Great retrospective, Michael even though the site has discussed this movie before. I like your 70mm feature on in70mm.com, too.
I was too young to see a rated R movie, much less anything else in a theater so said my conservative parents. By that time, in early ‘79, I had seen Superman, Rocky and Escape From Alcatraz in theaters since my oldest brother pretty much forced us (my brothers) since he had the car and driver’s license. I do vividly remember the ads on tv for it and even those were creepy. The eerie music, the slow title revelation and the very short snippets of the movie and the cracking egg and light effects. It wasn’t until early '80 that I snuck in to see this movie, at a midnight showing, at the now closed AMC Academy 6 in Greenbelt MD. The theaters were one of the first of the AMC’s in the DC area and were basically shoe box theaters with Dolby sound. The crowd was packed and for a pre-teen having not seeing such a film was shocking to say the least. The chest burster scene had people screaming as well as the other scenes involving the alien. What was especially cool was the final countdown when Ripley engages the auto destruct and runs through the Nostromo corridor with that cool strobe lighting effect in the theater.
When they released the re edited version in ‘04, I caught it in DLP and THX and thoroughly enjoyed it and the new scenes. Even though by that time I had seen the movie many times, the digital sound mix still had me and my movie going friend jumping during the scary scenes.
Even though I did not experience this movie in 70mm, it still is quite an experience in 35mm or even DP. They don’t make them like this anymore. I hear Ridley Scott is involved in a prequel. It should be interesting and one to see when it comes out.
I saw Wizard for the first time on film at Baltimore’s Senator Theater for its 60th anniversary back in ‘99. It was my first time to the theater and have been a patron since. The theater boasted a new print where the non-Oz scenes were in its original sepia tone and not color. I never knew or saw it that way. On tv, prior to that, it always in black and white then to color when Dorothy left her house and ventured into Munchkin Land and Oz. I brought my parents along and they, too, were totally enthralled with this viewing even though we’ve seen the movie many times on tv. And surprisingly, neither of them fell asleep during the show (they usually do during other movies which is why I seldom take them out.)
If an area theater has it on film, I’d rather see it there as opposed to HD TV. Its not in DP either. May as well watch it at home on tv.
Since he shot the movie in IMAX, I am especially looking forward to experiencing it in a TRUE IMAX venue and not the AMC IMAX-lite venues. True IMAX films are immersive but if you can add believable 3D, it can be something truly spectacular. I think Cameron is onto something really good.
10 was rip roaring tonight with the showing of GI Joe in DLP and no air conditioning. The auditorium was packed and unfortunately, my niece took too much time enjoying her dinner to realize we should leave to get good seats. We ended up sitting smack in row 1. While my neck did feel some discomfort, the film was enjoyable if a bit cliche with the set up and characters. Channing Tatum stars and acts every bit of a plastic doll come to life. After reading the Variety review, I will agree that some of the visual effects lack polish as if sequences were rushed. What had seemed to be an improvement over the Matrix Reloaded highway chase scene sputters due to some fx shots that lose focus or or cut too quickly to fully realize.
I’m curious as to how the place looks on the INSIDE. It went from a 980 seat theater, with balcony to only 298 seats? So what happened to all that space that opened up after the removal of the 700 seats or so. Also, does the place still have balcony seating for movies?
Not meaning to go way off topic, but there IS a newer 70mm print of WSS in circulation. Just go to in70mm.com and see for yourself. When WSS was here at the AFI, it was only in 35mm, but they always manage to get 2001 and Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm, but hardly anything else.
Now to the topic at hand :). My memory of first experiencing Dark Knight was in IMAX. Prior to its release, I had read that Director Nolan had filmed some scenes in IMAX and with the hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s death there was increased interest in seeing this movie. I remember that on Fandango, the King of Prussia IMAX had sold out its entire weekend of shows through late Sunday!
