Laemmle Glendale — Local services in Glendale

What a fantastic addition to the Laemmle theater chain! My only complaint (and it's a fairly significant one) is the parking. The lot across the street has the most cumbersome and needlessly complicated system for self parking with no option for an app like PayRange where you could use your phone without a credit card PLUS there are no options for using cash - it's completely outdated (the CallToPay option they're using only works to INCREASE your time in the lot, you still have to manually present a card to get the thing going....ridiculous). One would think a brand new theater could have some influence on the lot directly across the street, but whoever is running that lot doesn't seem to care it's becoming a liability for the movie theater, which it is. I've been there 3 times so far, and each time that lot has caused significant delays.

That being said - the movie theater is just great. It's not a movie palace - but it doesn't need to be - it's got all the state of the art bells and whistles and a fantastic selection of first run art films and special events that's closer than Pasadena (though I'm sure I'll continue to go there every once in a while to get a Vroman's fix). Just saw "An American In Paris" which was outstanding - have tickets for two more special events already - the Sheridan Smith "Funny Girl" from the Meisner Chocolate Factory and the Kelli O'Hara "The King & I" also from the UK but a recording of Ms. O'Hara in her Tony award winning role. Love that I don't have to drive to UCLA to see these!! Hope a lot of people will come and make Laemmle happy it decided to build in Glendale - now if they could just do something about that...

If the same movie shows at this theater vs Pacific Theaters in Americana, this relatively new arthouse theater in downtown Glendale should be your first choice. It offers a pure moviegoing experience without the overcompensating frills that many chains use to mask failings in the essentials. It has the best projection quality in Glendale and significantly better concessions for the same money—in addition to standard fare, they have local Brewyard Brewery offerings on tap.

Specifically, with regards to the viewing experience, I see compression noise and artifacts in the Pacific Theater. It's enough to make actors look waxy and to mute colors. In contrast, every movie I've seen here at the Laemmle feels much more transparent to what I expect as a professional filmmaker as well as a casual consumer.

However, the sound in some theaters feel somewhat boxy, as if the mid eq levels around 400-800hz were turned up. It's a minor technical issue.

Two minor minuses for average customers: 1) no assigned seating exists, so you can't reserve your seat like most modern theaters these days and 2) the seats don't recline as much as many modern high end theaters.

Given these small dings, I can't give this theater a 5 star rating, but it's definitely the best option local to downtown Glendale. I'm glad they're around and given the new SMG movie theater reopening across the street, I hope Laemmle thrives. They provided a much needed service to properly exhibit independent film in an increasingly crowded...

Now when it comes to the Laemmle...the Pasadena location was by far the staple of independent cinema in the area. The feel was nostalgic to anyone from the 90s and it was a historical pastime for art culture and independent film.

This location is not that. The best way to describe it would be...film school. If you went to film school, you will understand. From the exposed servers that are featured when you enter like working in a machine room or post production. The narrow hallway you walk down as you are looking for your theater and depending on the theater, it's just that. These theaters are smaller than the AMCs and Arclights...think screening rooms. It's nostalgic in a different way. Not bad. Just different...

Like a behind the scenes experience. Post production experience. Film school experience.

The staff is friendly, the popcorn good, prices are great. The soda selection is what you would expect as well as other snack options including wine and coffee, nachos and pretzels.

If you are a true lover of cinema, not necessarily the material around it...this is the place to go...You may get the whole theater to yourself. 5 stars just for that.

It's why I go there...and well...the one in Pasadena is...