I have always thought the AMC SM 7 were hideous. It has been probably 10 years since I went to these theatres, and they were bad then. Now, I only could imagine.
Gone are the days of long engagements at the Village. I think they have to turn over the films more quickly in order to keep steady audiences. The most a film will stay lately seems to be 4 weeks at average. With so many blockbusters coming out and both Landmark 12 and AMC CENTURY 15 close by and getting the same films it makes sense. Something like Terminator which had a 62% drop in its second weekend should move to a smaller theatre. When I worked there the Village had films like Altered States for 3 months. it would have been great to have this kind of turnover.
If the numbers are decent for both Chinese and Arclight this weekend for Terminator, I am sure there will be consideration of bookings at the same time in the future. They are probably going to study the figures over the next couple of weeks. I still think Warner will let Harry Potter be booked at Arclight also. What is the next D BOX movie?
I’m wondering if this may be a new booking patern (at least for blockbuster titles) to have Chinese and Arclight bookings at the same opening day. HARRY POTTER perhaps next?
The Main Chinese and 2 of the smaller screens are showing TERMINATOR SALVATION. While the Archlight will showing it on 3 non-Dome screens. Begining May 21. So they are sharing but not with the CHINESE and DOME at the same time. I guess they may be doing this with the understanding that the CHINESE will have the BIG screen.
The Arclight has pre-sales still…but not the for the Dome. Grauman’s Chinese and Chinese 6 have pre-sale tickets. It looks like both complexes are booking it. It may have something to do with D-Box at the Chinese 6.
Grauman’s Chinese continues to spiral down. I’ve been wanting to go see a film there but they continue to get crappy bookings. I thought maybe with all the March releases they would have something I could go see. But EVERYTHING seems to be going to Arclight. Even next week with DUPLICITY, I LOVE YOU MAN and the crappy type of Chi film the Chinese has been getting KNOWING are all opening at Arclight. Are they keeping STREET FIGHTER for another week? Nobody wanted to see it opening weekend. They must be running the film with empty audiences at this point. Mann is a mess, they need let someone else book this theatre. It is a landmark theatre that is turning into a dumping ground for mediocore films. It is very sad.
There was no logic, just greed. I think that now the economy is holding back any new development now, with so many empty retail spaces the need for new ones seems to be last thing on anyone’s mind. Westwood is already a ghost town. It is a shame they should not let the National keep running in the meantime. The theatre was a one of a kind theatre that WE WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN.
When I was growing up my father worked at that Vons (Late 60’s early 70’s). Sebastian Cabot (from Mr. French) used to frequent that store, and I saw him one day when my mom and I were shopping. Late 70’s I was allowed to take the bus to the Picwood and the Westland Twins to see a movie because it was a easy bus trip from my house; I lived on 10th and Pico. It was a great shopping center and I loved going to the Picwood.
I think it has come down to the Studios prefering the Arclight and would rather have thier “A” films there. Plus, I know for a fact that many locals hate going to the Chinese because of the tourists and the congestion. They rather go to the Arclight or Grove. The landmark status of the Chinese means nothing to many. Not me though.
Also, the Chinese 6 are pretty much useless theatres. They are good for move-overs or crappy films Arclight does not want.
Mann theatres almost seems not to care anymore. They are slowly getting rid of theatres from its chain. When leases expire they do not renew. The pending non-renewal from them re; the Village and Bruin will be our next heartbreak. It a perfect world it would be nice if someone like Pacfic would step and and do something, but in this economy it is not good business sense. It is sad, I still will patronize these theatres first before any other, but I seem to be the only one.
I wish the Pantages still ran films. It was a great theatre for movies. The last film I saw there was “The Outlaw Josey Wales” in 1976, not soon after that it turned into a Legit theatre.
It is sad seeing that empty lot when I go into Westwood. Makes me kind of wonder what kind of bookings the National would be getting now if it was still around and Mann was still booking it. They can’t seem to get decent films into the Chinese. I could only imagine what the National would be getting these days. Towards the end of Mann operating the National it was not getting the top films it once was, actually it was getting alot of trash.
