Regal Cinemas Leave Oklahoma City Market

[Bobby H]

If that's the case, then we might be looking at Spring of 2008 before the Warren 20 opens.

[traxx]

I look at it every day as I drive to and from work and I believe the weather has slowed progress considerably. It looks like some plumbing has been roughed though.

Bobby H,

Since I've never had the pleasure to go to a Warren theater and you seem to know a lot about it and say that they do everything top notch, I was wondering if you know if they run their projectors at full brightness or if they are involved in the practice of trying to save bulb life by running them at half or 3/4 brightness.

[Bobby H]

Warren Theaters typically has their projectors running at recommended brightness levels (for the technically inclined, the target is 16 foot lamberts at the center to 12 foot lamberts at the corners).

Some theater chains have had the policy of running lamps at lower levels, but the practice does little if anything at all to extend the life of a Xenon projector lamp. The wear and tear on such lamps occurs when it is powered on/off. Quite a few theaters will keep a Xenon lamp running well past the recommended "mileage." The bulb can be struck only so many times before it needs to be replaced. Many projectors have a built in counter to track how many times a bulb has been used.

Some of the screens in the new Warren complex will be really huge, even bigger than the Cine Capris screen in the Bricktown 16. Screens of that scale can be very difficult to light properly using a 35mm projector. In fact, 70mm projection is actually recommended for such purposes, but Hollywood hardly ever makes 70mm prints for regular movies anymore (the IMAX DMR 15/70 movies seem to be the only exception these days). Once that theater is open and people check out a show on a screen as big as 80' across, don't be too surprised if the image looks a tad bit dim. If Warren adopts a digital projection route by the time the theater opens they may have to use a special dual-lamp Christie CP2000-X projector or something similar to throw a properly bright image onto such a giant sized screen.

Out of things that break or fall out of adjustment in movie theaters, the sound system always has a lot more problems. The EQ falls out of whack (or some idiot jacks around with the knobs, deliberately throwing the room "out of tune"). Speaker drivers get blown on a regular basis, provided the volume is up at any significant level to be affected by the dynamics of modern digital sound mixes. Many theater circuits do little to maintain the sound systems. Even if nothing breaks, a good technician needs to adjust the EQ for each auditorium at least once or twice a year. The best theaters in the world typically to that on a monthly basis or when a different movie gets played in that auditorium.

[bombermwc]

Well my fear came true. Now that it's not Regal, they aren't doing the simulcast events. So for the first time, OKC won't have a single theater that will be broadcasting any DCI events. What a crock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jbrown84]

DCI events?

[Karried]

I think Digital Cinema Incentives... could be wrong..


thank you Google

[Patrick]

Here's his post from our sister site:

So my first gripe has happend with the Regal Cinema at Crossroads changing owners. That was the only place in the state that simulcasted Drum Corps International (DCI) events. Both semifinals and the Classic Countdown were shown there the last 4 years. So to my unhapy surprise, I look at the list of theaters on the DCI site for the 2007 Classic Countdown, and there aren't any Oklahoma theaters on the list now. What a crock!!!

They were such awesome events and having a full room of drum corps fans cheering as if they were in the stadium was so much fun. People chanted their favorite corps chants when they came on, as if they could hear them. DCI fans are die hard and travel thousands of miles ever summer for shows, so it was really nice to be able to watch something here in town. Now we have to wait until summer to catch the little contests at Enid and Broken Arrow...neither of which are what they once were.

How depressing.

[jbrown84]

hmmm

sounds like a pretty tiny niche audience.

[Easy180]

Here's his post from our sister site:

So my first gripe has happend with the Regal Cinema at Crossroads changing owners. That was the only place in the state that simulcasted Drum Corps International (DCI) events. Both semifinals and the Classic Countdown were shown there the last 4 years. So to my unhapy surprise, I look at the list of theaters on the DCI site for the 2007 Classic Countdown, and there aren't any Oklahoma theaters on the list now. What a crock!!!

