SIFF Cinema Downtown
2100 4th Avenue,
Seattle,
WA
98121
2100 4th Avenue,
Seattle,
WA
98121
48 people
favorited this theater
Showing 176 - 200 of 273 comments
It also may be that the system is completely automated and not programed correctly. I have seen this same senario happen in other theatres. The concept of projection is vastly becoming left with a few of us and with todays automated projection booths no one to pass the craft on to. In a venue like the Cinerama you would think that the nature of the theatre would demand that projection be done correctly. Sadly, apparently not!
Interesting. I only saw that problem with Indy. I’ve seen a number of films there and that’s the only time it happened for me. I thought maybe it may be the unfamiliarity presenting 70mm, but I could be wrong.
“There was a problem when they started it up. Lights went down, curtain parted, and…nothing”.
Actually that alone, is a common problem at the Cinerama. Happened with Iron Man 2, and every movie I see there. Great theatre, but I don’t think the current projection staff knows how to use the curtain properly. The curtain opens, then you wait, and wait, and wait for the film to start. They SHOULD NOT open the curtian until the first frames hit the screen and the lights begin to dim for dramatic effect. At least that’s how it was done traditionally! They are practically the only theater left in Seattle with a screen curtian. They should use them correctly!
Listed below are the films which played at the Cinerama from its opening in 1963 through 1976. Research is from microfilms of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Variety. The dates are the Wednesday of the opening week.
01/23/63 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
04/10/63 How the West Was Won
04/22/64 It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
03/24/65 The Greatest Story Ever Told
08/11/65 The Hallelujah Trail
11/03/65 The Greatest Story Ever Told
12/22/65 Battle of the Bulge
03/30/66 Russian Adventure
06/29/66 Khartoum
10/12/66 The Appaloosa
11/09/66 Texas Across the River
12/21/66 Gambit
02/01/67 Grand Prix
10/04/67 Thoroughly Modern Millie
05/29/68 2001: A Space Odyssey
11/19/69 Ice Station Zebra
02/25/70 Krakatoa, East of Java
04/29/70 Ben-Hur
05/13/70 2001: A Space Odyssey
06/17/70 A Boy Named Charlie Brown
07/01/70 2001: A Space Odyssey
07/29/70 Two Mules for Sister Sara
08/05/70 Catch-22
12/23/70 Song of Norway
05/05/71 Julius Caesar
05/19/71 They Might Be Giants
06/09/71 The Andromeda Strain
09/22/71 Two-Lane Blacktop
10/06/71 The Devils
11/03/71 Carry on Camping
11/10/71 Bless the Beasts and the Children
11/17/71 Ryan’s Daughter
12/22/71 Sometimes A Great Notion
02/09/72 A Clockwork Orange
06/14/72 Silent Running
07/19/72 Frenzy
08/16/72 The Man
08/23/72 Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex…
11/08/72 Cancel My Reservation
11/15/72 Oh, Calcutta!
12/20/72 The Great Waltz
01/31/73 Innocent Bystanders
02/07/73 Up the Sandbox
03/14/73 Save the Tiger
04/11/73 Brother Sun, Sister Moon
05/02/73 Camelot
06/20/73 The Friends of Eddie Coyle
07/11/73 This is Cinerama
08/15/73 Romeo and Juliet
09/19/73 Blume in Love
10/17/73 Electra Glide in Blue
11/14/73 Executive Action
12/19/73 The Day of the Dolphin
02/27/74 The Exorcist
07/17/74 That’s Entertainment
11/13/74 The Gambler
12/25/74 Freebie and the Bean
03/12/75 Funny Lady
07/16/75 Rollerball
09/24/75 Undercovers Hero
10/15/75 Three Days of the Condor
12/24/75 Dog Day Afternoon
02/11/76 Barry Lyndon
03/31/76 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
06/23/76 Logan’s Run
08/25/76 The Return of A Man Called Horse
10/06/76 A Matter of Time
11/03/76 Shout at the Devil
12/22/76 A Star is Born
Saw Indy today. The print was in pretty good shape. There was a problem when they started it up. Lights went down, curtain parted, and…nothing. About 30 seconds later, the sound started to spin up. When the audio was coming up, there was no picture. No Paramount logo or anything else. Then the picture came on and it was just in time for the title. Then it all went blank and silent again. Another 10 seconds and then audio spun up, everything came back up like it should. After that, no problems whatsoever. I know projecting 70MM is different than 35MM, but what is the difference that would cause this kind of problem? A similar audio problem happened when Lawrence was here in Feb. 08.
