SIFF Cinema Downtown

The Seattle Cinerama opened in 1963 as Seattle's Martin Cinerama as a showcase for Cinerama. It was retrofitted a few months later to also show 70 mm films on its large curved screen. It soon became specialized in showing such spectaculars as The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Both formats shortly fell out of fashion, and Krakatoa, East of Java from 1969 was the last non-standard film to be shown at the Cinerama in the first era of its existence.

The following three decades were lean, as the proliferation of suburban multiplex theaters drew movie fans away from the Cinerama.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/History.aspx|title=History - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=June 10, 2015|archive-date=June 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613135317/https://www.cinerama.com/History.aspx|url-status=dead}} Lackluster ticket sales quickly led to a general decline in the theater's upkeep, until it was relegated to playing second-run movies after being taken over by Cineplex Odeon on a reduced rent, month-to-month basis.

The turnaround began in 1997 when developers revealed plans to turn the Cinerama into a dinner theater or a rock-climbing club. This sparked a grassroots effort to save the historic venue, with local film buffs circulating petitions and issuing an urgent cry for help, which was answered by multi-billionaire Paul Allen, himself a movie fan and patron of the theater during its 1960s heyday.

Allen purchased the theater and initiated a comprehensive, multimillion-dollar restoration. The grand re-opening occurred in 1999. Since then, the theater has played both classic movies and select new productions.{{cite web |url=https://www.cinerama.com/theatre4_history.html |title=Seattle Cinerama History |accessdate=2006-03-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060110092951/http://www.cinerama.com/theatre4_history.html |archivedate=2006-01-10 }}

File:Seattle Cinerama1.JPG

The renovation restored the look of a great mid-20th century movie house, and installed of state-of-the-art technology and accessibility features. The theater had 808 seats and two screens. The first was a deep curved 90-foot-long, 30-foot-high screen, constructed of 2,000 louvered strips. It is used for presenting rare three-strip films such as How the West Was Won and 70 mm classics like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The deep curved screen is stored in sections behind a smaller screen used for regular screenings of modern 70 mm/35 mm first-run movies. A professional crew is required to dismantle the smaller screen and assemble the larger one for Cinerama and special event presentations.

File:Seattle Cinerama2.JPG

The theater closed at the end of August 2010 for renovations. During the closure, a new digital projection and sound system was added, including support for the screening of 3-D films.{{cite web | title= Cinerama closes for two months, starting Monday | url= http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/popcornprejudiceamovieblog/2012717709_cinerama_closes_for_two_months.html | publisher= The Seattle Times | author= Moira Macdonald | work= Popcorn & Prejudice (blog) | date= August 25, 2010 | accessdate= 2010-08-31 | archive-date= August 30, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100830180914/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/popcornprejudiceamovieblog/2012717709_cinerama_closes_for_two_months.html | url-status= live }} A new screen was also installed, the concessions area updated, new carpeting and paint, and a new marquee and signage outside. The theater was still able to present films in 70mm and three-panel Cinerama formats.

The theater closed again in August 2014 for renovations.{{cite web|url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Cinerama-to-close-for-months-5660009.php|title=Seattle's Cinerama to close for months|date=July 31, 2014 |publisher=|access-date=September 20, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811012232/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Cinerama-to-close-for-months-5660009.php|url-status=live}} It reopened on November 20, for a screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.{{cite web|last1=Cinerama|title=WE'RE READY FOR OUR BIG REVEAL|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/November-2014/We-re-Ready-for-our-Big-Reveal.aspx|website=Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|accessdate=30 November 2014|archive-date=December 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202141949/http://www.cinerama.com/News/November-2014/We-re-Ready-for-our-Big-Reveal.aspx|url-status=live}}

