Yes Doug, I agree with you whole-heartedly. While I argued in favor of Arclight, my overall point was that each has its own attractions, and Arclight should not be put down for having a different aesthetic. Both types are enjoyable, and favoring one over another is merely a matter of taste.
I’ve been reading the arguments regarding gaudy opulence vs. cheap minimalism in theaters. I personally enjoy the baroque beauty of our historic filmhouses, as they remind us of the Golden Age of Hollywood. They are the places to take the kids or out-of-towners who are surely as awestruck as we are at the grandeur of them. BUT, for those who wish to see the FILM, Arclight is King. The black-box format dispenses with the flash and drama of glittery wall fixtures and points only to the screen. Rather than speaking to me of cheapness (to the contrary, a friend who worked on the construction of the auditoriums assures me that no expense was spared, and anyone familiar with the stage or cinema knows that flashy rarely equals expensive) they speak to me of concern for a focus on the experience of sight and sound. Even the finest painting can be overwhelmed by an overly loud frame, and Arclight obviously understands that bright, brassy fixtures belong only in suburban multiplexes and in Wal-Mart at Christmastime.
I just finished watching Star Wars Episode III at the Dome (for the fourth time there), and the digital projection and rich, powerful sound were flawless from the first frame to the last. The quality of film presentation at Arclight is without rival, in my experience. For the Hollywood buff, the after-film treats are in the lobby, where gems of movie craft, usually related to the Dome feature, are cleanly and respectfully displayed. No, I don’t work for Arclight or Pacific Theaters—I just like them that much. And while there is surely something to be said for the older, more opulent venues, if you feel that Arclight is “too cheap” to wear anything other than black, then stick to your local mall, and stop annoying me with your criticisms.
Yes Doug, I agree with you whole-heartedly. While I argued in favor of Arclight, my overall point was that each has its own attractions, and Arclight should not be put down for having a different aesthetic. Both types are enjoyable, and favoring one over another is merely a matter of taste.
I’ve been reading the arguments regarding gaudy opulence vs. cheap minimalism in theaters. I personally enjoy the baroque beauty of our historic filmhouses, as they remind us of the Golden Age of Hollywood. They are the places to take the kids or out-of-towners who are surely as awestruck as we are at the grandeur of them. BUT, for those who wish to see the FILM, Arclight is King. The black-box format dispenses with the flash and drama of glittery wall fixtures and points only to the screen. Rather than speaking to me of cheapness (to the contrary, a friend who worked on the construction of the auditoriums assures me that no expense was spared, and anyone familiar with the stage or cinema knows that flashy rarely equals expensive) they speak to me of concern for a focus on the experience of sight and sound. Even the finest painting can be overwhelmed by an overly loud frame, and Arclight obviously understands that bright, brassy fixtures belong only in suburban multiplexes and in Wal-Mart at Christmastime.
I just finished watching Star Wars Episode III at the Dome (for the fourth time there), and the digital projection and rich, powerful sound were flawless from the first frame to the last. The quality of film presentation at Arclight is without rival, in my experience. For the Hollywood buff, the after-film treats are in the lobby, where gems of movie craft, usually related to the Dome feature, are cleanly and respectfully displayed. No, I don’t work for Arclight or Pacific Theaters—I just like them that much. And while there is surely something to be said for the older, more opulent venues, if you feel that Arclight is “too cheap” to wear anything other than black, then stick to your local mall, and stop annoying me with your criticisms.