Video and photo gallery showing the IMAX auditorium virtually completed, another auditorium before the screen has been installed (with a test card projected on the acoustic absorption and QSC stage speakers on the floor in front!), booths including IMAX digital and Barco projectors, and foyer/lobby areas under fit-out.
The screen in the IMAX appears to be on the relatively modest side (at least by the ~90ft. wide screens I’m used to!), and indeed according to a case study by the company that installed the alarm/access control/CCTV systems (!) it measures 17mx9m (~56x29.5ft.) It does, however, feature very nice looking seating.
This planning application would appear to be relevant as the previous application was outline only and the summary descriptions of later variation applications do not mention any changes to Block M1 (in which the cinema is located.)
Plans for the cinema auditoria can be seen in the document “ZONE M1 – LEVEL 30 – THIRD FLOOR PLAN,” available under the “Documents” tab of the above linked page.
(Incidentally, although they aren’t credited on the drawing, the cinema parts of the drawing look suspiciously similar to other drawings by UNICK, with the same “CAD library” disabled bay seats used, for instance; albeit it wouldn’t be a big surprise if they were indeed responsible considering that they claim to have been involved in the development of over 1/3rds of new build multiplexes in the UK!)
The largest auditorium on this plan is Auditorium 1, and the screen width as drawn measures about 22m (~72ft.)
Auditorium 1 as shown on these plans is definitely on the large size—about 31.5mx22.9m (max. excluding the VIP boxes/booth) (~103x75ft.) That also puts the last (non-VIP box) seating row within about 1x screen distance away from the screen, and the front row is about 0.38x screen distance away from the screen, so in this respect it appears to be an “immersive” layout á la IMAX.
The sidewalls are splayed towards the screen, so it’s not a rectangular auditorium, either!
No licensing plans appear to be available.
Having a look at Cineworld’s booking pages, the 13:30 performance of “The Incredibles” is in Screen 12, and the seating diagram matches that of Auditorium 1 in the plans, as well as having a VIP box seating option; clearly Auditorium 1 was “renumbered” as Auditorium 12.
LARGE_screen_format: Hmm, I seem to recall that CIC was still around even after the name change—having a quick look through Companies House filings: UCI basically was CIC, AMC Entertainment (UK) Limited was renamed UCI (UK) Limited in 1989 following its acquisition by CIC/UA Multiplex BV. CIC (UK) continued to exist as an operating company but this starts getting into company structure spaghetti.
By the end of 1990 UA were no longer involved and the ultimate shareholders were MCA Inc. and Paramount Communications Inc., hence “UCI – A Universal/Paramount Company,” with UK subsidaries still directly owned by holding companies registered in the Netherlands.
Not sure when the former CIC sites changed their branding to UCI but certainly before the mid-1990s.
“the filmworks” was a UCI brand; going by the Cinema Treasures description and theatreofvarieties' earlier post on this page, the refurbishment was in 2002.
I can’t find any record of “the filmworks company” referred to in the Cinema Treasures description.
Odeon and UCI were acquired by Terra Firma Investments, Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group was formed, and High Wycombe was one of the divested sites acquired by Empire Cinemas in 2005.
One difference I have remembered between the original Wycombe 6 seats and Empire (screen 1), LSQ was that the latter reclined slightly (rocker style) when you leaned back. The Wycombe 6 seats did not, they were fixed. They did have headrests though and may well be identical to those you linked to from Empire (screen 2) LSQ?
Very difficult to find information on old seating products but I did find a catalogue (IIRC from the 2000s) with list prices for American Seating Company products. Far more expensive than I’d expected! That might explain why the seating, whether American Seating Company or not, but assumed to be of the highest quality, were replaced with cheaper models rather than overhauling the existing with replacement parts.
The “rocker” action of the old Empire 1 seats was absolutely fantastic, better than any other seat I’ve ever sat on!
Shame I didn’t take more photos back in those days. The backlit sign for screen 1 (This auditorium is THX certified) for example. I do still have one of the original ‘This Theatre Features DTS Digital Sound’ plaques somewhere from this cinema.
Zappomatic: Thanks for your detailed response. :–)
The “picture frame” design that Empire Cinemas used in the former Screens 4-9 seemed to be a slightly odd throwback to the 1928 iteration of the Empire, particularly since very few patrons would “get” the reference! With the concealed edge lighting it did actually look quite good in person, though.
As you say the Cineworld refurbished auditoria are stripped down in terms of decorative features, but at least they don’t look tacky; I think Cineworld have shown some good judgement and restraint with their alterations to their LSQ cinema.
LARGE_screen_format: Responding to the relevant parts of your post on the “Odeon North Greenwich” page dated 2nd July 2018…
If I’m not mistaken UCI Wycombe 6 had identical seats as those you mention from the good ole days at The Empire, Leicester Square and I agree they were super comfy.
The only auditorium photo I can find of this cinema in its original state is one uploaded to Cinema Treasures. Very difficult to tell!
However, there is a photo available of another mid-80s CIC auditorium, namely the old Empire 3, which provides a better view of its seating; these seats do seem to bare some resemblance in form to the American Seating Company seats that were in the old Empire 1, although they have a headrest section.
Perhaps, then, those installed at High Wycombe were a similar model to those in the old Empire 1.
I was really annoyed when they were replaced with inferior seats some years later but could understand the decision to replace rather than refurbish due to cost implications.
