Empire 1 Cinema Leicester Square London (1 Viewer)

[andySu]

.All this "LIEMAX" dismissal is getting tiresome and silly. No one's forcing you to like the new screen but let others judge for themselves.In any case, I understand that the Empire IMAX screen is only 1.5m short of width than the largest UK IMAX at Waterloo.

No its not its LIEMAX its not 15 70mm.

Yeah I judged it all right the moment it was closed down and batched up into two halves.

 

[Douglas R]

No its not its LIEMAX its not 15 70mm.

Film is extinct. Everything is digital now and the forthcoming IMAX laser projection will be far superior.

 

[Wayne_j]

Even 15/70 IMAX installations are only getting digital releases these days, there is no point of opening an IMAX that can project 15/70 film these days.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Even 15/70 IMAX installations are only getting digital releases these days, there is no point of opening an IMAX that can project 15/70 film these days.

Yeah, I've read in a few places (although the internet being the internet, I take it with a grain of salt), that "Interstellar" this November will be the last non-museum film 15/70 release. So there really is no point whatsoever in building any new 15/70 facilities as there will be literally nothing to show on them.

The Lincoln Square IMAX in NYC, which is one of their flagship venues, added digital projectors last summer for "Metallica: Through The Never" in September. Since then, they've only shown film twice -- for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (which was partially shot in IMAX) and "The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug". Everything else has been digital. I expect we'll get a 15/70 print for "Interstellar" and then that'll be that. (I suppose there's a chance "Transformers: Age Of Extinction" could come with a print, as the posters are advertising it as "select scenes shot in IMAX" - however, it was the new IMAX digital camera, so I don't know if they're printing that out to film.)

I get that the Digital IMAX can be underwhelming compared to true 15/70 projection, but in my opinion, I think the term "LIEMAX" is a bit extreme. No one's lying about anything. You're seeing a film in an auditorium designed and operated by or in association with the IMAX Corporation. All digital IMAX releases are remastered for the format, and are shown via dual projectors (regardless of whether or not they're 2D or 3D), and are specifically remastered for those projectors. The theaters are also custom built so that the seats are closer angled at the screen in a way different from a conventional theater, and I think the design that places your seat closer to the screen has to be considered part of the overall IMAX package. It may be a smaller screen, but you're not sitting in front of it at the same distance or angle as a normal screen, and you're not seeing the exact same image that the standard digital projector in the non-IMAX theater next door is showing. Even on the so-called "premium large format" screens that the big chains are putting in to compete with IMAX, they're still showing the same DCP (digital print) as they would on any of their other screens, it's not the IMAX version that's been enhanced for larger screens. Only IMAX is actually giving you a different image. Now, I'll agree that for certain films, particularly 2D releases only in Digital IMAX, there's not as huge of a jump in quality as there was going from digital projection or 35mm to 15/70. And I agree that they could have done a better job differentiating their 15/70 theaters from their digital ones. But my point is, I don't see how it could not be considered IMAX. You're seeing a movie in a theater owned and/or operated by the IMAX Corporation, and the movie itself has been remastered with proprietary software to play in that format, so you're seeing a differently mastered version than what's playing in a regular theater.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic towards anyone and I mean no offense, but when IMAX runs the theater, owns the equipment, and supplies a customized version of the film, I don't see how it can be called anything but IMAX.

 

[Douglas R]

According to the trade magazine Screen International, the Empire IMAX screen is 26.5m (87feet) wide, which makes it the widest UK screen.

 

[DP 70]

Hi Douglas,

At 87 feet wide I would love to a 4K of Ben Hur or LOA but if only 2K might not look as good, but using 2 projectors they should have a decent
light output.

Maybe they should have called it The Empire Imax Cinerama Theatre...

 

[DP 70]

I have seen a lot of Digital Screenings in the Pictureville Cinema in Bradford on the louvered Cinerama screenthat is 15.6m with a curve of 3.9m and they look really impressive so will be good to see what the Empire Imaxscreen looks like.

 

[Douglas R]

I visited the IMAX Empire yesterday. They have done an excellent conversion job, with the IMAX at the rear of what was the old auditorium and I like the fact that they have retained the attractive design of the side walls and lighting. The screen is really huge (biggest in the UK) and at six rows from the front I was probably too close because the picture was overwhelming. Before the presentation, a member of staff gave an introduction and said they would welcome comments following the showing. The 3D glasses are reusable and are collected as one leaves the auditorium.

The Empire has long been my favourite West End cinema; especially up until 1973 when it was an all-M-G-M theatre. It was always a flagship West End cinema and remains so. The foyer and impressive long bar, have been untouched, looking much as they did from the 1962 rebuild. Regardless as to how much we may regret the passing of the huge auditorium, it was clearly unviable and cinemas cannot exist as museum pieces.

The Odeon Leicester Square has the only remaining large auditorium in London (1679 seats) but I understand that there are plans to convert that into two screens as well.

