Life

Dream screens

By Li Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-03-31 07:58

The 26-seat auditorium named Pink Sky has no fixed screening schedule, it's tailor-made for customers. Photos Provided to China Daily

With its luxurious design and comfy couches, Orange Cinemas offers a unique experience for movie fans, Li Jing discovers.

Forget staying at home to watch your favorite DVD, Orange Cinemas, newly opened on Monday, offers a whole new personal viewing experience. Large lush velvet sofas, soft pillows and tables for drinks and snack food turn the multiplex into a high-end lounge.

"The sofa is fluffy and soft. I can't resist lying on it, with my legs straight out, just like at home," said Huang Min, the lifestyle editor of a local magazine.

There are three auditoriums: the 31-seat Black Room, and two 26-seat auditoriums, the Orange Garden and Pink Sky.

While the Black Room shows films like regular cinemas - after the screening of Battle: Los Angeles, Jiang Nan, 26, who works at a high-end club, said it was so impressive to watch films here that he was reluctant to leave - the Orange Garden and the Pink Sky auditoriums are the real pips as their screenings are tailor-made for customers.

According to Zhang Jiaona, of Orange Cinemas marketing department, the two smaller auditoriums do not have fixed screening schedules. They screen films on demand.

"Guests make reservations online in advance and then we prepare DVDs and relevant materials according to their requirements, including some rare documentaries and art films with only limited release," Zhang said.

Moviegoers can also watch old and classic Golden Harvest films here. Owned by Orange Sky Golden Harvest Entertainment Group, the cinema has a full collection of its movies, including the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

The auditoriums are perfect places to hold private events, meetings, parties, private showings, or film marathons. The auditoriums can also be transformed into a video game room.

The Lost Bladesman, due for release in April, had its pre-screening here. One of the marketing staff for the film said it was most comfortable and intimate cinema she has ever experienced.

The auditoriums are certainly gorgeous but they are also expensive. A film ticket is 680 yuan per person and 380 yuan for members. The renting fee of one auditorium for three hours costs from 20,000 yuan.

But when the film finishes, the door opens onto more inviting entertainment possibilities - an oval bar, a live band zone, private VIP-rooms and cigar club.

The logo, inspired by hand-painted Chinese lanterns, was the inspiration for the interior, as the bar, carpet patterns, doors and table holders, as well as the curtains, and wall patterns are all based on it. All the furnishings - the sofas, tables, bar stools and lighting - were individually designed by Polish designer Robert Majkutand and the unifying color scheme is black, orange and pink.

Beijing's Orange Cinemas is the first such high-end cinema in Asia, and will be followed by others in Shanghai and Guangzhou soon.