Quentin Tarantino is madly in love with this dome cinema on Sunset Boulevard, and to understand how sad it is that the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood is about to close forever, this little anecdote from the premiere of the film “Once Upon” is enough a Time in Hollywood “: The director greeted the guests and then told them that the day before he had finally finished his other work,” The Hateful Eight “, on the curved screen of the Cinerama. People whispered because they knew that Disney had prevented the premiere in this cinema because it had wanted to show “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” there for several weeks. The operator Pacific Theaters is said to have threatened with a “Star Wars” boycott in all other branches. It was the beginning of a wonderful enmity between Tarantino and Disney.
People are telling stories like this now when it is said that this legendary cinema will not reopen because it is not worthwhile. In mourning, everyone always talks a little about himself – as a regular viewer in this cinema, for example, you remember how you knocked Woody Harrelson over in the lobby, how you re-entered there at “La La Land” Los Angeles fell in love or fell asleep on “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, because you should definitely see the film in 70 millimeters, but you were far too tired for that. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt said he was here with his father “Star Trek IV“ have seen; Comedian Mindy Kaling tested here on dates whether the date was an idiot. Director Gina Prince-Bythewood complained that the Dome was one of the few remaining cinemas for film fans. Screenwriter David Ayer called it a “sacred place” that he visits to study and experience films.
This cinema needs its audience to be grandiose
This is probably due to the dome made of 316 panels, one of which weighs up to 3000 kilos and which are made of a material that does not reflect any noise from the 44 perfectly positioned speakers. The screen is back in its original curved condition from November 7, 1963, when the cinema designed by Pierre Cabrol with the film “A total, totally crazy world” (in 70 millimeter format, of course) opened. Quirky instructions in blue shirts will bring you to the square; Popcorn tastes the way it should taste in a movie theater (butter even on the bottom flake), and everyone knows that you’d be tarred and feathered and had to walk to Hollywood Boulevard if you dared to pull out a cell phone.
It is an experience, for example, to see “2001: A Space Odyssey” with 800 other people in this hall, and then you want to incapacitate anyone who claims that you can watch such a film comfortably on the couch at home . Why does such a cinema have to close when it is so grand? Pacific Theaters added 14 more halls to the dome cinema in 2002, and all of these have been vacant for more than a year. Now the cinemas can be filled with 25 percent of the total capacity, soon with 50 – however: the dome has to be full for it to work its magic, and financially, as for many restaurants and bars, it is more devastating to allow 50 percent than to close completely .
Will the streaming service Netflix of all things save the cinema?
It is now said that streaming top dog Netflix could be interested in the Cinerama. The group had already bought the Paris Theater in New York and the Egyptian Theater within walking distance of the Dome in order to show its projects in cinemas and thus qualify them for the Oscars. It is also said that a group of filmmakers could jointly take over the listed building; maybe even Tarantino, whose second living room it is. Tarantino would then of course have to show “Once upon a Time in Hollywood” again. There is a trick to prevent falling asleep – Tarantino allegedly also likes to use it during filming: drink high-proof alcohol after each dramatic scene.
– .
