Rip Screen 1 the savoy

Mr Crispy · 07-08-2018 10:02PM

Dublin city centre has no multiplex of note then - screens/auditorium either too small, or too grimy/lacking in modern comfort. That's pretty sad.

alzer100 · 07-08-2018 10:17PM

Darch Nemesis wrote: »

Dublin city centre has no multiplex of note then - screens/auditorium either too small, or too grimy/lacking in modern comfort. That's pretty sad.

Others have given a positive review for the quality of seating in the new auditoriums, but I for one would rather have that 70ft screen and that theatrical auditorium over improved seating comfort anyday.

Mr Crispy · 07-08-2018 10:25PM

alzer100 wrote: »

Others have given a positive review for the quality of seating in the new auditoriums, but I for one would rather have that 70ft screen and that theatrical auditorium over improved seating comfort anyday.

Yeah, the "grimy" remark was aimed at Cineworld really, which is an absolute kip.

Shred · 08-08-2018 11:38AM

alzer100 wrote: »

Downstairs (what was the old screen 1):
Screens 1,9,10,11,12
.

Ah ffs :mad: I won't be darkening their doors anytime soon so.

oceanclub · 13-08-2018 10:25AM

AMKC wrote: »

So did you go see it after? I am nearly sure that screen 5 is upstairs and that its only 3 screens downstairs. Screen 1, screen 10 and screen 12. The reason I know is the last film I went to there was in screen 12 and well I spent some time trying to find it and just made the film. Nice seats in it too.

Screen 5 is one of the existing one from before. I recall that you used to go upstairs, then there was _another_ set of stairs taking you up to 3 screens, the middle one of which was Screen 2 (the second biggest in the cinema, AFAIK).

Now it takes you up to _4_ screens - I assume Screen 2 was also split into 2. But the cinema to the left at the top of the stairs, Screen 5, is unchanged from the old days.

Going to sound like a verse from "Rare Auld Times" but cinema trips aren't the same these days, are they? The gulf between cinema and home viewing used to be so much bigger (70 ft screen and surround sound vs 12 inch mono TV).

P.

alzer100 · 13-08-2018 01:01PM

oceanclub wrote: »

Screen 5 is one of the existing one from before. I recall that you used to go upstairs, then there was _another_ set of stairs taking you up to 3 screens, the middle one of which was Screen 2 (the second biggest in the cinema, AFAIK).

Now it takes you up to _4_ screens - I assume Screen 2 was also split into 2. But the cinema to the left at the top of the stairs, Screen 5, is unchanged from the old days.

Going to sound like a verse from "Rare Auld Times" but cinema trips aren't the same these days, are they? The gulf between cinema and home viewing used to be so much bigger (70 ft screen and surround sound vs 12 inch mono TV).

P.

The old Screen 2 was subdivided into three auditoriums towards the end of 2016. After the work was completed I think they were numbered Screens 2,3 & 4 with the "new" Screen 2 in the centre.

Personally, I only attended the Savoy Cinema for movies that were shown in the old screen 1 and the old screen 2. When they subdivided the old screen 2, I only attended the Savoy Cinema for the old screen 1, so I am not familiar with the other screens/auditoriums in the upstairs building.

BTW, I have noticed that the new auditoruims that now occupy the old screen 1 (Screens 1,9,10,11,12) have not been showing anything for the past two weeks as this can be verified on their website. The latest releases (Ant Man & The Wasp and Mission Impossibe: Fallout) are showing in the upstairs Screens 2 & 6 respectively, so basically for the past two weeks the new auditoriums have been lying idle.

I don't understand IMC's business plan at all. I assumed the reason for subdividing the old screen 1 was two provide movies "on tap" for convenience and to show the same movie in multiple auditoriums within a timeframe of 30mins of each other as this would generate more profit.
So why then, destroy the old screen 1, cut it up into five pieces, open up the five pieces and then close them again?

Normally the Savoy Cinema operate a screen availability structure from each Friday onwards, so they may re-open them again this Friday but it just does not make business sense.

alzer100 · 14-08-2018 07:14PM

For those that maybe interested, there are two very small brief interior photos of what is the new Savoy Screen 1. I think that these maybe the only ones in the public domain. The centre photo is the new installed corridor leading from the foyer to screens 1,11,12. This corridor is located between the entrances to screens 9 & 10 which are the original entrances to the old screen 1.

http://ctsgroup.ie/news/completed-works-on-savoy-cinema

Dublin's premier cinema

Mebuntu · 15-08-2018 01:11PM

Admittedly, the decor in the Savoy's living room looks to be a cut above mine but would I pay to watch a film in someone else's living room? Nah.

GarIT · 15-08-2018 01:45PM

alzer100 wrote: »

For those that maybe interested, there are two very small brief interior photos of what is the new Savoy Screen 1. I think that these maybe the only ones in the public domain. The centre photo is the new installed corridor leading from the foyer to screens 1,11,12. This corridor is located between the entrances to screens 9 & 10 which are the original entrances to the old screen 1.

http://ctsgroup.ie/news/completed-works-on-savoy-cinema

Dublin's premier cinema

From the article "the second and final phase of upgrade works"

But they are downgrade works to increase profits.