They were such awesome events and having a full room of drum corps fans cheering as if they were in the stadium was so much fun. People chanted their favorite corps chants when they came on, as if they could hear them. DCI fans are die hard and travel thousands of miles ever summer for shows, so it was really nice to be able to watch something here in town. Now we have to wait until summer to catch the little contests at Enid and Broken Arrow...neither of which are what they once were.

How depressing.

Never heard of this...Sounds like I would pass even if I had

[writerranger]

Oh, this is bad news bomber. My wife loved those things. She was big into drum corps and was a member of Black Gold. I kinda thought a lot like the posters above until I saw one of the events. To those that don't understand, The DCI Championships and other events are shown live on a screen at most Regal Theaters. They can actually be packed out and rowdy (in a fun way). It sure made me realize how big the whole drum corps/marching band thing is. My wife was afraid of this too when we found out Regal no longer had a theater in OKC. So, I understand completely, bomber.

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[bombermwc]

"tiny" is a relative term. Yes it's a twice a year event, but it does fill the room in theaters all across the country. Millions of people watch those events each year and since EPSN started broadcasting finals for DCI, millions more watch it.

So while you may not have heard of it, don't discount the millions of fans....with cash to spend. And boy do they spend it on anything and everything they can get with their favorite corps name on it. It's best compared to Professional Football fans...if you can image the "game" being a marching show....where yes the fans stand on their feet and scream at the top of their lungs.

[jbrown84]

I'm not discounting your personal disappointment, but it just doesn't seem like a big blow to OKC's quality of life. We are talking 200-300 people filling up a theatre, not 20,000 filling up an arena.

[SoonerDave]

Well, not to speak for bomber, but I think perhaps the disappointment is in how the broader idea of "out of the box" uses for these new, big theaters just got a kick in the gut.

As an example, until they took Oklahoma off their regular "touring" list, Microsoft held developer seminars over in the Regal, and would give everyone free popcorn and a drink while watching a presentation from a nice, comfy theater chair. That's another kind of "out of the box" use for a theater that comes under a similar heading. I think it takes some ingenuity to come up with those kinds of idea, and if the new owners don't bother with that kind of stuff, it's just a little disappointing, that's all.

-soonerdave

[Bobby H]

The Oklahoma City area is finally just now starting to get some "Digital Cinema" capability in any of its theaters (the Harkins Bricktown 16 has installed one D-Cinema projection system with RealD capability for Disney's Meet The Robinsons). Digital Cinema, while not a true leap above 35mm projection in terms of absolute image quality potential, does afford a commercial theater much more in the way of content flexibility.

As more D-Cinema systems get installed in the area, there is a chance some of the kinds of alternative content Regal was showing on their fairly dim consumer grade video projectors might get revived on these much better digital projectors.

Carmike Cinemas already has been offering some alternative content in some of its theaters (such as rock concerts, religious programming and some sporting events). A lot of that stuff is shown in off-peak times though.

FYI, four Carmike Cinemas locations elsewhere in Oklahoma have D-Cinema equipment installed on every screen and RealD on at least 1 screen at each location. AMC's 20-plex in Tulsa also just installed 1 digital system with RealD capability.

[Ginkasa]

The Oklahoma City area is finally just now starting to get some "Digital Cinema" capability in any of its theaters (the Harkins Bricktown 16 has installed one D-Cinema projection system with RealD capability for Disney's Meet The Robinsons). Digital Cinema, while not a true leap above 35mm projection in terms of absolute image quality potential, does afford a commercial theater much more in the way of content flexibility.

Actually it hasn't technically been installed yet... I think we're starting today, and it won't go in use, of course, until Meet The Robinsons is released on Friday.

BTW, how did you know that...? I don't think we've had too many advertisements yet, except for a couple RealD posters in the lobby...

[writerranger]

Actually it hasn't technically been installed yet... I think we're starting today, and it won't go in use, of course, until Meet The Robinsons is released on Friday.

