Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about? (part 2)

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Topic: What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about? (part 2)

Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 01-17-2014 10:40 AM

Regal opened the Regal Broward Stadium 12 & RPX a the Broward Mall in Plantation, FL yesterday. I don't think this RPX has Atmos or Auro but I can't tell for sure.

This mall had a GCC 4 plex a long time ago (and I believe a UA 4 plex as well for some period of time). It is also right next to the shopping center that used to contain the GCC Fountains 8 (later operated by Sunrise Cinemas).

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Mike Croaro
Master Film Handler

Posts: 394
From: Millbrae, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 01-19-2014 10:55 PM

Folks:

According to "Yelp" the CENTURY 24 in San Jose has cloased. This was one of those dome theatres Century built in the 60's. Closure had been rumored for at least a few years.

Mike

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 01-21-2014 08:17 AM

Apparently this happened in Delaware:

LINK

Independent movie theater opens in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN — New Castle County now has a new movie theater.

Westown Movies theater, independently owned by Rick Roman Theater management, opened Dec. 20 in Middletown and features 12 theaters showing the latest movies.

“We have been very busy, we want to average 1,500 people a day and we had 1,750 on Thursday,” said Scott Waugh, marketing advertising manager for Westown Movies. “We have a cafeteria style concession stand that moves the people through the line a lot quicker. You don’t get stuck behind someone buying a lot of items if you only want one thing.”

Moviegoers can also buy tickets online with a free mobile app with no service charge. The movies and times are also listed on the popular movie theater website Fandango.

Movies will start around noon on weekdays with a last showing around 9:30 p.m. and longer hours on weekends.

The complex also hosts a GTX theater, which stands for “Grand Theater Experience” and has Dolby Atmos Sound System, 62-foot screen and wider reclining seats, which feature leg room, arm rests that fold up completely and 21-inch risers. When you purchase your ticket for the GTX theater, you can also reserve your seats.

“There is not a bad seat in this theater,” Waugh said.

Those craving a White Castle hamburgers, Pat’s Pizza, Pretzels Boys pretzels, fresh hot popcorn, Brusters Ice Cream or just a cappuccino coffee will be able to grab their snack before catching a movie as well.

Some moviegoers were already raving about the proximity and features of the new theater in its first week of operation.

“It is a lot quicker getting tickets at this theater than the one in Glasgow, Del.,” said Shelbe Davis, of Earleville, Md. “Here it is done on a computer and you just go in, slide your card and get your ticket. No wait unlike (Peoples Plaza) we had to wait in line for about 15 minutes on Saturday morning. I have been to both movie theaters this weekend and the seats rock. They’re comfortable and much better here at the Middletown theater.”

“It is a lot closer for us than going to Glasgow,” said Angie Wiseman, of Odessa, Del. “It was cheaper too and made a great day out for my son and I. I like that they only have a few video games, so you don’t spend a ton of money after the movie.”

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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 01-21-2014 11:38 AM

quote: Bobby Henderson
According to the theater's web site the 10+GDX theater has 3 screens equipped with Atmos, the 70' "GDX" screen and 2 other theaters with 56' wide screens.

Unfortunately, that 70' screen is common width and not common height. While writing up the news article about the theater's opening, I noticed that the math didn't work out for it being a 2.35:1 screen, and I just got a response from their Facebook page that says that they are not using the full height of the 38' screen when showing scope movies.

Is this becoming the norm with new installs now?

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 01-21-2014 03:25 PM

Unfortunately common width screens seem to be the standard approach in most of these new premium priced big screen theaters. That's especially true if the theater was new enough never to have film projection.

The folks at IMAX deserve some of the credit for this trend. Companies like Cinemark have been installing a lot of common width screens since the late 1990s. But IMAX made the approach acceptable in a premium priced multiplex theater concept. If IMAX can get away with common width, no curtains and no movable masking and still charge extra for the same 2K resolution picture why can't all the other theater chains do the same thing?

Curtains and movable masking add more to the price of a theater screen. I don't know if the projection for common height screens is more difficult to set up with a single lens digital projector than common width. I get the impression common width is a cheaper and/or easier approach.

BTW, I guess Dolby hasn't updated its Atmos equipped theaters map in a few weeks. That new Westown multiplex in Middletown, DE isn't showing up on their Atmos theaters map yet.