Are these the ones that were installed for “the filmworks” overhaul? I assume the stadia was built then also?
I guess at that point the path of least resistance was to “skip” the old and replace.
If that’s how that auditorium looks today then it really needs a makeover—the seats are sagging and the carpet looks like it’s seen better days! (Maybe wet cleaning would be sufficient.)
Alas, the American Seating Company sold its “Architectural Fixed Seating” business to the Irwin Seating Company. Of the American Seating Company’s auditorium seating product lines, the “Stellar” series is in their catalogue, but one might imagine that there might be implications in terms of spare parts availablity for older seats. Now if only I could find “Empire 1”-type (“1960 Comfort Deluxe mode” according to a post on Cinema Treasures by theatreofvarieties) seats on eBay…
LARGE_screen_format: AFAIK the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX auditorium doesn’t conform to the basic IMAX geometry requirements in that the auditorium depth exceeds the screen width.
(“Back of an envelope” calculation: 23 rows deep x assume 4ft. per row = 92ft. [i.e. almost ~94ft. screen width!] front-to-back distance required for the seating alone—no space for the central gangway nor between the screen and front row!)
A quick look at a photo of the IMAX Melbourne auditorium reveals that the rows are widely spaced.
“Back of an envelope” calculation: If the auditorium depth = screen width and the first row is 0.35x screen width from the screen, per classic IMAX requirements, this leaves about 68ft. depth for the seating. There are 12 rows, so this works out at slightly less than 5.7ft row spacing. Taking these assumptions further, were the row spacing reduced to 4ft., then this would enable around 200 extra seats.
(Hmm, except for the slightly tacky red backlit Cineworld “stars” on the sidewalls.)
360° photos of the foyer (one taken from upper vestibule, the other from the far end), Screen 1 and Screen 2 can be seen on Squaremeal’s website, under the “Virtual Tour” section towards the bottom of the page (“Room List” at the top right of the photo view area is used to select the desired shot.)
In the photo of Screen 1, the yellow upholstered door with “porthole” is still in place!
“Cineworld London Venues” — photos of the LSQ IMAX, O2 Superscreen, Cineworld Wembley and Wandsworth.)
There are photos of the 4DX auditorium in the “carousel” at the top of the page, and if it is available to book, it’s perhaps amusing to imagine a corporate event being ruined by rogue use of the 4DX environmental effects. ;–)
Photos of the former Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square Screens 4/5 are available in Eomac’s literature in the PDF linked to from the linked page.
The new stadia do seem to have quite an improved rake.
I can’t see more than 3 sidewall speakers in the “new” Screen 2, whereas the former Screen 4 had 4—although the front one may be washed out.
Zappomatic: How does the new Lino Sonego seating compare to the previous? (AFAIK from Seating Concepts.) Is the picture/sound quality up to standard?
LARGE_screen_format: Looking at the IMAX and Superscreen booking pages for LSQ, as well as one of the “studio”-sized auditorium, Cineworld’s booking system seems have two different layouts for the screen, one with “SCREEN” in a grey rectangle extending the full width, used for the “studio”-sized auditorium, and the other used for the IMAX/Superscreen, which show a similar rectangle, only the left/right sides are angled. This latter rectangle seems to have a maximum width of ~20 seats or so, and hence is the wrong relative width for the Superscreen as well as the IMAX. Clearly it’s a “generic” layout also in the sense that the seating distance from the screen isn’t represented to any kind of relative scale, either.
Licensing plans are definitely a fantastic resource, but I don’t think I’d thought to search for them either until I read a post on Cinema Treasures by Zappomatic. With inconsistent addresses, slow page load times, and so on— generally very clunky systems used—it’s not always easy to find what you’re looking for, though!
LARGE_screen_format: Licensing plans show everything (within reason) “to scale”—try the “MEZZANINE LEVEL” PDF linked to from the “DOCUMENTS” tab on the linked page.
Based on this, 8 side seats (16 total) of row M (2nd to last row) are beyond the screen edges.
LARGE_screen_format: No idea what the terms of agreement are regarding disclosure but I wouldn’t imagine marketing would be thinking of creating a “buzz” until close to the reopening date.
(I suppose the cost-benefit would be positive, since the marginal cost is essentially zero, if they were thinking of getting out information to more technically-minded enthusiasts. However, I doubt that the success of the project would be riding on this; the average cinema-goer isn’t going to read some article about it hidden away in the “back pages” of the generic “press” and respond to it by thinking “OMG, OLS reopening with Dolby Cinema in many months' time, must talk about it incessantly and remind all my Facebook ‘friends’ every week!”)
I have uploaded a photo, taken last weekend, of the rear “Service Yard” area from Charing Cross Road. A Portakabin that I don’t recall being there previously can be seen positioned by the entrance. The cinema building itself is at the end of the yard, with external staircases, and going by the licensing plans, behind what appear to be broken windows (!) at the upper level are disused dressing rooms.
The upper level auditoria of “Odeon Studios” are just behind these rooms.
I took a number of photos of the Leicester Square frontage, but the changes are not really significant from my last trip. There is a waste chute down from circle foyer level which presumably heads down towards a skip behind the LSQ hoarding, and the hoarding has been extended to cover the entire width of the LSQ frontage.
LARGE_screen_format: If you’re in that area again, you might want to try the Superscreen at the O2, as it has a very well spec’d sound system, with almost the same screen speaker setup as the Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square Superscreen, and Atmos installed since the linked press release was published.