The movie was rather dark and, yes, Heath Ledger was good in it and there were some interesting twists at the end with the Commissioner. The masking of this movie was annoying as it has with movies like this that aren’t truly IMAX having the width but not height of a regular one. If only they had curtains to hide that dead open space, it would make the viewing more immersive. The few shots that were shot in IMAX were the action scenes towards the end, it just made you want the whole movie to be that way. Also, this particular IMAX theater doesn’t have the thundering bass that the best THX cert theaters can deliver.
In the end, with all the killing and bloodletting, I felt numbed. Christian Bale is numbing to watch on the big screen. He seems to always brood and be in a bad mood. Knowing that Ledger was dead also cast this dark cloud over the movie. That fact was also numbing. If I had surgical knowledge, I probably could have performed my own appendectomy without anesthesia being so numbed out. For these reasons and probably more..now that the feeling of numbness is coming back, this movie isn’t one of favorites, but the experience is memorable. :)
Unless I haven’t scrolled far enough up, has anyone experienced a movie here in the D-Box set up? I’m curious to know if it adds to the entertainment or is it just a gimmick? Also, are the screens at the Chinese 6 all the same size? The pictures Hollywood has seem to indicate Auditoriums 1 and 5 are the largest and have somewhat curved screens.
In the mid 90s, I went to Vegas and experienced Doug Trumbull’s Showscan 3D extravaganza at the Luxor Hotel. The screens were IMAX-huge and you wore these heavy 3D headsets that had speakers as you sat in motion controlled rocking seats. They were quite cool. I don’t remember the exact storyline but it seemed to be a journey through time. There were three parts and three different theaters. There was some prominence of an obelisk and lots of cool visual light shows and ending that reminded me of an expanded version of Back to the Future II’s depiction of a skyway. Anyway, D-Box sounds like a miniature version of what I experienced in Vegas. What made it work for me was of course, the humongous, yet clear screen size and sound inundation.
I saw ‘Up’ in #5 in Dolby Digital. Unfortunately, it was not in 3D as it just left the Mall 11 before I had a chance to see it. The movie, itself, was engaging despite the lack of 3D. There are some decidedly adult moments 1/3 through the movie that I thought would be upsetting to some. Overall, the film was a delight and another Pixar hit. Surrounds were evident when needed to be and as the film was not digital, there were noticeable scratches screen hiccups towards the end.
I’m not sure why some of you object to the posting. Granted, the movie isn’t one of my favorites, it is hardly a classic, but to him it is a “memory” and was categorized as such and if memory serves me correctly, theatrical memories ARE a part of the site. To him, it is a treasured cinema moment. Perhaps, Justin should’ve written something more along the lines of his fond memory of experiencing this film in a grand IMAX theater such as NYC’s Lincoln Square. And if memory serves me correctly, last year someone did a posting about his/her memories of seeing Return of the Jedi 25 years ago? Did anyone object? Not that I recall.
My friend and I saw “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp in #4. They played a Dolby Digital EX trailer, a new one, or at least different from the one I remember at the Senator way back in ‘99. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice rear theater sound fx (in the trailer) to showcase the EX part sitting pretty close to the front. The film, overall was good, with decent sound.
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.
I’ve recently returned from a vacation overseas and I would like to share the fact that in many areas, the prevalence of movie piracy is quite rampant. All it takes is a one or two people in a town and a storage device (USB pen drive, DVD, etc) to distribute them for free or little cost. Its no wonder movie houses are dying. If you can download it for free and its a good copy, many are, why pay?
In my theater going experience, its generally the closer I am to the city , the worse it becomes for cell phone usage. Even though the chains play the silence your cell phone message, you can see that annoying white light of someone texting or even talking on the phone. Maybe theaters should resort to using an in-theater dampening field to kill the signal going in or out.
I remember the few times the Uptown balcony was closed for shows, too, Norelco. It was usually during the slow periods like the fall and during the week when attendance was low, Besides, I’d like to be closer to the big screen to get that immersion experience of theatrical exhibition.
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….
