Comments about Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square in London, GB

Zappomatic on November 27, 2024 at 2:20 pm

Visited the Superscreen today and a few seats in row H (two rows in front of the booth) have been removed and the space blocked off.

Screen width is now reduced with what appears to be additional masking but height remains the same, making Scope content look a bit strange with a significant amount of unmasked screen space above and below. Presumably the new projector is unable to cope with the relatively short throw versus screen size - a retrograde step and hopefully something they can rectify in time.

Zappomatic on November 22, 2024 at 12:50 am

Seats immediately in front of and adjacent to the projection booth are showing as unavailable when booking a screening; I intend to visit on Tuesday so will be interesting to see if the booth has been expanded.

Zappomatic on November 13, 2024 at 7:22 am

The Superscreen is getting a new HDR capable Barco projector, and a new Harkness Hugo screen to coincide with the release of Gladiator II. https://variety.com/2024/film/global/gladiator-2-cineworld-first-hdr-by-barco-theater-international-1236206252/

CF100 on September 15, 2024 at 4:14 pm

An article on p24 of the Kinematograph Weekly, Thursday 7th January 1960 titled “Preparing The Empire for ‘Ben-Hur’–Special problems required drastic alterations” contains quite a bit of information on the 1959 alterations made for “Ben Hur.”

Some of the key points:

Seating capacity was reduced by 1000 to 1725. (?–albeit the exact count is rather moot now…)
Projection throw was reduced to 78ft.
The new screen was a Superla pearl, 56ft. wide (width of projected image 52ft.)
For acoustic isolation, the new booth positioned in the rear stalls was built with “two shells.” The inner was built on piers down to foundations to isolate it from the main building structure. The article notes this was successful, as only during changeovers could faint sounds generated within be heard during quiet scenes, if seated nearby.
Water cooling was required for the arc and projectors.
Other changes included covering the new booth and disused stalls with “wine-coloured non-flam silk.”
The general contractor was G.E. Wallis, ventilation/plumbing by J. Jeffreys and Co and A.E. Mohring was consulting engineer (all same as the 1962 reconstruction.)
The architect for the scheme was George Coles (!) (err… same as the 1962 reconstruction.)

The article notes that “Ben-Hur” would be the last film to play at the Empire, with its run anticipated to last 12-15 months, upon which “the theatre was to be demolished and replaced with a smaller cinema.” Of course, literally speaking, this turned out to not quite be the case–though it would be no exaggeration to describe the 1962 reconstruction scheme as “drastic!”

CF100 on September 2, 2024 at 11:52 am

The link Zappomatic posted to the video showing the installation of the IMAX screen is no longer working.

However, it’s also been posted by Cineworld on Facebook.

Some comments:

It appears that Maeve Contractors (IMAX conversion, 2018 Cineworld refurbishment, etc.) were again involved in this.
The numerous shakers (to reduce laser speckle) can be seen mounted off the screen frame.
Diagonal members of the primary roof truss can be seen boxed out just behind the sides of the screen frame, as well as two trusses either side. (More on this to come in another post, referencing a 1928 Architectural Review article.)
With the screen removed, it’s more obvious just how far into the former stalls the acoustic wall behind the screen is.
Was IMAX’s spray-painted coating pre-applied to the screen? My understanding is that for the largest scale IMAX venues it has to be done in-situ, because there is not enough space in the manufacturing facility(/ies) to hang the screen. Perhaps this applies to 1.43 ratio screens where there is insufficient height; it can certainly be seen in videos of screen replacements over at the BFI showing the computer-controlled rig used.

Having attended a few performances since the installation of the replacement screen:

Perhaps surprisingly, I couldn’t discern any substantive difference in picture quality, e.g., brightness.
The projection had “developed” an issue where a grid pattern of boxes that were of lower illumination could be seen across the screen. It was more noticeable in high illuminated uniform areas of the picture. This problem appears to have been resolved.
Possibly, some other subtle digital artifacts have been reduced.

Additional comments:

During one performance, due to a particularly irritating person sitting in the adjacent seat, I moved to the far back audience left.
When seated centrally, the centre-to-edge brightness loss remains. However, in this off-centre seating position, the opposite side of the screen became relatively brighter, and hence is caused by the gain/directionality of the screen material.
There are four Tannoy speakers mounted on the rear wall under the booth level overhang. It turns out that these are fill speakers for the rear surrounds, and are effective. For example, foley panned from the left side speaker to the left surround speaker could be perceived as intended.

Finally, the seating in the IMAX auditorium, particularly in the “sweet spot” central area, is getting tired with one or two cases of poor quality attempts at reupholstering them. AFAIK the supplier (Seating Concepts) is no longer in business. On all occasions, the auditorium was also in need of a full clean.

Zappomatic on February 16, 2024 at 10:26 am

IMAX screen replaced this week https://x.com/marcusryder/status/1757395406235840768?s=20

Lionel on October 2, 2023 at 10:37 pm

Another picture of the marquee in the 1990s:

https://www.dreamstime.com/editorial-image-empire-cinema-london-england-image63186885

Lionel on September 4, 2023 at 2:36 pm

Royal Film Performance 1997 for TITANIC in 70mm. Nice views of the marquee, foyer and projection booth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfquSxcN084&t=1s

theatreofvarieties on September 4, 2023 at 2:19 pm

CF100 - please send me your contact details to

CF100 on June 23, 2023 at 2:54 pm

theatreofvarieties: Many thanks for offering the original Empire 1 seats. I’d love to have one… how can we go about arranging this?

theatreofvarieties on June 23, 2023 at 6:03 am

I’m having a clear out and have some of the original reclining seats from Empire 1 that were removed when it was converted to IMAX. Would anyone be interested in one?

theatreofvarieties on June 23, 2023 at 5:57 am

CF 100 - yes there was removal of asbestos on the boiler pipework and some elements of the structural steels. No, the decorative plasterwork did not contain asbestos, it was tested for it before removal.

