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/21786/

The Tenley 3 was here before. I remember commenting on it. GRR. I suspect when Cinema Treasures moved to a new server some info was lost. I know some of my comments went missing.

Re: Blade Runner. Baltimore's Senator is touting a 'new 35mm' print sometime after Oct 26. Perhaps the Uptown will get a chance at an exclusive run since there is at least one film print from The Final Cut.

Yes, after receiving Senator email, I was about to mention it on the Senator page when you beat me to the punch. It will only be ONE week at the Senator.

I don't know if AMC will have the smarts to put Blade Runner: The Final Cut at the Uptown, but it would be great if they did.

BLADE RUNNER: THE FINAL CUT will open in Washington,DC exclusively at the Uptown Theatre on Oct. 26, 2007. The film will also open in Baltimore, MD at The Senator on Oct. 26, 2007 and at the Landmark Harbor East on Nov. 9, 2007.

Choices, choices and more choices. The Uptown will have the superior viewing experience given its sheer screen size. The Senator has an excellent sound system when done right but its screen is smaller. Landmark Baltimore will probably get a DP version and is NEW. Heck, I may have to see it in all three venues :)

idlewild, what is your source for this information about the opening(s) at the Uptown (and Senator) - I know that the Senator has the info up on their website, but AMC or even the folks at the Uptown have no clue this is opening this coming Friday. I would feel like an utter fool if this isn't happening, since I've been posting your info on a few websites.

The Senator engagement has been postponed indefinitely due to the popularity of "Michael Clayton" at least through 11/1. Good for them as they need the patronage.

As for the Uptown...the AMC/Moviewatcher website indicates showtimes of 1, 4, 7 and 10pm, respectively.

As far as any DC area digital projection engagements, none are indicated at this time. Looks like DC has the exclusive.

I was there for the Saturday screening of BLADE RUNNER and the projection and sound were great. Let us hope that this theatre stays open. There is nothing like seeing a film on the giant curved screen.

Somewhere online says "Blade Runner, the Final Cut" is a 2 week engagement.

There's no movie listed online at AMC website for this Wednesday.

Perhaps the premiere of "Lions for Lambs" or "No Country for Old Men"?

It's the premiere of "Lions for Lambs" this Wednesday.

The Washington Post
Date: Oct 29, 1936 (NOT 1933)


The Uptown Theater, Warner Bros, new picture playhouse, located on Connecticut avenue at Newark street, will be dedicated this Thursday evening, October 29, at 8:15 o'clock, according to an announcement made late yesterday by John J. Payette, Warner Bros, gen- eral zone manager.

I saw "I am Legend" 7 PM Saturday eve. I'd rather union projectionists but the projection was fine. Sound was great- the Uptown always has one of the most powerful sound systems on Earth!

Sunday, I saw Charlie Wilson's War at the Mazza Gallerie. The National Guard commercial, showing helicopters & soldiers, wasn't one bit as impressive as it was at the Uptown's screen the day before!

Washington Post mentioned a D.C. premiere of "Charlie Wilson's War" the week before. Piddy, was that at the Uptown?

HOW MANY PEOPLE FOR THE SHOW AT 7PM????

Howard, but all of Mazza's screens are THX certified! How can this be?? Actually, at Mazza, my favorite is the largest one as you get off the escalator. I'm assuming its #1, but am not 100% sure. The sound is always terrific with discernible surround sounds and good sight lines. The last movie I saw there (#1) was..Day After Tomorrow.

Any word on its possible demise? Or it being sold? (The Uptown, not Mazza)

JodarMovieFan, Mazza Gallerie's auditoriums WERE THX certified when GCC opened it in 2000. I saw Day After Tomorrow June 2004 at the Ziegfeld, so you haven't been to the Mazza Gallerie in awhile. AMC didn't present a THX trailer on Sunday. The National Guard trailer looked small on the Mazza screen (Aud 2) compared to the Uptown, and the Mazza did not have the sound turned up for it! Sound better for the movie, but not compared to the Uptown sound which rocks! They told me biggest Aud is 1. 1 & 2 are first in. I've seen one movie each in Auds 1 to 4.

