The Oriental originally opened in July 1927 and was the only standard movie palace ever built to incorporate East Indian décor.
This mix also included smaller independent and foreign films and allowed Landmark to grow into the largest repertory/revival movie-theater circuit in the nation by the end of that decade.
[citation needed] In the early 1980s, Landmark reoriented most of their theatres to exhibit first-run specialized, foreign, and re-released classics on longer, open-ended runs.
The following year, Landmark merged with Movie, Inc. of Santa Fe, NM, which also focused on showcasing foreign, alternative, and classic films.
In 1988, The Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee underwent a conversion into a triplex by adding two theaters underneath the balcony, while preserving the original artwork of the main auditorium.
Additionally, Landmark opened Canal Place Cinema (4 screens) on the edge of New Orleans' French Quarter, marking its first new build.
[16] The film played day-and-date, as it was simultaneously released in Landmark Theatres, broadcast on HDNet Movies and sold on DVD.
The Bethesda Row Cinema[24] in Maryland, located outside of Washington, D.C., was completely renovated in May 2013 with new, reserved seating in all eight auditoriums and a full-service bar featuring local brews and film-themed cocktails.
The Embarcadero Center Cinema, located in San Francisco¹s financial district, reopened in October 2013 after an extensive remodel which included reconfiguring the theater space to allow for two more theaters, bringing the total screen count to seven; a lounge featuring a wide variety of wine and beer was added as well as stadium seating and four Screening Lounges with electric recliners.
[25] Additionally, the Embarcadero was the first movie theater in San Francisco to feature a new assistive listening system for the hearing impaired.
[26] Coils were installed in each auditorium that wirelessly send pure sound to hearing aids that have the 'telecoil,' eliminating background noise and the need for a headset.