Empire 1 Cinema Leicester Square London (1 Viewer)

[DP 70]

When Logans Run was shown at the Empire in 70mm it was run on the old Westrex sound system as I remember going up to the box and Alan the chief
showed me how you could select the monitor to listen to every channel.
Also on one of the shows I went to they run the 70mm six track sound test to check the channels as some person had thought they had a speaker problem.
The Dolby CP100 was put in for the 70mm Dolby Stereo print of Grease in 1978 which did not sound very good as the sound had a lot of echo etc..

The last time I went to the Empire was for a screening of Skyfall in 2K DCP 5.1 which was really good.

 

[DP 70]

Forgot to add when they put in the CP100 they also installed Quad 405 amps, looking forward to going to an Imax show.

 

[andySu]

I would often listen too the booth monitor when working at UCI years ago... CP55 with SRA5 SR Spectral Recoding and A-type as well. The booth monitor I think it was Sound Associates as that was the name on it. Simple thing to use.

I use a THX crossover/monitor 3417 in my home cinema and like it to bits. Great for sound alignment and checking for faults.

Never seen a CP100 at cinema the model would have soon been replaced with CP200.

Saw a CP100 on ebay last year cheap going price. Plenty of CP200 today at cheap prices but its getting the whole thing together with PSU the controller the processor and MPU1 would be a nice prize in a home cinema set-up.

Nice to go in the Empire box. I been up in it twice over the years last time was 2007 took a few pictures.

 

[andySu]

Pictures by someone else as this is how it was when I saw it around February 14th 1992.

Later picture I can see its had dts CD-ROM decoder fitted in one of the empty rack spaces below the THX crossover/monitor. Same JBL Urei 6290 amps, I wonder if they had extras placed behind the screen for the stage and subs? As that was the case with new 56kw set up and all the amps in the booth was for the surrounds. All the dbx4800 controlled all the stage/sub and surrounds. Not that it matters if they had amps placed behind the screen for 1989 install. Its all gone now. totally gone.

 

[andySu]

Forgot to add when they put in the CP100 they also installed Quad 405 amps, looking forward to going to an Imax show.

If go don't forget the camera. And get at least 20 pictures. Lets see what the foyer looks like with main doors and what doorway leads to tiny screen well they are tiny its not WHOLE LARGE CINEMA no more lets not kidd ourselves.

Also report how full the screen was as I bet those screens will never be full up on each show for each day. So the whole thing was pointless its down to how they marketed a film on billboard to drawn in the crowds?

Word gets around fast its a LIEMAX and no one will go near Empire with ten foot barge pole, myself included.

 

[Paul_Warren]

Empire 1 is obviously going to die out Empire Cinemas wasted a ton of cash on Dolby Atmos & now Pseudo Imax how long until it becomes a nightclub/hotel/luxury flats I wonder whoever approved the stupid plans to rip up Empire 1 & not leave it as was deserves whatever financial reward it will NOT bring!
Sure move with the times upgrade the seats, walls, soundproofing etc etc & the screen size if you must put a proper Imax in but ripping out all the features which made Empire 1 a once in a lifetime experience is simply not going to work when Odeon & VUE have bigger screens in Leicester Square & Odeon gets first choice on all premieres & film bookings so can control what films Empire 1 gets forget their Pseudo Imax as a selling point no-one cares about that anyway!

Empire 1 did not have the space to become a full Imax unless they gutted the entire place & rebuilt the interior....but stranger things have happened WB demolished their Warner West End site then built a brand new multiplex back in the early 1990s only to sell to VUE several years later after spending all that time/money on the project & getting THX certified screens 5 + 7

 

[andySu]

The way I would had the walls done was in the same way as they looked only when you touch them they press inwards hence absorbed. So its still retaining the same design look that we the audience approve of.

Yes they really had some smart brainy people. Well I hope they do a better job with their pay off at improving their home. As they have ruined the cinema tenfold.

I'm not moving with no times. I like being in Back To the Future of years ago that was golden, heaven, perfect.

They must have spent at least £20 million on this lousy shoebox Liemax dinky sized impact for the sakes of sitting on BEAN BAGS, WTF!?

Nothing wrong with rocker seats they only need up-keeping and it costs less to spend on that. Than spending out on new seats that no doubt cost more and removed at least 400 seats, sigh.Double Facepalm.

VUE is no longer THX. I doubt Empire impact is THX and will soon come off the THX Ltd, website and that only leaves the Curzon with two THX screens.