I don't know what AMC plans are, whether they depart the Uptown next year.

I meant to continue: as far as I'm concerned, there's no other film experience like the Uptown from New York to D.C. I certainly hope the Uptown continues to show movies!

Yes Howard you are right. The Uptown did have the D.C. premiere of "Charlie Wilson's War" that week.

The reason that your national guard commercial sounded better at the UPTOWN is most likely that the uptown is still using actual film stock for their pre show commercials thereby using the same sound setup that they would use for the movie. If I remember correctly the uptown still just has the slide projector for ads, while MAZZA is part of AMC's National Cinemedia Network so that the commercials are being run through the HD projector and the sound is being presented through an aux or non-sync channel which is not as rich as the 5.1 or 7.1 Dolby Digital systems.

Now that AMC has closed the DUpont Circle 6, I hope the Uptown (which can't make any money during the week during a movie that has been out awhile) is not next!

Here and here are my contributions to the photo gallery. By chance does anyone have any interior photos they would like to share?

Here and here are my contributions to the photo gallery. By chance does anyone have any interior photos they would like to share?

is there any new news about the future of Uptown? I thought the end of lease for AMC was looming?

I've enjoyed hundreds of movies at the UPTOWN over the past 5 decades; but unfortunately AMC has apparently targeted the UPTOWN to be driven out of business. In the familiar pattern of new owners wanting to close an unwanted outlet, AMC has turned to providing the poorest service to customers, hoping they don't return; then citing low attendance as justification for closure.

For over 60 years, under both Warner and Cineplex Odeon ownership, the UPTOWN was the crown jewel of excellence, including the finest projection and sound on their giant screen. But now, under AMC bad management, the projection quality has become the poorest in DC. The picture is big, of course, but is sadly lacking in sharpness, contrast and brightness. Not just with the current I AM LEGEND, but with ALL of the previous 7 pictures we've seem there. Also, the all non-English speaking staff lingers in the lobby, with lobby doors open, yacking away through the show.

Washington's other stand-alone theatre is the AVALON, further up Connecticut Avenue. Although the Avalon is much older, their picture quality is now superior to the UPTOWN's intentional low quality.

The only hope for a continuing survival of the UPTOWN is to shed the destructive AMC ownership and have it in the hands of persons who appreciate the fine venue the UPTOWN was from 1939 through 2005.

I haven't perceived any of those problems, including with "I am Legend" last month. The staff does speak English.

We can sit around whining about ALL or almost all of various national chain theaters, but we can't be assured anybody else would operate any such theater! I doubt RIVJR is going to lead the Uptown effort. The Avalon effort was a lot of work, for a smaller theater that found an arthouse niche.

The Uptown is still an incredible experience. Again, encouraging AMC to depart or people not to attend may simply lead to permanent closure. The last minute effort to get another theater operator to Mann's National in Los Angeles is answered now, with demolition.

Stating the facts is not encouraging people to stop going. This has been an ongoing issue with the big chain theaters. They just don't care about the customers.

I suspect the Indian staff that are there may be the same ones that were running the theater when I saw the last SW film there back in '05. They do speak English, but I think the better question to ask is if they know how to run a theater..the projector, make sure the picture looks and sound the way it is supposed to. If they offered Indian snacks like samosas and pakoras, along with the usual theater food, I would buy them! :)

They should at least mix up the programming to include classic films (70mm) and not just the latest Hollywood offerings.

My understanding is that one of the Pedas Brothers (who used to run the Circle) owns the Uptown, not AMC. A long time ago, when the brothers closed the Circle, they promised to reopen it -- and they did, sort of, via the Foundry and Jenifer discount theaters. But it was never quite the same; the spirit of the Circle just wasn't there. I know they're probably ancient by now, and that they support local theaters (always see their names onscreen at the AFI before the movies) but I think they still owe the moviegoing public on that old promise -- I have one friend who is still holding onto his Circle ticket book for just that day. They can start with a double bill of "Picnic at Hanging Rock" and "The Last Wave". Who's with me?