BTW, how did you know that...? I don't think we've had too many advertisements yet, except for a couple RealD posters in the lobby
...

If there's anything to know about movie theaters in Oklahoma - Bobby knows! (He's 'The Shadow' of the industry here at OKCTalk and keeps us all well-informed. Thanks for that, btw, Bobby!)

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[Bobby H]

I was actually surprised to hear about Harkins doing the RealD install in Oklahoma City -it came by word of a fellow I know out in Los Angeles. I knew they were putting a couple new systems into theaters in the Phoenix area, but was under the impression OKC would have to wait until summer for any digital projection systems to get installed.

Ginkasa, what kind of projector is going in there? Perhaps a Christie CP2000 on one of the smaller houses or a dual-lamp CP2000-X for the Cine Capris? Or perhaps something else like a NEC model? Dolby Digital Cinema? The RealD process demands some serious light output. The computerized Z-buffer filter that flips in front of the projector lens darkens the image a tad, and you have the issue of the silver screen and lamp throw needing to be tweaked just right for it as well. The Carmike 8 in Lawton had their RealD processor installed a few weeks ago (on THX-certified screen #4) and the image throw on the silver screen looks really good.

The announcement for the AMC Southroads 20 in Tulsa came earlier. Carmike Cinemas has the largest deal yet with RealD: a 500 screen installation program to execute over the next year for the circuit's 2400 screens.

At any rate, the Harkins Bricktown 16 installation is now "public knowledge," given that the RealD website now has the theater noted on its web site:
Find A REAL D Digital 3D Cinema Near You
Just click on the United States area of the world map graphic and then click into Oklahoma and all the RealD installation sites within the Sooner State will be listed.

[Ginkasa]

I honestly am not the most knowledgable on projector types and such, so I can't answer as to what specific kind. I can say, however, that we're placing the projector in #9, which is kind of "upper-middle" is terms of size.

Its not in the Cine Capri in case there is a digital/3D film that proves to be unpopular and/or have little longevity.

[bombermwc]

I'm not discounting your personal disappointment, but it just doesn't seem like a big blow to OKC's quality of life. We are talking 200-300 people filling up a theatre, not 20,000 filling up an arena.

What the terd does an arena have to do with anything. You've missed the point completely here man. And don't confuse quality of life with an arena either...that's entertainment only.

Anyway, the fact is that it's just another thing that attracted people to the theater that they won't now. It's a missed opportunity to do something that COULD have been even more spectacular had they not crapped out on us. It's one event of a type that is guranteed to attract a full audience every time, multiple times a year. It may not make as much in direct sales for that event, but what about the people that support that theater instead of the one down the street because they were the one that ran the event?

[jbrown84]

Well to go back to your original post, you call it a "crock" that OK no longer has any theatre showing this. It seems like you are being a little biased. It would be a crock if OKC had no movie theatres. Not having this, well, it just means that Regal was their partner theatre chain and Regal is no longer in the market.

[Bobby H]

What I would like to know is just how full the auditorium was when these DCI events were being shown. Was it a sell out crowd? 'Bout half full? Just a few people? Those attendance figures will usually say a lot for how well some of these alternative events will do.

I should also say most people just show up at the movie theater expecting to watch a movie, not some sporting event. That's the hazard of some of this alternative content stuff. I'm certainly going to be angry if the show I buy a ticket to see has open captioning blasted onto the screen and the audio itself is coming out in Spanish! A prompt refund for everything I purchased will be in order or I will not return.

For those who are interested, I did a little checking. Harkins Theaters has installed Christie CP2000 digital projectors and Dolby Digital Cinema server systems in some of its theaters in Arizona. I see little reason why they would change up that recipe for the Bricktown 16 in Oklahoma City (but would still like some confirmation on the hardware specs). The system should work very well if the installation is completed in time (we're only 2 days away from opening day for Meet the Robinsons).

