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Author Topic: Digital: Scope inside Flat? Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-23-2010 02:29 PM                     Is this an independent house, this Twin? If so, money doesn't want to be spent too badly (why of the crappy split design and digital installs). Owners like this just can never see long term but only want to see at the end of their nose. Just a few of them around that can give the industry a bad name ..  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-23-2010 03:15 PM                        Monte, given the number of this type of exhibitor, the industry may already have a bad name....hence the oft repeated refrain, "I really HATE going to the movies." We never heard anyone say THAT when we were kids, did we? But then again, there were nothing but single screen theatres, built and DESIGNED as single screen theatres and there was no such thing as a single screen theatre tortured into the abomination called a "twin," (or Quad or Triplex). The rise of the multiplex out of the womb of the single screen should have been a stillbirth. OK, that's gross, but you get the idea.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 11-23-2010 05:56 PM                     Sad thing is a number of these theaters have been operating that way for over 30 years, yet they manage to stay in business somehow. A complex near me has a total of 14 screens with 4 of them being half-dome theaters- I don't go there at all, just on the chance that the movie I want to see might be playing in one of the half-domes. I've even turned down free passes to that theater! A lot of my early movie-going (including the original Star Wars) was at the Century domes in San Jose (miraculously I never got stuck with that twinned one, and didn't know about the twinning til we moved to the Sacramento area), so I have a soft spot for these types of theaters. (Never been to Utah, but I felt ill a few days after hearing of the two domes there, owned by a different company, being torn down.) Added: Just a thought- if I DID go to one of these theaters, I'd expect to pay half of the regular ticket price, since I'm only getting to use half the theater. Right??  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-23-2010 07:04 PM                     FWIW - of the original "Century" domes in San Jose: Century 21: A single screen flagship theater. It was never twinned, though in the 90's a flatter, slightly smaller screen was installed. Was originally equipped with a Cinerama strip screen, replaced with a solid material screen long before I ever was around, but was never outfitted with three projectors. The Able and Charlie booths still exist but are covered with drapery. 21 was a premier venue for 70mm in the heyday. Unsure if equipment exists to still run 70mm. Century 22: A three screen, three dome complex. The main dome is just about the same size as Century 21, and the two domes flanking the primary one are perhaps 2/3 the size?? Both 21 and 22 share the same parking lot. In 1997 the primary dome and the right hand dome were both fully 70mm capable and had two 70mm titanic prints booked at the same time. Both prints were ultimately damaged. Century 23: A single dome "twinned". Primarily second run. Only about 100 yards away from Century 21 but is technically across the street and sits behind the Winchester Mystery House Century 24: The aforementioned theater in this thread. Down the road about a mile from the 21/22/23 theaters. Century 25: Was a twinned theater. Now no longer an operating cinema. It's a live venue with special event classic screenings (digitally). Independently operated. It's called "The Retro Dome" About 4 miles from the previous century domes mentioned here. Notes: Century 21, 22, and 23 all sit on land owned by the owners of the Winchester Mystery House. When Syufy sold the chain to Cinemark a few years back, Cinemark didn't want to deal with the grandfathered in, slightly convoluted land lease the three theaters were tethered to. The Syufy family retained ownership of 21, 22, and 23 and operate them as "Winchester 21, Winchester 22, and Winchester 23. Century 24 is owned and operated by Cinemark. I believe the Syufy family also retained ownership of the Capital Drive-In which now operates as "Westwind Drive in and flea market" edited for an old movie listings for the domes:  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-24-2010 01:20 PM                     Wow, loved those showtimes - one per each part of the day. Couldn't get away with those showtimes now in these day and ages ... And all of those 4 movies did have 70mm playback options .. quote: Jesse Skeen (Never been to Utah, but I felt ill a few days after hearing of the two domes there, owned by a different company, being torn down.) Century 21 and Century 22 Located on 33rd South and State in SLC. I went to the Century 21 to see "Towering Inferno" on that big screen in 1975. In early 1980, went to the same Century 21 to see "Star Trek" after they split that big house. Sad to say, it was a disasterous presentation: Maskings weren't opened and the optical stereo track was terribly noisy from a dirty print. The original booth had a pair of Cine 35/70mm V-18's - one per each screen..and union operated. Sad to say on how a great place like the Century 21 and 22 can be ruined with getting split like it did .. and it became very run down. It served it justice to be torn down for the Century 16 that now resides there. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 11-25-2010 12:28 AM                     I was actually referring to the Cinedome 70 in Riverdale, which was 2 large domes- it was closed in 2001 and had just been torn down a couple weeks ago. Wish that could have been saved.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-25-2010 04:24 AM                     Whoops,sorry on that Jesse .. the Cinedome was an independent owned twin that couldn't survive in this day and age - mainly due to the ADA requirements and other major modifications needed to get that place up in running condition again. But, in it's day, it was a fantastic cinema to attend movies at - definitely an event venue to witness first runs, esp in 70mm .. (sorry digital and 3D: you may have it now, but you can't hold a candle to 70mm presentations in a large venue such as this one and others ...)  |  IP: Logged Tom Petrov Five Guys Lover Posts: 1121 From: El Paso, TX Registered: Jan 2003 posted 12-26-2010 12:57 AM                    Saw True Grit tonight DLP Ultra AVX. The Cineplex in my area masks all DLP screens except the Ultra AVX. This is intentional. I believe IMAX does this as well? (can anyone confirm?) Staff and manager at the cinema made it clear that UltraAVX is "like" IMAX.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-26-2010 02:21 AM                     Just because IMAX does it wrong doesn't mean everyone should do it wrong. No masking = loss of contrast and perceptible sharpness.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-26-2010 07:11 AM                    You might want to point out to them that 35mm is more like IMAX than DLP is.  |  IP: Logged Edward Havens Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 614 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 12-26-2010 04:01 PM                     West Wind Drive-Ins and Winchester Theatres are the public names for what remains of Syufy Enterprises.  |  IP: Logged Michael Brown Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1522 From: Bradford, England Registered: May 2001 posted 12-30-2010 06:23 PM                     quote: Tom Petrov Staff and manager at the cinema made it clear that UltraAVX is "like" IMAX.  |  IP: Logged Mike Croaro Master Film Handler Posts: 394 From: Millbrae, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 12-30-2010 06:50 PM                     Century 24 = San Jose/Los Gatos = Digital Projection! I can't believe this theatre is STILL OPEN! Why invest such money in a futureless theatre? They probably would have been better off using the plywood (that Eric spoke about) to board up the front of the theatre and selling/unloading the property. Mike  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 03-12-2011 10:19 AM                     Update: The plywood door blocking the rear exit has been mysteriously removed and the exit walkway to the exit door has been restored. Movie I saw was in flat so it filled the flat screen, but I doubt anything's changed with scope presentations....  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 03-12-2011 01:15 PM                     quote: Brad Miller Just because IMAX does it wrong doesn't mean everyone should do it wrong. No masking = loss of contrast and perceptible sharpness. Does anyone know if the Warrren's IMAX Theatre in Wichita uses black masking? I'm wondering because they do have waterfall curtains in the photo, and I've never seen thjat at an IMAX.  |  IP: Logged

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