legobear Posted December 27, 2012 What modern city in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore or anywhere else has a cinema looking like this other than the one in Hollywood? It's a rendition of commercialized "Chinese" cinema - whatever that means. Basically what the term "Chinese" means to occidentals or "westerners" and built as this manifestation or interpretation. It just says Palace Cinema but what palace and which country? Couldn't say Asian because that could mean Mongolian, Thai, Japanese, Siam or anything of the thousands of separate countries you want to name. It's because of this that I find this building extremely odd. It doesn't have a distinct historical place like the fire station which obviously shows the American flag. If they branded it as "generic western interpretation of an "authentic" "Asian" place" then I'd take it : ). I find it a very strange new modular set though. However, as a collector I have to get it . I just hope I'll love it more than I think I do now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antp Posted December 27, 2012 I find the building nice, but in my collection the limo will get the same fate as the firetruck from the brigade: go in parts bin to be replaced by something that I like better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TypoCorrecto Posted December 27, 2012 Oh My...I'm Speechless... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jargo Posted December 27, 2012 Impressive exterior. It'll be a tiny auditorium though. Very steeply raked. Wonder if it has a projectionists room. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kibosh Posted December 27, 2012 While I find this building to be beautifully done, it seems really small compared to past Modular Buildings. I really hope this isn't some new scale of modular building. I don't think it will look right with past sets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonkeyCrumb Posted December 27, 2012 What modern city in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore or anywhere else has a cinema looking like this other than the one in Hollywood? It's a rendition of commercialized "Chinese" cinema - whatever that means. Basically what the term "Chinese" means to occidentals or "westerners" and built as this manifestation or interpretation. It just says Palace Cinema but what palace and which country? Couldn't say Asian because that could mean Mongolian, Thai, Japanese, Siam or anything of the thousands of separate countries you want to name. It's because of this that I find this building extremely odd. It doesn't have a distinct historical place like the fire station which obviously shows the American flag. If they branded it as "generic western interpretation of an "authentic" "Asian" place" then I'd take it : ). I find it a very strange new modular set though. However, as a collector I have to get it . I just hope I'll love it more than I think I do now. It's purely meant to be Hollywood's Chinese Theater BUT generic enough not to have Lego pay licensing fees. And, as someone who goes there often enough, it looks nothing like the real thing except for the center roof piece! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snaillad Posted December 27, 2012 Not blown away like i thought id be. The colours do work well. But i do feel a bit short changed on the second floor. Perhaps a bit more texture would have been nice. Some 'brick' bricks in tan would of looked good. I like the roof. I think unfortunately it will look out of place next to the previous modulars. Minigfigures look meh compared to the standard set by the town hall. And as for that car like others have said its awful. So many vehicle moc'ers have made excellent limo's. Maybe lego should have looked there for design ideas first. I suppose i might warm to it in time providing the interior is decent and contains a selection of decent and rare pieces. Here's hoping... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amset-Rah Posted December 27, 2012 (edited) I think I'm in love with this set. As a bit of an old movie buff, I know for a fact I'll be getting this beauty for sure. The design is beautiful and bears a semblance to the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, but the question remains: Will there be a printed piece/sticker of minifigs who left their hand/foot prints in the concrete? Probably not but it'd be a nice addition. As for the limo and lights, they look like nice builds, as I do kind of like the retro design of the limo, which goes along well with the aesthetic going on here. My only complaint is that I thought the theater might look like the old Town Plan theater but at a larger scale. However I'm pleased with what I see here and rest assured I can't wait to get my hands on this set. Edited December 27, 2012 by Amset-Rah Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Etzel Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks GRogall! Looks like a really good parts pack with nice colours. I'll keep an eye on this topic for more pics in the future. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zzz Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks for the pic - looking forward to the interior. Only fair that the modular street houses now run under Creator, I find that a good move to clean up the scattered "Exclusives" portfolio. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sextant Posted December 27, 2012 As someone else mentioned, I'm a little disappointed that this is a corner building. I shall reserve judgement until I get the chance to see some interiors, but I felt like the theatre would be a great chance to do something we really haven't seen before in the modular line: an auditorium style interior, open from bottom to top, with the great staircases these old single-screen movie houses often had, in two levels (main level and balcony, with even a couple of box seats, perhaps) instead of the standard three levels. While it wouldn't necessarily be a blast to build seating for 50+ minifigs, looking at the finished result would be impressive. The square-footage pinch of a corner set makes me fear it will be like the Town Plan (which was great for the more traditional scale it was in), with seating for a mere 7 figs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alywin Posted December 27, 2012 Honestly, there is no "Chinese" theatre like 10232, at least based on my life-long experience so far as a Chinese... Still, I am looking forward to it full views and details. Thanks for sharing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sgeureka Posted December 27, 2012 Since the Eurobricks frontpage now shows an image of the Palace Cinema, I attempted to copy-paste the Palace Cinema into an image with the other modulars. I think it fits in nicely with the others. Someone with Photoshop experience will get better results (the scale is hard to get right). