Film 101: What is the best movie theater in the D.C. Metro area?

July 16, 6:07 PMClassic TV ExaminerDoug Krentzlin

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                              The Uptown Theater (Webshots)

For a native Washingtonian, this one’s a real no-brainer. As any local film connoisseur can tell you, the best place to see a movie in this area is the Uptown Theater located in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

There are many qualities that distinguish the Uptown, but the main attraction is the huge curved screen that stands 32 feet tall by 70 feet wide. The 840-seat capacity also boasts a large old-fashioned balcony. (In fact, the single best seat to see a movie in this area is middle of the front row in the Uptown balcony.)

The Uptown was originally owned by Warner Brothers and first opened in October 29, 1936. It was designed by acclaimed Art Deco architect John Zink who also designed the Senator Theatre in Baltimore. The theater has changed hands several times since its opening. It is currently owned by Loews Cineplex.

The Uptown is, alas, something of an anachronism, a throwback to the day when such theaters were known as “palaces.” Amazingly, in these days of multiplex cinemas, the Uptown has remained a single-screen theater. Because of its size and location, it is still the first choice for high-profile, red-carpet area premieres.

The Uptown is especially appropriate for big-budget fantasy and sci-fi films that benefit from its large screen. (When the Uptown had exclusive rights to run Star Wars in the summer of 1977, the turnout was so colossal that The Washington Post ran an article titled “The Movie That Ate Cleveland Park.”) Not surprisingly, the current offering at the Uptown is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.