This third renovation of Cinerama included many changes. The theater's capacity was reduced from 798 to 560 seats (a stated 390 on the Main Level and 170 in the Balcony, however only 546 tickets are generally available for purchase{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/|title=Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Theater|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=June 10, 2015|archive-date=June 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612041847/http://www.cinerama.com/|url-status=live}}), allowing for more leg room and wider seats.{{cite web|last1=Macdonald|first1=Moira|title=Cinerama reopens with snazzy seats, better sound — and beer and wine|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/movies//2025043460_cineramareopeningxml.html?mbaseid=2025043460|website=The Seattle Times|accessdate=30 November 2014|archive-date=November 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117233502/http://seattletimes.com/html/movies/2025043460_cineramareopeningxml.html|url-status=live}} The number of speakers was increased to 110 from the original 65, with some accompanying acoustical changes. A Dolby Atmos sound system and a Christie 6P dual laser projector were installed (the latter being the world's first commercial installation).{{cite web |last1=Quinn |first1=Calder |title=13 Coolest Movie Theaters Around the World |url=https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-12-05/11-coolest-movie-theaters-around-the-world-cinerama-film-forum |website=cntraveler.com |access-date=17 February 2024}}

Paul Allen died in 2018. The theater closed for a fourth renovation in February 2020, and all but two of its staff were laid off. Planned updates included new carpeting and kitchen equipment. A reopening date was expected to be within the 2020 calendar year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/seattles-cinerama-to-close-for-renovations/|title=Seattle's Cinerama closing for renovations; many on staff laid off|date=2020-02-04|website=The Seattle Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-08|archive-date=February 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205191311/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/seattles-cinerama-to-close-for-renovations/|url-status=live}} In May 2020, the Seattle Cinerama, citing the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that it would remain closed for the foreseeable future.{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=May 27, 2020 |title=Vulcan to close its Arts + Entertainment division, which includes Cinerama and Seattle Art Fair |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/vulcan-to-close-its-arts-entertainment-division-which-includes-cinerama-and-seattle-art-fair/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 28, 2020 |archive-date=May 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527220001/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/vulcan-to-close-its-arts-entertainment-division-which-includes-cinerama-and-seattle-art-fair/ |url-status=live }} A petition to save and reopen the theater was launched in October 2021, ultimately garnering over 12,000 signatures.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/seattle-needs-a-hero-to-save-beloved-cinerama/|title=Seattle needs a hero to save beloved Cinerama|date=2021-11-10|website=The Seattle Times|access-date=2024-03-18}}

The Allen estate sold the theater to the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) in May 2023 for $4.5 million.{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Joey |date=May 15, 2023 |title=Here's what SIFF paid for Seattle's Cinerama theater |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2023/05/15/cinerama-sale-siff.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |url-access=subscription |accessdate=May 15, 2023}} The fee was paid through a loan from Far Star Ventures, who had previously helped SIFF acquire the Uptown Theater in 2014; proceeds from the future sale of air rights over the property are planned to be split between SIFF and the Allen estate.{{cite news |date=May 15, 2023 |title=SIFF buys Cinerama theater for $4.5M |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12156621.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |url-access=subscription |accessdate=May 16, 2023}} SIFF reopened the theater months before the festival's 50th anniversary in 2024; the reopened cinema no longer carried the Cinerama name due to licensing issues.{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=May 11, 2023 |title=SIFF buys Cinerama, plans reopening of beloved Seattle movie theater |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/siff-buys-cinerama-plans-reopening-of-beloved-seattle-movie-theater/ |work=The Seattle Times |url-access=limited |accessdate=May 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512022357/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/siff-buys-cinerama-plans-reopening-of-beloved-seattle-movie-theater/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Schlosser |first=Kurt |title=Cinerama is saved! Seattle film nonprofit SIFF acquires historic theater from Paul Allen estate |website=GeekWire |date=May 12, 2023 |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2023/cinerama-is-saved-seattle-film-nonprofit-siff-acquires-historic-theater-from-paul-allen-estate/ |access-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-date=May 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230512152728/https://www.geekwire.com/2023/cinerama-is-saved-seattle-film-nonprofit-siff-acquires-historic-theater-from-paul-allen-estate/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Tiano |first=Mike |title=How the Seattle Cinerama Was Reborn as SIFF Cinema Downtown |website=Something Else! |date=2024-04-12 |url=https://somethingelsereviews.com/2024/04/12/cinerama-siff-cinema-downtown/ |access-date=2025-03-30}}

