Cinema 1 on it's last day loading up it's last presentation...a trade
screening of "Meet Joe Black".
(Kind of fitting to show a movie about death on it's last day.)
A better shot of Cinema 2 closing it's doors with "A Night at the Roxbury".
Reverse shot of Cinema 2.
Century JJ projector with Dolby cat699 SRD soundhead and DTS readers
on top.
The Cinemation mark IV "automation". Actually, there were no
cue detectors here. This unit was used completely manually.
When it came time to dim the lights, the light box above was used.
The automation was for failsafe purposes only.
Older shot of the inspection bench. Note the old NFS cans below.
The booth "office" complete with private phone line.
Sound systems as of the last year of operation...
The HPS-4000 sound system for Cinema 2 (pictured above) was comprised
of a Dolby CP-200 (no Aux rack), DA10, DTS-6, SRA-5, MPU-1 (older model),
Component Engineering monitor and 6 BGW amplifiers.
The THX sound system for Cinema 1 (sorry, no picture available at current)
was comprised of a Dolby CP-200 with Aux rack, DA10, DTS-6, SRA-5, MPU-1
(late model), THX monitor/active crossover (late model 3417), 6 outboard
graphic 1/3 octave "user equalizers" (for tweeking as many films dictated)
and 14 QSC amplifiers. Many would agree it was by far the best sound
system in the country.
"The couch". Each cinema had it's own projectionist's balcony
area where the operator could go thorugh a door just to the back side of
the sound rack and check presentation right from the back of the auditorium.
The area was roughly 15'x30' and was also used for spotlights and other
miscellaneous setups. This couch was sat on by many from Hollywood
including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, etc.
Credits for destroying what was one of the best theaters in the country
goes out to Mr. Nasher of the Northpark Mall out of pure greed. His
plans for demolishing the theater and building a Foleys has fallen through
and the theater still stands today, but empty and completely stripped.
Presentation was always 100% flawless every performance. Absolutely
no print damage of any sort was allowed whether it was a hairline scratch
or minor color shift. Not even the tiniest speck of dust (reel changes
included) was allowed. Xenons were removed at half life. FilmGuard
(during it's testing days) was ran on every performance. A complete
B-chain was performed on every new movie opening. Even a reel with
a lab splice would be rejected!
The theater is and has been missed for some time now. It was true
showmanship.