Parking is insanely expensive at the O2, but Cineworld patrons are allowed 4 hours' free parking.
I don’t think I ever went to the smaller auditoria when it was “the filmworks,” although even though I visited on multiple occasions, The only movie I can even recall seeing there was “Ocean’s 11”!
£70 for tickets including concessions? Absurd… looking at the ticket prices for the Greenwich IMAX, it is almost at West End levels?!
Would be interested to see pictures or find out more about these “luxury” “The Gallery” seats. My favourite cinema seats of all time are still the red American Seating Company “rocker”-type seating that were installed in the old Empire 1. (Albeit comparing them to old catalogue photos of their product line, as well as photos of the “new” Empire taken back in 1962, it does seem that they may have “gained” padding when overhauled—either that and/or there were seat covers on top of seat covers!)
BTW, if you are not aware already, Odeon are offering a 40% off discount code valid until the 11th July (works for tickets for 2D/3D performances including premiere seats and PLF screens but not certain titles including “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”)
Of particular note here is the document titled “KING’S ROAD HISTORIC BUILDING REPORT JUNE 2015” in the 2015 application, which provides a (somewhat “potted”) history of the site. The original 1930s cinema plans—very beautifully drawn—are included on PDF pp28-34. Alas, the text on these is not quite resolved in this file, being throughly obliterated by aggressive JPEG compression.
Plans for the proposed cinema can be seen in the 2016 application at (basement) levels B2 (Auditoria 2 and 3 – “indicative layout” only) and B1 (Auditorium 1), the larger Auditorum 1 being situated above the two smaller auditoria, as is clearly shown in “PROPOSED SECTION AA.”
The architectural practice responsible for these plans is Paul Davis + Partners.
A scale is conveniently provided, and based on this, I estimate Auditorium 1 to be ~27m deep by ~21m wide, or almost 90ft.x70ft., equating to slightly under 6000sq.ft. in area.
The proposed main auditorium is therefore quite generously proportioned, being about the same size as the “existing” auditorium, if its sidewalls were moved in to form a rectangular auditorium. (The “existing” fanned out to about 105ft. wide at the rear.)
HowardBHaas: Estimating from the demolition plans (2016 application, but they’re probably identical in the 2015 application) — the screen width was probably 40-45ft.
More pure nuggets of tedium may be extracted and summarised here if/when I review more of the planning documents!
LARGE_screen_format: Indeed, a list of SRX-515DS equipped locations would be nice!
One of the SRX-515DS equipped locations is Vue Darlington (Link is to a case study from Sound Associates.)
I haven’t seen HFR theatrically, but at home I’ve been watching frame interpolated video for ages (Philips “Pixel Plus” on a 2004 CRT TV, these days “Intelligent Frame Creation”/“24p Smooth Film” on a Panasonic Viera.)
I know some people dislike the artifacts (which can look “plasticky”) with this processing but I’m willing to accept the tradeoff for generally smooth motion.
(Of course, there’s 60fps content out there, including on YouTube.)
All of this should provide a “canvas” which can be creatively used as desired, but personally… I don’t think movies need to look like they were shot on film at 24fps just because that’s what happened to be available for decades.
I think HFR hasn’t gained traction due to the very high overheads, for instance, (at 48fps) twice as many frames must be generated for CGI FX.
As interesting as this all is, I’m struggling to see how this fits in thematically with Cinema Treasures—perhaps we might consider another pathway for communication?
The Sony SRX-R515DS dual projector system in Vue West End Screens 5/7 already supports HFR (48/60fps 2D/3D at 2K resolution per DCP spec.)
Sony also state that the R500-series projectors are all “HDR-ready.”
(Albeit “HDR” in cinemas is something of a minefield!)
Considering that Sony claim 4.5fL 3D brightness is achieveable for the the SRX-R515DS dual projector system on a 23m wide silver screen with 2.4 gain, and the screens installed in Screens 5/7 of Vue West End are Clarus XC 170s (1.7 gain), being slightly larger than 13m wide according to the licensing plans, even allowing for “optimistic” published specifications, they should be able to achieve satisfactory brightness levels for 3D.
Sony also claims 8000:1 contrast ratio for the R515 projectors.
I can’t see Vue being in a tearing hurry to upgrade… it’s already a very good installation that they can advertise as featuring “Finity Sony Digital Cinema 4K” and “Dolby Atmos.”
Also, there are a number of other Vue auditoria in whch the SRX-515DS dual projector system has been installed:
The stadia which all but the front row of the LSQ IMAX seats are attached date from 1962, being the former “circle” seating area of Empire 1.
As theatreofvarieties kindly indicated on Cinema Treasures, in response to my tedious queries, the HVAC (air conditioning) extraction ducting is actually connected to lots of grilles behind the seating, although presumably the extract ducts could always be moved elsewhere or reconnected.
Looking at one of Zappomatic’s photos taken during the recent foyer refurbishment, which provides a partial view under the stadia, it’s clear that there is plenty of steel there, albeit I have no idea what materials are used to form the stepping itself.
Given the above, the fact that Cineworld (presumably) kept the existing intact in the foyer refurbishment works might suggest that there they have no intention of changing the stepping.
If it could be changed from above, it might difficult from a health and safety point of view, and could risk damage to the services and ceiling below.
