comment #1

Dixon Steele says ...

Yes, the Lincoln Square has gotten a bit shabby over the last few years. Too bad.

Just back from THE GOOD SHEPHERD and thought it was excellent. I found the story riveting and could've even watched more (you can tell the Philby stuff with Billy Crudup was cut down). DeNiro delivered!

Sad that this is grossing less than the moronic ROCKY BALBOA.

comment #2

MathewM says ...

It's a problem with most theaters. I think they balance the sound levels using a movie with loud explosions as a reference. While the explosions sound right dialogue is too quiet. They need to just compress the levels like they do with modern CD mastering--you lose dynamics but at least you'll be able to understand what the characters are saying.

comment #3

MathewM says ...

"Sad that this is grossing less than the moronic ROCKY BALBOA."

Well both are grossing far less than Night at the Museum which I would have to think takes the cake for moronic movies.

comment #4

Chris Molanphy says ...

I remember when the Lincoln Square was the considered the newest, shiniest, most state-of-the-art NYC megaplex, around 1993 or so.

Unfortunately, it got built just before the stadium-seating boom of the mid-'90s – those theaters generally (for megaplexes) have better-balanced sound – and thus it has aged quickly and badly.

I rarely go there anymore, unless it's for an IMAX feature (e.g., 'Superman Returns,' which I saw there last August or so).

comment #5

Dr. Smith says ...

Frankly, Jeff, I'm surprised the manager did anything about the sound. Most of those bozos just nod their heads and say they'll look into it....and then do squat. I can't tell you how many times I've gone up to a manager and told him that the image on the screen was flickering (bad bulb? I'm not sure) and nothing gets done about it. Anyone know what this problem is?

comment #6

Devin Faraci says ...

They can't change a bulb in the middle of a show I would imagine. You should demand a refund and free tickets to something else.

comment #7

EDouglas says ...

Boy, Jeff... you can't escape your quote/name right now... those Children of Men commercials which quotes most of your review have been playing non-stop. Of course, you know that you have to take all blame if anyone hates the movie. (It's true, just check the official quote whores' manual! )

comment #8

Eddie says ...

That's funny. I saw The Good Shepherd there, and the volume was blasting. For The Good Shepherd!

comment #9

Breedlove says ...

question for my fellow new yorkers: which theaters do you think are top-notch as far as sound and image go? and which ones should be avoided at all costs?

i know the angelica is lousy. i'm curious if anyone has an opinion on either theater at 42nd and 8th or the kaufman astoria in astoria. but curious for opinions about the best and worst in general.

comment #10

The Winchester says ...

Regarding the flickering bulb: It can't be changed mid show, it's not as simple as screwing in your common house lamp. It also gets obscenely hot. Plus, after changing the bulb, you'r supposed to focus it on a blank screen, something that shouldn;t be done in a theater full of people.

Regarding the sound, most people complain that the sound is too loud, and the sound levels are generally kept at a steady point for all movies. However, sometimes there are problems with the digital sound readers and/or tracks on the film prints themselves. When this happens, the sound will automatically switch to your general "stereo". That could have been the problem. the arclight, along with most premieres, use people who know what they're doing and care about projecting a good presentation.

And the Angelika is a horrible place to watch movies. nothing like hearing the train go by every three minutes through Run Lola Run.

comment #11

Matthew Lucas says ...

Sound in theaters is always a problem it seems like. But when left in the hands of teenagers getting paid minimum wage who basically just now how to turn things on and off...you can't really expect top quality.

Although the managers I have dealt with have always been helpful. When I saw "House of Sand" a few months ago, the picture just stopped completely while the sound kept going. So I went and found the manager and she immediately corrected it. But then the sound cut out. And it was immediately fixed again and there were no more problems. At least it was a subtitled film so I could at least follow the dialogue for the minute or two there was no sound.

comment #12

OddDuck says ...

I saw Children of Men at the AMC Empire 25 on 42nd off of 8th and had a decent viewing experience. My standards are pretty high and I almost invariably am dissapointed/annoyed/infuriated with the sound or projection at most of the movies I go to. That said, yesterday was great. Sound was crisp and appropriately loud, huge screen with stadium seating, and most important of all, no fuckups with the projector. I swear, this may have been my first movie theater experience of this year without a projector fuckup of some sort.

I'm sure I just got lucky and the next showing was screwed up somehow. I would gladly pay $5 more per ticket if a movie theater could guarantee me this level of technical competency everytime.

comment #13

T. S. Idiot says ...

Manhattan theaters are consistently inconsistent in terms of sound and projection. All have problems. I have seen dozens of movies at Lincoln Square, and the timid sound has occurred many times. Yet when I saw the pre-DVD re-release of Vertigo, the sound was deafening. I moved twice to no available. The best theater for sound and projection is the Paris, currently showing the criminally misjudged The Good German.

comment #14

Dixon Steele says ...

I agree, T.S., the Paris is the best.

And I don't think it's a coincidence that it's the only major independently owned and run first-rate/first-run theater in NY left.