quote: Pete Naples

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Very early sites had Monee, although none are left now...

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Was this through natural attrition?
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-11-2005, 02:03 PM:
 
Something like that! It's a long winded story, and you get different versions according to who tells it. CSD were in there for all the early UCI installs before their demise, I think just about everyone has done work for them at one time or another.
 

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 07-12-2005, 03:08 AM:
 
And don't forget UCI as it stands now is a combination of Cineplex, AMC , new build UCI sites and other odds and sods brought together by aquisitions and mergers over 20 years so there's no wonder there's a mix of kit.

Oh and there's also Mr Constable's IMAX projector at Filmworks in Manchester
 

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Posted by David Graham Rose (Member # 1450) on 07-12-2005, 03:08 PM:
 
Greetings All

Early UCI sites with Monee? Never in a million years! The tractor of the cinema industry was never installed in any UCI as far as I am aware. Site names maybe?

From a warm Cambridge

Good Evening
 

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Posted by Thomas Jonsson (Member # 1902) on 07-12-2005, 03:43 PM:
 
Is the Empire Leicester Square (great theater!) using
an FP30 instead of the DP70´s nowdays? Why would they
do that?

Thomas
 

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 07-12-2005, 04:02 PM:
 
There is only one Philips DP70 now installed at the Empire, the #2 (middle DP70) I belived was removed over a year ago to make way for a 1.3K DLP Projector.

The DP70's were seldom used for daily screenings for some years, other than specials and I can not remember the last time they ran 70mm at the Empire, might have been "Hamlet".

Most of the early build UCI's I have seen had Victoria 5's.
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-12-2005, 04:52 PM:
 
OK I'll re-phrase that having though about it and asked the right questions of the right people, early UCI sites were originally intended to have Monee, unsurprisingly they fell over too quickly, and AFAIK no sites ever opened with them. Earlier UCIs (Edinburgh for example) went through a few changes of kit, being built with Century (or maybe Monee, the now retired ex-chief couldn't recall the details) heads on, then being fitted with Christie for opening, then being quickly refitted with ORC Century heads, which it still has today, pushing 20 years on.

Realistically, with the exception of Odeon, the major chains in the UK don't have brand loyalty when it comes to machinery. Warner for example used ORC Century and Cinemecannica.
 

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Posted by Matthew Taylor (Member # 2310) on 07-12-2005, 05:07 PM:
 
Peter, which machines do Odeon go for then?
 

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Posted by Dan Harris (Member # 1759) on 07-12-2005, 05:42 PM:
 
Odeon use the various models from Cinemecannica. Vic 5's, 8's and 9's with a few 4's dotted around waiting to be replaced. 5's go in as standard in new builds.

The exception to this would be ex-ABC sites which use the Kinoton package.
 

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Posted by Andy Summers (Member # 3207) on 07-13-2005, 06:33 AM:
 
Though I’m at present unemployed, I believe UCI 10 screens tower park Poole in Dorset, still use 35mm Cinemeccanica Victory V, this was he first projector I laced-up and I liked the Vic V she had a nice humming sound and her intermittent always gave me a buzz, she’s a lovely little projector.

PS, Why would they do that, interesting point and the chief technical projectionist “Fred Fullton” of the Empire in London said to me once its politics about disguising anything about which type of digital sound format is the best, and talking about the Philips DP-70 I think they still have them installed along with some modifications that “future projections UK” have done.
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-13-2005, 04:52 PM:
 
Matthew as Dan rightly stated Odeon use the Cinemeccanicca package, the modern multiplex typically have Victoria 5, the older sites (are there any left?) on the whole had Vic 5, often partnered with a Vic 8 in the main screen, some of them were even kitted for 70mm. Clerk Street in Edinburgh had some Victoria 9 in use until it closed. I've never seen a Vic 4 in an Odeon, but wouldn't rule it out, those things are all but indestructible!

Originally Odeon used Gaumont Kalee equipment (remember that a lot of Odeon sites were formerly Gaumounts), where 70mm was required, the Phillips DP70 was common. The story of how Odeon switched to Cinemecannica is quite interesting, and pretty much spelt the death of GB Kalee / Kershaw.

As said above, ABC sites had Phillips/Kinoton, although in years gone by they used Ross, and I've seen Kalee in them too. Often the DP70 or DP75 was installed in the main screen, with FP20 in the smaller screens. The modern builds used Kinoton FP30, I've seen FP40 in them too.

Ster Century used Cinemecannica Vic 5 in the UK.

Showcase use Strong Century, always have and probably always will.

IIRC Cineworld used Kinoton.

Apollo are another one for mix and match. They have a mixture of Westrex and Cinemecannica V9, V8, V5 and V4 in the old sites, the more modern multis have either Strong Century or Cinemecannica Vic 5.

Spean Bridge (now part of Vue, along with the former Warner Bros and Warner Vilalge sites) started with Strong Simplex Millenium, then went to Cinemecannica. The Warner Bros sites have Simplex, Century and Vic 5, the Warner Village sites were all Vic 5.
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-13-2005, 04:58 PM:
 

quote: Pete Naples

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Originally Odeon used Gaumont Kalee equipment

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BTH originally, Odeon use of GK came later.
 