I finally caught Star Trek, yesterday (Sun 5/25/09), here before it left the Ziegfeld. This was the first time I had to stand and wait before going into the theater. I suppose the last showing was especially trashy. The female usher took our tickets and told us we could sit anywhere we wanted. Wasn’t this always the case?Hoping to surpass my experience watching the last Star Wars movie, I was both pleased and disappointed. The sound and picture were superb. Even the pre-show commercials were unusually bright and colorful that made you take notice of them. I couldn’t believe myself actually watching all the commercials before the show! You’d never see anything like this at a Regal or AMC.
The movie seemed brighter with better contrast than the DP versions I’ve seen. Or, maybe its the fact I sat pretty close to the screen? Soundwise I heard surrounds I’ve never heard before, which was a pleasant surprise but there seemed to be less bass than I’ve been used to, especially in comparison to my local THX cert venue in Annapolis. Punches had less of an ‘oomph’ impact and during the Enterprises ‘escape from the grav pull of a forming black hole (hard to believe), it almost sounded as if the speaker was crackling from the high demands of the soundtrack.
This is the first time we had to wait in line before going in. I’m guessestimating there was a crowd of less than maybe 200, but a very enthusiastic group. Judging from the age range, I suspected most were repeat viewers but I could over hear conversation from behind me of first time viewers, who were familiar with the series, who thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well.
Unfortunately, my expectation of the Ziegfeld’s superb showmanship were diminished somewhat since the curtain was not used during the show. Additionally, they did not show the Dolby Digital Cinema trailer, either. If they aren’t going to consistently use it (curtain), remove the damn thing and be like every other boring multiplex.
Caught the new Terminator Salvation in #1, with the best sound in the area. The theater, itself, was barely full. I doubt this movie will open as big as Star Trek but the market it is saturated and perhaps attendance was fanned out. Unfortunately, they need to replace or use another THX trailer as when it was played, it was scratchy and did not properly showcase what this theater can do soundwise and projectionwise. I wish they’d bring back the popcorn seasonings.
My friend and I caught NIght at the Museum 2 here in IMAX (lite). The auditorium seems to be about the same size as the Columbia 14 but there are no seats along the main aisle. Its either above the railing or below. Overall, the presentation was good. The staff seemed pretty friendly and helpful. $14.50 for IMAX-lite… hmmm.
If someone at Regal reads this, please tell someone with the power to improve the Regal theaters in the DC area. Projection, sound and service suck. Placating people with free passes after they complain doesn’t really help the situation. All service people should greet customers, offer assistance when possible, be attentive to patrons needs, secretly enter the auditoriums during the show and STAY for at least several minutes to monitor excessive talking, cell phone texting or other usage and/or any other disruptive behavior.
You mean to tell me that after a 9 month roll out, someone’s eyes are open to the fact that the AMC IMAX installs are really IMAX-lite ? Yet, in some markets, they charge even more than the REAL IMAX theaters? Here in the DC area, the Chantilly VA IMAX theater run by the Smithsonian charges $12.50 for the IMAX version of Star Trek. Yet, the area DC AMC IMAX-lite theaters charge $14.50 and up. After 5 screenings, I still think the THX Dolby Digital Cinema presentations are the overall superior theatrical experience. For me, the superior sound separation, clarity and bass boom just doesn’t cut it in the advertised 12000 watts of power that the AMC IMAX-lite venues boast.
Bill, thanks. I hope to make it up there next Sun. :)
Bercy, at the Senator in Baltimore, they would close and open the curtain before the main attraction so I guess it would depend on the venue. Towards the end of their operation though, I did notice that the curtain had to be manually (a worker had to pull them open) operated. Since the rest of the moviehouses in and around the DC Metro/Balto area where I’m at are multiplexes without curtains the discussion is moot.
Great retrospective, Michael even though the site has discussed this movie before. I like your 70mm feature on in70mm.com, too.
