AMC Mazza Gallerie 7
5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20015
5300 Wisconsin Avenue NW,
Washington,
DC
20015
2 people
favorited this theater
The upscale Mazza Gallerie had its roof raised to accomodate Washington DC’s first stadium seated movie theater. General Cinema Corp(GCC) opened this 7 screener in 2000, with each auditorium equipped with digital THX sound. AMC took over when they bought GCC theatres. This theatre is on the top floor of the shopping mall and reached by escalators. The shopping mall has its own exit from the Friendship Heights subway stop on the Metro’s Red Line.
The theatre lobby is colorful, with a domed ceiling with stips of red drapes. To soundproof them from noise from the lobby or hallway that leads to the auditoriums, each auditorium has two sets of doors. Auditoriums 1, 2 and 4 have very large movie screens, about 40 to 45 feet wide for a ‘scope movie. Auditorium 3 has a screen that appears about 30 feet wide for a 'scope movie. Auditorium 5 is smaller.
Auditoriums 6 and 7 have leather seats, and both are entered from the Club Cinema bar, which is only for adults over age 21.
The current movie theatre replaced an earlier theatre. The basement three-screen Paris (1985 to 1998) was opened by KB and was later operated by Cineplex Odeon. That theatre found its lease terminated because the landlord wanted to upgrade the shopping mall.
Contributed by
Howard B Haas
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Recent comments (view all 30 comments)
REAL-D 3D system opened on screen 5. Screens 6 and 7 also now have digital projection. Obviousily the hold outs and most obvious next conversions are the two largest auditoriums 1 and 4.
Thats quite an investment. I suppose AMC will be keeping these theaters in the fold for awhile.
Other then alcohol, do they serve better food/refreshments in 6 and 7? I’ve been in 6 on a Sunday when they do not serve alcohol seeing the movie “Fracture,” which I thought I blogged about before given the fact it was my first experience in that part of the plex since it opened. The seats weren’t that great above the others. I don’t recall leather or a leather-type upholstery.
Auditorium 6’s digital projection system can also present REAL-D 3D features.
I’ve been ‘Bieber-fied’. Saw the Justin Bieber 3D film today on screen 5, and even though the film was shot with HD-3D cameras and in an aspect ratio of 1.85 – which took most of the wall (2.35 films look terrible on already small screens) – it was quite impressive nonetheless (the movie itself might not have been all that) – the 3D had appropriate depth and the 5.1 lossless sound had tremendous punch.
spoke with the general manager this morning, he’s still vague on the time table on when screens 1,3, and 4 will get the digital conversion, although he did note that the size of screen #1 is an issue, I did mention though ‘well if they can put DLP on the Uptown screen it’s possible… with a Christie system’ – he totally agreed.
‘African Cats’ was visually stunning in Sony DP on screen 7.
the general manager also told me that Screen 2 is outfitted to playback discrete 7.1 surround sound – really?! I didn’t know that – now’s that a great unadvertised surprise
Was 7.1 sound added to any of screens 5,6, or 7 when the digital projectors were installed? I haven’t seen any movies that have 7.1 sound in those theaters yet, though I have in theater 2 and it sounds fantastic there.
AMC has always been really bad at promoting THX it seems; not just at Mazza Gallerie but all locations of theirs that have it. And now they took down the THX sign in the lobby leaving pretty much no indication of THX certification anywhere. Really stupid.
from what I can tell only screen 2 was converted to playback 7.1 – hand it to AMC to unadvertise/promote this. From what I can tell (from AMC’s own website) another screen made the digital conversion, and I’m guessing it’s the smaller auditorium #3 – but I’ll repost back what I find out.
Saw “The Muppets” today at this place, auditorium #4. Here are my initial thoughts about there theater:
This was my first time at the Mazza Gallerie, and it was a surprising experience. I’ve expected the place to go all digital but then I noticed a little scratch on that AMC Coming Soon snipe. I guess I didn’t read up too well. For a THX house, this place was very modest. AMC didn’t bother to promote their THX certification on all seven screens, not even a little sign in the lobby that reads “THX Certified Cinema” or something like that. The screen (auditorium 4) was pretty big, and I’m a fan of the homey textures on the side walls. While the sound system was decent, I think it didn’t push it up to it’s fullest potential (at least for this screen). It was lossy, 20-year-old Dolby Digital, and while it still sounds decent, it’s starting to show its age in the days of uncompressed PCM audio. The print looked very well, with some scratches here or there after three weeks. They do a better job at handling 35mm than the Regal Countryside 20 can handle itself. Definitely going to go there again.
I’ve only seen two movies here, both in 2009 – “Taken” and “Fast & Furious”. Had a great time at both, particularly the former. Great sound and picture.
The GM here ran the AMC Courthouse 8 theater for a little over three years.