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niteangel Posted December 27, 2012 As a Chinese (I am an architect from Hong Kong :D ) I can tell you it is not really Chinese. Not all sloped roofs with tiles mean Chinese architecture, as it is not a distinguishing feature. But talking back about this building, I so look forward to it. I LOVE the color scheme, as it looks very vintage yet a little modern (like the Grand Emporium, not too old yet it starts to be in the modern era). I also want to see what's inside. Will there be a stage or just a screen like real cinema? It would be even better to be a "theatre"! The car is however a little disappointment. I would imagine the white long limousine in the previous city set to be a more matching vehicle for this :P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eurotrash Posted December 27, 2012 Thanks GRogall for posting this! I need to see more pictures before I'm fully convinced, but it's definitely growing on me. Like many of the other posters that Limo is going in the parts bin! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IAmWillGibson Posted December 27, 2012 I guess my embargo on Modular buildings is over. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonicstarlight Posted December 27, 2012 (edited) Wow! I actually really like the direction they took with this. I've been to Grauman's Chinese Theater in real life, and this is clearly an homage to that rather than something actually found in Asia. In that way it is just as Western in style as everything else in the line, and I for one find it a very welcome change of pace. Plus, this will actually pair very nicely with my Deco theater. I was worried when I heard it was going to be a budget set, but I think getting another Creator modular is the best - maybe another more traditional modular will come out in the fall. The only thing I'm concerned about is the marquee - that better be a printed tile and not a sticker. Edited December 27, 2012 by sonicstarlight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bootz Posted December 27, 2012 As a Chinese (I am an architect from Hong Kong :D ) I can tell you it is not really Chinese. Not all sloped roofs with tiles mean Chinese architecture, as it is not a distinguishing feature. But talking back about this building, I so look forward to it. I LOVE the color scheme, as it looks very vintage yet a little modern (like the Grand Emporium, not too old yet it starts to be in the modern era). I also want to see what's inside. Will there be a stage or just a screen like real cinema? It would be even better to be a "theatre"! The car is however a little disappointment. I would imagine the white long limousine in the previous city set to be a more matching vehicle for this :P Honestly, looking at this I don't think "chinese" but rather "Los Angeles". I just watched LA Confidential and this gives me a very 1930's Hollywood vibe, clearly what they were going for. The car is the weak link, but I don't think the city style limo would mesh with the period look. You can always use TLG's white limo or build your own. I think something more along the lines of EROL's vintage cars would have been better than this. The front is fine, it has a late 30's early 40's look, but aft of the windscreen it all falls apart. The sides are comicaly short, whereas American cars of the era looked bulkier with a higher beltline. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faefrost Posted December 27, 2012 I love it! Between the somewhat Spanish Colonial coloring and the semi Chinese stylings it perfectly captures the feel of a Los Angeles building in the heyday of Hollywood. The car and lights plus the slightly lower than expected price make me suspect that the interior is not as dense as some of the newer Modulars. And is probably not unlike the Fire Brigade. Which would make sense for a theater. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RoxYourBlox Posted December 27, 2012 Disappointed with Lego's focus on bright primary or secondary colors for Creator 2013, I am pleased to see the abundance of muted colors in this set. Looking forward to HR images!! Thanks Grogall! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eiker86 Posted December 27, 2012 Weren't LEGO supposed to stop using baseplate's? I think it looks like an baseplate under neath all the elements. And I can't wait to buy this one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faefrost Posted December 27, 2012 Honestly, looking at this I don't think "chinese" but rather "Los Angeles". I just watched LA Confidential and this gives me a very 1930's Hollywood vibe, clearly what they were going for. Exactly. A better description would be "California Faux Chinese". Pretty much all of the Modulars have a very distinct feel of where they come from style wise. Grand Emporium kind of leaves one thinking of London, Fire Brigade has a "Rust Belt" America feel to it, Pet Shop has a very Continental Europe look. Cafe Corner has kind of an Amsterdam feel to it. Green Grocer has kind of a French styling. Town Hall is probably the most generic, but more resembles an Eastern US/Canada style. And this one just screams Los Angeles. Weren't LEGO supposed to stop using baseplate's? I think it looks like an baseplate under neath all the elements. And I can't wait to buy this one. They always use a baseplate under the Modulars as part of the "Modular Standard". Typically 1 32 x 32 or 2 16 x 32's Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRogall Posted December 27, 2012 (edited) Weren't LEGO supposed to stop using baseplate's? I think it looks like an baseplate under neath all the elements. And I can't wait to buy this one. That would be new info to me! And you can't really do a Modular Building without a baseplate! all of them have e'm and they are always 32 studs wide! this is now the third corner in the Modular Building block! not including MS! Edited March 24, 2013 by GRogall Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diamond Posted December 27, 2012 My first ever post! Though I have often read this site I have been looking forward to the lego modular cinema for a long while. I was pretty sure they would do a cinema and happy they have. But I REALLY wanted it to be art deco style and as such I am a bit dissapointed. Is anyone else dissapointed at this? The Town plan cinema was Art Deco so I thought they would follow that template I have literally just got back from LA so went to the Grauman Chinese Theatre so the inspiration is clear. But most of the cinemas in LA and everywhere else are Art Deco style. And with no Art Deco buildings in the modular set - for what is a massive architectural movement and symbolic of the hayday of entertainment and cinema - it seems a missed opportunity. That said I will get this anyway. I only have one modular building (grand emporium serving as the Mad Men ad agency on madison avenue complete with the cast as minifgures) so this can sit with it and form a mini two modular street Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
merman Posted December 27, 2012 Isn't the roof made of round 1x1 bricks? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
