Editorial
Front Page - Friday, January 8, 2010
Majestic 12 offers creature comforts, cutting edge experience
David Laprad
Back in the ’30s, when America was in the midst of the Great Depression, people went to the movies in droves. The same held true as the country entered the Second World War. But when television appeared on the scene in the ’40s, naysayers said it would bring about the end of Hollywood. To keep theaters full, the film industry upped its game, introducing richer imagery via the Technicolor process and installing huge screens that could handle movies filmed in Cinescope.
Today, Americans are still turning to entertainment to escape the harsh realities of war and economic upheaval. But now, with the advent of DVD, cable and video on demand, there are more ways for the public to spend its leisure time
dollars than ever before. Once again, the film industry is pulling a few aces out of its sleeves to keep packing audiences in.
The new Carmike Majestic 12 theater, located on the corner of 3rd and Broad Street in Chattanooga, not only takes advantage of these new technologies, it’s outfitted with a few additional amenities that elevates the movie-going experience to a new level.
“We like every theater we build to be state of the art, the best of the best, the top of the line,” says Carmike City Manager Todd Coffman, “so that’s what the Majestic 12 is.”
The experience of seeing a movie at the Majestic 12 begins in the lobby, a spacious waiting area featuring bright lights, thick carpet, large LCD screens and a concession stand offering several varieties of gourmet popcorn. In a unique twist, the corn is popped in huge kettles located above the snack area and dropped down see-through tubes into warmers behind the counter.
The pre-show continues in the theaters, 11 of which are outfitted with stadium-style rocking seats with retractable cup holder armrests. According to Coffman, the chairs were designed to eliminate the distracting squeak many older theater seats make when an occupant rocks back. “We put a lot of work into the details,” he says.
Discriminating film hounds who arrive early will have time to appreciate the décor of the theater, which blend the elegance of classic movie houses with a sleeker modern aesthetic.
Where the Majestic 12 really aims to impress, though, is when the lights go down and a film begins. Each theater offers an all-digital presentation with crisp visuals on wall-to-wall screens and rich surround sound. Behind the scenes, a central server feeds movies into large systems consisting of a projector and a massive audio processor that resembles a small supercomputer. When a viewer sees “Avatar,” a lot of processing cycles are consumed making the dragons sound like they’re swooping from one end of the theater to the other.
“You have to see certain films on a big screen,” Coffman says. “Seeing them at home won’t be the same.”
Audiences would certainly have a hard time replicating the experience of watching a movie in the Majestic 12’s Ovation Club, where waiters serve a selection of premium beers and gourmet food to 21-and-older patrons. Reclining leather seats with push button controls complete the package. “Romantic comedies play well in there,” Coffman says. “It’s great for date night.”
Although Carmike pumped a lot of cash into the Majestic 12, one of its biggest expenditures is also the least visible to patrons: the building is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council to be certified as the nation’s first stand-alone LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) theater.
To begin with, Carmike used local, recycled materials throughout the building process. In addition, the company installed a white membrane roof to ward off solar heat, LED light fixtures with programmable controls and sensors, and a large water tank that provides rainwater for the restrooms and plants. Finally, Carmike keeps the air inside the complex clean with environmentally friendly adhesives, sealants and cleaning products.
“We realize the environmental challenges and concerns facing our planet are becoming more critical with each passing day,” said Carmike President and CEO David Passman in October. “For this reason, we look forward to bringing the first-ever green entertainment complex to the people of Chattanooga.”
While the city as a whole will reap the benefits of having a green theater in town, only people who purchase a ticket will be able to enjoy the other amenities the Majestic 12 provides.
“You come here for the experience,” Coffman says. “You can go anywhere to see a film. But here, you’re going to get great customer service and see the best possible presentation of your movie.”
For show times and tickets, visit www.carmike.com. Paid parking is available outside the building, while validated parking is still available in the parking garage connected to the former Carmike Bijou.
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