TCL Chinese Theater reopens with biggest IMAX capacity

The TCL Chinese Theatre Imax had its grand reopening this week after being closed since May first. At a cost of five million dollars, the newly renovated movie house n

Next up we head to Hollywood where the TCL Chinese Theater has had a much needed facelift. This marks the very first time the legendary landmark has had a total makeover since opening in 1929. Our Hollywood reporter was there for the pageantry surrounding the grand re-opening and the reinvention of one of Hollywood.s most iconic buildings.

The TCL Chinese Theatre Imax had its grand reopening this week after being closed since May first. At a cost of five million dollars, the newly renovated movie house now features a 90 by 46-foot-tall screen, making it the largest IMAX Theater in the world. As it moves into the digital future, the theater will draw from its Hollywood past as the first film it projects is a 3-D screening of "The Wizard of Oz." Amongst the Oz characters at the reopening were celebrities like Kevin Serbo, Molly Ringwald, and one of the last surviving munchkins – 95-year-old Ruth Duccini. According to Alwyn Hight Kushner, keeping the theater close to its roots during the renovation was very important.

Alwyn Hight Kushner, President & C.O.O., TCL Chinese Theater IMAX, said, "What is really unique is that in the process of the renovation we took extra care to really preserve and protect the historic integrity of the building so all the character defining features that TCL Chinese theater is so well known for are all still there and more beautiful than ever. So we.ve been able to maintain this feeling of a Grand Movie Palace but at the same time creating a movie going experience that.s a head of its time."

The importance of carefully reinventing the world.s most famous theater was not lost to QC Liang, the TCL spokesperson who represents the company that bought the naming rights.

QC Liang, Assistant President, TCL Corporation, said, "Well, the Chinese theater represents the glory of Hollywood and we are very happy to be a part of this effort to renovate this building but to also put in place the largest IMAX system and also we try to install our LCD, LED screens to make it modern. We really want to make it more appealing to the younger generation so they can come here and enjoy the movies but we also want to extend the entertainment to the sidewalks and the wheelchair space."

Built in 1927, the theater has held some of Hollywood.s most exciting movie premieres. And because the forecourt has the hand and footprints of numerous world famous actors, The Chinese Theater is one of the most popular tourism draws in Los Angeles.

"Basically, even though they have the name Chinese Theater they didn.t have much Chinese elements in it until now. Now we really want to position the theater as kind of a bridge between US and China to communicate and share the latest trends with the Chinese counterparts. So we will invite a lot of Chinese movie makers – directors, producers – to Hollywood and use this place as a window to learn about the latest about Hollywood but also to try to make some cooperation out of this whole partnership. So, we want to add value to make it really a window on China." QC Liang said.