Re: Star Wars. 1977; When they were booking the theatres in Westwood for the Summer, “Star Wars” was not a blimp on the radar. “Sorcerer” and “Exorcist II:The Heretic” were considered to be the big smashes and were booked at the National and Village respetively. If they had known “Star Wars” was going to be huge, no doubt it would have been booked probably instead of “Sorcerer” in Westwood and would have not had the break at the Chinese.
“Star Wars” was only booked at the Chinese for a brief run and forced Mann do a rush remodel on the Mann Hollywood theatre down the street after it became a huge sensation. Later after “Sorcerer” tanked, “Star Wars” returned to the Chinese and played for a whole year.
The moving over to the Hollywood of “Star Wars” really brought bad blood between Fox and Mann Theatres, but they were already commited to “Sorcerer”. The bad blood lasted a long time between the two and finally loosed up in the 90’s when Mann was booking pretty much all of the Fox films in its Westwood theatres once again, and a few now and then at the Chinese.
During the 1997 re-issues “Star Wars” and “Empire” and “Jedi” had very successful engagements at the Village.
I looks like the Chinese will Get VALKYRIE, MARLEY & ME and TALES OF DESPERAUX as thier Christmas line up. That is according to the Arclight flier I picked up this weekend. These are the films NOT booked into Arclight Hollywood. MARLEY & ME looks to be the one of the three that has box office potential. It is sad that this great theatre is losing its edge.
Over the next couple weeks Arclight has booked FROST/NIXON, PUNISHER:WAR ZONE, CADILLAC RECORDS and DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL booked. Yet more films NOT booked into the Chinese. What is the Chinese getting as thier Christmas film?
Someone else needs to step in and do the bookings for the Chinese. It really shouldn’t have to settle for sloppy seconds. Personally I think Mann is slowly closing shop and would not be surprised if the Chinese falls into another chain within the next few years. It is a landmark theatre that has opened some of the biggest films of all time. I agree that Arclight is a bit greedy this week and should at least pass on Transporter 3 to the Chinese. The Chinese 6 will probably get some Arclight move-overs instead.
Not the Colorado, but the Laemmle leased (Former AMC OLD PASADENA) One Colorado has closed, or at least they did not renew thier lease.
Laemmle’s One Colorado
42 Miller Alley
Old Pasadena, 91103
626-744-1224
Map & Parking Information # of Screens : 8
Help with Online Ticketing?
Change Theatre
Royal, West LA
Sunset 5, W. Hollywood
Monica 4, Santa Monica
Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills
Claremont 5, Claremont
Playhouse 7, Pasadena
Town Center 5, Encino
Fallbrook 7, West Hills
One Colorado, Pasadena
Grande 4, Downtown
After five years and a thousand and one good foreign, independent and art movies (or thereabouts)
Laemmle Theatres reluctantly announces we are ending our tenancy at the One Colorado. Sincere thanks to all our One Colorado customers for their loyal patronage.
We continue the tradition of quality cinema at our other moviehouses around the Southland and hope you can continue to visit our Pasadena Playhouse.
BODY OF LIES along with the thriller QUARANTINE and the family fantasy CITY OF EMBER are opening Friday the 10th. It’s about time they get some films, I love Arclight but they seem to have the monopoly of films lately.
Granted Arclight will get more bookings because of the reputation it has established. But the Chinese would get a fair share of “A” titles and would get some of the blockbusters. Recently, pretty much this year the don’t get big bookings. Now they are pretty much getting what Arclight rejects, the 6 plex is mostly used for rentals and move overs (much of the time from Arclight) or more of a explotation theme of films. It is sad. At least the Village still pretty much gets the blockbuster films.
What is going on with the bookings? Is Mann just purposely just letting th Chinese go? Virtually every release this week and next is booked into Arclight. Will it just become a venue mainly for premieres?
I have always thought the AMC SM 7 were hideous. It has been probably 10 years since I went to these theatres, and they were bad then. Now, I only could imagine.
