Movie Theaters: The Bad and the Beautiful : What’s On the Screen Isn’t the Only Key to a Pleasant Evening Out in the Multiplex Era

Up on the silver screen there are magic moments this summer as Harry meets Sally and Batman bests the Joker.

But for the magic to work down in the audience, the popcorn should be fresh and the seats had better not wobble.

The place where one watches a movie can be as important as the movie itself. Some places are better than others. And in this age of multiplexes, the adequate and the inadequate can exist side by side.

Fussy multiplex customers want to know whether the movie they’ve chosen is playing in a full-sized, big-screen theater or in the shoe box next door. Often a way to find out is through the multiplex’s newspaper ad. The larger theaters generally are listed first and boast extra features such as 70mm film or Dolby stereo.

Telephone recordings sometimes give this information, although less often. Don’t trust that the first movies mentioned are in the larger theaters. They seldom are.

The following is a look at selected movie houses in the San Fernando Valley: the good, the bad and the ugly.

A happy ending would have one theater named the best in the Valley and awarded a moviegoers’ Oscar. But the real world doesn’t work that way. No single theater combines the optimum in picture, sound and comfort and serves it up with top-quality refreshments.

Cineplex Odeon, Universal City. Eighteen screens, but don’t think that means diversity. One summer weekend saw “Star Trek V” on six screens and the latest “Indiana Jones” movie on five. Those who thought this mega-plex would mix art films with mainstream movies, as does the Cineplex Odeon in the Beverly Center, have been sorely disappointed. A company spokeswoman said the booking policy is dictated by customer demand.

“Universal has had record-breaking weeks recently playing limited product on its screens,” she said.

This despite the fact that the theater is the most expensive in the Valley. Tickets are $7 and parking $2.50. And, in this hilltop spot some call the Heliplex, there is no way to park on the street and walk a few blocks: Moviegoers must use the theater’s adjacent lot or structure.

Add to this a legion of attendants who insist on seeing a patron’s ticket stub at every turn, and one might wonder why the theater often does sell-out business. The reason is that it’s among the best places in the Valley to see a movie. The seats are luxuriously padded, the screens flawless, the air conditioning comfortable, the surroundings clean.

Five of the large cinemas show 70mm film and offer THX Dolby sound. The Cineplex’s newspaper ad and telephone tape-recording tell which movies get this top screening treatment. The Cineplex also scores high marks for its refreshments, which include a variety of baked goods and freshly brewed coffee. There is a dining area with tables.

(The county Department of Health Services inspects movie houses, by the way, with a goal of three visits a year. A department official said inspectors write many fewer violations at theaters than at restaurants. Mouse, rat or roach infestations occur on rare occasions, he said.)

Laemmle’s Town & Country, Encino. This three-plex in an open-air mall is the sole Valley theater for art, cult or foreign films.

(Robert Laemmle said he would like to show good mainstream fare such as “When Harry Met Sally” and “Batman” but “as an independent we don’t have equal access to that type of film. They go to the chains that have a circuit.”)

The Town & Country is a good place to see a movie. For the $6 admission, moviegoers get large theaters and sharp sound. The snack bar offers Haagen-Dazs and Steve’s ice cream, along with Swiss chocolate. The popcorn is popped with an oil that’s cholesterol-free and has 80% less saturated fat than the commonly used coconut oil. And the butter is real, not “butter flavor.”

On the downside, the padding is lumpy in some seats, and the place could use a paint job. The theater’s lease expires soon--neither Laemmle nor the landlord would say when--and the Laemmle family has delayed making improvements until they are certain they will keep the location. Laemmle said he worries that the landlord, Encino Management Corp., would prefer to lease to a chain exhibitor. The Encino Management official said nothing has been decided and would not comment further.

Mann Studio, Studio City. This is as close as one will come in the Valley to the movie palaces of yesteryear. A cavernous single theater that’s attractively decorated, the Studio gives patrons the feeling that they’re enjoying a night out. Its lobby and food lines don’t fill with patrons from other auditoriums. The air in the theater has a freshness that seems possible only in large spaces.