I was too young to see a rated R movie, much less anything else in a theater so said my conservative parents. By that time, in early ‘79, I had seen Superman, Rocky and Escape From Alcatraz in theaters since my oldest brother pretty much forced us (my brothers) since he had the car and driver’s license. I do vividly remember the ads on tv for it and even those were creepy. The eerie music, the slow title revelation and the very short snippets of the movie and the cracking egg and light effects. It wasn’t until early '80 that I snuck in to see this movie, at a midnight showing, at the now closed AMC Academy 6 in Greenbelt MD. The theaters were one of the first of the AMC’s in the DC area and were basically shoe box theaters with Dolby sound. The crowd was packed and for a pre-teen having not seeing such a film was shocking to say the least. The chest burster scene had people screaming as well as the other scenes involving the alien. What was especially cool was the final countdown when Ripley engages the auto destruct and runs through the Nostromo corridor with that cool strobe lighting effect in the theater.
When they released the re edited version in ‘04, I caught it in DLP and THX and thoroughly enjoyed it and the new scenes. Even though by that time I had seen the movie many times, the digital sound mix still had me and my movie going friend jumping during the scary scenes.
Even though I did not experience this movie in 70mm, it still is quite an experience in 35mm or even DP. They don’t make them like this anymore. I hear Ridley Scott is involved in a prequel. It should be interesting and one to see when it comes out.
I saw Wizard for the first time on film at Baltimore’s Senator Theater for its 60th anniversary back in ‘99. It was my first time to the theater and have been a patron since. The theater boasted a new print where the non-Oz scenes were in its original sepia tone and not color. I never knew or saw it that way. On tv, prior to that, it always in black and white then to color when Dorothy left her house and ventured into Munchkin Land and Oz. I brought my parents along and they, too, were totally enthralled with this viewing even though we’ve seen the movie many times on tv. And surprisingly, neither of them fell asleep during the show (they usually do during other movies which is why I seldom take them out.)
If an area theater has it on film, I’d rather see it there as opposed to HD TV. Its not in DP either. May as well watch it at home on tv.
Since he shot the movie in IMAX, I am especially looking forward to experiencing it in a TRUE IMAX venue and not the AMC IMAX-lite venues. True IMAX films are immersive but if you can add believable 3D, it can be something truly spectacular. I think Cameron is onto something really good.
10 was rip roaring tonight with the showing of GI Joe in DLP and no air conditioning. The auditorium was packed and unfortunately, my niece took too much time enjoying her dinner to realize we should leave to get good seats. We ended up sitting smack in row 1. While my neck did feel some discomfort, the film was enjoyable if a bit cliche with the set up and characters. Channing Tatum stars and acts every bit of a plastic doll come to life. After reading the Variety review, I will agree that some of the visual effects lack polish as if sequences were rushed. What had seemed to be an improvement over the Matrix Reloaded highway chase scene sputters due to some fx shots that lose focus or or cut too quickly to fully realize.
I’m curious as to how the place looks on the INSIDE. It went from a 980 seat theater, with balcony to only 298 seats? So what happened to all that space that opened up after the removal of the 700 seats or so. Also, does the place still have balcony seating for movies?
Not meaning to go way off topic, but there IS a newer 70mm print of WSS in circulation. Just go to in70mm.com and see for yourself. When WSS was here at the AFI, it was only in 35mm, but they always manage to get 2001 and Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm, but hardly anything else.
Now to the topic at hand :). My memory of first experiencing Dark Knight was in IMAX. Prior to its release, I had read that Director Nolan had filmed some scenes in IMAX and with the hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s death there was increased interest in seeing this movie. I remember that on Fandango, the King of Prussia IMAX had sold out its entire weekend of shows through late Sunday!
The movie was rather dark and, yes, Heath Ledger was good in it and there were some interesting twists at the end with the Commissioner. The masking of this movie was annoying as it has with movies like this that aren’t truly IMAX having the width but not height of a regular one. If only they had curtains to hide that dead open space, it would make the viewing more immersive. The few shots that were shot in IMAX were the action scenes towards the end, it just made you want the whole movie to be that way. Also, this particular IMAX theater doesn’t have the thundering bass that the best THX cert theaters can deliver.