I suppose they could, depending on structural (weight) limitations, build off the existing, but then this would presumably require the loss of half the rows?
So, based on the above uninformed brain dump and a lot of speculation on my part, it would appear to be a non-starter.
I haven’t been to the Greenwich Odeon since it was “the filmworks”—not difficult for me to get to but AFAIK, as you mention, the IMAX auditorium has a relatively small sized screen; with the BFI and now the Leicester Square IMAX also easy for me to get to, it doesn’t seem worth the bother.
IMO it wasn’t worth visiting when it was “the filmworks,” very much a run of the mill multiplex; albeit, for better or worse, it was one of the earliest examples of an all-“black box” auditoria location in this country.
The last time I purchased food at a cinema was flavoured popcorn at the Odeon Leicester Square in the late 90s. Stopping by Five Guys before or after the performance is a better option in my view. ;–)
Hmm… it might. In my view the LSQ IMAX is currently the best cinema in the West End—not necessarily in terms of programming but as a cinema, i.e. overall package of comfort (legroom issue isn’t a massive problem for me,) outstanding picture quality, middle row seat positioning in relation to the screen, and very good sound also, plus some of the spacious scale and other memories of the old Empire 1 are still there.
However, the concept I have in mind as far as the “première” auditoria are concerned is to be able to see the same film in multiple “premium” formats rather than, say, having to choose between Superscreen/Atmos and IMAX with Laser. Paying the “normal” price for tickets, particularly if the 4DX is included also, starts to become absurd.
The annual cost of the Unlimited West End card still pays for lots of IMAX tickets per year, so, on that basis alone it’s perhaps slightly hard to justify. But then I could see, say, “Rampage” in the IMAX screen… just for the sake of it.
Also, I quite like the idea of cinema trips being special events rather than multiple visits to see whatever in whatever auditorium, which could dilute the experience?
What can I say… I’m just dreadfully slow when it comes to mulling over purchases in excess of three figures… and my number one priority this week by a country mile was getting my air conditioner reinstated at home. :–)
Can’t speak for Cineworld but pretty obviously if you’re rebranding/resigning all the foyer/lobby/access areas then that provides an opportunity to tidy things up by renumbering.
With all incremental changes made over the years including additional auditoria the cinema has become something of a maze, and introducing a 4DX screen only adds to the potential confusion.
The current scheme makes sense in that, from the top of the vestibule stairs up from the Leicester Square entrance, turn left for Screens 1-3, all sequential along the left side of the foyer, and turn right for 5-7, all at upper levels.
That then leaves 4 as the odd one out among 4/8/9 among screens that are normally referenced by “brand name,” but at least the 4DX can’t be confused with another Screen 4.
Other permutations can be thought of that might work, but I think that Cineworld have chosen the best option.
Leaflets promoting the “Unlimited” card were being handed out outside Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square today; I asked the person handing them out what the uplift charge was for the IMAX, and they told me that it is £7. (Perhaps I should “get with it” and use “social media?!”)
12 months of Meerkat Movies can be obtained by purchasing a single days travel insurance within the UK for less than a few pounds! ;o)
That’s a great tip, thank you very much. :–)
I’m going to guess that the uplift charges at LSQ are the same as the premium ticket price minus the standard ticket price—so other than the Superscreen, about £4 more than the Sheffield uplift charges.
P.S. I was a “big fan” of Empire 1 more than am I of the LSQ Superscreen but it’s still a good cinema. ;–)
AFAIK Meerkat Movies (2 for 1) is available for Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square and Vue West End, albeit uplift charges are applied for non-standard seats/screenings.
Alas, I’ve not purchased any products through “Compare the Market.” I did use Orange/EE Wednesdays (2 for 1) a couple of times, although these days friends have to be dragged screaming and kicking to go to the cinema—they’d sooner wait out the Pay TV release window and watch movies on their 60"+ 4K TVs via Sky. In some cases I think they’ve not been to the cinema in such a long time that they have no idea about the comfort levels (e.g. reclining seats) and audio/picture quality available today.
(Having said that, the interest in cinema trips among peers started its decline when the “joys” of grossly excessive alcohol consumption were “discovered!”)
To my mind a film like “Blade Runner 2049” is utterly wasted on TV.
I don’t mind paying West End prices for premiere screens offering exceptional presentation quality (as well as the general high quality and ambience of lobby spaces) but as I said elsewhere on this site it does get absurdly expensive to attend performances in all of the proliferating formats available. I have Cineworld Unlimited West End in mind but there are still uplift charges to pay (and I can’t seem to find what they are for Leicester Square!)
LARGE_screen_format: Interesting, thanks for the info.
Of very little use to me at those locations but if it’s rolled out… I guess this is Vue’s answer to Cineworld’s “Unlimited” card and Odeon’s “Limitless.”
Cineworld cinema to be rebuilt over 30in error.
Oops! (This story is from 2013, so it’s not about to be rebuilt now.)
Broughton Cineworld opens its doors for a brief peek inside.
Video and photo gallery showing the IMAX auditorium virtually completed, another auditorium before the screen has been installed (with a test card projected on the acoustic absorption and QSC stage speakers on the floor in front!), booths including IMAX digital and Barco projectors, and foyer/lobby areas under fit-out.
The screen in the IMAX appears to be on the relatively modest side (at least by the ~90ft. wide screens I’m used to!), and indeed according to a case study by the company that installed the alarm/access control/CCTV systems (!) it measures 17mx9m (~56x29.5ft.) It does, however, feature very nice looking seating.