The Pedas Brothers own a lot of property in and around the District. I believe that Ted Pedas is still involved with the local National Association of Theater Owners and he definitely supports the local theater scene. Also I wonder how long the non compete clause was when they sold Circle to Cineplex. Maybe AFI could do that double billing?

If that's the case, let Pedas re-open the MacArthur since the CVS conversion was minimal as I surmise the lobby area is the store front today. :)

Pedas owns the Uptown & did a GREAT job as Circle Uptown in operating it. They know the value of having excellent standards in the theater, and could bring 35 mm blockbusters & 70 mm classics to the huge screen.

Given the news that AMC would begin the slow rollout of DLP'ing all it's screens - I would assume the Uptown can and might be upgraded (if AMC doesn't go with it's rumoured plan on not keeping the theatre after it's lease expires) - can a screen this large and degree of screen curvature prove problematic - the only incentive of DLP is that the projector darkness that some films have had in the past might be corrected, likewise color contrast and brightness will be more consistent.

If they do DLP the Uptown, they'd better go with something a little ahead of the game. Supposedly Muvico was to install Sony 4K systems in their venues, but nothing has happened that I'm aware of, yet. They don't even advertise that they have DP movies when they have them.

If and when AMC does a DP install here, they'll have opportunity to tout this venue as DC's premier state-of-the-art motion picture venue. I wouldn't mind frequenting this place again for DP movies rather than either the smallish AMC Georgetown or Regal Gallery DP auditoriums, if its done well. When they premiered "The Guardian" here a year or so ago, they supposedly temp installed some kind of DP system.

Judging by the looks of the "Speed Racer" trailer, that would be an excellent candidate for a large screen DP presentation. The exaggerated color schemes brings back the memory of how when color tv was new in the 70s.

JodarMovieFan, for Muvico, see Rosemont in ILL (near Chicago's O'Hare)http://cinematreasures.org/theater/21297/

Thanks, Howard. An interesting read. I think its fair to say that most of the multiplexes run their films dark. The independents do a better job. Maybe thats why I gravitate to movies digitally exhibited. Its doubtful the movie chains will be able to ensure quality film presentations given the hands that get involved that could ruin it. So, DP is a safer, albeit a compromise for a presentation quality that is consistent given its tech roots.

Back to the Uptown. Even if they can't project on the curve, I'd settle for a 50ft squared off presentation. Its more than a lot of other venues and with DP can still draw the viewer in to experiencing movies better than most can do now.

The enormous Uptown screen is the top draw to this theater. Let's not settle for a 50ft squared off presentation.

I agree Howard. I doubt any DLP system currently in existence can hope to match the quality of the 70mm presentations I have seen there over the years. But.... DLP may be the best we can hope for. Apparently are no plans for a 70mm run of 2001 for the 40th anniversary.... people must prefer 10000 BC. Guess that about says it all about the drop in quality of presentation as well as content and audience tastes in the last four decades.

I saw 10000 BC in DP and thoroughly enjoyed the story and presentation, even though it was at a Regal multiplex. It wasn't the 50' squared off presentation that the Uptown could present in DP, but a decent movie, nonetheless.

To clarify my previous post, I don't think DP projects on the curve like the way Uptown's screen is set up. If I'm wrong, I'm sure one of projectionist experts will clarify for us.

And, again correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think AMC has booked 70mm anything since it took over this venue.

I have to admit I haven't been to the Arclight or Seattle Cinerama but I would assume their screens are similiar in curve - right, and they've done DLP - right? Since there are home theatre DP systems than can replicate curved screen presentations without distortion, I would assume similiar commercial lenses exist for theatres this size - right? To reiterize what I said in my Sept. 10 2007 post, NEC's system is the most ideal and CAN playback 4K content - 2K this side might diplay flaws.

re: 10,0000 BC - I saw it just to see it in DLP (at Gallery Place) and which highly benefitted from crystal clear digital picture.