Awesome! Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 70MM starting this Sunday! View link
I was a bit upset to hear that the Cinerama showed “Vertigo” earlier in the year—this is my alltime favorite film. After the restoration release around ten years ago the Cinerama had an exclusive showing of the film for a good period of time (might have been a month), and I saw it at least five times. It was simply amazing. I haven’t seen it in 70mm since, but will now be keeping my eyes open in case it returns—and I hope it does.
I am curious as to what quality these prints are that are going to be shown. Its one thing if its a seldom used studio print, or even a new print but judging by the titles, I’d think they would be older prints. If anyone happens to attend any of these showings, blog and tell us, please, so those of us in the other parts of the country know that there is a good print of a particular 70mm movie we could get at our local 70mm filmhouse.
Little Shop of Horrors in 70MM later this month:
View link
I just forwarded a link to this page to vulcan.com (Attn Paul Allen). I don’t know if it will make a difference, but let’s hope so!
So here I am 40 miles south of Chicago. I have no idea what is going on way up in Seattle. My guess is that the Seattle CINERAMA is doing a GOOD job of telling the Seattle area about it’s 70mm films. I decide that perhaps I can help in my small way by listing the films on Cinema Treasures just in case someone in the Seattle area looks here and decides this is something they want to see. What can it hurt? What a surprise to find out the Seattle CINERAMA did not advertise it, only (on their website)! 20 people, 70mm, beautiful theater, what a waste, what a sin. Someone should be hung by their ——–!
It reminds me of the late Walt Disney’s quote on publicity “NEVER MISS AN ANGLE!”.
A bunch of you up in the Seattle area ought to send this to Paul Allen.
PUBLICITY!
A small correction. There’s also a showing on Thursday the 5th at 8PM as well.
I had the opportunity to see “The Untouchables” last Thursday and what an experience it was. The print the Cinerama obtained was flawless with no scratches or color fading. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that the print had just come from the lab—it was that good!
There’s only one screening left on Tuesday, March 3, at 8 PM. If you’re in the Seattle-Tacooma area, do yourself a favor and see it.
The Seattle Cinerama is to be commmended for bringing back these films. Unfortunately, the only advertising for the series is on their website. There were only about 20 people in the audience when I saw it and, with numbers like that, I can’t imagine them continuing this series. So I’ll just repeat what Bob Jensen said above: “To keep 70mm films coming to the Cinerama, please go see these films!”
From
http://www.in70mm.com/now_showing/index.htm
Coming to the Seattle Cinerama
In 70mm Dolby Stero
“The Untouchables"
Tuesday 2/24/2009
Thursday 2/26/2009
Sunday 3/1/2009
Tuesday 3/3/2009
“Gremlins"
Sunday 3/15/2009
Tuesday 3/17/2009
Thursday 3/19/2009
Sunday 3/22/2009
Tuesday 3/24/2009
Thursday 3/26/2009
To keep 70mm films coming to the CINERAMA, please go see these films!
Yeah…and The Untouchables in 70MM as well! Sweet!! I think I’ll pass on Gremlins, though…
Damn, now I’m jealous of ya’ll in Seattle. You guys get to see Vertigo not only at the Cinerama, but in 70MM too.
Ah, if only plane or train tickets cost $5.
Vertigo is coming! Cool!
View link
Has anyone been here since the new seats and twinkly ceiling stars were installed? It was pretty comfy before…
Calm down, Leon. The Seattle Cinerama DOES HAVE – and USE – CURTAINS.
AND, contrary to popular belief, the standard screen that they use to show non-Cinerama films is slightly curved as well.
The screen in the photo is gorgeous.