LARGE_screen_format:
Planning Application.
This planning application would appear to be relevant as the previous application was outline only and the summary descriptions of later variation applications do not mention any changes to Block M1 (in which the cinema is located.)
Plans for the cinema auditoria can be seen in the document “ZONE M1 – LEVEL 30 – THIRD FLOOR PLAN,” available under the “Documents” tab of the above linked page.
(Incidentally, although they aren’t credited on the drawing, the cinema parts of the drawing look suspiciously similar to other drawings by UNICK, with the same “CAD library” disabled bay seats used, for instance; albeit it wouldn’t be a big surprise if they were indeed responsible considering that they claim to have been involved in the development of over 1/3rds of new build multiplexes in the UK!)
The largest auditorium on this plan is Auditorium 1, and the screen width as drawn measures about 22m (~72ft.)
Auditorium 1 as shown on these plans is definitely on the large size—about 31.5mx22.9m (max. excluding the VIP boxes/booth) (~103x75ft.) That also puts the last (non-VIP box) seating row within about 1x screen distance away from the screen, and the front row is about 0.38x screen distance away from the screen, so in this respect it appears to be an “immersive” layout á la IMAX.
The sidewalls are splayed towards the screen, so it’s not a rectangular auditorium, either!
No licensing plans appear to be available.
Having a look at Cineworld’s booking pages, the 13:30 performance of “The Incredibles” is in Screen 12, and the seating diagram matches that of Auditorium 1 in the plans, as well as having a VIP box seating option; clearly Auditorium 1 was “renumbered” as Auditorium 12.
2015 Tripadvisor user photo.
Hmm, disappointing, I think, given that the space has so much potential? Time for a refurbishment plus Atmos, methinks…
Do you know what make the rear array speakers are? How is the picture/sound quality?
Ziris Canvas – Vue Westfield London.
Promotional video (uploaded to YouTube in 2010) on the (IMHO hideous) multi-screen display feature and other video displays in the foyer.
LARGE_screen_format: Hmm, I seem to recall that CIC was still around even after the name change—having a quick look through Companies House filings: UCI basically was CIC, AMC Entertainment (UK) Limited was renamed UCI (UK) Limited in 1989 following its acquisition by CIC/UA Multiplex BV. CIC (UK) continued to exist as an operating company but this starts getting into company structure spaghetti.
By the end of 1990 UA were no longer involved and the ultimate shareholders were MCA Inc. and Paramount Communications Inc., hence “UCI – A Universal/Paramount Company,” with UK subsidaries still directly owned by holding companies registered in the Netherlands.
Not sure when the former CIC sites changed their branding to UCI but certainly before the mid-1990s.
“the filmworks” was a UCI brand; going by the Cinema Treasures description and theatreofvarieties' earlier post on this page, the refurbishment was in 2002.
I can’t find any record of “the filmworks company” referred to in the Cinema Treasures description.
Odeon and UCI were acquired by Terra Firma Investments, Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group was formed, and High Wycombe was one of the divested sites acquired by Empire Cinemas in 2005.
Very difficult to find information on old seating products but I did find a catalogue (IIRC from the 2000s) with list prices for American Seating Company products. Far more expensive than I’d expected! That might explain why the seating, whether American Seating Company or not, but assumed to be of the highest quality, were replaced with cheaper models rather than overhauling the existing with replacement parts.
The “rocker” action of the old Empire 1 seats was absolutely fantastic, better than any other seat I’ve ever sat on!
Backlit THX sign? Must have been a custom one?
A few links relating to the original redevelopment of the site to form “The Printworks” and the concept of “the filmworks” brand:
Design Week – “The Film Works for UCI Cinemas” – August 2000.
Design Week – “RTKL Stamps Mark on Printworks” – November 2000.
RTKL Project Sheet.
Zappomatic: Thanks for your detailed response. :–)
The “picture frame” design that Empire Cinemas used in the former Screens 4-9 seemed to be a slightly odd throwback to the 1928 iteration of the Empire, particularly since very few patrons would “get” the reference! With the concealed edge lighting it did actually look quite good in person, though.
As you say the Cineworld refurbished auditoria are stripped down in terms of decorative features, but at least they don’t look tacky; I think Cineworld have shown some good judgement and restraint with their alterations to their LSQ cinema.
LARGE_screen_format: Responding to the relevant parts of your post on the “Odeon North Greenwich” page dated 2nd July 2018…
The only auditorium photo I can find of this cinema in its original state is one uploaded to Cinema Treasures. Very difficult to tell!
However, there is a photo available of another mid-80s CIC auditorium, namely the old Empire 3, which provides a better view of its seating; these seats do seem to bare some resemblance in form to the American Seating Company seats that were in the old Empire 1, although they have a headrest section.
Perhaps, then, those installed at High Wycombe were a similar model to those in the old Empire 1.
Photo of an auditorium at Empire High Wycombe dated 2015.
Are these the ones that were installed for “the filmworks” overhaul? I assume the stadia was built then also?
I guess at that point the path of least resistance was to “skip” the old and replace.
If that’s how that auditorium looks today then it really needs a makeover—the seats are sagging and the carpet looks like it’s seen better days! (Maybe wet cleaning would be sufficient.)