40 years ago tonight: the World Premiere of "2001: A Space Odyssey" at this theater, April 2, 1968. It opened in New York on the 3rd, and the mostly bad reviews were printed in the daily papers on the 4th. I remember this date especially well because while I was looking for the review in the NY Daily News, I heard that Martin Luther King had just been assassinated in Memphis.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/uptown.jpg

Most of the NY papers panned "2001", but Richard Coe in the Washington Post was able to see outside the box and gave it a rave. I have his review at home and I'll post it tonight.

Richard L. Coe's review of "2001" in the Washington Post, 40 years ago tomorrow:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/postreview.jpg

Kathleen Carroll's review in the New York Daily News. I bet she liked it better the second time:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/newsreview.jpg

someone refresh my memory: I remember seeing a reissue of '2001' at the Uptown that was part of a showcase of other classic films

the other two I remember seeing then were:

'Alien'
'West Side Story'

does this ring a bell, were their other films. I assume there were (?) I think this was in the 90's (I think).

I remember, too -- also Lawrence of Arabia, Casablanca, and Wizard of Oz. I think that was during the period it wasn't being leased by a conglomerate.

"2001" returned to the Uptown MANY times. It sometimes rotated with 3 other MGM big hits: "Gone with the Wind" "Dr Zhivago" and "Ryan's Daughter" -- all in 70 MM.

We returned again for "10,000 BC" despite AMC lackluster operation and somewhat underpar projection. I think we'll keep coming back, but it makes me burn the way AMC is trying hard undermine the Uptown legacy of excellence -- so long treasured by Warner, Circle, and Loew's management.

I have to admit, I wasn't pleased with the print the Uptown got for IRON MAN, it seemed washed out. The sound was fantastic, but for a first swipe of it's run (Friday: 1pm showing) it seemed devoid of color and brightness and the cigarette burns were really apparent and distracting - why are they so large? For the studios opting to go digital thus elimanating imperfections like these: cigarette bursn, the white lines that randomly pop up, theatre 'red dot' indicators, all seem just to be added, to mar the perfect 'film' experience. It's sad when three screenings at the Avalon as part of Filmfest DC, trump the projection at the Uptown.

Giles, thanks for saving me a trip. I was about to see the film there but opted for DP at my local Regal, which was SUPERB. Maybe its time for the Uptown to get an DC Cinema install. It should get the newest and best to make the most of its screen.

If AMC were to see the light and have 2001 here to celebrate its 40th anniversary, I'd be happy to revisit this venue.

don't get me wrong, I've seen stellar 35mm prints at the Uptown, DREAMGIRLS and V FOR VENDETTA near the end of their runs and they were very impressive, here though, the print looked like it was run through with coffee. I can't believe Disney would go through the whole process of installing a DP system only for the premier of 'The Guardian' and then just UN-install it, if it can be done, why do it for a one off premier, NEC systems tout they can install DLP systems on large screens (up to 100 feet) well.... come on AMC. I think I was jaded by the recent 70mm run of '2001' at the Silver which while not perfect still WAS an event.

DLP on the Uptown screen is going to be a bit challenging. Not that one can't fill it or even possibly get the brightness. The resolution really isn't there and there are no lenses available to compensate for the screen's depth. They would just throw away pixels.

While it is true that the Uptown has rarely hit SMPTE specs for light output (the 70mm run of Vertigo being a notable exception), it normally can put out a passable picture if the equipment is kept in alignment. A DP will have the same problems.

Unlike in many large screen applications, at the Uptown, the screen is not only large but rather close...any imperfections...like the lack of pixel density in a 2K system is going to show itself much more unless you are in the balconey.

The problem you saw was a matter of getting more light on the screen, which need not come from a digital projector but an alignment of the existing equipment. What makes you think that a company that will put out a haphazard film presentation will give a digital presentation any more care?

