I was there yesterday seeing ‘Studio 666’ and it was interesting to see that little changed, the seating from the Arclight is still in place AND surprise, surprise, the vertical masking, whether that was retained for the ultra-large screen (auditorium 6) remains to be seen.
I actually thought the grain retention of the original 35mm photography for the Dolby Vision transfer for ‘The Godfather’ looked quite good. The colors also looked good, and the black levels (and shadows) looking inky and dark.
As for ‘The Beatles concert’ movie in IMAX-laser, I thought they removed way too much grain from the image, it was very modern looking DNR processing. I also thought the volume setting and playback in IMAX was a bit much, I can see why the neighboring business and residents called the cops.
So I DID get a chance to see a movie on the ‘The Big Show’ screen last night, my film buddy called me up to see if I’d like to see the new Collin Farrell movie “After Yang” and I immediately obliged. It did not disappoint, while the movie itself was not Dolby Atmos, the 7.1 surround sound mix though was intricate and ethereal. I’m not sure how scope movies are presented on ‘The Big Show’ screen, since for ‘After Yang’ it was three AR’s: 4:3, 1.85, and 2.39
As I was in the neighborhood, actually today, March 2, was it’s reopening. I was curious to see what it looked like, that huge wall of posters was still there. I inquired about the Dolby Atmos systems, and I got the most convoluted, bonkers explanation of why ‘The Batman’ is not being presented as such - the manager explained it like twice and neither time it made any sense. He also explained that (the previous fourteen) auditorium sound systems have also been downgraded from 7.1 to now 5.1 surround.
I have yet to see a movie on ‘The Big Show’ screen but I did get a peek of the auditorium prior to the complex opening. What’s great about the seats and tables, is that’s not a long table as in other Alamo setups, they are individual tables - if you’ve been to Showplace ICON and the ICON-X screens seating/tables, it’s like those, they swing forward and back.
I was over in the neighborhood the other day and there is no liquor license signage up, but according to another friend, the older prior seats were being taken out earlier in the week. All I know at this point is that Landmark IS, and will be running this theatre. However there’s been some alarming news/rumours that they might twin the theater, which would be horrible. In somewhat related news, a friend, who up and just literally dumped me for reasons unknown, who worked for Alamo Drafthouse corporate, said that the December opening of the Rhode Island Ave. theatre’s ‘Big Show’ screen would exceed the Uptown’s screen by some twenty feet, making it the largest screen in DC proper.
another economic casualty of the COVID pandemic; I drove by this the other day and every sign and everything inside the glass doors is gone, this theatre is officially closed. DC, yet again, loses another movie theater
I thought I had heard a murmuring that another chain ([cough] ‘Cinemark’) was doing a hush-hush acquisition / interest of the space - ?? Honestly I wish Showplace ICON might take the bait, their Boro (Tyson’s Corner) location is the best in the DMV area, in terms of 2K/4K Barco laser projection and state of the art sound.
I was there a week ago for ‘Army of the Dead’ on one of the XD screens, I thought it looked fantastic. My understanding is that the projectors are Barco 4K laser. It’s a shame that Cinemark made the XD screens as Auro3D, they really should be Dolby Atmos, but that’s more of a personal preference.
Zootopialover98 - in my opinion, AMC or Regal are the last two chains I would want to come and step in, give me Cinemark or Showplace ICON, their theater complexes are more state of the art when it comes to top of the line Barco projectors, 7.1 audio and Dolby Atmos systems.
huge, unfortunate news for Arclight/Pacific theatres from Deadline:
EXCLUSIVE: Refresh for more details The last thing we needed to hear as the box office and exhibition were rebounding from the pandemic was a piece of bad news, but word spread like wild fire in distribution and exhibition circles that the Arclight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres won’t be reopening. The chain has issued a statement below.
Last week, I was hearing that the chain was shooting for a Memorial Day weekend reopening with A Quiet Place Part II and Cruella, now those hopes look dashed, and at an unfortunate time because it’s expected that Los Angeles County could get the opportunity to operate at 100% capacity in movie theaters well before California Governor Newsom’s June 15 wide-open order.
Here’s the chain’s statement:
‘After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations.
This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.