Alas, the American Seating Company sold its “Architectural Fixed Seating” business to the Irwin Seating Company. Of the American Seating Company’s auditorium seating product lines, the “Stellar” series is in their catalogue, but one might imagine that there might be implications in terms of spare parts availablity for older seats. Now if only I could find “Empire 1”-type (“1960 Comfort Deluxe mode” according to a post on Cinema Treasures by theatreofvarieties) seats on eBay…
The replacement seating for the IMAX conversion was a “custom” design supplied by Seating Concepts:
How We Helped the Historic Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles with Its Recent Overhaul—Seating Concepts.
LARGE_screen_format: AFAIK the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX auditorium doesn’t conform to the basic IMAX geometry requirements in that the auditorium depth exceeds the screen width.
(“Back of an envelope” calculation: 23 rows deep x assume 4ft. per row = 92ft. [i.e. almost ~94ft. screen width!] front-to-back distance required for the seating alone—no space for the central gangway nor between the screen and front row!)
A quick look at a photo of the IMAX Melbourne auditorium reveals that the rows are widely spaced.
“Back of an envelope” calculation: If the auditorium depth = screen width and the first row is 0.35x screen width from the screen, per classic IMAX requirements, this leaves about 68ft. depth for the seating. There are 12 rows, so this works out at slightly less than 5.7ft row spacing. Taking these assumptions further, were the row spacing reduced to 4ft., then this would enable around 200 extra seats.
Zappomatic: Thanks for the photos, looks good!
(Hmm, except for the slightly tacky red backlit Cineworld “stars” on the sidewalls.)
360° photos of the foyer (one taken from upper vestibule, the other from the far end), Screen 1 and Screen 2 can be seen on Squaremeal’s website, under the “Virtual Tour” section towards the bottom of the page (“Room List” at the top right of the photo view area is used to select the desired shot.)
In the photo of Screen 1, the yellow upholstered door with “porthole” is still in place!
“Cineworld London Venues” — photos of the LSQ IMAX, O2 Superscreen, Cineworld Wembley and Wandsworth.)
There are photos of the 4DX auditorium in the “carousel” at the top of the page, and if it is available to book, it’s perhaps amusing to imagine a corporate event being ruined by rogue use of the 4DX environmental effects. ;–)
Photos of the former Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square Screens 4/5 are available in Eomac’s literature in the PDF linked to from the linked page.
The new stadia do seem to have quite an improved rake. I can’t see more than 3 sidewall speakers in the “new” Screen 2, whereas the former Screen 4 had 4—although the front one may be washed out.
Zappomatic: How does the new Lino Sonego seating compare to the previous? (AFAIK from Seating Concepts.) Is the picture/sound quality up to standard?
LARGE_screen_format: Looking at the IMAX and Superscreen booking pages for LSQ, as well as one of the “studio”-sized auditorium, Cineworld’s booking system seems have two different layouts for the screen, one with “SCREEN” in a grey rectangle extending the full width, used for the “studio”-sized auditorium, and the other used for the IMAX/Superscreen, which show a similar rectangle, only the left/right sides are angled. This latter rectangle seems to have a maximum width of ~20 seats or so, and hence is the wrong relative width for the Superscreen as well as the IMAX. Clearly it’s a “generic” layout also in the sense that the seating distance from the screen isn’t represented to any kind of relative scale, either.
Licensing plans are definitely a fantastic resource, but I don’t think I’d thought to search for them either until I read a post on Cinema Treasures by Zappomatic. With inconsistent addresses, slow page load times, and so on— generally very clunky systems used—it’s not always easy to find what you’re looking for, though!
LARGE_screen_format: Licensing plans show everything (within reason) “to scale”—try the “MEZZANINE LEVEL” PDF linked to from the “DOCUMENTS” tab on the linked page.
Based on this, 8 side seats (16 total) of row M (2nd to last row) are beyond the screen edges.
LARGE_screen_format: No idea what the terms of agreement are regarding disclosure but I wouldn’t imagine marketing would be thinking of creating a “buzz” until close to the reopening date.
(I suppose the cost-benefit would be positive, since the marginal cost is essentially zero, if they were thinking of getting out information to more technically-minded enthusiasts. However, I doubt that the success of the project would be riding on this; the average cinema-goer isn’t going to read some article about it hidden away in the “back pages” of the generic “press” and respond to it by thinking “OMG, OLS reopening with Dolby Cinema in many months' time, must talk about it incessantly and remind all my Facebook ‘friends’ every week!”)
I have uploaded a photo, taken last weekend, of the rear “Service Yard” area from Charing Cross Road. A Portakabin that I don’t recall being there previously can be seen positioned by the entrance. The cinema building itself is at the end of the yard, with external staircases, and going by the licensing plans, behind what appear to be broken windows (!) at the upper level are disused dressing rooms.
The upper level auditoria of “Odeon Studios” are just behind these rooms.
I took a number of photos of the Leicester Square frontage, but the changes are not really significant from my last trip. There is a waste chute down from circle foyer level which presumably heads down towards a skip behind the LSQ hoarding, and the hoarding has been extended to cover the entire width of the LSQ frontage.
LARGE_screen_format: If you’re in that area again, you might want to try the Superscreen at the O2, as it has a very well spec’d sound system, with almost the same screen speaker setup as the Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square Superscreen, and Atmos installed since the linked press release was published.
Parking is insanely expensive at the O2, but Cineworld patrons are allowed 4 hours' free parking.