I don't recall anyone other than the studios...which normally relented, complaining too much about the light levels when I was at the Uptown. The Uptown's image starts to look pretty good when you hit 12fL but starts to degrade a bit once you go above 14fL as things will wash out. Remember too, Cineplex chose to remove the strip screen which absolutely killed the contrast in that theatre.

No, what the Uptown needs is 70mm film...it is the best technology available in 2008 for lighting up that screen. Shame on AMC and others for not insisting on 70mm for these sorts of venues.

Steve

Strip screen removed during renovations which resulted in "Vertigo" opening the theater when they were done? For contrast, why does it matter if strip screen or the current screen?

do you believe AMC would have enough pull to make studios restart the trend? Are we talking about true 65mm shot productions or would 70mm blowups also work?

Thanks, Steve. What of the 4K DP installs that Landmark and AMC are reportedly using? Are they appreciably "brighter" than the 2K units?

I remember watching the restored Vertigo in 70mm DTS. It was so perfect that it looked like it was shot yesterday.

Re: 70mm. Reportedly, the new Batman had some sequences filmed in 65mm and the director who brought us Baraka is working on a sequel, again in to be released in 70mm. In70mm reports a possible 70mm print of the latest Indiana Jones, but there has been no word on that being a reality.

San Francisco's Castro Theater is having a 70mm retrospective the first week of July. They had one last fall, too. Its a shame the Uptown can't have at least one of these during the slow periods. I'm contemplating a visit there as long as I can still use my NWA miles. :)

those scenes shot for 'The Dark Knight' were shot with IMAX (70mm horizontal) cameras/film stock.

yes, Ron Fricke's next film 'Samsara' is/has been shot in 70mm, and according to imdb, will get released in 70mm (2.20 aspect ratio), 35mm and digital projection (2.35).

I saw the PDF up on the Cannes website and they make no mention of the rumoured 70mm premier there [insert sad face]

In regards to the Castro Theatre 70mm film festival depending on the film's you might see me there as well :) Any excuse to go to San Francisco is a good excuse.

Giles...For the Uptown specifically, it needs 70mm, blow up or origination in 65mm to properly fill the screen. The 70mm print, even if a blow up, will allow more light through the aperture and also improve the image steadiness (less magnification) and overall focus (the Uptown uses deep curve corrected lenses for 70mm and effectively also has curved field lenses for 35mm 1.85. Scope is its weakest format)

65mm origination is absolutely where Hollywood should be by now...it has only been over 50-years since the current format came into being! It is significantly better than 35mm (or digital) and will allow a higher resoultion image to start from for any future generations that may surpass what we currently have. I'm quite disappointed that Steven Spielberg has not ventured into 65mm origination. Remember, 65 or 70mm won't make a bad film good but will make a good film better. I give a lot of credit to Ronny Howard and Kenneth Branagh for shooting in 65mm. Some say that Far and Away killed 65mm photography because it wasn't one of Ron Howard's best films...but what does a origination format have to do with the story or people's acceptance of that story? If it was shot in 35mm would people have liked it better? One thing is for sure...Far and Away has a better source image for any future releases than any move shot in 35mm or present day digital. In fact, George Lucas has done himself a HUGE disservice by shooting the last two Star Wars digitally because he has locked the image in turn of the Century technology that was inferior to what was available. Then again, some people may think it is better to have lesser quality versions of those movies.

As to Sony 4K...it has less light available than the current 2K DLPs. They also lack any ability to deal with the deep-curve screen without throwing away pixels. I'm sure Sony is evolving their product but the last time I did any critical evaluation of it...the color wasn't right and while static images looked pretty darn impressive...motion images seemed to smear up quite a bit. Most that look at the same source file projected on a DLP 2K and the Sony 4K seem to favor the DLP image. Resolution wise, Sony clearly has an edge. I know in a non-cinema application the Sony image outshown a DLP image but with art images rather than a movie.

