The Empire Leicester Square, Britain’s most famous and most beloved cinema – an icon of the cinema age – is being wilfully killed-off.
That’s right, in their infinite wisdom those brilliant minds behind the Ealing project (sic) have moved their attention to the Emperor of British cinema and declared “off with his head” well at least, off with his projector and 1,360 odd seats.
Empire Cinemas have closed Screen 1 – the biggest screen in Leicester Square – and are in the process of brutally tearing down 50 years of cinema history as they carve it up and turn it into an IMAX, plus another smaller screen. More on the story here.
“Joy!” Declare Empire Cinemas, “Leicester Square gets its first IMAX…” (I’m paraphrasing) – but what they don’t address is that they are killing-off an icon in the process. They are replacing the best auditorium in London with two bland boxes – one of which will have a very big screen and seats stacked right up in front of it so it can be branded IMAX (snoooooze). I shall address my thoughts on IMAX in a future rant.
My objections are obvious: Why is London’s cinema heritage not treated with the same deference as our theatre heritage? Thanks to this foolish decision by Empire Cinemas, future generations will only be able to marvel at the glory of the Empire’s legendary auditorium in books and on the internet. The Empire has in its time been compared to Radio City Music Hall – but can you imagine the New Yorkers allowing their modern heritage to be so easily swept aside?
As far as I am concerned the closure of Screen 1 deprives that cinema of its best and most unique selling point. There’s now, sadly, no reason to visit. It was unique, beautiful. The screen was massive. The seats superbly comfortable. The ceiling breathtaking. The lighting marvellous. Watching a film at the Empire was a magical experience – and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to bring myself to visit the two much smaller replacements.
So don’t be afraid to shed a tear, friends, for the Empire Leicester Square is dead – all that remains is a husk.
“…let us sit upon the ground, And tell sad stories of the death of kings…”
You may wonder why I never reviewed the Empire. Sadly, I was waiting for the right moment – I’ve always felt the the rest of London was merely a hinterland to that great old place. Now I will never have the chance.
The London Review of Cinemas 
I live in the United States, but I often go to London to visit its cinemas. I nearly always go to the Empire Screen 1 because of its beauty and size. I am disappointed that I will never get to see this beautiful cinema again. I’ll have to settle for the Odeon Leicester Square, which is also beautiful, but it can’t hold a candle to Empire 1.
I totally agree with you. Empire seem to have no concept of their responsibility to look after an iconic auditorium for posterity’s sake. I can’t understand why they didn’t transform the current Screen 2 into the IMAX. Instead they have destroyed their own heritage and best selling point.
Fleapits, I agree its only the suckers that like imax who are brainwashed and fall for this sloppy crap feast liemax at empire.
Unfortunately economics dictates that the Empire be subdivided.The work has taken six months so far which
suggests that 2 quality screens will emerge with a huge 700 seat imax auditorium and a 400 seat IMPACT screen.But the finest venue in London is sadly no more
Fully agree with you here – I loved the Empire screen 1, it was my favourite cinema of all time (and I’ve been to many). Unfortunately living around 160 miles away meant that I didn’t visit it as often as I would have liked. I’m just glad I caught Monsters University in Dolby Atmos a few weeks before it closed for good.
This visit was by pure chance and I didn’t know at the time that it would be my last visit to this great auditorium.
Now don’t get me started on Digital IMAX – not a patch on proper 15/70 film based IMAX….
I now feel IMAX is being used as a brand to attract people when in reality many of these new digital IMAX screens aren’t that great. In the process it is giving the true film based IMAX venues a bad reputation.
15/70 IMAX is unfortunately on the way out. The current 2K DLP projectors, however, are only be a stopgap… wait for IMAX’s 4K laser projection (due to be installed at the Empire at a later date.) Sound wise, though, IMAX (6.1 sound) is behind compared to e.g. Dolby ATMOS.
Agreed – 15/70 is hardly used now, although I’m looking forward to seeing ‘Inception’ later in the year at a proper IMAX screen. I’m very interested in the new laser projection stuff that IMAX has been working on although don’t you think they should be working on higher resolutions for such big screens.
Agree with you about Atmos – it is amazing.
I, too, greatly regret the remodelling of Empire 1 into two new screens and have many fond memories of seeing films there over the years. However, on reflection, this looks like a well thought out and ambitious scheme.
Whatever one might think of IMAX, for better or worse, they have very strong brand power and have the releases that Empire needs–and the projectors needed for the massive new screen.
The IMAX auditorium keeps the circle and replicates the famous colour-changing concealed lighting scheme. One can quibble over details (e.g. the loss of those red upholstered ‘rocker’ seats. However, it feels very spacious, being very wide, and the ceiling has been raised up for the new screen. The computer renderings don’t quite give the right impression–in person (I had a brief visit) it is impressive.
I hope that the IMPACT auditorium will also be of a suitable standard.
Empire has opened its laughing stock of an impact screen today (May 17th 2014)
They killed its loyal Empire 1 cinema fans off, driven them away my personal opinion.
They have the bloody cheek to charge for get ready for it! BEAN BAGS! At £17.00. (SIGH).
18 ranted seats at the back no doubt for sex as you have to be 18 to pay £18.00 for the seats.
Its other seats £17.00.
Empire Leicester Square has truly shot themselves in the foot,
I’d give it a few years until the cinema site goes bust and closes it doors. They might as well taken a wreaking ball to the cinema. rather than turning it into a LIEMAX abomination.
I have been going only to EMPIRE 1 since September 1989 till May 2013 and I can recall 99.999% on how each film sounded and felt like on its original JBL THX sound system that was (PERFECT SPOT ON) to the Martin Audio that sucked to the new JBL 56kw that was an earache.
Its LIEMAX opens in a few weeks time with Edge of Tomorrow (starring Scientology tom cruise) Well Empire can keep its LIEMAX I will not even take my cat to this cinema.
EMPIRE 1 R.I.P. 😦
EMPIRE LEICESTER SQUARE R.I.P. 😦
Andy Summers….your cat would probably enjoy it….you sound as mad as a bag of frogs!
hoppy228@hotmail.com, only cos you like crummy feapit limax rubbish and impact atmos rubbish. empire LSq = TOTAL FAIL! FAIL! FAIL and Mega FAIL!
CF100 ask Paul Scott, if he lies liemax or maybe take nap on that. You are a hypocritical person all blar, blar, about it many years ago about how great it is. face it your a liemax liker. Boooooo Hissssssssss.