SIFF Cinema Downtown facts for kids
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Seattle Cinerama pictured after its 2014 renovation
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| Former names | Seattle Cinerama Seattle's Martin Cinerama |
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| Address | 2100 4th Avenue Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 47°36′50″N 122°20′29″W / 47.61394°N 122.34133°W |
| Owner | Seattle International Film Festival |
| Capacity | 570 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Renovated | 1999, 2010, 2014, 2020 |
| Closed | 2020–2023 |
| Website | |
| SIFF.net | |
The SIFF Cinema Downtown is a famous movie theater in Seattle, Washington. It's in a neighborhood called Belltown. This theater first opened in 1963. It used to be known as the Seattle Cinerama.
The theater was updated many times, starting in the 1990s. It closed in May 2020. At that time, it was one of only three theaters in the world that could show special three-panel Cinerama films. In 2023, the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) bought the theater. It reopened on December 14, 2023, as SIFF Cinema Downtown. This new name was needed because of issues with using the old "Cinerama" name.
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History of the Theater
The Seattle Cinerama opened in 1963. It was first called "Seattle's Martin Cinerama." It was built to show Cinerama films. A few months later, it was changed to also show 70 mm films. These films used a very large, curved screen.
The theater became known for showing big, exciting movies. Films like The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World were shown there. But soon, these special film types became less popular. By 1969, Krakatoa, East of Java was the last non-standard film shown for a long time.
For the next 30 years, the theater struggled. Many new movie theaters opened in the suburbs. People started going to these newer, smaller theaters. The Cinerama became less popular. It started showing older movies and wasn't kept up very well.
How the Theater Was Saved
In 1997, there were plans to change the Cinerama. Developers wanted to turn it into a dinner theater or a rock-climbing gym. But local movie fans wanted to save it. They started petitions and asked for help.
A very rich person named Paul Allen heard their call. He loved movies and had gone to the Cinerama when he was younger. Allen bought the theater. He spent millions of dollars to fix it up. The theater reopened in 1999. Since then, it has shown both classic movies and new ones.
The renovation made the theater look like a grand movie house from the mid-1900s. It also got new, modern technology. The theater had 808 seats and two screens. One screen was a huge, curved screen. It was 90 feet long and 30 feet high. This screen was made of 2,000 thin strips.
This big screen is used for rare three-strip films. An example is How the West Was Won. It also shows 70 mm classics like Stanley Kubrick's 200ie: A Space Odyssey. The large curved screen is stored behind a smaller screen. The smaller screen is used for regular movies. A special crew is needed to set up the big screen for Cinerama shows.
Updates in 2010
The theater closed in August 2010 for more updates. During this time, it got a new digital projection system. It also got a new sound system. This included support for showing 3-D films.
A new screen was put in. The snack area was updated. New carpet and paint were added. The outside got a new sign and lights. The theater could still show films in 70mm and three-panel Cinerama formats.
Updates in 2014
The theater closed again in August 2014 for more renovations. It reopened on November 20, 2014. The first movie shown was The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
This third renovation brought many changes. The number of seats was reduced from 798 to 560. This gave people more leg room and wider seats. The number of speakers increased from 65 to 110. The sound system was improved with Dolby Atmos. A new Christie 6P dual laser projector was installed. This was the first time this projector was used in a movie theater anywhere.
Updates and Closure in 2020
Paul Allen, the owner, passed away in 2018. The theater closed for a fourth renovation in February 2020. Most of its staff were laid off. The plans included new carpet and kitchen equipment. It was expected to reopen later in 2020.
However, in May 2020, the Seattle Cinerama announced it would stay closed. This was due to the money problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2021, people started a petition to save the theater. Over 12,000 people signed it.
Sale to SIFF
Paul Allen's family sold the theater to the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). This happened in May 2023 for $4.5 million. SIFF got a loan to buy it. SIFF reopened the theater before its 50th anniversary in 2024. The theater no longer used the Cinerama name because of legal reasons.
The Seattle City Council gave SIFF a $950,000 grant to help reopen the theater. The Metropolitan King County Council also approved a $1 million grant. This money came from unused pandemic relief funds. The first movie shown at the reopened theater was a special showing of The Boys in the Boat on December 7, 2023. The theater fully reopened to the public on December 14, 2023. It was renamed SIFF Cinema Downtown. The first public movie shown was Wonka.
Festivals and Special Events
From 1976 to 2018, the Seattle Cinerama hosted many festivals and events. A film festival is a special event where many movies are shown.
- Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF): This festival happens every year. The Cinerama was one of the places where movies for SIFF were shown.
- SFFSFF: This festival shows short science fiction, fantasy, and horror films. It is run by the EMP Museum and SIFF.
- Emerald City Comicon Cinema Series: Since 2014, the Cinerama partnered with Emerald City Comicon. They brought movie stars to talk about their films. Famous guests included Stan Lee and Alan Tudyk.
- Fists & Fury: This film festival started in 2015. It showed martial arts movies. It included films like Enter the Dragon and Kill Bill: Volume 1.
- 70mm Film Fest: This festival happened almost every year since 2011. It showed movies in the large 70mm format. Films included 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar.
Famous Movie Showings
2001: A Space Odyssey played at the Seattle Cinerama for about two and a half years. This was after it first came out in 1968. Warner Brothers chose the Seattle Cinerama to show the newly fixed-up 70mm version of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It opened there on October 5, 2001.
In 2012, Paul Allen paid for a new 70mm copy of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This was for the first Cinerama Science Fiction Film Festival. The movie studios own the new copy. But it is on "permanent loan" to the Seattle Cinerama.
Starting in June 2013, the theater began "2D Tuesdays." On these days, they showed 2D versions of all 3D movies. In September 2013, the Cinerama held a "Big Screen 70mm Festival." They showed rare original 3-strip Cinerama films. How the West Was Won played daily. This Is Cinerama was shown on a Saturday evening.
In March 2016, the Cinerama was one of only ten theaters in the country to show Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 70mm. The next month, Quentin Tarantino's special "70mm Roadshow" version of The Hateful Eight was shown. In November, the theater showed Mad Max: Fury Road Black and Chrome Edition. Then, it showed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 70mm. It was one of only ten theaters in the country to do so.
Other Cinerama Theaters
The SIFF Cinema Downtown is special. It is one of only three theaters in the world that can still show three-panel Cinerama films. The other two are the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, USA. The third is the Pictureville Cinema in Bradford, England.