Gone are the days of long engagements at the Village. I think they have to turn over the films more quickly in order to keep steady audiences. The most a film will stay lately seems to be 4 weeks at average. With so many blockbusters coming out and both Landmark 12 and AMC CENTURY 15 close by and getting the same films it makes sense. Something like Terminator which had a 62% drop in its second weekend should move to a smaller theatre. When I worked there the Village had films like Altered States for 3 months. it would have been great to have this kind of turnover.
I think so also. It may go that direction if this Terminator booking is succesful.
If the numbers are decent for both Chinese and Arclight this weekend for Terminator, I am sure there will be consideration of bookings at the same time in the future. They are probably going to study the figures over the next couple of weeks. I still think Warner will let Harry Potter be booked at Arclight also. What is the next D BOX movie?
I was probably working both 1981 and 1982 days when those daytime pics were taken. That was the period I worked at the Village.
I’m wondering if this may be a new booking patern (at least for blockbuster titles) to have Chinese and Arclight bookings at the same opening day. HARRY POTTER perhaps next?
The Main Chinese and 2 of the smaller screens are showing TERMINATOR SALVATION. While the Archlight will showing it on 3 non-Dome screens. Begining May 21. So they are sharing but not with the CHINESE and DOME at the same time. I guess they may be doing this with the understanding that the CHINESE will have the BIG screen.
RE: TERMINATOR SALVATION
The Arclight has pre-sales still…but not the for the Dome. Grauman’s Chinese and Chinese 6 have pre-sale tickets. It looks like both complexes are booking it. It may have something to do with D-Box at the Chinese 6.
I was wondering if the Chinese would have HP6. They showed the previous 5 films, but I was not sure if Arclight was going to snatch it from them.
I guess the next film is FAST AND FURIOUS Apr 3rd; advance tickets on sale now for main theatre and Chinese 6 (which yes, is D-Box).
Grauman’s Chinese continues to spiral down. I’ve been wanting to go see a film there but they continue to get crappy bookings. I thought maybe with all the March releases they would have something I could go see. But EVERYTHING seems to be going to Arclight. Even next week with DUPLICITY, I LOVE YOU MAN and the crappy type of Chi film the Chinese has been getting KNOWING are all opening at Arclight. Are they keeping STREET FIGHTER for another week? Nobody wanted to see it opening weekend. They must be running the film with empty audiences at this point. Mann is a mess, they need let someone else book this theatre. It is a landmark theatre that is turning into a dumping ground for mediocore films. It is very sad.
There was no logic, just greed. I think that now the economy is holding back any new development now, with so many empty retail spaces the need for new ones seems to be last thing on anyone’s mind. Westwood is already a ghost town. It is a shame they should not let the National keep running in the meantime. The theatre was a one of a kind theatre that WE WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN.
When I was growing up my father worked at that Vons (Late 60’s early 70’s). Sebastian Cabot (from Mr. French) used to frequent that store, and I saw him one day when my mom and I were shopping. Late 70’s I was allowed to take the bus to the Picwood and the Westland Twins to see a movie because it was a easy bus trip from my house; I lived on 10th and Pico. It was a great shopping center and I loved going to the Picwood.
I knew Mike. I worked at the Village from late 1980 into early 1983.
Please forgive my typos on the previous post.
I think it has come down to the Studios prefering the Arclight and would rather have thier “A” films there. Plus, I know for a fact that many locals hate going to the Chinese because of the tourists and the congestion. They rather go to the Arclight or Grove. The landmark status of the Chinese means nothing to many. Not me though.
Also, the Chinese 6 are pretty much useless theatres. They are good for move-overs or crappy films Arclight does not want.
Mann theatres almost seems not to care anymore. They are slowly getting rid of theatres from its chain. When leases expire they do not renew. The pending non-renewal from them re; the Village and Bruin will be our next heartbreak. It a perfect world it would be nice if someone like Pacfic would step and and do something, but in this economy it is not good business sense. It is sad, I still will patronize these theatres first before any other, but I seem to be the only one.
I wish the Pantages still ran films. It was a great theatre for movies. The last film I saw there was “The Outlaw Josey Wales” in 1976, not soon after that it turned into a Legit theatre.