Bottom line is Empire Leicester Square have shot themselves in both feet. The cinema has dark days ahead of it now. I won't go there to pay to help them keep it running, They have lost me as Empire customer.

 

[andySu]

Scroll down the page to someone called CF100

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912

Seems like impact has some serious flaws. Its good reason for me not to go,

1) No masking.
2) no curtain tabs.
3) covered in black is so unappealing.
4) sound that was felt wow bug deal I get that at home.
5) I'm surprised they didn't ditch the JBL but what of the behind the screen what does that look like? Is there a baffle wall or are they placed on stage or within metal framing if that is the case its not THX as THX requires baffle wall.
6) Ushers go outside and say welcome and like feedback Yes they know the cinema is not going to be honestly liked and they want "our" feedback? Screw them!
7) Thinking about this as whole they can bloody well keep their Liemax and impact screen and save their feedback to themselves until hell freezes over.

Here's the sad violist playing for Empire Leicester Square.

 

[andySu]

Empire's Liemax hasn't been entered to imax Liemax database Google map yet as its not officially opened yet.

What I can't understand is why Londoners, are so tight not to travel by tube train the short distance to the BFI, escapes me? I had to travel 215 miles to Empire 1 in the past 215 miles that is over 2 hours on the coach. And costs around £50.00 for the day. Tube train to nip down to BFI would cost what £8.00 on tube or less?

Leicester Square to BFI is what 1.5 miles away?

So London will soon have three Liemax fake screens. London, is off the map for me to ever come to, London, ever again.

 

[Wayne_j]

Would there be any point in them going with "real" IMAX since 15/70 prints are being phased out anyway? People with real IMAX screens have been complaining that they keep getting shown digital anyway and the digital projectors don't even cover the width of the screen.

The Chinese theater is currently a "LieMax" theater but with I believe the 3rd largest screen in North America.

 

[andySu]

Chinese theatre another one axed up into Liemax. I think BOYCOTT ALL IMAX "Liemax" corp, screens today. Its brand name that has lost its creditably.

 

[Wayne_j]

I live in an area with no THX, Atmos, or Real IMAX. Liemax is my only option for a presentation I can count on. The multiplexes all have the horrible Sony 4K projectors with the 3D lenses they never remove ruining 2D showings. The local independent theater has excellent picture quality but their screens are small and their sound system lacks bass.

 

[andySu]

I live in an area with no THX, Atmos, or Real IMAX. Liemax is my only option for a presentation I can count on. The multiplexes all have the horrible Sony 4K projectors with the 3D lenses they never remove ruining 2D showings. The local independent theater has excellent picture quality but their screens are small and their sound system lacks bass.

I know how you feel? Real THX hardware go on ebay there is a real THX crossover/monitor for cheap price.

I use one of two one actively playing now STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE laserdisc letterbox to DVD-RW. Also have THX D1138.

 

[andySu]

LIEMAX is open on 30th May 2014 with yet another boring Tom Scientology Cruise, Edge of Tomorrow I'm, putting this film on the not to buy bluray list. LIEMAX tickets £18.00 RIP OFF!

Empire 1 R.I.P.

 

[Doug Bull]

Here's a shot I took of the Empire back in the mid 80s.

Doug.

 

[andySu]

lol seems like, Edge of Tomorrow didn't get tom cruise at the Empire LIEMAX to première of its new opening. I guess Empire is no longer classified as real première 1,330 THX cinema. Enjoy counting your ticket sells Empire on your failed LIEMAX impact screens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXWq-WNpzCQ&list=FLld3-GzXLAwhB3rFoGn9PnQ

 

[DP 70]

Whos going tomorrow then ?

 

[andySu]

Someone called CF100 on cinema Treasures, who doesn't like mention his name takes these pictures with mobile phone of the LIEMAX FAKE imax screen and praising it and Empire as being best in Leicester Square. Nice try but I still wouldn't go near it with 215 mile barge pole for free.
The lighting looks tacky. Nothing like, what it used to be.

 

[andySu]

I'm not even drooling once over this video. LIEMAX is LIEMAX and no way I'm spending £20.00 at Empire no more.

 

[Douglas R]

.

Someone called CF100 on cinema Treasures, who doesn't like mention his name takes these pictures with mobile phone of the LIEMAX FAKE imax screen and praising it and Empire as being best in Leicester Square. Nice try but I still wouldn't go near it with 215 mile barge pole for free.

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.