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Author Topic: AMC Prime vs ETX Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-19-2014 02:06 PM                     I guess if AMC really is converting their ETX houses to Prime that would be a good thing from a perspective of branding. I've had it with those silly acronyms. It's one thing if it is associated with some specific, like THX -which I believe is the very thing all these theater chains are still trying emulate in terms of branding. It's another, lesser thing when the auditorium is not really all that special, just a bigger theater with a bigger screen. Considering the Prime houses feature THX certification the Prime name is less confusing. Could you imagine if all the ETX screens had THX? Jeez. Speaking of which, I wonder what AMC is doing to those existing ETX houses to convert them to Prime. What are they doing to bring them up to THX standards?  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 04-19-2014 03:26 PM                     quote: Bobby Henderson What are they doing to bring them up to THX standards? Paying a fee to THX?!? I'm not positive that all "Prime" houses are THX certified. The log is on the "AMC Prime" web page but the press release doesn't seem to mention THX. With respect to sound it mentions Atmos and JBL speakers.  |  IP: Logged Martin Brooks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 900 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 04-20-2014 04:32 PM                        At the AMC Empire 25 in NYC, which is supposedly a flagship of sorts, it's still "ETX". No mention of "Prime" on their website. And on their online site, it only says ETX and not Atmos, even though it most certainly is an Atmos theatre. It's currently playing Transcendence, which was released in Atmos and is also playing on their IMAX screen. $17.50 for ETX and $19.50 for IMAX (Liemax). If they would get the damned marketing right, maybe they would actually get a return on their investment of that Atmos equipment. It's really not that hard. Some time back, I was across the street at the Regal-E Walk (which was originally a Loews, but had to be sold after AMC took over Loews). I forget which film I was seeing, but after buying the ticket, I realized it was playing on the RPX screen and probably in Atmos. So I went to the service desk to switch my ticket and the service manager told me that it wasn't playing in Atmos (and it wasn't advertised as such). But I bought the ticket for the RPX screen anyway and of course it was playing in Atmos, snipe and all. So these theaters really don't know what they're doing. I suspect that the central offices aren't training anyone and whoever handles the newspaper ad listings doesn't give a crap either. This is what happens when one chain dominates a city. They don't care which theatre you go to because they own them all anyway. At the AMC Fresh Meadows 7 in Fresh Meadows, Queens, ALL screens have lounge seats and reserved seating. Total seating capacity is now down to only 700 seats. When it was originally built as a single-screen, it was over 2100 seats. No special formats at that theatre though. It was closed for a week recently, so I thought they had either gone out of business or were putting in an ETX screen, but they reopened with no changes. When that theatre was renovated for lounge seating, they removed the marquee. Now it just says AMC - it doesn't advertise which movies are playing anymore.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 04-20-2014 09:24 PM                     quote: Martin Brooks But I bought the ticket for the RPX screen anyway and of course it was playing in Atmos, snipe and all. Though, it may have just been the snipe. Terry was going on a little bit of a "rampage" before, pointing out a certain place always having the snipe play on movies that never were in the format. But of course, I wouldn't put it past a regular manager to get something wrong.  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 04-25-2014 03:44 PM                     I agree Bobby what the hell is up with the Warrens and not installing Dolby Atmos? They have been pissing me off as of late especially when I seen a show in the grand theater on 13th in Wichita only to have the opening curtains reveal giant scuff marks on the screen where the curtain has been rubbing on it everytime it goes up and down. Try to complain about it and no one can understand what im talking about. The 21st street Warren seems to be of better standards but still WTF. Ya I am surpised about the ETX houses getting turned into PRIME theaters. I freuqent the AMC Barrywoods 24 in KC as well and last time I was there the Atmos room was in the ETX room but like Buck said its now turned into the Prime theater. Curious that they changed from QSC speakers to JBL. Wonder why the changed? Wonder if that room is now THX certified and what/if they did anything to achieve the certification?  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-25-2014 04:43 PM                     I think Warren Theaters is doing what they can to promote IMAX and downplay everything else. I don't know if that's their intention or if IMAX is making them do it. Their web site used to display the THX brand a good bit. After their site re-design the THX brand is hardly mentioned at all. There's only one blurb about it regarding the audio in the Director's Suite theaters. This even made me wonder if Warren dropped the THX certification on all their standard priced screening rooms and Grand Auditoriums. AFAIK, all their non-IMAX screens are still THX certified.  