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Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-14-2005, 06:29 AM:
 
The dozen or so cinemas I knew in Hampshire that were taken over as Associate Odeon Theatres Ltd of County Cinemas Ltd and other small circuits (I worked at the Rex Farnborough in 1953), all had Simplex projectors and Western Electric sound. Only the Odeon (formally named County) in Fleet changed to newly installed BTH SUPA MK2 projectors, the model with the round spool boxes. Unlike the BTH SUPA MK1 which always to me looked like a couple of elephants looking out of a porthole. The Empire (later Odeon) Aldershot had a pair of Kalee 21 projectors onto Western Electric Universal bases.

About five years ago in Screentrade magazine, there was a profile interview with the CEO of UCI multiplex cinemas. He mentioned that one install of equipment was so unreliable that they turfed the lot out and replaced with Cinemeccanica Victoria 5s.

I believe there are a couple of Victoria 4s still running at the Odeon Richmond.

One ex ABC rebranded Odeon Esher in Surrey now with four screens, has replaced the Kinoton equipment with Vic 5s. I was told the reason for this was that it was a shop window and Vector automation control test bed for Sound Associates nearby in East Molesey.
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-14-2005, 08:53 AM:
 
Stephen you are absolutely right, I forgot about that! Of course you've a better chance of remembering such things, being older than me!
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 07-14-2005, 11:56 AM:
 
We have somebody here from Faversham, I can't remember his name. This used to be an Odeon, and they were still running the pre-war BTH machines until quite recently, I think it was about three years ago. I went there with a CTA visit a few years ago, and they still had them then. The original BTH arcs had been replaced with Kalee Presidents, I would guess at the same time as the Kalee Varamorphs were fitted. These machines were quite different to the post-war SUPAs.
 

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Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 07-15-2005, 07:39 AM:
 
Did someone call? Yes although I now have an FP20 i still have the BTH machines here as well as the GK president lamphouses. I also have a BTH sound rack (all valve of course) and BTH horn and bass bin. Although not being used it all still works fine. The carbons were powered by a westinghouse rectifier (around 80amps)
 

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Posted by David Graham Rose (Member # 1450) on 07-16-2005, 06:06 AM:
 
Greetings All from a warm Cambridge

Pete said;

"Realistically, with the exception of Odeon, the major chains in the UK don't have brand loyalty when it comes to machinery. Warner for example used ORC Century and Cinemecannica"

Do not forget that Cineworld cinemas are 100% Strong equipped, Showcase are also 100% Strong equipped, what was UGC are 99% Phillips/Kinoton equipped. Odeon are no longer brand loyal to Cinemecannica since the merge with the much lamented ABC Phillips/Kinoton equipped circuit.

From Cambridge, good morning
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-16-2005, 10:58 AM:
 
True, but could you really describe Showcase or Cineworld as 'major chains'?

It'll be interesting to watch and see which way the new Odeon circuit goes in terms of equipment, if they ever build anything.
 

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Posted by David Graham Rose (Member # 1450) on 07-16-2005, 11:43 AM:
 
Greetings Peter

I think major chain is an extremly valid description for the Cineworld brand!

Your from a warm Cambridge,

Good evening!
 

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Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 07-16-2005, 12:16 PM:
 
Well you must remember that I am fairly limited to what I see here in Scotland, North of England and Ireland, and with the sum total of one site anywhere North of the river Tyne, they aren't exactly well known in these parts!

I wonder what their market share compare to Vue or Odeon is?

I guess though, if you don't have a massive number of screens, it makes sense to concentrate them round centres of population.
 

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Posted by Bernard Tonks (Member # 809) on 07-16-2005, 05:12 PM:
 
The latest I could find on UK Cinema Market Share:

ODEON 24%. U C I 11%. VUE 17%. U G C 11%. CINEWORLD 11%. SHOWCASE 7%. APOLLO 2%. STER CENTURY 2%.
Other/Independent 10%

Source Carlton Screen Advertising. http://www.carltonscreen.com/

And more on BTH projectors if I may.

Faversham must be unique to also have BTH equipment in working order. The type C carbon lamphouses from Ilfracombe (Ross/RCA) would be ideal to complete the set. The Plaza Scarborough was also one of the last cinemas running with vintage BTH.

The finest BTH projector I ever worked with was the later model KB, film really purred through. There were four of these machines installed for 3D projection at the old Odeon Marble Arch. The last BTH SUPAs I saw running was at the Regal WadeBridge, with Westrex towers in two screens. They were eventually replaced with Philips FP75s.
 

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Posted by David Graham Rose (Member # 1450) on 07-17-2005, 11:03 AM:
 
Greetings All

With repect to Cineworld, one has to remember that Cineworld and UGC are one and the same,(as are Vue and Ster Century) and have been for a number of months. It's only a matter of time I'm sure until the whole estate is rebranded Cineworld.

From Cambridge,

Good evening

David
 

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Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 07-17-2005, 02:14 PM:
 
UCI and Odeon are both owned by Tera Firma Capital Partners
 

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