Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Anyone been to AccessIT Theater in Brooklyn?

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Posted by Gary Davidson (Member # 2198) on 12-21-2005, 12:53 PM:

AccessIT (a major player in the push for d-cinema) has their own theater in Brooklyn: Access Digital Theaters - Pavillion Cinema. This is supposedly a showcase for that company's digital delivery. Has anyone checked it out?

Gary

Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 12-23-2005, 07:00 PM:

I believe this is actually the renamed Park Slope Pavilion theater, a 9-screener, I think. I think two of the screens have digital projectors. The main auditorium still has a lot of the architecture of the original theater and is quite nice -- other auditoriums are small. But it's the only theater in the area and does quite well.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 12-24-2005, 07:45 PM:

It used to be the Sanders theatre, a really sweet, single screen neighborhood theatre with some character, about 800 seats I would guess. They tortured it into either a 7 or 9 plex, I don't know where they stopped -- every month I'd drive by and see that they added yet another screen. I was never in the room that retained the original fascade, only in the small rooms -- cramped, hole-in-the-wall black boxes with off-center screens with exits under them and ill-mannered staff that would make even the most tolerant of person X this place off the list of cinema destinations. If this is where AccessIt is "showcasing" digital cinema, they might as well nail the coffin shut right now.

This Pavilion "Cinema" is the place where I decided at the last minute, after running a show at the Brooklyn Museum down the block, to catch the last film of the day. I wanted a small popcorn so I waited at the small, dirty concession stand while an usher and the concessioneer chatted about which one of their friends was going out with what cute boy. I stood there in plain sight, patiently waiting to be acknowledged; I gave it about a minute, but as the film was about to start and it was clear that these two were not finishing up what clearly was not a conversation about business, I said in their direction, "Excuse me, but I'd like a small popcorn." As the girl shuffled over to the popcorn section at a speed that was deliberately slow, I added, "Could you please hurry a bit, the film is about to start." To which this arrogant little bitch glares over at me and says, "Well, then next time get here earlier." I answered, "You know, if you worked in my theatre and I heard you speak like that to a patron, you'd be fired before the last word was out of your mouth." She just shrugged and went back to her mindless conversation.

I was so pissed that I thought of calling the manager the next day, but then I figured, hmmm, this is my competition....let him hire an entire staff of halfwits with that kind of attitude.

If they think putting digital video in this rat hole is going to save it from what it justly deserves, great.....and they should spend millions doing it.

The reason it seems to be doing well is certainly not because of any presentation values and certainly not because of their rude and obnoxious staff, but its purely because of its location and because there is no competition. I have no doubt that the expenditure of capital to put in video will not make them any substantial increase in attendance. And given the size of their screens, they could put in consumer DLP projectors and play DVD rez and get away with it, the screens are so small.

Nothing like going out to a theatre, paying $10 to see a movie, only to find that not only is it not any better quality video than what you have in your own home theatre setup, but instead of the comfort of your living room, you find yourself in a depressing, black curtained room with uncomfortable seats and rude people serving you over-priced concessions.

Yah, digital will fix this. [fu]