Embassy Theatre
10 Kent Terrace,
Wellington
6011
10 Kent Terrace,
Wellington
6011
8 people
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The Embassy is now a triplex with two smaller cinemas on the ground level
You are both wrong ABCDE and Robert. The stalls were used when 70mm was installed but only for a very short time.I saw all of the 70mm films shown there until 1967.
The 70ml screen was originally to go into the Majestic but the theatre owners would not allow the radical alterations needed to install it. When put in the Embassy the screen was so large that the sight lines were so bad that they couldnt use the downstairs seating as the overhang of the balcony cut out half the screen.They could only use the balcony seating of about 800. This caused programming problems as big films like James Bond had a minimum seating requirement of not less than 1000. Thus the big screen could not be used for a lot of the blockbusters that it was intended to be used for.
The Embassy Theatre had the Australasian premieres for “The Lord of the rings, The Fellowship of the ring”, “The Lord of the rings, The Two towers”, and the World Premiere of “The Lord of the rings, The Return of the king”.
Meant to say the largest 70mm screen in Australasia ,not Australia
Several rows in the stalls were used when 70mm was installed.You had to strain your neck and eventually they closed the stalls.I did sit there once but never again.The theatre manager’s brother was an actor in the fifties. It was truly the only place to see 70mm. The nearby Kings also had a fantastic 70mm screen ,only 2 feet smaller than the Embassy.The Embassy had the largest 70mm screen in Australia.Nothing in Australia or New Zealand matched the awesome screen as far as 70mm went.Australian 70mm screens were always small. I also worked at the State(later called Cinerama),Plaza,Kings,Tudor(later called Lido). as well as the Paramount. (as did my parents).As a child I remember cinemascope being installed at The Kings and seeing 3D at the Tudor.
Just to correct the info given above, the 70mm screen and proscenium was installed in 1960 not 1965.
The first 70mm film shown was “Porgy and Bess”.
More historical information and photos on the Embassy here:
View link
Now operated by Sky City Cinemas, still only one screen.
A recent exterior photograph of the Embassy Theatre with a “Lord of the Rings” ‘extra’:
View link
This lovely theatre is protected by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust with a Grade 1 listing.
I am trying to see if I got this right. When 70mm was installed the screen was hung high and the orchestra was not used? Then they built two new cinemas under the balcony?
This is the official site for the Trust that owns the building. Lots more pictures here.
http://www.theembassytheatretrust.org.nz/
Here are some pictures & sound details.
View link
The Embassy underwent a major restoration/re-development in 2003 as a precursor for the World Premiere of Peter Jackson’s RETURN OF THE KING. The “tacky” proscenium installed in 1965 for 70mm was removed and the huge screen was moved higher and further back – this time a new proscenium was created that is in keeping with the existing style of the interior and one would never know it is not original.
The stalls, which hadn’t been used since 70mm was installed, were finally sealed off and two new cinemas were built in this disused space. Other improvements include: air-conditoning, reduced seating to accomodate wider rows & bigger more luxurious seats, foyer refurbishment, new 35mm/70mm projector & all Digital sound formats. A great cinema to see a movie – the sound and picture rock!
A
Kindest regards Embassy Theatre: I’m writing from the US, re: a communication from kiwiattic.com, for the final movie of the “Lord of the Rings.” I’d like to be apart of this, and would like to be put on a mailing list, updates list, how to what to do list, to get info to plan for the event. Are you doing that yet? If so, what do you need from me? Thank you in advance for your assistance, and cheers to “leanne” at kiwiattic.com, and others in your community, including your mayor, government, and tourism, for giving the early word to spur people to share in this, with your country. Best regards, Carrie Thomas