CinemaGuy45 · 15-08-2018 03:54PM

The new Screen 1 goes right from the floor right up to the ceiling just like the old one.

If the floor and the ceiling are still the same the screen must be the same size.
The new screen 1 also has stepped seating that is much more comfortable than what use to be
there.

I am open to correction but the screen seems to be pretty much the same size as the old one and as regards the size of the room and the number of seats I can not see how this makes any difference.

I was in Screen 1 for Skyscraper and I was impressed there was about 100 seats and only about half of these has somebody sitting in them so I think the Savoy made the right call.

Sad Professor · 15-08-2018 04:15PM

CinemaGuy45 wrote: »

The new Screen 1 goes right from the floor right up to the ceiling just like the old one.

If the floor and the ceiling are still the same the screen must be the same size.
.

It's hard to tell but based on those pictures, it doesn't look nearly as tall as the old screen to me.

Old screen was also scope i.e. widescreen. Is the new one?

CinemaGuy45 · 15-08-2018 04:27PM

Sad Professor wrote: »

It's hard to tell but based on those pictures, it doesn't look nearly as tall as the old screen to me.

Old screen was also scope i.e. widescreen. Is the new one?

Yes the new screen is indeed scope you can only see part of it in that photo.

OU812 · 15-08-2018 07:56PM

“CinemaGuy45”. Registered today and has three posts, two of which proclaim how good the new Savoy 1...

Hmmmmm... ðŸ€”

CinemaGuy45 · 15-08-2018 08:06PM

OU812 wrote: »

“CinemaGuy45”. Registered today and has three posts, two of which proclaim how good the new Savoy 1...

Hmmmmm... &#55356;&#56340;

I said the seating is better and the screen is much the same size.

On the downside, the drapes are gone and there is no screen masking.
The old Savoy One was way more impressive not denying it for a moment.
The new room feels small the back row only has two seats and there are only eight rows.

The new Savoy One is not the disaster everyone is making out.
It is the best screen in that cinema now but I know that is not saying much.

cursai · 15-08-2018 08:22PM

Jeez. People are paying full whack to sit in someone elses sitting room..

CinemaGuy45 · 15-08-2018 08:33PM

cursai wrote: »

Jeez. People are paying full whack to sit in someone elses sitting room..

I believe The Savoy are looking at taking out two urinals and a toilet pot to install screen 14.

AMKC · 15-08-2018 08:37PM

cursai wrote: »

Jeez. People are paying full whack to sit in someone elses sitting room..

They don't have to. They can go on online Thursday and pay less

cursai · 15-08-2018 11:27PM

AMKC wrote: »

They don't have to. They can go on online Thursday and pay less

What a deal.

alzer100 · 15-08-2018 11:44PM

Just to clarify the size of the screen in the new Screen 1. The photos in the link do not show the aspect ratio of the screen - it is a 2.35:1 scope screen.
Is it as big as the original screen? Unfortunately it is not (and this was pointed out to me by a senior member of staff) The new Screen 1 does not extend in length down to the front of the original auditorium where the original screen was located. This is to accomodate Screens 11 & 12 and an emergeny exit network for the new auditoriums.

1.The floor of the new Screen 1 (the bottom of the screen) is at a higher elevation relative to the floor where the original screen was located.
2. A suspended ceiling complete with black ceiling tiles have also been fitted, this would reduce the overall ceiling height. How much? usually there needs to be adequate access above the tile to allow for maintenance for lighting and other services etc.
So point 1 combined with point 2 will reduce the overall size in height of the replacement screen. As I was a loyal patron of the old Screen 1, I could even see it straight away.

In terms of the screen width, again it has been reduced to accomodate the two screens either side of the auditorium (screens 11 & 12).
No way of knowing the actual size of the screen unless someone is prepared to go in there with a measuring tape! as it is unlikely that IMC will disclose that information.

I think IMC have been very clever with their approach to the screen layout. It gives the illusion that you are looking at a screen that is essentially the same size as the original but it is only optics. Your general proximity to the screen combined with a very small auditorium makes it look bigger.
BTW, the auditorium is shaped someting like a bottle with the screen at the bottom and the entrance/exit door at the top of the bottle kneck, this is really non standard with respect to acoustics especially for a main auditorium.

Here's the thing though, I don't think it even meets IMC's own criteria for "Galactic" branding, although this is something they may address in the future. Does it deserve to be the auditorium of choice for film premiers? If it is, I cannot see it holding onto that status for too long.

People are quite entitled to attend the new Screen 1 and if they enjoy the experience good for them! It's people like myself who made the Savoy Screen 1 their cinema of choice going back to the 80's and remained loyal to the cinema even with the emergence of the suburban multiplex that really feel let down. For me the Savoy Screen 1 is now a poor shadow of it's former self, in fact I find it unrecognizable and not in a good way. The way I see it, I have too much emotional attachment to the place and so much fond memories going there with friends both living and dead that I cannot go back again.