In the end, with all the killing and bloodletting, I felt numbed. Christian Bale is numbing to watch on the big screen. He seems to always brood and be in a bad mood. Knowing that Ledger was dead also cast this dark cloud over the movie. That fact was also numbing. If I had surgical knowledge, I probably could have performed my own appendectomy without anesthesia being so numbed out. For these reasons and probably more..now that the feeling of numbness is coming back, this movie isn’t one of favorites, but the experience is memorable. :)
Unless I haven’t scrolled far enough up, has anyone experienced a movie here in the D-Box set up? I’m curious to know if it adds to the entertainment or is it just a gimmick? Also, are the screens at the Chinese 6 all the same size? The pictures Hollywood has seem to indicate Auditoriums 1 and 5 are the largest and have somewhat curved screens.
In the mid 90s, I went to Vegas and experienced Doug Trumbull’s Showscan 3D extravaganza at the Luxor Hotel. The screens were IMAX-huge and you wore these heavy 3D headsets that had speakers as you sat in motion controlled rocking seats. They were quite cool. I don’t remember the exact storyline but it seemed to be a journey through time. There were three parts and three different theaters. There was some prominence of an obelisk and lots of cool visual light shows and ending that reminded me of an expanded version of Back to the Future II’s depiction of a skyway. Anyway, D-Box sounds like a miniature version of what I experienced in Vegas. What made it work for me was of course, the humongous, yet clear screen size and sound inundation.
Just y’ll wait until December and I will unleash the most extravagant, stupendous, gar
gantuan, ravishing, spectacular 30th anniversary memory of that great classic…..
DRUMROLL….
Star Trek: The Motion Picture!!!! :)
I saw ‘Up’ in #5 in Dolby Digital. Unfortunately, it was not in 3D as it just left the Mall 11 before I had a chance to see it. The movie, itself, was engaging despite the lack of 3D. There are some decidedly adult moments 1/3 through the movie that I thought would be upsetting to some. Overall, the film was a delight and another Pixar hit. Surrounds were evident when needed to be and as the film was not digital, there were noticeable scratches screen hiccups towards the end.
I’m not sure why some of you object to the posting. Granted, the movie isn’t one of my favorites, it is hardly a classic, but to him it is a “memory” and was categorized as such and if memory serves me correctly, theatrical memories ARE a part of the site. To him, it is a treasured cinema moment. Perhaps, Justin should’ve written something more along the lines of his fond memory of experiencing this film in a grand IMAX theater such as NYC’s Lincoln Square. And if memory serves me correctly, last year someone did a posting about his/her memories of seeing Return of the Jedi 25 years ago? Did anyone object? Not that I recall.
My friend and I saw “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp in #4. They played a Dolby Digital EX trailer, a new one, or at least different from the one I remember at the Senator way back in ‘99. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice rear theater sound fx (in the trailer) to showcase the EX part sitting pretty close to the front. The film, overall was good, with decent sound.
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.
I may be wrong but as a patron of the Senator for many years, I’ve never noticed the movie screen to be curved.
I’ve recently returned from a vacation overseas and I would like to share the fact that in many areas, the prevalence of movie piracy is quite rampant. All it takes is a one or two people in a town and a storage device (USB pen drive, DVD, etc) to distribute them for free or little cost. Its no wonder movie houses are dying. If you can download it for free and its a good copy, many are, why pay?
In my theater going experience, its generally the closer I am to the city , the worse it becomes for cell phone usage. Even though the chains play the silence your cell phone message, you can see that annoying white light of someone texting or even talking on the phone. Maybe theaters should resort to using an in-theater dampening field to kill the signal going in or out.
I remember the few times the Uptown balcony was closed for shows, too, Norelco. It was usually during the slow periods like the fall and during the week when attendance was low, Besides, I’d like to be closer to the big screen to get that immersion experience of theatrical exhibition.
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….