I don’t think I ever went to the smaller auditoria when it was “the filmworks,” although even though I visited on multiple occasions, The only movie I can even recall seeing there was “Ocean’s 11”!
£70 for tickets including concessions? Absurd… looking at the ticket prices for the Greenwich IMAX, it is almost at West End levels?!
Would be interested to see pictures or find out more about these “luxury” “The Gallery” seats. My favourite cinema seats of all time are still the red American Seating Company “rocker”-type seating that were installed in the old Empire 1. (Albeit comparing them to old catalogue photos of their product line, as well as photos of the “new” Empire taken back in 1962, it does seem that they may have “gained” padding when overhauled—either that and/or there were seat covers on top of seat covers!)
BTW, if you are not aware already, Odeon are offering a 40% off discount code valid until the 11th July (works for tickets for 2D/3D performances including premiere seats and PLF screens but not certain titles including “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.”)
The main planning applications relating to the redevelopment are:
PP/15/04338 – “Partial demolition and redevelopment of 196-222 King’s Road with a two storey basement excavation, to provide cinema floor space at basement and ground floor level; (etc…)”.
PP/16/04793 – “New plans reflecting proposed changes including the demolition and rebuild of Friese Green House, alterations to the King’s Road elevation, additional basement excavation and provision of additional photovoltaic panels”.
Of particular note here is the document titled “KING’S ROAD HISTORIC BUILDING REPORT JUNE 2015” in the 2015 application, which provides a (somewhat “potted”) history of the site. The original 1930s cinema plans—very beautifully drawn—are included on PDF pp28-34. Alas, the text on these is not quite resolved in this file, being throughly obliterated by aggressive JPEG compression.
Plans for the proposed cinema can be seen in the 2016 application at (basement) levels B2 (Auditoria 2 and 3 – “indicative layout” only) and B1 (Auditorium 1), the larger Auditorum 1 being situated above the two smaller auditoria, as is clearly shown in “PROPOSED SECTION AA.”
The architectural practice responsible for these plans is Paul Davis + Partners.
A scale is conveniently provided, and based on this, I estimate Auditorium 1 to be ~27m deep by ~21m wide, or almost 90ft.x70ft., equating to slightly under 6000sq.ft. in area.
The proposed main auditorium is therefore quite generously proportioned, being about the same size as the “existing” auditorium, if its sidewalls were moved in to form a rectangular auditorium. (The “existing” fanned out to about 105ft. wide at the rear.)
HowardBHaas: Estimating from the demolition plans (2016 application, but they’re probably identical in the 2015 application) — the screen width was probably 40-45ft.
More pure nuggets of tedium may be extracted and summarised here if/when I review more of the planning documents!
LARGE_screen_format: Indeed, a list of SRX-515DS equipped locations would be nice!
One of the SRX-515DS equipped locations is Vue Darlington (Link is to a case study from Sound Associates.)
I haven’t seen HFR theatrically, but at home I’ve been watching frame interpolated video for ages (Philips “Pixel Plus” on a 2004 CRT TV, these days “Intelligent Frame Creation”/“24p Smooth Film” on a Panasonic Viera.)
I know some people dislike the artifacts (which can look “plasticky”) with this processing but I’m willing to accept the tradeoff for generally smooth motion.
(Of course, there’s 60fps content out there, including on YouTube.)
All of this should provide a “canvas” which can be creatively used as desired, but personally… I don’t think movies need to look like they were shot on film at 24fps just because that’s what happened to be available for decades.
I think HFR hasn’t gained traction due to the very high overheads, for instance, (at 48fps) twice as many frames must be generated for CGI FX.
As interesting as this all is, I’m struggling to see how this fits in thematically with Cinema Treasures—perhaps we might consider another pathway for communication?
LARGE_screen_format:
The Sony SRX-R515DS dual projector system in Vue West End Screens 5/7 already supports HFR (48/60fps 2D/3D at 2K resolution per DCP spec.)
Sony also state that the R500-series projectors are all “HDR-ready.”
(Albeit “HDR” in cinemas is something of a minefield!)
Considering that Sony claim 4.5fL 3D brightness is achieveable for the the SRX-R515DS dual projector system on a 23m wide silver screen with 2.4 gain, and the screens installed in Screens 5/7 of Vue West End are Clarus XC 170s (1.7 gain), being slightly larger than 13m wide according to the licensing plans, even allowing for “optimistic” published specifications, they should be able to achieve satisfactory brightness levels for 3D.
Sony also claims 8000:1 contrast ratio for the R515 projectors.
I can’t see Vue being in a tearing hurry to upgrade… it’s already a very good installation that they can advertise as featuring “Finity Sony Digital Cinema 4K” and “Dolby Atmos.”
Also, there are a number of other Vue auditoria in whch the SRX-515DS dual projector system has been installed:
Vue International’s largest cinema screens go 4K.
LARGE_screen_format:
The stadia which all but the front row of the LSQ IMAX seats are attached date from 1962, being the former “circle” seating area of Empire 1.
As theatreofvarieties kindly indicated on Cinema Treasures, in response to my tedious queries, the HVAC (air conditioning) extraction ducting is actually connected to lots of grilles behind the seating, although presumably the extract ducts could always be moved elsewhere or reconnected.
Looking at one of Zappomatic’s photos taken during the recent foyer refurbishment, which provides a partial view under the stadia, it’s clear that there is plenty of steel there, albeit I have no idea what materials are used to form the stepping itself.