Word of advice. Be prepared to pay a couple of bucks extra if you want to see this "Disney Digital 3D" (bull-crap, it's RealD) movie. Customers may feel like they are getting robbed for the higher ticket price. However, with each ticket sold, you get a pair of 3D glasses that look like a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses. The RealD equipped movie theaters have to charge that higher price to pay for the higher royalty fee that comes from showing RealD format movies and for the simple fact you get to KEEP those 3D glasses after the show is finished. It's either that or the theater would have to install a restaurant style dish washing system to sanitize re-usable 3D glasses for each show. I kinda like being able to keep the glasses. Still have the paper 3D polarized glasses from watching Friday the 13th: Parth III in 3D from 1982.

For the tail end of the post, here's a couple photos of how some of the RealD equipment looks (in case you're in the theater and can see up in the port glass and spot the hardware back there). One photo is of the 3D Z-filter that swings in front of the digital projector lens. Yes, that is a level bubble at the top. The other shot shows the RealD processor installed in the accessory rack of a Christie CP2000 digital projector.

[writerranger]

What I would like to know is just how full the auditorium was when these DCI events were being shown. Was it a sell out crowd? 'Bout half full? Just a few people? Those attendance figures will usually say a lot for how well some of these alternative events will do.

I should also say most people just show up at the movie theater expecting to watch a movie, not some sporting event. That's the hazard of some of this alternative content stuff. I'm certainly going to be angry if the show I buy a ticket to see has open captioning blasted onto the screen and the audio itself is coming out in Spanish! A prompt refund for everything I purchased will be in order or I will not return.

The DCI Championships at Regal are packed out. They are also advertised and marketed along with ESPN (who later shows it via tape delay). People know what they're buying when they go to see the DCI Championships. They don't sell them like a regular movie ticket.

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[Ginkasa]

The system should work very well if the installation is completed in time (we're only 2 days away from opening day for Meet the Robinsons).

Word of advice. Be prepared to pay a couple of bucks extra if you want to see this "Disney Digital 3D" (bull-crap, it's RealD) movie.

No worries about it getting done in time. From what I could tell, the installer was almost done.

And yes, tickets will be two dollars more for Meet The Robinsons 3D. We will, however, be getting a normal 30mm print and will be showing that as well for customers who aren't interested in either the 3D or paying the extra two bucks.

[Ginkasa]

Got a peak at Meet the Robinsons in 3D. Its very nice; much better than the blue-red style of 3D.

[Bobby H]

Polarized full color 3D is definitely a lot better than the old blue/red garbage.

IMAX 3D movies operate off the polarized method (running two 15-perf 70mm film strips horizontally through two 15-perf 70mm projectors with polarizer lenses in opposite phase with each other).

Some 35mm film print releases have also featured the full color polarized 3D method, but using a mechanical polarized Z-filter synchronized with a single film strip. The process was introduced in the early 1980s on films like Comin' At Ya and Friday the 13th: Part III in 3D. The system worked great -so long as the film print was properly built and without errant splices. Any splice at all could throw the movie completely out of sync and destroy the 3D effect. Over time, 35mm prints like that 3D Jason slasher flick became an ordeal to even try to show because of all the print damage that accumulated through the years.

With the digital projection version of 3D, there's no chance of sync dropping errors to occur since there's no way to physically damage the movie's bit stream. Data flags in the movie bit stream tell the RealD processor to turn on/off automatically and perfectly sync the Z-filter mounted in front of the projector lens.

I'm kind of hoping this new 3D capability will bring back a couple of those old 1980s movies so they can be shown without any glitches.

I'm sure at least a few people are going to be griping about that $2 price hike on tickets. However, there's more stuff in 3D during the show besides the movie itself. Disney included a couple animated short movies (one new and another vintage cartoon redone in 3D). Some theaters may also be showing 3D trailers for other upcoming RealD releases, such as the concert movie U2: 3D.