To all the Pacific and ArcLight employees who have devoted their professional lives to making our theaters the very best places in the world to see movies: we are grateful for your service and your dedication to our customers.
To our guests and members of the film industry who have made going to the movies such a magical experience over the years: our deepest thanks. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve you.'
I finally made it down here to see ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ last Thursday and ‘The Big Show’ impressed me. It’s a large auditorium that sits 256 patrons and overall image from the Barco 4K projector and Dolby Atmos sound really put it at the top of my favorite theaters in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area.
It was great to see the sign all lit up and featured in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’!
To answer a question I had originally asked: ‘Caligula’s theatrical run here was fifteen months, from March 28, 1980 and ended on June 30, 1981. The Washington Post advert has been included in the photos section.
For a major city in the US and having lived here since 1972 watching the decline of the ‘film scene’ and theaters come and go,it’s downright depressing. The Avalon is the last theater in the affluent Ward 3 section of the city.
on the whole, because there weren’t that many other patrons and the distance from one another was pretty significant, yes I did feel safe. Now going on the weekend when there is the potential for more folk, that’s where I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Because at the screening I attended I wasn’t proactively watching others eat, I wasn’t aware of the taking off their masks to eat/drink.
sorry Jodar, but I didn’t get any concession, the less contact or proximity to other folk was a top personal health priority. I did have to go to the restroom, something I was trying not to do, but with the running time of ‘Tenet’ it was unavoidable. I just wanted to go in and quickly out – I normally stay to watch the credits, but not this time. For the first show of the day, I’d say there were about 20 people in the IMAX auditorium.
I decided to risk it, and see ‘Tenet’ on the IMAX screen, and I have to say for the most part AMC is spacing out it’s patrons well enough far away from one another – it also helps to go by the guidelines of seeing a movie in the largest auditorium possible and the first matinee of the day which fewer patrons attend. There are also wipedown sheets one can take in and do a double cleaning of one’s seat. I will say it is rather painful to endure the standard twenty minutes of promos and trailers before a two and half hour movie, so when the credits began to roll, I shot out of there. It’s been noted that the IMAX screenings of ‘Tenet’ seemed to be amped up to ‘11’ thus drowning out dialogue, I only noticed this once.
This theater/building has a very interesting history (as noted in Robert K. Headley’s book: “Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C.”). Built in 1907-1908, the Masonic Auditorium began showing movies (and vaudeville) from 1908 (!). The first floor auditorium which ran the entire first floor was able to seat almost 1,800 people. A second auditorium was located on the fifth floor that seated about 700 patrons. When the building was converted into the museum, the first floor was remolded into a grand hall and a new 200 seat auditorium on the third floor.
This does not need an IMAX laser install – a top of the line 4K laser projector is the least it would need to be state of the art – pop in a Dolby Atmos system, the theater could and should feature the modern amenities of most chain theater ‘premier’ screens. Folk literally have no problem dropping $20 on average at Tyson’s for Dolby Cinema, and other luxury theaters in the area, there’s no reason why if another film exhibitor were to resume operation HAS to include laser projection and immersive audio when it’s become the norm. Reading the Post article was just depressing, sure running a one screen theater is a challenge, but it needs the community to back it and give some voice to the neighborhood if it truly wants it back, and it comes at a terrible time, when theaters nationwide and internationally are having a significant drop in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic. Booking Pixar’s ‘Onward’ there, which was Pixar’s second lowest grossing movie, and then having it’s next movie, the new James Bond, bumped to November, and then the sudden audience no-shows, just gave AMC the more excuses to just throw in the towel, just sad and unfortunate.
I find it fascinating that no one here has been to this theater and made any comments. What DID happen to the former ‘IDX’ screen, I would assume AMC kept the 7.1 surround sound setup, but corporate didn’t invest the time, money, or interest to upgrade it to ‘Prime’ or ‘Dolby Cinema’. Also, the theater’s name is just “AMC Loudoun Station 11” the ‘Starplex’ has been dropped.
uploaded new photograph of ‘Poster’ wall
I was there yesterday seeing ‘Studio 666’ and it was interesting to see that little changed, the seating from the Arclight is still in place AND surprise, surprise, the vertical masking, whether that was retained for the ultra-large screen (auditorium 6) remains to be seen.