I finally caught Star Trek, yesterday (Sun 5/25/09), here before it left the Ziegfeld. This was the first time I had to stand and wait before going into the theater. I suppose the last showing was especially trashy. The female usher took our tickets and told us we could sit anywhere we wanted. Wasn’t this always the case?Hoping to surpass my experience watching the last Star Wars movie, I was both pleased and disappointed. The sound and picture were superb. Even the pre-show commercials were unusually bright and colorful that made you take notice of them. I couldn’t believe myself actually watching all the commercials before the show! You’d never see anything like this at a Regal or AMC.
The movie seemed brighter with better contrast than the DP versions I’ve seen. Or, maybe its the fact I sat pretty close to the screen? Soundwise I heard surrounds I’ve never heard before, which was a pleasant surprise but there seemed to be less bass than I’ve been used to, especially in comparison to my local THX cert venue in Annapolis. Punches had less of an ‘oomph’ impact and during the Enterprises ‘escape from the grav pull of a forming black hole (hard to believe), it almost sounded as if the speaker was crackling from the high demands of the soundtrack.
This is the first time we had to wait in line before going in. I’m guessestimating there was a crowd of less than maybe 200, but a very enthusiastic group. Judging from the age range, I suspected most were repeat viewers but I could over hear conversation from behind me of first time viewers, who were familiar with the series, who thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well.
Unfortunately, my expectation of the Ziegfeld’s superb showmanship were diminished somewhat since the curtain was not used during the show. Additionally, they did not show the Dolby Digital Cinema trailer, either. If they aren’t going to consistently use it (curtain), remove the damn thing and be like every other boring multiplex.
Caught the new Terminator Salvation in #1, with the best sound in the area. The theater, itself, was barely full. I doubt this movie will open as big as Star Trek but the market it is saturated and perhaps attendance was fanned out. Unfortunately, they need to replace or use another THX trailer as when it was played, it was scratchy and did not properly showcase what this theater can do soundwise and projectionwise. I wish they’d bring back the popcorn seasonings.
My friend and I caught NIght at the Museum 2 here in IMAX (lite). The auditorium seems to be about the same size as the Columbia 14 but there are no seats along the main aisle. Its either above the railing or below. Overall, the presentation was good. The staff seemed pretty friendly and helpful. $14.50 for IMAX-lite… hmmm.
If it was, its hard to tell. When I saw a movie there it was just an ordinary theater, albeit small with a decent sized screen, say 30 feet maybe?
Oops. It should be senator.com. Sorry.
This venue has resumed operations as of 5/15/09. The status should be changed to open. Showtimes and info are at www.thesenator.com
If someone at Regal reads this, please tell someone with the power to improve the Regal theaters in the DC area. Projection, sound and service suck. Placating people with free passes after they complain doesn’t really help the situation. All service people should greet customers, offer assistance when possible, be attentive to patrons needs, secretly enter the auditoriums during the show and STAY for at least several minutes to monitor excessive talking, cell phone texting or other usage and/or any other disruptive behavior.
You mean to tell me that after a 9 month roll out, someone’s eyes are open to the fact that the AMC IMAX installs are really IMAX-lite ? Yet, in some markets, they charge even more than the REAL IMAX theaters? Here in the DC area, the Chantilly VA IMAX theater run by the Smithsonian charges $12.50 for the IMAX version of Star Trek. Yet, the area DC AMC IMAX-lite theaters charge $14.50 and up. After 5 screenings, I still think the THX Dolby Digital Cinema presentations are the overall superior theatrical experience. For me, the superior sound separation, clarity and bass boom just doesn’t cut it in the advertised 12000 watts of power that the AMC IMAX-lite venues boast.
Bill, thanks. I hope to make it up there next Sun. :)
Bercy, at the Senator in Baltimore, they would close and open the curtain before the main attraction so I guess it would depend on the venue. Towards the end of their operation though, I did notice that the curtain had to be manually (a worker had to pull them open) operated. Since the rest of the moviehouses in and around the DC Metro/Balto area where I’m at are multiplexes without curtains the discussion is moot.