 

[DP 70]

I went to the Empire last night and also think they have done an excellent conversion job the PQ was excellent and thesound was to but it was only in 5.1 Imax Sound. The Adverts were in 1.85 using almost all of the 87ft screen I thoughtI was back at the Pictureville Cinema in Bradford.Lets see what happens to the Odeon Leicester Square.

 

[DP 70]

I now notice that the Impact Screen is now showing Edge of Tomorrow in Dolby Atmos.

 

[DP 70]

I went to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in the Impact screen. The screen size must be 50-60ft the sound was inDolby Atmos and I was really impressed.I think the Impact screen with Dolby Atmos is better than the Imax screen with the Imax Sound and the Picture size inthe Impact screen is still big enough for 3D being about 60ft.Well worth £18

 

[DP 70]

Also I would like to add is as this is in DCI 1.85 is fills all the screen apart from about 1ft all round.

thanks.

 

[AdrianTurner]

I went to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in the Impact screen. Well worth £18

18 quid? Wasn't that the total shooting budget for Ben-Hur?

 

[DP 70]

Hi Adrian,£18 is a lot that's why I was only sitting with about 30 other people.

 

[andySu]

Found a nice video of the Empire Leicester Square.

 

[Paul_Warren]

Found a nice video of the Empire Leicester Square.

Great video...shame its all gutted out & gone forever now
I have decided I would never ever visit the new Empire 1 even if they paid me

 

[andySu]

Great video...shame its all gutted out & gone forever now
I have decided I would never ever visit the new Empire 1 even if they paid me

Yeah its just one small lieMAX nothing more left of this, fine God of cinema to go to anymore? Might as well stay at home with home THX cinema.

 

[DP 70]

As I have said before I loved the old Empire but you have to move on I was impressed with the Imax and Impact screens and the Dolby Atmos track I heardon Dawn of the Planet of the Apes sounded better to me than the Dolby Atmos in the original screen. You will not get sound like that at home also a 50ft plus picture also when they get a Laser Projectorwe can have 3D at 14 foot lamberts and the picture should be fantastic.thanks for the Video.

 

[andySu]

Empire Leicester square has posted pictures.

Well, this is just despicably disgraceful.

^^ BEFORE Empire Leicester Square original EMPIRE 1 ^^.

Below is the disgrace of imax liemax marketing.

Oh their screen is 26.5m x 15.6m big deal. The cinema is wider in the middle due to the false walls stuck on the existing brick walls. (Sigh) If one every went to "Empire 1" and had sat at the front. The THX screen looked HUGE! All this marketing liemax is, is illusion and delusion for suckers. (I meant lieMAX).

OMG who took the picture? Its all blurred. LieMAX staff needs to go to SpecSavers and get a pair of glasses.

Oh yeah like those imax speakers with laser beam guidance for sharks, surrounds really going to surround the audience in the few rows underneath the old projection box above. What a flawed liemax sound system.

This is so MORBID looking.

impact tiny screen. I've seen Dinky toys bigger than this.

You got to "18" years old to sit in impact baloney and you have to pay £18.00 pounds ? £18.00! I seem to recall a month or so back they had the bloody check at putting the price up £20.00 for a week or so. What a disgraceful cinema that has lost all respect with me. Shame on you Empire cinemas.

The back row with seats close to the arrays of surrounds won't make you look behind! It would make you look above!!! What a flawed cinema.

This used to be the best greatest cinema in the whole United Kingdom and they pissed it all way on wrecking crew that have vandalized the cinema beyond repair or fixing. Its all gone.

I don't know Empire can post these pictures and be proud of it, All they care about is how much they make? I hope it all backfires in their faces. Then they'll know it was huge was a mistake.


I think its absurd playing the same film in the same original auditorium one in imax with outdated sound system and delusional laughable screen. The other tiny less than half size screen with Dolby Atmos? What is the SCAM the here? Get customers to be so confused and pay to see the film twice? That is bloody cheeky.

I'd see a film twice if it was original EMPIRE 1,. Pay to see it at front row then pay again to sit in the circle, was fine with me. Sitting a large space where the sound was all around me. Sit in that dinkyMAX and dinkyImpact screen NEVER, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I get that the Digital IMAX can be underwhelming compared to true 15/70 projection, but in my opinion, I think the term "LIEMAX" is a bit extreme. No one's lying about anything. You're seeing a film in an auditorium designed and operated by or in association with the IMAX Corporation. All digital IMAX releases are remastered for the format, and are shown via dual projectors (regardless of whether or not they're 2D or 3D), and are specifically remastered for those projectors. The theaters are also custom built so that the seats are closer angled at the screen in a way different from a conventional theater, and I think the design that places your seat closer to the screen has to be considered part of the overall IMAX package.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic towards anyone and I mean no offense, but when IMAX runs the theater, owns the equipment, and supplies a customized version of the film, I don't see how it can be called anything but IMAX.

According to the trade magazine Screen International, the Empire IMAX screen is 26.5m (87feet) wide, which makes it the widest UK screen.

It looks like a nice screen to me. When/if (and I hope it's more of a "when") I visit London, I'd like to check it out.