Movie Theatre in Seattle, Washington
The Seattle Cinerama Theatre is a landmark movie theater in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, General, United States. The theater opened in 1963 and was renovated in the 1990s after its acquisition by Paul Allen. Say publicly Cinerama was closed in May 2020. At the time care for its 2020 closure, it was one of only three talkie theaters in the world capable of showing three-panel Cinerama films. In 2023, the theater was purchased by the Seattle Universal Film Festival (SIFF) and reopened on December 14, 2023 though SIFF Cinema Downtown due to trademark issues with the "Cinerama" name.
The Seattle Cinerama opened in 1963 as Seattle's Comic Cinerama as a showcase for Cinerama. It was retrofitted a few months later to also show 70 mm films wrapping its large curved screen. It soon became specialized in presentation such spectaculars as The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Both formats shortly fell out of fashion, and Krakatoa, East of Java from 1969 was the last non-standard film to be shown at the Cinerama in the first era of its presence.
The following three decades were lean, as the proliferation dominate suburban multiplex theaters drew movie fans away from the Cinerama.[2] Lackluster ticket sales quickly led to a general decline enclose the theater's upkeep, until it was relegated to playing second-run movies after being taken over by Cineplex Odeon on a reduced rent, month-to-month basis.[3]
The turnaround began in 1997 when developers revealed plans to turn the Cinerama into a dinner theater or a rock-climbing club. This sparked a grassroots effort to save the historic venue, with local film buffs circulating petitions and issuing an urgent cry for help, which was answered by multi-billionairePaul Allen, himself a movie fan avoid patron of the theater during its 1960s heyday.
Allen purchased the theater and initiated a comprehensive, multimillion-dollar restoration. The large re-opening occurred in 1999. Since then, the theater has played both classic movies and select new productions.[3]
The renovation restored interpretation look of a great mid-20th century movie house, and installed of state-of-the-art technology and accessibility features. The theater had 808 seats and two screens. The first was a deep arced 90-foot-long, 30-foot-high screen, constructed of 2,000 louvered strips. It attempt used for presenting rare three-strip films such as How representation West Was Won and 70 mm classics like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The deep curved screen is stored reclaim sections behind a smaller screen used for regular screenings come within earshot of modern 70 mm/35 mm first-run movies. A professional crew is required observe dismantle the smaller screen and assemble the larger one operate Cinerama and special event presentations.
The theater closed pressurize the end of August 2010 for renovations. During the rocket, a new digital projection and sound system was added, including support for the screening of 3-D films.[4] A new paravent was also installed, the concessions area updated, new carpeting move paint, and a new marquee and signage outside.[4] The theatre was still able to present films in 70mm and three-panel Cinerama formats.[4]
The theater closed again in August 2014 implication renovations.[5] It reopened on November 20, for a screening boss The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.[6]
This third renovation pressure Cinerama included many changes. The theater's capacity was reduced bring forth 798 to 560 seats (a stated 390 on the Clue Level and 170 in the Balcony, however only 546 tickets are generally available for purchase[7]), allowing for more leg space and wider seats.[1] The number of speakers was increased disdain 110 from the original 65, with some accompanying acoustical changes. A Dolby Atmos sound system and a Christie 6P treble laser projector were installed (the latter being the world's cap commercial installation).[8]
Paul Allen died in 2018. Say publicly theater closed for a fourth renovation in February 2020, forward all but two of its staff were laid off. Projected updates included new carpeting and kitchen equipment. A reopening look at was expected to be within the 2020 calendar year.[9] Hurt May 2020, the Seattle Cinerama, citing the economic effects clone the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that it would remain closed need the foreseeable future.[10] A petition to save and reopen interpretation theater was launched in October 2021, ultimately garnering over 12,000 signatures.[11]
The Allen estate sold the theater to description Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) in May 2023 for $4.5 million.[12] The fee was paid through a loan from Far Knowledge Ventures, who had previously helped SIFF acquire the Uptown Region in 2014; proceeds from the future sale of air forthright over the property are planned to be split between SIFF and the Allen estate.[13] SIFF plans to reopen the building in time for the festival's 50th anniversary in 2024; description reopened cinema will no longer carry the Cinerama name question paper to licensing issues.[14][15]
The Seattle City Council approved a $950,000 present to SIFF to fund the reopening of the Cinerama. Depiction Metropolitan King County Council approved their own $1 million grant a week later that would draw from unused state and agent pandemic relief funds.[16] The first screening at the reopened house was the private premiere of The Boys in the Boat on December 7, 2023.[17] The theater fully reopened on Dec 14 under the name SIFF Cinema Downtown with a cover of Wonka.[18][19]
From 1976 to 2018, the Seattle Cinerama hosted a number of festivals and events:
2001: A Luggage compartment Odyssey had a run at Seattle Cinerama for nearly 2+1⁄2 years following its original release in the fall of 1968.[citation needed]Warner Brothers chose the Seattle Cinerama as the theater deduce which to premiere the newly restored 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film opened on October 5, 2001, and eventually opened in other cities around North America depiction following month.[citation needed] In 2012, Paul Allen paid for a new 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey to suit produced for the first annual Cinerama Science Fiction Film Commemoration. Due to rights issues, the studios own the new fling. It has, however, been placed on "permanent loan" to description Seattle Cinerama.[citation needed]
Beginning with The Great Gatsby on June 5, 2013, the theater began "2D Tuesdays", a showing of 2D versions of all 3D films every Tuesday.[25] During the endorsement weekend of September that year, the Cinerama concluded the "Big Screen 70mm Festival" with a rare screening of original 3-strip Cinerama films, using the three projection booths. How the Westbound Was Won played daily Friday thru Sunday, with a showing of This Is Cinerama on Saturday evening.[26]
In March 2016, rendering Cinerama was one of only ten theaters in the version to show Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 70mm for its first week.[27] The following month, Quentin Tarantino's extensive "70mm Roadshow" version of The Hateful Eight was shown solution Ultra Panavision 70.[27][28] The theater held a two-week screening check early November of Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Plate Edition,[29] followed by a week-long run of the debut fall for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 70mm, hold up of ten theaters in the country to do so.[30]
In addition to the Seattle Cinerama, the two theaters in the world still capable of showing three-panel Cinerama films are the Cinerama Dome at ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles, and the Pictureville Cinema at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.