Vue Westfield Shepherd's Bush
Ariel Way,
London,
W12 7GF
Ariel Way,
London,
W12 7GF
1 person
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Re-visited a couple of months ago to attend a preview screening in Auditorium 6 (Xtreme.)
The auditorium has been completely reseated per Vue’s current choice of “house” seating.
The standard seating, with “velour”-type upholstery, is the same as Vue Eltham and, if I’m not mistaken, the VIP seating is also. (Photos of both seating types can be seen on Cinema Treasures' Vue Eltham pages.)
Not being “important”—much less “very important!”—in relation this event, standard seating was the only option, and I ended up seated in the last row auditorium. (Fortunately centre of row.)
I noted on the Vue Eltham page that the standard seating did not have an appearence in line with current expectations, and on briefly trying out one of these seats at the Eltham location, did not seem to be very comfortable. My revised view is that in some respects they do feel luxurious (e.g. good upholstery), but the comfort level really is inadequate, even for basic standard seating.
In terms of picture/sound quality, both were very good; much in line with my experiences in Auditorium 9 over at this cinema’s adjacent “sibling” (Shepherds Bush,) suggesting a good level of maintenance.
The new seating certainly gives a refreshed feel. The VIP seating should now be very comfortable indeed—I did not like the previously installed type—and comfortably positioned, so the Xtreme auditoria could now be good places to see a film.
Of course, whether or not the tickets represent value given the “premium” location, combined with uplifts charged for Xtreme with VIP seating; as well as the lack of laser light source projection and/or Atmos in a “PLF” auditorium, and the dreaded floating “flat” ratio screens, is another question…
What I considered to be a rather hideous “postmodern” mess of screens (see previous post dated 11th July 2018 on the Sony “Ziris Canvas”) in the main foyer has been removed. (IIRC replaced with a conventional multi-screen layout; I shall check my photos at a later time…)
I have read elsewhere that one of the Xtreme screens is just 1.85 necessitating that Scope films have to be letterboxed. With the majority of films now shot in Scope, I find it somewhat amazing that one of the major screens in a recently built cinema cannot show them properly. The screen, in essence, just becomes a large TV set.
Can anyone else comment on whether the other screens in the complex are Scope or Flat ?
Ziris Canvas – Vue Westfield London.
Promotional video (uploaded to YouTube in 2010) on the (IMHO hideous) multi-screen display feature and other video displays in the foyer.
SethLewis: Hmm, have they installed the same seats as the Vue West End?
I can imagine that Kinepolis Brussels is another contender for one of the highest grossing in Europe.
Of course, “gross” depends on ticket prices also…!
As for questions of what the highest grossing screen in Europe is – I doubt that it is this or Vue Stratford. I would bet on UGC Cine Cite Les Halles. More central location 25 screens huge number of previews. Shows start as early as 9:00 am and smaller screens very tightly packed on the weekends with a more discerning crowd than Vue Westfield
I am a regular here and completely missed that they had raised the number of screens to 20 until yesterday…18/19/20 are on an upper level accessible by lift…Saw Wind River in 18 yesterday (3 of us for a 10 am show)…these screens seem more comfortable than 16 & 17 even though they are single aisle.
Add The Grateful Dead Live Farewell Show, Woody Allen Magic in the Moonlight, Cafe Society, Black Mass, Star Wars, Moonlight, The Founder, Hidden Figures and quite a few more to this list…Screen 16 opens right onto the lobby so staff let you in with a code…It wouldnt hurt during a refurb to renumber the screens so that each side makes sense rather than 1-7 and 15-17 on one side…The Scene concept with at seat service seems not to have taken off here…there are plenty of F&B options inside the mall
Have seen The Artist, Magic in the Moonlight, Behind the Candleabra, Shutter Island, Crazy Hearts, Lincoln, Crash, Hugo, Carnage, Mr Turner (just last Sunday) and quite a few more here since it has opened…a great documentary about Vidal Sassoon with the man himself in person a few months before he passed…The Tree of Life with a crowd expecting a much more mainstream Brad Pitt film rather than a Terence Malick picture (which I loved)
Intended to be a National Amusements Delux became a few shortly before the mall opened and the cinema opened about 5 months after the mall in 2009
With the Vue Shepherd’s Bush (in a shopping complex across the road which dates back to 2001) our local multiplex for better or for worse
For better A decent mix of blockbuster and art house programming Screens that are well laid out with some rows of two or three off to the side for privacy Late shows now most nights in a good mall with very good eating options
For worse Ignorant staff who do not take responsibility for the shortfall’s of the company in terms of communication Poor alignment with the Westfield Mall website in terms of film times and pricing Scene screens with in seat service that have never really taken off – £19 for these screens is ludicrous (even though I have been known to have paid it)
Things could be far worse but a lot better with professional management rather than simply supervision
Wall covering manufacturer project page, with photos of auditoria:
http://www.eomac.com/cinema-case-studies/vue-westfield-london-uk/#content-wrapper
Sound isolation case study blurb:
http://www.farrat.com/downloads/cscinemawhitecityr1-105347.pdf