Does AMC have the clout to force a 70mm print for a theatre like the Uptown? Probably...they control a sizable number of theatres and probably have more than the Uptown that could benefit from 70mm. Striking one print is a HUGE overhead...once the IN is created...subseqent prints become progressively cheaper as the cost of making the IN is absorbed over the various positives. However, would AMC make that sort of pressure or even the simple request? That is the question and it is likely a "no." They are a big chain...they tend to do things that are detrimental to projection, not improve it. Think about it...if they required high quality projection from their theatres...why would many people prefer digital cinemas over film when film has a very clear advantage over digital in just about every respect (resolution, color space, contrast)?

SG

I lived in DC during most of the 1990s and as far as I know, it was a Cineplex Odeon theater during that whole time.

To address your question from a couple of weeks ago, Giles, the only film festival I can remember there during the 90s was the Warner Brothers 75th Anniversary Film Festival which ran for about a week in 1998. It included all the WB classis, with each day devoted to a different decade (more or less). Obviously 2001 wasn't a part of it, nor Lawrence of Arabia nor the Wizard of Oz, but I don't remember any other film festivals, per se.

I believe the Wizard of Oz did play there for it's 50th anniversary though. That is, it definitely played there because I saw it, and I think the occasion was the 50th anniversary of the film. At one point it closed for 6 months or so for renovations and it repoened with a showing of Vertigo. I think it was a restored version of the film and the whole evening was run by AFI. I was there for that also, and Kim Novak was there to introduce the film.

WIZARD OF OZ definitely played the UPTOWN a few years ago. We saw it on Saturday and the line was around the block, with many, many people turned away. Great show, great use of the Uptown.

Bill C...You're correct that Cineplex Odeon operated the UPTOWN
during the 1990s. However, its current operator is AMC.

Here's a breakdown of the UPTOWN's ownership during the past thirty years.

Circle: 1979-1988
Cineplex Odeon/Circle: 1988-1989
Cineplex Odeon: 1989-2005
Loews Cineplex: 2005-2006
AMC Loews: 2006-Present

Prior to Circle, I believe RKO-Stanley Warner operated the theater.

Loews and Cineplex Odeon "merged" much earlier. A quick google search indicates a 1998 antitrust agreement,so about that time. In reality, Loews tookover. Cineplex Odeon continued in print ads, but Loews operated the theater. As I wrote in the Intro, Warner was the 1st operator, and with whatever corporate changes Warner had, continued until whenever Circle tookover.

unlilke the crappy print that Paramount sent of 'Iron Man' for it's engagement at the Uptown, 'Indy 4' (which I finally saw this evening) looked much better and sounded fantastic. The cigarette burn/reel changes were also not as noticeable as they were on the 'Iron Man' print I saw.

The Ironman print was screened several times before the Uptown got it. Also the lens at the Uptown has a problem which is called scorched lens. They are waiting for a New Lens and New Bulb that mite be a 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 Watt Bulb to improve the picture.AMC has order new upgrades for the Proj. booth.

what does that mean exactly: 'scorched lens'?

So what is the status with AMC? A few months ago it was said the lease was expiring and the Uptown would close. Or have they decided to stick with it?

AMC has renewed there lease for another year to see if they want it or not.

I saw Frost/Nixon there over New Year's weekend, in no small part because it was playing at the Uptown. Decent crowd for a Sunday matinee, around 40 people with me in the balcony. But maybe they're still waiting for that new bulb? The image seemed a little dim to me.

As I have posted earlier, I was lucky enough to work from time to time as a projectionist at The Uptown in the early 1980s. I recently posted a "newsreel" about The Uptown on YouTube. It consists of video I shot in 1990, 1991, and November 2008. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwPO7JPdKCY

Anyone know if AMC has gotten the new bulb or is the image still dim?Are they going to keep it open or what?

Movies at the Uptown look very good to me, including "The International."

My friend and I saw Angels and Demons here last Sun (5/17/09) to an almost sell out crowd. We sat in the balcony in the bleeder seats (by choice). It has been a long time since I saw a movie here sitting in the balcony...I'm guessing Who Killed Roger Rabbit? (in '70mm back in '88). The movie was still engaging and we could hear surrounds even up in the balcony. Of course, the huge screen helps. Since I had low expectations for this movie, it turned out to be a decent thriller of sorts especially with the ending twist. Now if only they had booked Star Trek here....