It is sad seeing that empty lot when I go into Westwood. Makes me kind of wonder what kind of bookings the National would be getting now if it was still around and Mann was still booking it. They can’t seem to get decent films into the Chinese. I could only imagine what the National would be getting these days. Towards the end of Mann operating the National it was not getting the top films it once was, actually it was getting alot of trash.
Re: Star Wars. 1977; When they were booking the theatres in Westwood for the Summer, “Star Wars” was not a blimp on the radar. “Sorcerer” and “Exorcist II:The Heretic” were considered to be the big smashes and were booked at the National and Village respetively. If they had known “Star Wars” was going to be huge, no doubt it would have been booked probably instead of “Sorcerer” in Westwood and would have not had the break at the Chinese.
“Star Wars” was only booked at the Chinese for a brief run and forced Mann do a rush remodel on the Mann Hollywood theatre down the street after it became a huge sensation. Later after “Sorcerer” tanked, “Star Wars” returned to the Chinese and played for a whole year.
The moving over to the Hollywood of “Star Wars” really brought bad blood between Fox and Mann Theatres, but they were already commited to “Sorcerer”. The bad blood lasted a long time between the two and finally loosed up in the 90’s when Mann was booking pretty much all of the Fox films in its Westwood theatres once again, and a few now and then at the Chinese.
During the 1997 re-issues “Star Wars” and “Empire” and “Jedi” had very successful engagements at the Village.
I looks like the Chinese will Get VALKYRIE, MARLEY & ME and TALES OF DESPERAUX as thier Christmas line up. That is according to the Arclight flier I picked up this weekend. These are the films NOT booked into Arclight Hollywood. MARLEY & ME looks to be the one of the three that has box office potential. It is sad that this great theatre is losing its edge.
Over the next couple weeks Arclight has booked FROST/NIXON, PUNISHER:WAR ZONE, CADILLAC RECORDS and DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL booked. Yet more films NOT booked into the Chinese. What is the Chinese getting as thier Christmas film?
Someone else needs to step in and do the bookings for the Chinese. It really shouldn’t have to settle for sloppy seconds. Personally I think Mann is slowly closing shop and would not be surprised if the Chinese falls into another chain within the next few years. It is a landmark theatre that has opened some of the biggest films of all time. I agree that Arclight is a bit greedy this week and should at least pass on Transporter 3 to the Chinese. The Chinese 6 will probably get some Arclight move-overs instead.
Not the Colorado, but the Laemmle leased (Former AMC OLD PASADENA) One Colorado has closed, or at least they did not renew thier lease.
Laemmle’s One Colorado
42 Miller Alley
Old Pasadena, 91103
626-744-1224
Map & Parking Information # of Screens : 8
Help with Online Ticketing?
Change Theatre
Royal, West LA
Sunset 5, W. Hollywood
Monica 4, Santa Monica
Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills
Claremont 5, Claremont
Playhouse 7, Pasadena
Town Center 5, Encino
Fallbrook 7, West Hills
One Colorado, Pasadena
Grande 4, Downtown
After five years and a thousand and one good foreign, independent and art movies (or thereabouts)
Laemmle Theatres reluctantly announces we are ending our tenancy at the One Colorado. Sincere thanks to all our One Colorado customers for their loyal patronage.
We continue the tradition of quality cinema at our other moviehouses around the Southland and hope you can continue to visit our Pasadena Playhouse.
BODY OF LIES along with the thriller QUARANTINE and the family fantasy CITY OF EMBER are opening Friday the 10th. It’s about time they get some films, I love Arclight but they seem to have the monopoly of films lately.
Granted Arclight will get more bookings because of the reputation it has established. But the Chinese would get a fair share of “A” titles and would get some of the blockbusters. Recently, pretty much this year the don’t get big bookings. Now they are pretty much getting what Arclight rejects, the 6 plex is mostly used for rentals and move overs (much of the time from Arclight) or more of a explotation theme of films. It is sad. At least the Village still pretty much gets the blockbuster films.
What is going on with the bookings? Is Mann just purposely just letting th Chinese go? Virtually every release this week and next is booked into Arclight. Will it just become a venue mainly for premieres?