CF100 on September 8, 2022 at 4:13 pm

Cineworld have announced:

“Cineworld and certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Group Chapter 11 Companies”) have commenced Chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the “Court”).”

Source: Cineworld Group plc - Announcement.

The above link is to a newly launched website pertaining to the proceedings, under the domain cineworldstrong.com, a somewhat odd name.

Meanwhile, IMAX’s CFO states that IMAX sites operate under a master lease agreement that covers all of an operator’s locations. She goes on to suggest:

“[If they’re going to operate they will] clean up the under-performing complexes and either sell them off or do something with them. But that’s not where IMAX screens are — IMAX screens are all in the top-performing complexes.”

Clearly, in a world where “tentpole” releases still drawn in crowds, whilst streaming is snapping on the heels of mid-budget titles, a cinema with 3 premium format screens, one of which is exceptional, and 6 “studio” sized auditoria, is configured in a way that is more suitable than “megaplexes”…

CP200 on September 1, 2022 at 2:59 pm

next the skips to throw that cineworld sign and that liemax superscreen into the rubbish skip like, empire cinemas did to the only THX cinema in the uk.

CF100 on August 19, 2022 at 7:34 am

The Wall Street Journal reports that Cineworld are preparing to file for bankruptcy. The writing has been on the wall, given mounting debts. Will be interesting to see the future of this and their other flagship locations.

CF100 on July 23, 2022 at 6:33 pm

Exterior footage of The Empire, Leicester Square in 1896 (!) with “Lumiere Cinematographe” signage (and yes, horses and carts to boot…)

Lionel on February 10, 2022 at 9:56 am

Filmed in 1986 and posted today on YouTube:

Demonstrating screen masking for 35mm and 70mm aspect ratios at the Empire

This was the installation from 1962 on to when they slightly enlarged the screen in the early 2000’s.

CP200 on February 4, 2022 at 12:48 pm

Couldn’t care less about empire 1 anymore its gone turned into a rubbish Liemax video screen tiny screen.

CF100 on January 3, 2022 at 11:10 am

Bagnall Demolition — The Empire.

According to the above-linked page, when UCI operated the cinema, this company performed an asbestos survey, in which asbestos-containing materials identified included “spray coatings, asbestos insulation board ceilings and cement.” Subsequently, removal work took place (logistically not so easy) and a new survey to update the asbestos register was undertaken.

Hmm. I’d still be surprised if no asbestos removal was needed above the ceiling during the strip-out of the old Empire 1. I’m fairly surprised that the old wall/ceiling tiles apparently didn’t contain any… (otherwise the wall tiles wouldn’t have been removed aggressively ASAP after the auditorium closed for renovation.)

CF100 on October 15, 2021 at 1:51 pm

Photos of the old Empire 1 (press conference with actor Robert Vaughn) taken in 1966:

Photo 1.

Photo 2.

Shame they are not colour!

CF100 on September 19, 2021 at 6:06 am

Thank you rivest266. That does bring into sharp relief just how long ago it was! The 1960’s auditorium combined modernism with traditional theatrical elements in a way that, unlike those adverts, it never felt dated (even if for practical purposes, it was.)

rivest266 on May 19, 2021 at 8:16 am

1962 and 1985 grand opening ads posted.

rivest266 on May 18, 2021 at 10:00 pm

December 19th 1962 reopening

Empire Leicester Square reopening 19 Dec 1962, Wed Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

CF100 on April 14, 2021 at 2:58 pm

Ron Knee:

the Sheds and Warehouses that are called cinemas are within sight, they were really only there to sell food, not interested in those of us who wished to enjoy the film!!!

Concessions have been a key part of the cinema “business model” for as long as I’ve been alive, and probably going back decades before.

There are plenty of aspects of cinema operation to grumble about, and in my writeups on this site I even mention a poor signal-to-noise ratio on the left surrounds!

Cineworld, however, were investing in top-of-the-line “IMAX with Laser” screens. All IMAX digital screens feature daily automatic recalibration systems (for audio, they use a version of Audyssey EQ, as found in various consumer AV receivers) and are connected to IMAX’s Network Operations Centre in Mississauga, Canada… Suffice it to say, the picture won’t be out of focus!

Modern cinema auditoria may lack the decorative aspects of yore, but they invariably are built with double stud walls full of Rockwool, neoprene isolation pads, acoustic absorption on all walls behind stretched fabric, and so on. Not to mention comfortable seating and excellent sightlines.

Here’s some blurb on the “Acoustic Isolation of Cinemas”:

Mason UK - Vibration Control - Acoustic Isolation of Cinemas.

CP200 on December 20, 2020 at 1:01 pm

Does cineworld still Liemaxing to the public as well as consumer rubbish Liemax for home cinema.

Okay now lets Roast imax corp, sound department and mixers that lie with LIEMAX sound mixes cos I believe along with stop the fomo, is correct and I never seen a Liemax myself only an imax that is rubbish with fake sub bass that only uses it from the fullrange 6ch. I never liked imax and certainly do not like Liemax. Empire 1 was perfect with JBL THX of the original 89 install.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW2AphhCAhs

Cineworld Cinema - Leicester Square

5 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7NA

5 Leicester Square,
London, WC2H 7NA