Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Strange comment about Gator Cinemas, FL

This is topic Strange comment about Gator Cinemas, FL in forum Film-Yak 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=8;t=004098

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 06-05-2005, 12:38 AM:

Hi Folks:

I was looking at the recent picture additions to this web sites wharehouse. One of the additions is that of the Gator Cinemas in Florida. There is a caption with one of the pictures that does not make sense. The picture shows an auditorium in which the screen in off center due the exit door. The caption then reads:

"All auditoriums are made better with the stage exit doors that puch the screen off center".

Are we to assume that the person who wrote this comment was being sarcastic? This must be the case as I find it hard to beleie that anyone would prefer a screen to be off center as opossed to centered perfectly. Any thoughts? Finally, why would any competant architect design a theatre in which the exit door(s) would cause the screen(s) to be off center?

Best Regards,

Mike Croaro

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 06-05-2005, 07:07 AM:

You're right; the person was being sarcastic. This is a common problem in auditorium design.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 06-05-2005, 03:00 PM:

Another common problem is projection screens over the exit doors, especially in a small room [Roll Eyes]

The picture with the lamphouse labeled as the Xebex is actually an LP Associates 8540 lamphouse for up to 4KW use.

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 06-05-2005, 10:35 PM:

Hi Folks:

I figured the caption had to be a sarcastic comment.

The "exit door syndrome" is pretty bad but what about those theatre owners who maxamize their screens so they come within an inch of the wall(s)!? I myself like a screen with a nice 1-2 feet of black masking around the entire image.

Best Regards,

Mike Croaro

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-06-2005, 04:34 AM:

Looks like this cinema was the way they were built in the late 70's to mid 80's - typical sloped floor with the front of the floor design having that slight rise for the front three rows-almost a "bowl" floor design.

Plus with the smaller auditoriums having the "shotgun" seating.

The big house has the best looks of all being the "continental with wings" seating style, having the dbl exits on each side of the stage front, and all of those Irwin seats being used.

Building looks designed from a designer who was following the typical design of a multiscreen cinema in those days-low roof/ceiling snakbar, "storefront" entrances, narrow hallways to the cinemas, lots of plywood/drywall construction,et.al.

Building, plus the theatre could have been privately owned and built before "AMC" took it over-for the reason of the placement of the exit doors in the front of the smaller auditoriums, thus shoving the screen to the side, offsetting the viewing angle.
Adding a long exit hallway behind the houses for auditorium side exit doors probably would have raised the building costs some for the private owner, or shortening the length of the auditorium and reducing seat count, thus having more competition against other cinemas in the area for the market.

Now, the booth: Looks like No.1 machine is on a upward angle of about 2 degrees some. Wonder why....screen higher than the booth floor?

Leaky "XL's": change out those drive seal kits in the back to the newer "Simplex-35" kits, and check the transmission cover gaskets on those "4-star" soundheads.

But, puddling of the oil on the shelf of the "XL" could be a bad intermittent front cover leaking, or just leaking from the end of the main seal, or around the intermittent housing itself.

Platter behind the projector: it works, even though the recifier could be moved behind the machine so the platter can be closer to the 'gear side' of the machine.

-monte

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 06-06-2005, 04:32 PM:

I love the speaker grill hanging off the speaker in the pictures of the Cinemark Movies 8 Joilet, Il. LOL. The slide is projected way off center too.

I notice the wall sconces are the same wall sconces they have at the Cinemark in Blackhawk, CA. Do all Cinemark's have these same wall sconces?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-06-2005, 07:12 PM:

Aside from the tacky lobbies, I actually thought that the Cinemark houses looked decent. At least the booths were super-clean and organized. Putting the "extra" sound equipment on top of the lamphouses looks sloppy, though. They should get proper sound racks.

Oh, yes, the Gator Cinema looks like a true dump. Is it just me or does it appear that one of their Simplex X-Ls is missing its door? The trash bag over the broken seat is a nice touch, too.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 06-07-2005, 12:46 AM:

quote: Scott Norwood
Is it just me or does it appear that one of their Simplex X-Ls is missing its door? The trash bag over the broken seat is a nice touch, too.

...the basic procedures of old machinery being converted to the "newer standard" of doorless machinery-seen many of this in smaller operations.

...also, the same basic procedures of broken seat warnings -place a white trash bag over the seat - white shows up during the film presentations in a dark house. Time for the janitors to fix these seats (if it's their duty...)

-Monte

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 06-07-2005, 02:57 AM:

As easy as I find it to dislike auditoriums with screens offset to accommodate an exit door down front, immediately another part of my brain calls up how awful many "exit corridors" from side doors between adjacent auditoriums were/are. Some are long, windowless, awfully-lighted corridors with all sorts of mechanical exposed, & even when they're kept clear of junk, they're like the creepiest alley you've ever seen. I bet traffic would stop there in a panic situation.

Later designs opening side doors from auditoriums into public corridors & access areas are better, but in the older ones, it's a sort of tossup between what's more horrible: having the offset screen, or having auditoriums with those exit corridors.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 06-11-2005, 02:46 PM:

Are you guys all saying that this type of front-end looks retarded? Get out! [Razz]

I particularly like the fake proscenium which makes the room obviously asymmetric.

(Mike Olpin photo)

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-11-2005, 03:30 PM:

Nice screen shape there. The burnt out light bulbs really add too.

At least it doesn't have one of those stoopid center aisles.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 06-12-2005, 03:15 PM:

I took the pictures of the Gator Cinemas, and I'm kicking myself in the teeth for not having removed the garbage bag from the seat before taking the photo, I usually do that.

The Gator is obviously an old AMC, and it is being operated by a group that seems to have the best intentions. Being that it is now an independent, and the underdog in town, there really is only so much that can be done.

The presentation wasn't half bad, and the facilities were quite clean. Sure they had a broken seat, but overall a good effort being made.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 06-12-2005, 06:25 PM:

What types of films do they show? If they are showing specialized programming and are the only theatre within many miles doing so, then the deficiencies are understandable. If they are showing first-run mainstream product, then they would have a harder time justifying why anyone should go to see a film there instead of the local AMC/Regal/Loews Gigaplex (assuming that there _is_ a local Gigaplex).

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 06-21-2005, 10:35 PM:

Showing first run stuff. There's an Eastern Federal (soon to be Regal) a few miles up the road, and another Regal (former UA?) on the south end of town.

This location is right next door to the mall, so I think in this case they have the benefit of location, location and location. And those of us who've worked for the underdog know how far a relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff can take a theatre.