Photo by M.V. Jantzen.
GM learned the other day that Loews Georgetown is going to add IMAX capabilities. In case it’s been a while since you’ve visited an aquarium or science museum: IMAX is a special type of film where the frame size is significantly larger than the standard film. Traditional movies are filmed and projected with 35mm film; IMAX uses 77mm film. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s really significant.
Normally IMAX theaters are laid out quite differently than a normal theater. They have much bigger screens and the seats are on a steep grade, like the upper deck of a baseball stadium. GM’s not sure if the changes at the Georgetown theater will require dramatic construction.
Traditionally, IMAX films were dominated by documentaries and such. But in recent years, more and more mainstream movies have been also available in IMAX. GM guesses that that’s the direction they’ll go in with the Georgetown theater.
Fun fact: the roll of film needed to show a 2.5 hour IMAX film can be 6 foot in diameter and weigh over 500 lbs.
The Georgetown Metropolitan 
Wow. You mean downtown Silver Spring got this before Georgetown?!
IMAX is great, but it would be even greater if Loew’s devoted at least one screen to independent movies, instead of using two screens for these stupid Pixar and 3-D bombs that come out every week.
Dave – with the West End and E Street theaters I don’t think they’d be able to fill the seats.
With E Street selling beer/wine/cocktails – it is an excellent refuge from Lowes and Gallery Place.
You are correct Andy. I love E Street Cinema. Where else can you go to see films like “Hobo With A Shotgun,” a classic starring Rutger Hauer. But I do miss the Key Theatre and the Biograph. Even though they were small theaters, there was just something about them that these big IMAX houses have never captured.
E Street Cinema brings back fond memories.
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Dear GM,
Can you please tell me who owns the building and the theatre?
The renovations needs a bold person to plan, design, and execute; so, I was wondering who owns the whole place.
CC Roy
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