I forgot to ask this while I was there, but any idea how tall the ‘The Big Show’ screen is ? anyone?
I actually thought the grain retention of the original 35mm photography for the Dolby Vision transfer for ‘The Godfather’ looked quite good. The colors also looked good, and the black levels (and shadows) looking inky and dark.
As for ‘The Beatles concert’ movie in IMAX-laser, I thought they removed way too much grain from the image, it was very modern looking DNR processing. I also thought the volume setting and playback in IMAX was a bit much, I can see why the neighboring business and residents called the cops.
So I DID get a chance to see a movie on the ‘The Big Show’ screen last night, my film buddy called me up to see if I’d like to see the new Collin Farrell movie “After Yang” and I immediately obliged. It did not disappoint, while the movie itself was not Dolby Atmos, the 7.1 surround sound mix though was intricate and ethereal. I’m not sure how scope movies are presented on ‘The Big Show’ screen, since for ‘After Yang’ it was three AR’s: 4:3, 1.85, and 2.39
As I was in the neighborhood, actually today, March 2, was it’s reopening. I was curious to see what it looked like, that huge wall of posters was still there. I inquired about the Dolby Atmos systems, and I got the most convoluted, bonkers explanation of why ‘The Batman’ is not being presented as such - the manager explained it like twice and neither time it made any sense. He also explained that (the previous fourteen) auditorium sound systems have also been downgraded from 7.1 to now 5.1 surround.
I have yet to see a movie on ‘The Big Show’ screen but I did get a peek of the auditorium prior to the complex opening. What’s great about the seats and tables, is that’s not a long table as in other Alamo setups, they are individual tables - if you’ve been to Showplace ICON and the ICON-X screens seating/tables, it’s like those, they swing forward and back.
Thursday March 3, 2022 reopening.
I was over in the neighborhood the other day and there is no liquor license signage up, but according to another friend, the older prior seats were being taken out earlier in the week. All I know at this point is that Landmark IS, and will be running this theatre. However there’s been some alarming news/rumours that they might twin the theater, which would be horrible. In somewhat related news, a friend, who up and just literally dumped me for reasons unknown, who worked for Alamo Drafthouse corporate, said that the December opening of the Rhode Island Ave. theatre’s ‘Big Show’ screen would exceed the Uptown’s screen by some twenty feet, making it the largest screen in DC proper.
another economic casualty of the COVID pandemic; I drove by this the other day and every sign and everything inside the glass doors is gone, this theatre is officially closed. DC, yet again, loses another movie theater
I thought I had heard a murmuring that another chain ([cough] ‘Cinemark’) was doing a hush-hush acquisition / interest of the space - ?? Honestly I wish Showplace ICON might take the bait, their Boro (Tyson’s Corner) location is the best in the DMV area, in terms of 2K/4K Barco laser projection and state of the art sound.
I was there a week ago for ‘Army of the Dead’ on one of the XD screens, I thought it looked fantastic. My understanding is that the projectors are Barco 4K laser. It’s a shame that Cinemark made the XD screens as Auro3D, they really should be Dolby Atmos, but that’s more of a personal preference.
Zootopialover98 - in my opinion, AMC or Regal are the last two chains I would want to come and step in, give me Cinemark or Showplace ICON, their theater complexes are more state of the art when it comes to top of the line Barco projectors, 7.1 audio and Dolby Atmos systems.
huge, unfortunate news for Arclight/Pacific theatres from Deadline:
EXCLUSIVE: Refresh for more details The last thing we needed to hear as the box office and exhibition were rebounding from the pandemic was a piece of bad news, but word spread like wild fire in distribution and exhibition circles that the Arclight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres won’t be reopening. The chain has issued a statement below.
Last week, I was hearing that the chain was shooting for a Memorial Day weekend reopening with A Quiet Place Part II and Cruella, now those hopes look dashed, and at an unfortunate time because it’s expected that Los Angeles County could get the opportunity to operate at 100% capacity in movie theaters well before California Governor Newsom’s June 15 wide-open order. Here’s the chain’s statement:
‘After shutting our doors more than a year ago, today we must share the difficult and sad news that Pacific will not be reopening its ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres locations.
This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.
To all the Pacific and ArcLight employees who have devoted their professional lives to making our theaters the very best places in the world to see movies: we are grateful for your service and your dedication to our customers.
