AFI Silver Theatre
8633 Colesville Road,
Silver Spring,
MD
20910
8633 Colesville Road,
Silver Spring,
MD
20910
24 people
favorited this theater
Showing 176 - 200 of 374 comments
Enjoyed yesterday beautiful 70mm print of “Patton” in the historic auditorium. Had missed it early last year when it was shown prior to the 1st 70mm “spectacular” (film festival) so am thankful it was included in the current 2nd series. I asked & confirmed this was the DTS sound version. Sound was also great. Internet research reveals that in 2002, all prints were a wreck, so a new print was created.
more specs: Christie (4K) projectors, 7.1 surround sound on all screens, digital 3D as well.
another facebook message/confirmation is that playback can be projected 4K. Here’s also a link to the mini 70mm film fest that also makes mention to the Silver’s new DCP system: http://www.afi.com/silver/films/2013/p62/70mmspectacularpart2.aspx#sound
actually I shot the Silver a facebook message regarding future DCP presentations and they gave a response saying – it will begin as soon as next month. (I, of course, forgot to ask if they will be able to project 4K content).
‘Jedi’ would be cool in 70mm, but I’m thinking that it’s 35mm. Lucasfilms I seriously doubt would let them screen the film from projected bluray and the Silver can’t (as I understand it) show actual DCP’s. That has to change though, since the major studios are now threatening all new movies in 35mm will cease as of 2014. I saw ‘Lifeforce’ last year and I haven’t heard a 70mm feature THAT loud – the tremendous ending and notably the ending with the crescendo of music was hair raising and simply jaw dropping – don’t miss it this time Jodar!
JodarMovieFan, I’ve glanced at the online calendar. Films that were filmed in 65mm and so possibly will be part of the 70mm series (in addition to those you listed) include in July, Star! and in August, Samsara, Ice Station Zebra, and Cleopatra
Rechecking the AFI site, today, they have the rest of summer’s calendar and from the looks of it they must be having a 70mm series. I see the usual ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ booked. Tobe Hooper’s ‘Lifeforce’ returns, ‘The Master.’ Curiously, they’ve got ‘Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’ but I sincerely doubt its 70mm, especially with the recent tweaking by George Lucas, its probably either Blu-Ray or DP. ‘Sound of Music’ and ‘Hello Dolly!’ could also be in 70mm but there are no hyperlinks or announcements to indicate presentation formats as of this posting. Jedi would be great to see in 70mm especially for the speeder bike sequence on Endor and, of course, the space battles at the end.
I missed ‘Lifeforce’ the last time around. Based on prior AFI Silver experience, I wonder if it will surpass my memory of watching it the first time at the old Ontario in DC. That was an unforgettable experience…I can still smell the ‘paint’ from that theater’s remodel and the skylights beaming against the skies. The last few AFI 70mm showings were subdued soundwise.
It looks like fun!
Howard, this is true about the 70mm series. I was just hoping we’d have some counter programming to the traditional summer movie fare. Even if its a blown up print, I am nostalgic for the multi track sound that makes that experience of immersion . After seeing the latest Superman movie and paying for the IMAX-lite premiums for the other films, it would be nice to see something different. I believe there’s an anniversary up with Gettysburg (the battle). The bookstore near me has lots of commemorative books and magazines.
I frequently check out the west coast theater websites such as Arclight, Aero and Cinematheque just to see whats going on with their programming. Occasionally, I come across a 70mm booking that would be great if they could get here. Of course, those theaters are close to the studios where it would probably be easier to get bookings .
JodarMovieFan, I saw “Gettysburg” in 35mm when it was released and thought it excellent. It is 70mm blow up. I think the 70mm series is likely films that aren’t blow up, and am eager to see the full list (not yet available online).
‘Gettysburg’ is supposedly booked here on 7/5 and 7/7 in 70mm. I vaguely remember this film coming out to not so great reviews and that it runs too long. Something along the lines of a bloated Ted Turner film. I didn’t see it in its first run, not for the aforementioned reasons. So far, this is the only 70mm film booked this summer. July’s calendar isn’t even posted, yet…
There is a 70mm Film Festival in NY, NY sponsored by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Unlike AFI Silver, they are screening “Star!,” “The Sound of Music” and “My Fair Lady” in 70mm – 3 films I had really hoped AFI would have offered but did not. I also agree with Giles – there should have been more evening screenings at AFI Silver. In the summer, many of us are away on the weekends or just caught up doing other things which are difficult to get away from.
so if you saw it in DP, you obviously didn’t see it here at the AFI, personally I wasn’t wow’d by the story or the movie on the whole, but in supporting 70mm releases, sometimes you just got to suck it up and give your money to the cause, and support.
Any news on how well the movie is doing here? I saw ‘The Master’ in DP but was underwhelmed by the story…Forgive my simplistic summation, but all I got from it was that Joaquin Phoenix character is a sexually repressed drunk, seeks answers from Phillip Hoffman’s Ron Hubbard-like character, fails, but finds happiness at the end, by meeting and getting laid by a bar floozy. So..there is a happy ending, after all to a ‘happy ending.’ :–)
What I did like was the acting. For sure, Joaquin and Hoffman will get nominations for their acting. Phoenix has come a long way from when I first saw him ‘Inventing the Abbots’ and the jealous schemer in ‘Gladiator.’ Hoffman, proves again, what a great character film actor he can be.
