Century Theatres

Background
Century Theatres is a movie theatre chain formerly known as "SyuFy Luxury Theatres". They operate many multiplexes in the western United States, primarily in California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. In its later years, it had expanded into the inter-mountain states, the Pacific Northwest, Texas, Alaska and parts of the Midwest. Founded in 1941, the chain was headquartered in San Rafael, California until it was acquired by Cinemark Theatres from Plano, Texas in 2006. Many now-Cinemark-owned theatres continue to operate under the Century brand.

(1980s-1992)


Logo: We zoom out from a theatre located in a desert at night. The text "Syufy LUXURY THEATERS" ("Syufy" in script and "LUXURY THEATERS" in the Korrina font) scrolls down with a trail in front of it. The trail falls into the text, which lights up, while the words "Welcomes You..." wipe in below, just as the above text shines and glimmers. Two searchlights then turn on at the theatre, while a diagonal wipe reveals the text "...to the Wonderful World of Movies". Then, "Your comfort is our main concern" is wiped in and off by the searchlights. Then, the theatre policy guidelines are revealed in various ways as following:


 * The rule regarding management notification is wiped in by the searchlights, then wiped off by a comet.
 * After fading off, the same comet wipes in "Enjoy", as the rest of the guide on food and drink, along with a cup of Coke is revealed. The background of a seat with popcorn then fades in, then off altogether.
 * Fading back to the desert environment, the comet flies through again, as the rule regarding theatre cleanse scrolls from the left, then moves out to make space for the rule regarding silence.
 * As the text from before moves out, the rule regarding smoking wipes in with glimmer, then is wiped off by the searchlights. Offers for gift certificates and bargain matinees appear the same way.

"Thank You for your patronage" wipes in with a trail, then "AND NOW..." appears, then "SIT BACK, RELAX, AND ENJOY" scrolls down, while "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" zooms out with a trail in front of it. Finally, the trail falls into the text, and a shine fills the texts in.

Variant: Against a blue-black background, we see a bluish-silver light write out the word "Syufy" in its corporate font on the top left of the screen as the text "Luxury Cinemas" slides in from the top right. The text flashes, then a white light writes out the word "presents" in a smaller font. The works "Our Feature Attraction" (in black with red outlines) slide toward the bottom on the screen via a trailing effect. The words turn blue as a line of light slides across the Syufy Luxury Theaters logo, then the trailer fades out.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: An elevator music-like theme titled "Made In U.S.A".

Music/Sounds Variant: A space-synth fanfare which transitions to synth-jazz towards the end.

Availability: Extinct. It was only seen in a handful of theatres during the time before the name change. The variant was mainly used at Syufy's drive-in locations.

1st Logo (1992-1997)


Logo: On a blue background, the viewer sees the Century Theatres text in an orange to yellow gradient, then the ticket to excellence flies in front of the logo, and into the theatre. The viewer sees buckets of popcorn, and when it becomes hot, it then flies into a cup of Coca-Cola and out again, with boxes of Junior Mints and Oscar Mayer hot dogs seen in the background. The ticket flies to the Starcade to say hi to another ticket playing an arcade game, then brakes in front of the entrance to the theatre room with a yellow triangular sign that says "Quiet Zone Ahead". A Dolby Stereo poster is seen to the left in a frame before the ticket flies into the theatre. The ticket is shot into the screen, and it flies by a gift certificate, a matinee coupon, and a clapboard about the five day advance sales before the viewer is back to where the trailer started.

Technique: CGI produced by Willming Reams Animation.

Music/Sounds: A different part of "Made In U.S.A" with a female voice announcing the policy guidelines. It has the same ending as the SyuFy Luxury Theatres logo.
 * "Welcome to Century Theatres, your ticket to excellence in movie entertainment. We feature fresh hot popcorn with REAL butter and ice cold drinks with an assortment of your favorite candies. Now playing in our game room: the latest in video adventures for the whole family. For your convenience we offer gift certificates, daily bargain matinees and five-day advance sales on all movies. For your comfort we provide a smoke-free environment. Thank you for coming to Century Theatres and now on with the show."

Availability: Extinct. It has been seen in all Century theatres during the time, and was part of Century's logo montage during the last showing of Raiders of the Lost Ark at Century 21 before it closed.

2nd Logo (1997-May 23, 2000)
Logo: A Dolby logo appears on the screen with the text "SOUND FOR THE NEXT CENTURY" shown below. The viewer sees a top-down shot of the Earth, then a meteor flies by. It explodes in the distance and flashes into the Century Theatres text in the Septimus font. The text "The Best Seat for the 21st Century" appears below, which then fades to the "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" text.

Technique: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: SFX of the meteor, and a mystical fanfare.

Availability: Same as the previous logo.

3rd Logo (May 24, 2000-Mid 2000s)
Logo: A Dolby logo appears on the screen with the text "SOUND FOR THE NEXT CENTURY" shown below. The curtains unravel to reveal that they are actually searchlights. The searchlights then move into place to form the text "Century" and then flashes to show the finished logo in the Septimus font. The URL to their website appears below, then fades to the "OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION" text.

Technique: CGI produced by Wild Brain. Director Charlie Canfield wanted to avoid making an overly loud opening, and limited his storyboard to key scenes. Carlos Baena animated the opening directly in Maya 2.5, using geometry layered with texture maps. Andrew Feder and Chris Green composited the opening with Shake. Gray Horsfield and John Volny were technical directors and additional animators.

Music/Sounds: A synthesized soundtrack with SFX of the moving searchlights; scored and mixed by Marco d'Ambrosio at MarcoCo.

Availability: Same as before. First appeared on Mission: Impossible 2.

4th Logo (Mid 2000s)
Logo: Against a teal-green background, a pair of searchlights appear and move across each other. A starscape appears as the lights meet in the center of the screen. A third, dimmer, mirror light appears, reflecting a stainglass floor motif made up of various star and pentagon shapes. The camera pans down and to the right, revealing the teal background as being the surface of a planet. A film projector flies out alongside the camera to the left of the floor, which is now against a black space background. As the planet disappears from view, the projector begins displaying a white light through the floor and onto a curtain which is decorated with various movie paraphernalia. As the camera moves to center on the curtain, the curtain unfurls to reveal an orange-tinted light which engulfs the screen before flashing out to show the same Century Theatres logo as in the 2nd trailer, but in white. A smaller light shines around and across the logo before the words "The Best Seat for the 21st Century" fade in underneath the logo. The logo and text then fade out as the new text "Now Our Feature Presentation" fades in, and holds briefly before fading out.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: An ambient piano fanfare, with an ending arrangement similar to that of the 1982 HBO Feature Presentation idents, as well as various 'droning' sounds and other effects mixed in.

Availability: Extinct, seen at Century Theatres locations during its lifespan.

(Mid 1990s)


Logo: Against a starry night background, a pair of spotlights move back and forth across the screen. A letter "C" flies out from the right side of the screen and positions itself on the left. The rest of the words "Century Theaters" then wipe in from the right of the "C". The text disappears as the phrase "Your Best Choice For Great Motion Picture Entertainment!" wipes in from the centre of the screen. The words slide out as "The Capitol Theatre" slides in. Once positioned, the text "The Best Movies From The Past!" wipes in underneath. The image holds for five seconds before the trailer fades out.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: An Old Hollywood-style brass fanfare.

Availability: Extinct. This was likely seen before classic film screenings at the since-closed Capitol Theater in Sacramento.