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 04-28-2014 04:02 PM                     I bet your right about them downplaying everything to make their IMAX appear to be superior. Ya the 21st street location use to even have on the marquee that they have THX certified rooms but since the IMAX was installed it has dissapeared.  |  IP: Logged Eric Richard Film Handler Posts: 33 From: Spring, Texas USA Registered: Dec 2014 posted 02-24-2015 05:34 PM                     Just some clarification on Santikos. We have 6 Dolby Atmos screens at the Palladium AVX in Richmond and 2 at the Silverado-IMAX in Tomball. To my knowledge we are the only theater left in Houston that can run 15/70 IMAX, but sadly I highly doubt we will see another print! Also, just installed the Barco DP4K-60L at the Palladium IMAX in San Antonio. I am hoping to get over there to see it in the next few weeks.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-24-2015 08:30 PM                     Since this thread got bumped, I thought I would mention AMC's newest "Prime" screen in Addison, TX (AMC Village on the Parkway 9) apparently isn't equipped with Dolby Atmos -at least if you go by Dolby's own Atmos installations map. Other new Atmos installations in the Austin and San Antonio area have been added to the map well after this AMC theater's opening. I wonder if it's an oversight on Dolby's part or maybe AMC is cutting corners on Prime screens while still charging customers a super high premium price.  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 02-25-2015 09:48 PM                     All b dam I assumed every Prime theater included Atmos. Sure it was a $$$ issue or maybe another Atmos theater near?  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-25-2015 09:59 PM                     I don't know for sure if that AMC Prime screen has Atmos or not. But with LOOK Cinemas located nearby and boasting Atmos on its two "Evolution" screens, I would have figured AMC would at least put Atmos into one house. Even with that being said, I would probably still go to LOOK if the two theaters were able to play the same movies. The prices are a whole lot better at LOOK. It costs damned near $17 to see an evening show on that Prime screen.  |  IP: Logged Jarod Reddig Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 513 From: Hays, Ks Registered: Jun 2011 posted 02-26-2015 02:31 AM                     That could be the center of the issue with Look so close already touting Atmos but who knows. Just a guess. Ive never been to a Look Cinemas. Im excited to visit one sometime when I get the chance. Im sick of having to go to AMC to hear Atmos. The closest theaters to me with Atmos are AMC's. AMC just angers me thinking about their Flat masking-less screens in the Prime theaters always projecting a Scope movie. Plus the hour of previews. Also I don't like there snack bars. Coke Freestyle in most of them, Tostitos nachos just like you can buy at a gas station, microwaved pretzels with apply yourself salt, and self serve popcorn butter that always leaves the lower 2/3rds dry. This is at the handfull of AMC's ive visited so Im not sure if they all carry the same products. But my local Starplex Mall 8 has a simple snack bar that kicks the crap out of it and at half the price. Although they switched to self serve butter too. I hate the whole idea of that it just creates an extra line.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-26-2015 08:56 AM                     Do you ever go to the Cinetopia theater in Overland Park? It has at least 1 or 2 "GXL" screens equipped with Dolby Atmos.  |  IP: Logged Jason McMillan Film Handler Posts: 68 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009 posted 02-26-2015 09:44 AM                     quote: Bobby Henderson apparently isn't equipped with Dolby Atmos I've been told by an old manager of mine who is still with AMC that the whole difference of the Prime auditoriums is the leather recliners with the buttkickers, Atmos sound system, and dual Christie projectors. I'd hope they were not cutting corners on that one. I've seen a couple of movies in a Prime auditorium (Willowbrook 24) and I have to admit, i'm getting spoiled by those recliners. And it may just be me, but I think the Atmos at the AMC Willowbrook sounds better than the Atmos down the road at Santikos Tomball. Not sure what Santikos is using but you can clearly see the JBL branding on the speakers at the AMC. That may have something to do with it as I've always preferred the way JBL sounds. Although I think the red lighting around all the speakers at the AMC is kinda cheesy.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 02-26-2015 11:06 AM                     Their website is very unclear on the Prime auditoriums. The page has the Atmos and THX logos which "should" mean that all Prime auditoriums are equipped with THX certified Atmos but they don't clearly state that.  |  IP: Logged

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