For sure, the DP print I saw, captured an excellent first generation scan, presumably 65mm. Colors, texture, even the wrinkles of Joaquin’s face in the opening shot, with what looked like rosacea could be seen…so is it worth seeing AGAIN?
yes, the print was stunning, but the sound I thought sounded too strident and overly loud at times – all in all though, thank you P.T. Anderson and the Weisteins for actually releasing a ‘new’ movie in 70mm – let’s the floodgates open now [okay it’s a pipedream, but I hope some director’s take note and realize the potential 70mm still has (I want to hear what a modern soundtrack can sound like in five front channel mag sound)]
I saw “The Master” here in 70mm on the 21st at 7:15. The show was almost sold out, which I honestly didn’t expect. The print was stunning.
I will probably see it mid-week. From what I’ve gleaned from a few reviews, there probably isn’t much surround sound but the Post makes comment about it being visually stunning. If its that good, I’ll probably check out the 1 35mm venue and the digital print for comparisons.
Howard, I’m surprised they didn’t use the curtain at the Ziegfield for at least this movie. I’m sure they had a projectionist running the movie since it is 70mm, why couldn’t he just push the button to open and close the curtain, too?
Yesterday, saw “The Master” in 70mm at the Ziegfeld in NYC, where it looked stunning! No use of curtain, and no surround sound but the score was great. At least a few hundred people attended the 3:30 PM show. Anybody see it here at the AFI?
Visiting from out of town, I liked the weekend matinees! They had 2 or 3 screenings of each film, so sure, they can show one in the evening, too.
I would like to see the AFI website identify the auditorium any film is to show in. 70mm can only be shown in the historic auditorium, but I’d like to know for the 35mm shows which films will be there.
not to be a broken record about this, but if and when the Silver gets around to doing another 70mm film fest – I really hope they get a clue and showcase the films in the evenings – the weekend (and weekday) screenings were TOO early. The missing of ‘Those Magnificent Men’ was a bitter disappointment.
:–) You know, Giles, I wasn’t planning on seeing it because of what you guys blogged about the possibility of them showing a pinkish print. I missed most of the 70mm screenings for lack of interest and because I work more weekends now. I had to leave as the end credits started. Today, is my brother’s birthday.. Blog about Chicken @ Landmark’s page. I wouldn’t mind seeing that and Samsara this week if I can finish my work early.
I’m going to have low expectations for “The Master.” This way when I see it, I’ll be amazed. ;–)
I hear what you’re saying about not having a trailer in front of “South Pacific.” Back in the day when they had 70mm event films, 70mm trailers were almost equally or even more exciting because you had the w-i-d-e format and the superior surround sound to get excited about what’s coming. Since “The Master” sounds like one of those event films, at least as far as 70mm is concerned, not the fact that its a big action adventure movie, I think it deserved a plug here. I think there probably was no 70mm trailer to tack on to the beginning of “South Pacific” anyway.
wish I had known you were there Jodar, I would have said hi – I had to unfortunately fly out of there right at the end of the cast end title crawl – was meeting some friends over at Landmark Bethesda for a screening of ‘Chicken with Plums’ – they had the longest trailer I’ve seen for ‘The Master’ – can’t wait!
I liked how the overture/movie just started, sometimes the trailers diminish the effect of a movie- particularly musicals.
After reading the comments yesterday, I was hesitant about seeing “South Pacific” today, but I did anyway. I made an excuse to leave work a few hours early to catch the 1pm show.
They started 2 minutes late, with the overture music. The curtains were used. I think there was just one part in the beginning where the color was pinkish. The sound was all in the front. No surrounds. Other than that, like Howard has posted, the colors were quite good for an older film. Howard, I was thinking the same thing when I saw Ray Walston. I grew up watching him on tv, too, but years later when that program was into syndication.
They are already pre-selling tickets for next week’s new 70mm movie “The Master.” I haven’t seen any preview yet. I was thinking they’d show it today but pre show ads, no nothing. Straight to the movie. They are reporting on the news, that that movie has the highest per-screen average this weekend of any other. Hopefully, this will bode well for the AFI Silver here next weekend.
Once again, they did not have decent pretzels. Rushing straight to the theater, I had to satisfy myself with junk food..the hot dogs. They now serve the skinny Nathan kind as opposed to the larger Costco-type they used to serve. I think they microwave them now as opposed to the roller grill. Thankfully, I did not develop stomach problems as one of the hot dogs was not quite hot. They must improve on the food items. Quality wise and selection wise.
saw ‘South Pacific’ this afternoon – impressed, but not completely wowed by the print – ‘Lord Jim’ looked the most mint in condition of the four 70mm films I saw. The sound was gorgeous, aside from a smidgen of the dialogue echoing into the surrounds, was this mag sound? Decent turn out of folk too!
I really enjoyed the gorgeous print today of “South Pacific” The color filters didn’t damage the fun. Overture music before curtain opened, intermission at 1 hr 40 min, music again at end of intermission & at end of movie. Sound was excellent. 70mm beauty of this film beats the living daylights out of anything in 2k. I agree with other Internet reviewers who said this film isn’t right for a TV screen, that you need to see it on a larger screen (like the AFI Silver main auditorium) When Ray Walston appeared on screen, I expected to see antennas arise from his head, having watched so much of the TV show “My Favorite Martian” long ago.
That use of those color filters at certain points in the film has been controversial since the time of the film’s original release. Some people think it was some odd photographic choice, but actually it was Logan’s carrying over from his stage production this use of color filters to establish a mood. It appears to have worked on stage, but many (including myself) do not think it is effective on film. It is just another example of Logan’s inadequacy as a film director.
Considering what could have been done with a lush tropical setting, this version of “South Pacific” (which is well-acted with that wonderful score) looks very static with many scenes evidencing a “nail the camera to the floor” (or, in this case, “anchor the camera in the sand”) approach. One can only wonder what the film would have been like if Robert Wise had been chosen as the director; now there’s someone who understood what a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical could look like in Todd-AO.