BTW, from reading some of the earlier posts, it dosen't look like the new Screen 1 has increased numbers.

Whelo79 · 15-08-2018 11:48PM

I used to work there in 1998/99 and again in 2000/2001. Great times with fun staff.

Such a shame to see how they have ruined what was an iconic cinema in Dublin.

eagle eye · 16-08-2018 12:07AM

So sad to hear this. I haven't been there for a long time as I don't live in Dublin anymore but I was intending to visit next year.
I've always talked about it being the place to go to see a movie.
I have this thing in me that wants to try and stop them doing this. There is a lot of history there.

CinemaGuy45 · 16-08-2018 12:14AM

alzer100 wrote: »

Is it as big as the original screen? Unfortunately, it is not (and this was pointed out to me by a senior member of staff) The new Screen 1 does not extend in length down to the front of the original auditorium where the original screen was located. This is to accommodate Screens 11 & 12 and an emergency exit network for the new auditoriums.

1. The floor of the new Screen 1 (the bottom of the screen) is at a higher elevation relative to the floor where the original screen was located.
2. A suspended ceiling complete with black ceiling tiles have also been fitted, this would reduce the overall ceiling height. How much? usually, there needs to be adequate access above the tile to allow for maintenance for lighting and other services etc.

The way I see it, I have too much emotional attachment to the place and so much fond memories going there with friends both living and dead that I cannot go back again.

I was thinking it was smaller but the floor and ceiling fooled me.
I also have memories there with people who are no longer around.:(

AMKC · 16-08-2018 01:13PM

eagle eye wrote: »

So sad to hear this. I haven't been there for a long time as I don't live in Dublin anymore but I was intending to visit next year.
I've always talked about it being the place to go to see a movie.
I have this thing in me that wants to try and stop them doing this. There is a lot of history there.

It's too late now. It's all changed now so the the damage is all done already. There was a lot of history there but not in the new screens.

Sad Professor · 16-08-2018 02:54PM

They should have split it into 3 screens instead of 5, losing all the terrible seating at the sides while keeping the screen mostly the same size. That would have been an acceptable trade-off IMO.

NotHappyAtAll · 22-08-2018 03:44PM

There was no need to split it at all. Now they have the costs of running 5 screens in place of 1 without increasing their customer base. The Savoy is cheaper than the other Dublin cinemas and had the bonus selling point of the large screen and auditorium, the chandeliers etc.
Yet they did nothing to promote it. Where were the double/triple bills for the latest SW, M:I, MCU film that Cineworld regularly do? No loyalty card scheme, no advertising, it was only pure chance I found out about student Tuesdays and online Thursdays. Other than the odd premier that is not for us common folk they run no events. It's as if the owners were unwilling to put any effort or imagination into drumming up business. "We want more profits, lets gut our main attraction to cram in more screens" seems to have been the extent of their business plan.

cursai · 22-08-2018 04:07PM

Closed within 2 years.

CinemaGuy45 · 22-08-2018 04:49PM

cursai wrote: »

Closed within 2 years.

The Savoy is an old building and the five new screens are fresh and modern looking.
The new Screen One is big but a long way from the biggest in Dublin.

For a multiplex, these five screens would be just fine.
For the main street of the city, there is nothing to attract people away from the suburbs or the other cinemas in Dublin City.
From this

We get this

I agree with you two years or less.

AMKC · 22-08-2018 09:11PM

NotHappyAtAll wrote: »

There was no need to split it at all. Now they have the costs of running 5 screens in place of 1 without increasing their customer base. The Savoy is cheaper than the other Dublin cinemas and had the bonus selling point of the large screen and auditorium, the chandeliers etc.
Yet they did nothing to promote it. Where were the double/triple bills for the latest SW, M:I, MCU film that Cineworld regularly do? No loyalty card scheme, no advertising, it was only pure chance I found out about student Tuesdays and online Thursdays. Other than the odd premier that is not for us common folk they run no events. It's as if the owners were unwilling to put any effort or imagination into drumming up business. "We want more profits, lets gut our main attraction to cram in more screens" seems to have been the extent of their business plan.

Other than the odd premier that is not for us common folk they run no events.

They do not even do them now. Think they have given up on hosting film premieres now as well. Sure let Cineworld or Odeon take it not.

AMKC · 22-08-2018 09:16PM

Anyone any idea what happened to all the old seats, the curtains, carpets and the rest of the furniture from screen 1? Was it thrown out or sold off.

CinemaGuy45 · 22-08-2018 09:25PM

AMKC wrote: »

Other than the odd premier that is not for us common folk they run no events.

They do not even do them now. Think they have given up on hosting film premieres now as well. Sure, let Cineworld or Odeon take it not.

Cineworld feels run down not as bad as the Savoy but the crowd that attends it drags it down even more.

Odeon at the Point would be my choice now, not a scope screen but it has a sense of scale and a great sound system.

Rip Screen 1 the savoy

Comments