Bethesda Row Cinema
7235 Woodmont Avenue,
Bethesda,
MD
20814
7235 Woodmont Avenue,
Bethesda,
MD
20814
2 people
favorited this theater
Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema is within walking distance of the Metro’s Red Line stop at Bethesda.
The underground theatre, decorated with pea green walls opened May 3, 2002 as part of a new 140,000 square foot, midrise building. A towering, vintage style vertical sign lights up the night. There are a total of 1,600 seats in its eight auditoriums.
This was the 54th theatre Landmark opened in the United States. The Washington Post reported on September 16, 2002 that the Bethesda Row Cinema was doing so well that it was getting more customers than anywhere else in the Landmark chain. In 2004, Landmark opened its second multiplex in the region, the E Street, in downtown Washington, DC.
If you like arthouse and independent films, the Bethesda Row Cinema is a welcome alternative to the Regal multiplex just around the corner. This is a great cinema and has great staff. This theatre is completely state of the art with stadium seating and wall to wall screens.
The Bethesda Row Cinema was closed for a month from March 29, 2013, for a remodel, which will include a bar.
Contributed by
jack coursey, Howard B. Haas
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Here are photos from 2008 of the Bethesda Row Cinema: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This is a nice venue for art house films. The auditoriums are decent. What I don’t like is the fact their matinee discounted price admission is usually the first show of the day, too early for me to go. As a Landmark Theatre film club member, I’ve been privileged to see many sneak previews here and at the E Street venue enjoying films that I would probably not have seen if I were a paying customer. Supposedly, they’ve got newer DP projectors but I have yet to see a DP movie here or at the E Street venue.
If you’re in the area and happen to see a movie here and are looking for good restaurants, there are many in the immediate area around this theater. The varieties are all over the place from seafood to fastfood and ethnic choices in between.
I had the privilege of seeing a sneak preview of the upcoming release (8/20) Mao’s Last Dancer, tonight. The movie is a biopic of the Chinese ballet dancer LiCunxin, who created an international incident after leaving his native China for the US in 1981. Performances are great all around, including its star and Bruce Greenwood as Li’s mentor/sponsor, Ben. You will appreciate the ballet backstory and leave the theater without a dry eye at the end.
I forgot to mention that it was nice they had their free screening in Bethesda and not at the sister plex on E St, like they usually do. Parking is much easier if you drive. Attendance for the screening seemed to favor the older (50s and older) crowd with many seats to spare in Auditorium 6.
A very nice art house cinema. While the sound and projection systems are hardly marvels, the modern architecture of the place helps the showmanship. The progressive (and I hate that term) concessions include some of the best popcorn in the area, with gourmet cookies and espresso. The auditoriums excel acoustically, with little-to-no audio bleed within other rooms, but sadly you can still hear the projector running during the quietest bits. One thing I can complain, is that their repertoire isn’t diverse enough, allowing the same film to be run on more than one screen. But on the other hand, it should help consumers, given the fact that this is a very busy place where tickets sell out quickly. I recommend entering the theatre around 45 minutes before the show, as this place can get very crowded.
Pictures coming soon.
as of today (and Friday’s features listed on Landmark Bethesda’s website), all the screens have been converted to digital projection: Barco DLP.
saw ‘Chicken with Plums’ (screen #6) this afternoon and the DLP presentation was outstanding – the cinematography without the glaze of 35mm grain looked meticulous and three dimensional at times, the shot of the snow looked vivid and tactile. The use of sound was equally impressive, some scenes were so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and when music was played, it created an airy and powerful impact.
Landmark plans to renovate this theater and add food and alcoholic beverage service to this theater: View article
the theater closed on March 29th and will reopen May 3rd with “a new look” according to Landmark’s website.
“After an extensive renovation, Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema reopens Friday, May 3 with a number of brand new, modern amenities including the addition of a full-service bar, luxury reserved seating in each auditorium, RealD 3D projection and an expanded concession menu. Each of the eight auditoriums features crystal clear projection and sound systems. They have also been outfitted with new plush, leather-like chairs designed to provide maximum comfort to patrons. Plus, the theatre has installed a new digital system that will provide a satellite feed for domestic and international performances. Seating in each auditorium is now entirely reserved, whether customers purchase tickets online, print at home or buy them at the box office.
“The minute one approaches the theatre they will see our stunning new marquee and quickly realize the attention to detail this theatre received. We begin a new chapter at Bethesda Row and will continue to provide the best movie experience in town,” said Landmark Theatres' CEO and President Ted Mundorff.
The theatre was remodeled from top to bottom to give it a renewed sense of style and contemporary feel. From the new, fully digital box office with specially lit LED screens featuring films and show times to high end wall coverings and oversized lounge-style seating in the bar, every aspect was designed to meet the demands of today’s discerning customers. As you go down the escalator, there is a shimmering screen over the lobby with glistening crystals. The brand new bar will feature a wide variety of beer, wine and liquor including many local brews and film-themed cocktails."