The Seattle City Council approved a $950,000 grant to SIFF to fund the reopening of the Cinerama. The Metropolitan King County Council approved their own $1 million grant a week later that would draw from unused state and federal pandemic relief funds.{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=August 15, 2023 |title=King County Council approves $1M for Cinerama |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/king-county-council-approves-1m-for-cinerama/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=August 16, 2023}} The first screening at the reopened theater was the private premiere of The Boys in the Boat on December 7, 2023.{{cite news |date=December 7, 2023 |title='The Boys in the Boat' premieres in Seattle at SIFF Cinema Downtown |url=https://www.king5.com/article/entertainment/movies/the-boys-in-the-boat-premieres-seattle-siff-cinema/281-cc203fae-816e-4c54-af75-2acec7f91ca7 |publisher=KING 5 News |accessdate=December 7, 2023}} The theater fully reopened on December 14 under the name SIFF Cinema Downtown with a screening of Wonka.{{cite news |last=Macdonald |first=Moira |date=November 1, 2023 |title=Seattle's beloved Cinerama to reopen this winter under a new name |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/seattles-beloved-cinerama-to-reopen-this-winter-under-a-new-name/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=November 1, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/siff-cinema-downtown-formerly-cinerama-officially-opens/|title=SIFF Cinema Downtown, formerly known as Cinerama, officially opens|date=2023-12-14|website=The Seattle Times|access-date=2024-03-18}}

From 1976 to 2018, the Seattle Cinerama hosted a number of festivals and events:

• Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF): Held annually since 1976, the theater has functioned as one of the festival's venues, most recently in 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://www.siff.net/festival-2014/festival-venues |title=Festival Venues | SIFF |access-date=2015-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150321051938/http://www.siff.net/festival-2014/festival-venues |archive-date=2015-03-21 |url-status=dead }}
• SFFSFF: The EMP Museum, in collaboration with SIFF, operates the annual festival showcasing animated and live-action science fiction, fantasy, and horror-tinged short film from around the globe at the theater.{{cite web |url=https://www.mopop.org/programs-plus-education/programs/science-fiction-plus-fantasy-short-film-festival/science-fiction-plus-fantasy-short-film-festival.aspx |title=Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival |accessdate=2015-06-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503173452/http://www.empmuseum.org/programs-plus-education/programs/science-fiction-plus-fantasy-short-film-festival/science-fiction-plus-fantasy-short-film-festival.aspx |archivedate=2015-05-03 }}
• Emerald City Comicon Cinema Series: Cinerama and the Emerald City Comicon have partnered since 2014 to bring together movie stars to talk about their films in Q&A sessions. Notable attendees include Stan Lee, Alan Tudyk, Karl Urban and Michael Biehn.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/March-2015/Emerald-City-Comicon-Cinema-Series.aspx|title=Emerald City Comicon Cinema Series - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=June 10, 2015|archive-date=June 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610110257/http://www.cinerama.com/News/March-2015/Emerald-City-Comicon-Cinema-Series.aspx|url-status=live}}
• Fists & Fury: Established in 2015, the inaugural mixed martial arts film festival featured rarely screened Bruce Lee titles such as Enter the Dragon and The Chinese Connection, as well as other popular films of the genre including Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2 and Kung Fu Hustle.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/February-2015-(1)/Cinerama-Announces-Fists-Fury-Mixed-Martial-Arts-F.aspx|title=Cinerama Announces Fists & Fury: Mixed Martial Arts Film Festival - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=June 10, 2015|archive-date=June 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610110245/http://www.cinerama.com/News/February-2015-(1)/Cinerama-Announces-Fists-Fury-Mixed-Martial-Arts-F.aspx|url-status=live}}
• 70mm Film Fest: Run quasi-annually since the fall of 2011, the 70mm fest seeks to showcase the decaying large screen format. Titles include original 70mm classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Lawrence of Arabia and Tron as well as blow ups of 35mm productions like Life Force and new titles like The Master, Interstellar and The Hateful 8. The 70mm Film Festival was held from September 7–20, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SeattleCinerama/status/1026566480907792384|title=Seattle Cinerama Twitter|website=www.twitter.com|access-date=January 8, 2019|archive-date=February 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201192445/https://twitter.com/SeattleCinerama/status/1026566480907792384|url-status=live}}

