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The Cinerama Dome walked so the Sphere could run
What the plan to reopen Welton Becket’s Sunset Boulevard landmark says—and doesn't say—about the future of moviegoing. Plus: the Quito fallout continues
Christopher Hawthorne
July 24, 2026
Welton Becket’s Cinerama Dome was both a test of Buckminster Fuller’s theories about geodesic design and a forerunner of recent projects like the Sphere in Las Vegas. Photo by Chris Gulker/Herald Examiner Collection, via Los Angeles Public Library
This week brought some major new developments in the controversy over the National Museum of Ecuador in Quito. Scroll down for my take on those. But first, a far more encouraging story, from Los Angeles:
Hollywood, the industry, has had a surprisingly good summer. “Backrooms” and “Obsession” have proved that Gen Z will pay for movie tickets. “The Odyssey” has shown that the rest of us will, too.
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