The Rivoli and the Warner had huge curved screens though to be honest I don’t don’t know to what extent.
Seeing 2001 at the Rivoli was such an overwhelming experience for me that I don’t want to see it again on a flat screen. It was one of the greatest movie experiences of my life. It gave you a sense of 3 D but it was better. Things did not pop out at you like a gimmick.
The Warner also showed 3 strip Cinerama. I would like to know however if their screen of the 60’s and 70’s was different. Also the Capitol when it was showing movies like Zhivago and Planet of the Apes.
If distortion is a problem I thought you could rectfy most of it with lens. Who would notice?. Yes the movie aficiandos, but who else in today’s day and age? I mean we are not in 1952. I’ve seen some pretty lousy presentations and it seems I’m the only one who complains so they just think I’m being difficult.
OK so if they have to change the screen to have 3 strip couldn’t they have as someone said above showing at the same time films like Lawrence, Magnificent Men, 2001 SOM and many others so that the curved screen could be utilized for longer periods of time once a year?
Otherwise Cinerama in the name of the theater is considerably less than accurate.
And I hope they use curtains otherwise an important effect is thrown away.
At the Rivoli when you suddenly see that Hal is reading their lips the curtains started to close with the screen getting narrower slowly focusing on Hal.
Shocking and unbelievably chilling.
And if you were never in the Rivoli, Warner, or Criterion in New York to see 70mm than you have nothing to tell your grandchildren.
Maybe Leon is referring to the fact that the Seattle Cinerama screen is louvered (the Dome’s isn’t), when he states that it is the “only” Cinerama screen in the nation. A point that some Cinerama purists (not me however) may agree. The 3-strip shows at the Dome are terrific, and the recent 70 mm screening of “2001” there was a knockout.
In retrospect, tearing down the screen for the “2001” shows earlier this year, really did not make much sense, considering the fact that they were still running their regular fare on the flat screen. The downtime due to the labor involved (as stated in the above post by D Roben) was simply not justifiable, as opposed to the situation where a full week of Cinerama features are scheduled, and all the films would take advantage of the curvature and screen size.
JSA
With all due respect, Leon…
First off, the Seattle Cinerama is not the only three-panel Cinerama theater in the US. The Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles is also equipped to show original Cinerama and has for the past few years on a sporadic basis (as has the Seattle Cinerama).
Second, when Paul Allen bought the Cinerama, he was thinking out of the box. Sure, the big curved screen is impressive, but showing any 35MM print (especially scope)on that screen results in a horrible distortion of the projected image as well as creating a focusing nightmare.
Now, I can’t speak to the theaters you mentioned, but it’s very possible that those screen curvatures were at 120 degrees (a lesser curve) vs. the Cinerama’s 146 degrees (a very deep curve). The problems I mentioned above are not as evident on a 120 degree screen, but still are an issue.
Thirdly, don’t forget that the Seattle Cinerama is a business. Removing the “flat” screen and then putting it up again takes many man hours and results in lost revenues. It is not a cheap undertaking.
When the Seattle Cinerama schedules another week-long Cinerama/70MM festival, you can be sure that the flat screen will come down. And, as I’ve stated before, I will post details here as soon as it is announced.
Reading above comments about the flat screen and the curved screen behind it why in the world are they showing 2001 on a flat screen when they have the only Cinerama screen in the country?
Too much assembly required is a pretty lame excuse. Then why have a Cinerama screen if you hardly ever use it?
And what I especially don’t get is the fact that The Capitol and the Warner Cinerama, and Rivoli in NY often had 35 mm presentations between their 70mm films. And when I saw the salute to 70mm in the late 70’s at the Warner I hardly think they went to such trouble to present it. Also I saw Superman 2 there and it was the same screen.
The Rivoli occasionally showed 70mm in the 70' which I saw on the wide curved screen. I never heard of a screen change and it would not have been worth it especially over night.
Somebody at the Seattle needs to think out of the box.
I meant AMC.
I wonder how the theatre became the main theatre in Seattle for CC/DVS presentations. A good move by Mr. Allen, helping entertain the hearing and visually impared.