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-02-2014 10:56 AM

Saw a movie at the new Middletown, Delaware Theatre yesterday. "Lone Survivor" in #12. The 1st issue that jumped out at me: The screen wasn't right. So, the movie is 'Scope. There was about two feet of space above the picture and 4 feet of space below the picture. Letterbox, like on a square television screen. Why would you do this? I am guessing that if a Flat movie was playing in there, it would have filled up the screen (maybe not). So why wouldn't you make the screen the right size for 'Scope films and have the space on the two sides when a Flat movie was playing? OR PUT UP MASKING????

The sound wasn't right either. That was even more disappointing than the screen issue to me. Not Eq'ed I'm guessing. Just not right, can't really say what it was, but is wasn't right.

The whole self serve concession thing was frustrating also. I guess I'm old fashioned, but I like a little salesmanship when I'm buying something.

It is a nice building. However, very apparent that the people involved are not "movie theatre people". All that money spent and no one gives a damn about technical specifications.

The seats in this auditorium were kinda small too..

Whatever.

*note: I just now read the comment two posts above this one. So yes, I just verified that info...

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-02-2014 11:14 AM

quote: Dennis Benjamin
So, the movie is 'Scope. There was about two feet of space above the picture and 4 feet of space below the picture. Letterbox, like on a square television screen. Why would you do this? I am guessing that if a Flat movie was playing in there, it would have filled up the screen (maybe not). So why wouldn't you make the screen the right size for 'Scope films and have the space on the two sides when a Flat movie was playing? OR PUT UP MASKING????

Simple cost reasons. In the days of 35mm you were required to use a scope lense, with digital you don't have to.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 02-02-2014 11:18 AM

I don't think theaters are saving any money on those single lens setups. Many are quite a lot bigger than a pair of 35mm projector lenses. I'm sure the Konica-Minolta lenses I see on the front of Christie projectors cost a LOT of money.

quote: Dennis Benjamin
It is a nice building. However, very apparent that the people involved are not "movie theatre people". All that money spent and no one gives a damn about technical specifications.

With these new theaters it's all about the lobby, I guess. If the customers are blown away by a high priced lobby they'll shell out even more money at the snack counter. Make up for all the money spent in the lobby by short changing little things in the theater auditoriums. No curtains. No masking.

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Buck Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 894
From: St. Joseph MO, USA
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 02-02-2014 11:18 AM

Plaza 8 Theaters St. Joseph MO will be closing sometime within the next 6 weeks, and soon after demolished for an effing grocery store.

If anyone is interested in any movie theater-y items and/or film equipment, let me know

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-02-2014 11:25 AM

quote: Bobby Henderson
I don't think theaters are saving any money on those single lens setups.

Of course they are saving money. Tons of money actually.

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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-02-2014 11:40 AM

Having been in the business for 25 years now and having worked at 30 plus movie theatres in my life - I think that companies that save money by sacrificing quality are low on the totem pole in my book.

If I go to see a movie at this theatre again - I won't be paying for it. <---- This part you can count on.

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-02-2014 11:46 AM

I agree Dennis, however the transition to digital has allowed this, the creation of DCI took into consideration the most cost effective ways to project flat and scope images. You would be very hard pressed to find a digital cinema location that is using a true anamorphic lense.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 02-02-2014 12:00 PM

quote: Terry Lynn-Stevens
Of course they are saving money. Tons of money actually.

How? Please back up your claim with some specifics. Like lens pricing for instance.

A pair of Schneider Super-Cinelux lenses for a 35mm projector aren't cheap. But they're tiny in comparison to some of these d-cinema projector lenses.

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Terry Lynn-Stevens
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1081
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Dec 2012

posted 02-02-2014 12:09 PM

Bobby, I am not talking about the cost of a 35mm lense. I am talking about digital lenses only. With digital cinema, you do not need two lenses. Most chains are using either a zoom or fixed lense for their digital cinemas, this is where the cost saving comes in.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 02-02-2014 01:40 PM

There is no cost savings with that. A turret with two small lenses probably isn't nearly as expensive as one of those HUGE single lenses on the front of a digital projector. I would not be surprised if one of those Konica-Minolta lenses on the front of Christie projectors cost north of $10,000.

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