The snack bar is ordinary, however, the sole attempt at distinction a watery lemonade. The seats have narrow, uncomfortable wooden armrests. And the small bathrooms can be crowded. Still, the Studio is well worth the $6.50 admission.

Mann West, Tarzana. There are six theaters here, with a lobby big enough for only two or three. Refreshment lines often are long. The production-line feeling extends to the food: just the basics, and popcorn with imitation butter.

The single wonderful feature at the Mann West is the seats, which are thickly cushioned and have tall backs. The theaters are small without fostering claustrophobia, and the sound is good. Admission is $6.50.

General Cinema, Northridge Fashion Center. At times odors are so bad here, management should provide nose plugs with the $6 admission. The three theaters and tiny lobby often are heavy with cooking smells. Worse are the restrooms and the subterranean hallway leading to them, where the absence of ventilation is quite noticeable. The restrooms, incidentally, are equipped with air dryers only; no towels.

The whole layout has a gerrymandered feeling, as if it is jammed into too small a space. This may account for the odor problem. The auditoriums are long and narrow, their dark walls void of decoration. It’s like watching a movie in a dungeon.

All is not disaster, however. The seats are very comfortable, and the sound and screens are good.

United Artists, Warner Center. Odors can be a problem here, mainly cooking smells in the lobby. The size of the six theaters varies considerably, the largest of them being quite good and the smallest claustrophobic. Fortunately the newspaper ad tells which movie is playing in which theater.

The seats are uncomfortable, with small, straight backs. But they come equipped with cup holders. Refreshments are the standard fare, except for mineral water at $1.75 a bottle. Admission is $6.

Pacific 4, Sherman Oaks Galleria. The largest of the theaters here--listed first in the newspaper ad--has a large screen, good sound and comfortable air conditioning. The others do not pass the two-aisle test, being squarish boxes divided by a single walkway. In one of them the light from ceiling fixtures and the projection booth was bright enough that patrons’ faces were as visible as Dennis Quaid’s up on the screen in “Great Balls of Fire.”

Seats are comfortable and the popcorn comes with real butter. Admission is $6.

Pacific, Northridge. Once again the secret is the auditorium size. The two big theaters--listed first in the newspaper ad--provide an excellent picture and sound, while the four others are only adequate.

The low-slung, high-backed seats are quite comfortable. All six theaters are clean and the facility has ample restrooms. The snack bar sells a good cherry Icee and real butter for the popcorn. Overall, this is as good as the suburban multiplexes get. But parking can be a problem on a busy night. Admission is $6.

AMC, Burbank. Merchandising is the name of the game here, as is evidenced by the T-shirt sales, the ads that come on the screen before the previews and the lobby TV monitors that show glimpses of movies playing in the 10 theaters. While it’s possible to feel hustled, one benefit is the high-efficiency refreshment counter. Management doesn’t want to discourage customers with lines.

The theaters come in three sizes, but the differences in comfort and picture quality are slight. The sound in all is just adequate. Seats are roomy, soft and equipped with drink holders. Parking, once a major problem, has improved with the addition of a new structure.

One nice feature is that the $3.25 bargain price remains in effect until 6 p.m. on weekdays. Most theaters end bargain prices earlier in the afternoon. The AMC’s regular admission is $6.50.

Century Theatre, North Hollywood. The two 70mm auditoriums are fine and are noted in the newspaper ad. Of the remaining five theaters, the two smallest should be avoided. Noise bleeds through from the movies next door, and the air conditioning is as maniacal as any big-screen villain. Temperatures may rise or fall several degrees in the course of a show.

The seats in the Century are uncomfortably small. Admission is $6.25.

Americana 5, Panorama City. Movie theaters face major wear and tear, as is evidenced by this once-proud facility. An early multiplex, even its small auditoriums are spacious. The largest is huge. But the seats are lumpy and the surroundings shabby. A recent screening of “Lethal Weapon II” was so out of focus, when Mel Gibson lit a cigarette it looked like he had two in his mouth. Admission is $5.50.

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