To our guests and members of the film industry who have made going to the movies such a magical experience over the years: our deepest thanks. It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve you.'
https://deadline.com/2021/04/arclight-cinemas-and-pacific-theatres-wont-be-reopening-1234732936/
I finally made it down here to see ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ last Thursday and ‘The Big Show’ impressed me. It’s a large auditorium that sits 256 patrons and overall image from the Barco 4K projector and Dolby Atmos sound really put it at the top of my favorite theaters in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area.
It was great to see the sign all lit up and featured in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’!
To answer a question I had originally asked: ‘Caligula’s theatrical run here was fifteen months, from March 28, 1980 and ended on June 30, 1981. The Washington Post advert has been included in the photos section.
For a major city in the US and having lived here since 1972 watching the decline of the ‘film scene’ and theaters come and go,it’s downright depressing. The Avalon is the last theater in the affluent Ward 3 section of the city.
on the whole, because there weren’t that many other patrons and the distance from one another was pretty significant, yes I did feel safe. Now going on the weekend when there is the potential for more folk, that’s where I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Because at the screening I attended I wasn’t proactively watching others eat, I wasn’t aware of the taking off their masks to eat/drink.
sorry Jodar, but I didn’t get any concession, the less contact or proximity to other folk was a top personal health priority. I did have to go to the restroom, something I was trying not to do, but with the running time of ‘Tenet’ it was unavoidable. I just wanted to go in and quickly out – I normally stay to watch the credits, but not this time. For the first show of the day, I’d say there were about 20 people in the IMAX auditorium.
I decided to risk it, and see ‘Tenet’ on the IMAX screen, and I have to say for the most part AMC is spacing out it’s patrons well enough far away from one another – it also helps to go by the guidelines of seeing a movie in the largest auditorium possible and the first matinee of the day which fewer patrons attend. There are also wipedown sheets one can take in and do a double cleaning of one’s seat. I will say it is rather painful to endure the standard twenty minutes of promos and trailers before a two and half hour movie, so when the credits began to roll, I shot out of there. It’s been noted that the IMAX screenings of ‘Tenet’ seemed to be amped up to ‘11’ thus drowning out dialogue, I only noticed this once.
I saw countless movies here, but the first one I remember seeing as a kid was the ‘Pippi Longstocking’ movie that came out in 1973.
updated in the photo section to include the 70mm 1989 re-release Washington Post advert for “The Ten Commandments”
This theater/building has a very interesting history (as noted in Robert K. Headley’s book: “Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C.”). Built in 1907-1908, the Masonic Auditorium began showing movies (and vaudeville) from 1908 (!). The first floor auditorium which ran the entire first floor was able to seat almost 1,800 people. A second auditorium was located on the fifth floor that seated about 700 patrons. When the building was converted into the museum, the first floor was remolded into a grand hall and a new 200 seat auditorium on the third floor.
This does not need an IMAX laser install – a top of the line 4K laser projector is the least it would need to be state of the art – pop in a Dolby Atmos system, the theater could and should feature the modern amenities of most chain theater ‘premier’ screens. Folk literally have no problem dropping $20 on average at Tyson’s for Dolby Cinema, and other luxury theaters in the area, there’s no reason why if another film exhibitor were to resume operation HAS to include laser projection and immersive audio when it’s become the norm. Reading the Post article was just depressing, sure running a one screen theater is a challenge, but it needs the community to back it and give some voice to the neighborhood if it truly wants it back, and it comes at a terrible time, when theaters nationwide and internationally are having a significant drop in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic. Booking Pixar’s ‘Onward’ there, which was Pixar’s second lowest grossing movie, and then having it’s next movie, the new James Bond, bumped to November, and then the sudden audience no-shows, just gave AMC the more excuses to just throw in the towel, just sad and unfortunate.
I find it fascinating that no one here has been to this theater and made any comments. What DID happen to the former ‘IDX’ screen, I would assume AMC kept the 7.1 surround sound setup, but corporate didn’t invest the time, money, or interest to upgrade it to ‘Prime’ or ‘Dolby Cinema’. Also, the theater’s name is just “AMC Loudoun Station 11” the ‘Starplex’ has been dropped.