It's an absolute gut punch for sure. The Dixie Chicken closing is a good comparison, but on a way bigger scale, and not quite as "essential" as ArcLight has been. The ArcLight Hollywood, especially, was THE theater in all of LA. It's where a ton of premieres were, it's were everyone went opening weekend, it's one of two theaters where they held post-screening Q&A's, it's where many of the critics screenings were, it's where you'd always see celebrities, they had a great restaurant, a great bar, and there are dozens of restaurants in walking distance that you'd associate "dinner and a movie" with. EVERYONE in LA has an ArcLight Hollywood story. The facade itself - the "CINERAMA" sign out front - has been in a ton of movies too (most recently, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). People here really are having trouble comprehending this.
And look, again, it'll get bought up by another chain. We'll see movies in the Dome again, premieres will be held there again, etc. But the ArcLight management and staff were second to none. And I don't know that the quality, service, and attention to detail will ever be replicated. The only chain that I think could do them justice is Landmark. If they were to take over, it has a chance to be just as good again or better. I just hope like hell it's not AMC, who would absolutely ruin everything about what made that place so magic...
And look, again, it'll get bought up by another chain. We'll see movies in the Dome again, premieres will be held there again, etc. But the ArcLight management and staff were second to none. And I don't know that the quality, service, and attention to detail will ever be replicated. The only chain that I think could do them justice is Landmark. If they were to take over, it has a chance to be just as good again or better. I just hope like hell it's not AMC, who would absolutely ruin everything about what made that place so magic...