2001: A Space Odyssey had a run at Seattle Cinerama for nearly {{frac|2|1|2}} years following its original release in the fall of 1968.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} Warner Brothers chose the Seattle Cinerama as the theater in which to premiere the newly restored 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film opened on October 5, 2001, and eventually opened in other cities around North America the following month.{{Cn|date=May 2023}} In 2012, Paul Allen paid for a new 70mm print of 2001: A Space Odyssey to be produced for the first annual Cinerama Science Fiction Film Festival. Due to rights issues, the studios own the new print. It has, however, been placed on "permanent loan" to the Seattle Cinerama.{{Cn|date=May 2023}}

Beginning with The Great Gatsby on June 5, 2013, the theater began "2D Tuesdays", a showing of 2D versions of all 3D films every Tuesday.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestranger.com/film/2013/06/07/16968679/cinerama-announces-2d-tuesdays|title=Cinerama Announces 2D Tuesdays|publisher=}} During the final weekend of September that year, the Cinerama concluded the "Big Screen 70mm Festival" with a rare screening of original 3-strip Cinerama films, using the three projection booths. How the West Was Won played daily Friday thru Sunday, with a screening of This Is Cinerama on Saturday evening.{{cite web|url=https://www.in70mm.com/news/2013/seattle/index.htm|title=Seattle Cinerama Big Screen 70mm Festival|website=www.in70mm.com|access-date=February 26, 2020|archive-date=February 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226141721/https://www.in70mm.com/news/2013/seattle/index.htm|url-status=live}}

In March 2016, the Cinerama was one of only ten theaters in the nation to show Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 70mm for its first week.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/February-2016/Cinerama-to-screen-Batman-v-Superman-and-The-Hatef.aspx|title=Cinerama to screen Batman v Superman and The Hateful Eight in rare 70mm format - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=November 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114165039/https://www.cinerama.com/News/February-2016/Cinerama-to-screen-Batman-v-Superman-and-The-Hatef.aspx|url-status=live}} The following month, Quentin Tarantino's extended "70mm Roadshow" version of The Hateful Eight was shown in Ultra Panavision 70.{{cite web|url=https://thehatefuleight.com/|title=Roadshow - The Hateful Eight|website=The Hateful Eight|access-date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=November 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125001826/http://thehatefuleight.com/roadshow|url-status=live}} The theater held a two-week screening in early November of Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Chrome Edition,{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/October-2016/Exclusive-presentation-of-Mad-Max-Fury-Road-Black.aspx|title=Exclusive presentation of Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Chrome Edition - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=November 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114170309/https://www.cinerama.com/News/October-2016/Exclusive-presentation-of-Mad-Max-Fury-Road-Black.aspx|url-status=live}} followed by a week-long run of the debut of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 70mm, one of ten theaters in the country to do so.{{cite web|url=https://www.cinerama.com/News/October-2016/Cinerama-to-show-Fantastic-Beasts-and-Where-to-Fin.aspx|title=Cinerama to show Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 70mm - Cinerama - Seattle's Most Epic Movie Experience|website=www.cinerama.com|access-date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=November 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114170149/https://www.cinerama.com/News/October-2016/Cinerama-to-show-Fantastic-Beasts-and-Where-to-Fin.aspx|url-status=live}}

In addition to the Seattle Cinerama, the two theaters in the world still capable of showing three-panel Cinerama films are the Cinerama Dome at ArcLight Cinemas in Los Angeles, and the Pictureville Cinema at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.

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; General

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• [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/News/06/02/showbuzz/ CNN on the opening] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041206201425/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/News/06/02/showbuzz/ |date=December 6, 2004 }}
• [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/17/us/he-s-turning-seattle-into-his-kind-of-town.html New York Times reference]

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{{Commons category}}

{{Movie theaters in Seattle}}

{{Belltown, Seattle}}

{{Cinerama}}

{{Vulcan Inc.}}

Category:Cinerama venues

Category:Theatres completed in 1963

Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Washington (state)

Category:Tourist attractions in Seattle

Category:Buildings and structures in Belltown, Seattle

Category:1963 establishments in Washington (state)