Given the above, the fact that Cineworld (presumably) kept the existing intact in the foyer refurbishment works might suggest that there they have no intention of changing the stepping.
If it could be changed from above, it might difficult from a health and safety point of view, and could risk damage to the services and ceiling below.
I suppose they could, depending on structural (weight) limitations, build off the existing, but then this would presumably require the loss of half the rows?
So, based on the above uninformed brain dump and a lot of speculation on my part, it would appear to be a non-starter.
BTW: Photo of the IMPACT/Superscreen auditorium build – stadium seating structure can be seen. Note that the steel girder supporting the balcony is actually hung from the roof structure!
Did you enjoy “Rampage”?
I haven’t been to the Greenwich Odeon since it was “the filmworks”—not difficult for me to get to but AFAIK, as you mention, the IMAX auditorium has a relatively small sized screen; with the BFI and now the Leicester Square IMAX also easy for me to get to, it doesn’t seem worth the bother.
IMO it wasn’t worth visiting when it was “the filmworks,” very much a run of the mill multiplex; albeit, for better or worse, it was one of the earliest examples of an all-“black box” auditoria location in this country.
The last time I purchased food at a cinema was flavoured popcorn at the Odeon Leicester Square in the late 90s. Stopping by Five Guys before or after the performance is a better option in my view. ;–)
Hmm… it might. In my view the LSQ IMAX is currently the best cinema in the West End—not necessarily in terms of programming but as a cinema, i.e. overall package of comfort (legroom issue isn’t a massive problem for me,) outstanding picture quality, middle row seat positioning in relation to the screen, and very good sound also, plus some of the spacious scale and other memories of the old Empire 1 are still there.
However, the concept I have in mind as far as the “première” auditoria are concerned is to be able to see the same film in multiple “premium” formats rather than, say, having to choose between Superscreen/Atmos and IMAX with Laser. Paying the “normal” price for tickets, particularly if the 4DX is included also, starts to become absurd.
The annual cost of the Unlimited West End card still pays for lots of IMAX tickets per year, so, on that basis alone it’s perhaps slightly hard to justify. But then I could see, say, “Rampage” in the IMAX screen… just for the sake of it.
Also, I quite like the idea of cinema trips being special events rather than multiple visits to see whatever in whatever auditorium, which could dilute the experience?
What can I say… I’m just dreadfully slow when it comes to mulling over purchases in excess of three figures… and my number one priority this week by a country mile was getting my air conditioner reinstated at home. :–)
Can’t speak for Cineworld but pretty obviously if you’re rebranding/resigning all the foyer/lobby/access areas then that provides an opportunity to tidy things up by renumbering.
With all incremental changes made over the years including additional auditoria the cinema has become something of a maze, and introducing a 4DX screen only adds to the potential confusion.
The current scheme makes sense in that, from the top of the vestibule stairs up from the Leicester Square entrance, turn left for Screens 1-3, all sequential along the left side of the foyer, and turn right for 5-7, all at upper levels.
That then leaves 4 as the odd one out among 4/8/9 among screens that are normally referenced by “brand name,” but at least the 4DX can’t be confused with another Screen 4.
Other permutations can be thought of that might work, but I think that Cineworld have chosen the best option.
Leaflets promoting the “Unlimited” card were being handed out outside Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square today; I asked the person handing them out what the uplift charge was for the IMAX, and they told me that it is £7. (Perhaps I should “get with it” and use “social media?!”)
LARGE_screen_format: Don’t worry, it’s the thought that counts. :–) Unlimited trips to the LSQ Superscreen would be just great. :–)
LARGE_screen_format:
That’s a great tip, thank you very much. :–)
I’m going to guess that the uplift charges at LSQ are the same as the premium ticket price minus the standard ticket price—so other than the Superscreen, about £4 more than the Sheffield uplift charges.
P.S. I was a “big fan” of Empire 1 more than am I of the LSQ Superscreen but it’s still a good cinema. ;–)
AFAIK Meerkat Movies (2 for 1) is available for Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square and Vue West End, albeit uplift charges are applied for non-standard seats/screenings.
Alas, I’ve not purchased any products through “Compare the Market.” I did use Orange/EE Wednesdays (2 for 1) a couple of times, although these days friends have to be dragged screaming and kicking to go to the cinema—they’d sooner wait out the Pay TV release window and watch movies on their 60"+ 4K TVs via Sky. In some cases I think they’ve not been to the cinema in such a long time that they have no idea about the comfort levels (e.g. reclining seats) and audio/picture quality available today.
(Having said that, the interest in cinema trips among peers started its decline when the “joys” of grossly excessive alcohol consumption were “discovered!”)
To my mind a film like “Blade Runner 2049” is utterly wasted on TV.
I don’t mind paying West End prices for premiere screens offering exceptional presentation quality (as well as the general high quality and ambience of lobby spaces) but as I said elsewhere on this site it does get absurdly expensive to attend performances in all of the proliferating formats available. I have Cineworld Unlimited West End in mind but there are still uplift charges to pay (and I can’t seem to find what they are for Leicester Square!)
LARGE_screen_format: Interesting, thanks for the info.
Of very little use to me at those locations but if it’s rolled out… I guess this is Vue’s answer to Cineworld’s “Unlimited” card and Odeon’s “Limitless.”