Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Smithsonian opens new "Warner Bros." Theater

This is topic Smithsonian opens new "Warner Bros." Theater in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=011152

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 02-03-2012, 12:36 PM:

According to a brief news item I saw in my local paper, from reporting from the Associated Press, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC has (re-)opened a 264-seat movie theater. Formerly called the Carmichael Auditorium, Warner Bros. Co. kicked in $5 million, and it's now named for them. And, it's reported to now be a "modern theatre with 3-D projection capability", whatever that means.

Anybody from the DC area familiar with what they put in there? I'm wondering if the quick 'n easy solution was taken, i.e., a d-cinema projector (I mean, after all, who needs all that old film stuff anyway, right?) Since "3-D" would virtually require a [dlp]

projector, I'll go out on a limb and hazard a guess that film was given minimal (if any?) consideration in the design and layout of the place -- and this in the Smithsonian, which, one would think, would be interested in preserving the legacy of film as "film".

I'll be happy to have the error of my assumptions corrected.

Original article was here: Smithsonian WB theatre

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 02-03-2012, 12:54 PM:

Did you try looking at the Smithsonian website?

Here is a September 2010 story concerning the donation and what was expected to become of the theatre:

The existing 270-seat Carmichael Auditorium will become a film theater with the installation of new technology, including digital 3-D projection. The theater will also have equipment to showcase films still in their original 35-mm reel format. The Warner Bros. Theater will be used for lectures, symposia, concerts and other programs and events as well.

And here is a story from a month ago, announcing the opening and first few series to be presented at the new theatre. Casablanca is playing tonight. Supposed to be a new archive print, so unless someone who already has a ticket to the sold-out show can prove otherwise, we'll have to guesstimate it's a 35mm print.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 02-03-2012, 01:13 PM:

There is a thread on this subject over in Film Yak.