The Uptown has not been advertising their showtimes in the Washington Post for the past several days and that has me worried. They still show their film schedule online -- Transformers is showing now and the new Harry Potter film begins next week -- but why are they not advertising in the Post? Their lease with AMC is about to expire. Will it be renewed? I am very concerned about this last movie palace in D.C. Any latest info about this wonderful theater would be appreciated.

Weeks ago, AMC removed ALL their theaters from the movie clock of the Philadelphia Inquirer. They are the only chain to be gone from the movie clock.

I thought I saw them advertising in the Weekend. Given the fact that the alternatives are AMC's Georgetown and Regal's Gallery Place and their respective eeny weenie tiny screens, Washingtonians know the Uptown is the place to go for true widescreen enjoyment. I was looking at the Harry Potter advance ticket shows and they are selling 3am shows for opening day. I'm guessing someone is confident there will be demand for it assuming the midnight show sells out.

Photo of the Uptown Theatre from the Jack Coursey collection.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maincourse/3357749293/in/photostream/

I read somewhere that the UPTOWN closed....Is this true?

Washington's grandest single screen theatre is gone forever???

Read where??? The Uptown is currently showing a movie, and appears to be getting another movie "The Informant" and a quick google search reveals no such terrible news.

All right now..lets not start false rumors. AMC's website has showtimes through the 24th and as Howard has said, the Informant is the next movie to be booked. Doesn't sound like closure to me.

sure the closest 3D Digital screen to my home is at Mazza, but I was hoping AMC could pony up the time and money to at least insatll Sony's 4K digital system on the Uptown's massive screen - the Arclight dome did (curved screen and all) for AVATAR

I truly love this theater, and have seen several movies there, including the 70mm re-release of Lawrence of Arabia, back in 1988. However, last time I was there (I believe it was early 2008), during one of the brighter screen moments in the film, I clearly saw a very LARGE rat crossing the aisle 10 or so rows down from where I was sitting. Since then I have not felt comfortable returning to the Uptown. Has anyone else had such an experience there? I wonder if the management knows they have a rodent problem...

Why not open the question to all cinemas, new or old? or restaurants, hotels, the Metro, outside, etc.

I visited a week ago for "Avatar" and as always, truly enjoyed the spectacle of seeing a movie on the huge screen with a great sound system, in such a large auditorium.

Looking only for useful responses, thanks just the same. We're specifically discussing the Uptown Theater in Washington, DC. Did you watch Avatar last week in "all cinemas, new or old -- or in restaurants, hotels, the Metro, outside, etc.?"

What I was hoping to hear from someone is that the management was aware that they had a rodent problem a year or two ago, but that the exterminators were called in and the problem is now under control. Or something similar...

What I was saying is rodents are everywhere. The management at the Uptown is not stupid. They see their problems & deal with them. AMC isn't monitoring this site, so you likely won't get a more specific reply. But, don't think, exterminators or not, that ANY theater or other place is always rodent free. Show up at any place.....and you will see the most resilent creatures on earth.

You are probably right; they are probably in every theater. I guess the difference is when you actually see a rather large one... I have to say that in most theaters I've been in, I have NOT seen rats. Then again, I'm not searching for them and don't really want to see any. Perhaps I'm simply in denial.

went to a play in hollywood last year think it was called When Pigs Fly and i must say, i was disgusted, i saw 3 big rats run around grabbing food that people left around the seats, it was strange to see this knowing that we paid $50 a ticket to be seated next to disgusting rodents ewwwwww
my rc electric radio control airplanes

Rodents are in every theatre...particularly old ones with as many cavities for them to hide, as the Uptown. Traps and exterminators were a regular thing when I worked there (for 18 years)...then again, I don't know any theatre...particularly one with some age on it, that doesn't fight this battle.

SG