Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
January 27, 2003
Chicago Theater News
Theater Restoration Aims to Revitalize Downtown Waukegan
WAUKEEGAN, IL —
Blagojevich Freezes Funds for Projects (Including the DuPage Theater)
SPRINGFIELD, IL —Thanks to Bryan Krefft for both of these alerts.
0 comments -
Aero Back On Its Feet
SANTA MONICA, CA — In a newsletter sent by Aero Theatre owner Chris Allen, he writes that “The Aero is doing okay financially. We are caught up with rent YEAH! We are now counting on our patrons to keep coming to the Aero to see movies.”
If you’d like to visit the classic Aero Theatre, they are located on Montana Avenue at the corner of 13th Street.
-
Warner Grand Announces New Schedule
SAN PEDRO, CA — The historic Warner Grand Theatre has announced its new schedule which includes a performance by famous theater organist, Bob Mitchell:
Thurs Feb 6 (2 p.m.) VARIETY ARTS
Michael Paul Smith presents a musical tribute to the 20th century icon: Paul Robeson.
Fri Feb 14 (8 p.m.) It Happened One Night (1934) ($7 each or 2 tix for $10)
Sat Feb 15 (8 p.m.) Flamenco dancers Sarita Bashir and Juan Talavera – $10/$20
Feb 17-20 – African American History Celebration
Historical films made by and featuring African American artists [music, drumming and dance performances tbd]. Some events are free, ticket prices up to $25. See website closer to the dates for further information.
Next VARIETY ARTS:
Thurs March 6 – “Bob Mitchell accompanies THE SHEIK” silent film with organ accompaniment (film to be confirmed)
Foreign film series 2003:
March 15, April 19, May 10, June 14 – films tbd
-
January 24, 2003
Raymond Theatre Needs Your Help!!!
We received the following letter this week regarding the Friends of the Raymond Theatre’s effort to save the 1927 movie house:
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL AND URGENT REQUEST FOR DONATIONS!
Donations are desperately needed for us to continue our work to preserve the Raymond Theatre. With the help of our supporters, Friends of the Raymond Theatre has accomplished a great deal, but our financial needs for this project still remain a large concern.
We are now down to the 11th hour, and we still we need to raise $3,200 IMMEDIATELY to make our final payment on our legal bill. We also need to be aware, should we lose in court (though we have all intention of prevailing), that we need to be prepared for an appeal to the Court of Appeals.
To appeal, we must first pay off our $3,200 which is due NOW and also be prepared with a significant downpayment on February 11th. We need to make sure we can meet these financial challenges in the next few weeks.
A tall order, yes, but doable if we ALL pull together and help by sending a donation. We need to raise about $1,000 a week, in the next 3 weeks or sooner. Currently donations are coming in at about $20 to $150 a week.
Please, please wont you consider donating whatever you can by donating $5, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 or more.
We are a project of Spirit of the Sage, under Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a California 501 ©(3) tax exempt organization, tax identification # 95-4116679.
All donations are tax deductible, or can be given as a loan, which would be repaid in full or part if we are awarded our money back from the courts. Please state what you prefer for our records.
To make a donation, please make your check payable to:
Friends of the Raymond Theatre
P.O. Box 91189
Pasadena, CA 91109 – 1189You can also make a donation online from our website on the “donate” page or by going to: www.PayPal.com. Pay Pal accepts all major credit cards. Our e-mail address for PayPal is: .
If you wish to make an anonymous donation, please let us know. Once again, we are at a critical turning point and on a short timeline to
raise money. We hope everyone will lend a hand and donate whatever you can.I will let everyone know how much we raised by this weekend and/or Monday of next week. Thank you for your continued help in preserving the Raymond Theatre.
Sincerely,
Gina Zamparelli
Friends of the Raymond TheatreOffice: (818) 541-9522
Fax: (818) 541-9523
Website: www.raymondtheatre.comPS: If you could pass this e-mail on to your friends, family or co-workers, or take up a donation pool for us, we would be very grateful for any assistance our supporters can give.
-
January 22, 2003
Saving The Indian Hills Documentary To Bow In April
OMAHA, NE — The “Saving The Indian Hills” documentary will be unveiled on Friday, April 4th, 2003 at 7:30pm at the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center (known in Omaha simply as “The Rose”). According to the film’s website, general admission tickets are $7.00 each, and they will be available one hour before showtime. For more information, call (402)334-2288 or e-mail us at .
-
January 9, 2003
Sameric/Boyd Theater Preservation Effort Continues
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Dick Pollman has written an extensive article on the fight, and the need, to save Philadelphia’s last remaining movie palace — the Sameric Theater in Center City.
The article features quotes from Steve Needleman, who recently restored and reopened the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles; Cinema Treasures' friend Howard Haas, who has led the fight to save the former movie palace; and Theatre Historical Society executive director, Richard Sklenar.
Read the Philadelphia Inquirer article
Visit the Save The Sameric website
Read “Ten Things Philadelphia Can Do To Improve”Haas adds:
We are also pleased to inform you that yesterday we elected additional members to our Board of Directors:
(1) Adrian Fine, who works in Phila. for the National Trust for Historic Preservation
(2) state Representative Babette Josephs, who represents the area and who has been vocal on our behalf
(3) Michael Norris, External Affairs Director of the Arden Theater, who generously contributes his time as our Fundraiser
(4) Andrew Repasky McElhinney, Film Director. Andrew is planning our Benefit Screening on March 21 at the International House in Philadelphia of the silent film set in Philadelphia! “The Show-Off” which will have live music and a reception. Tickets will be reasonably priced. We will let you know further details soon, but MARK YOUR CALENDARS!Thanks to Howard Haas for the update!
-
January 7, 2003
New Theaters!
While we were on vacation, over 60 new theaters were added thanks to Bryan Krefft, Philip Goldberg, Donald John Long, Jim Rankin, Tim Eiler, Garrett Murphy, Emily Giesy, G.E. Nordell, Dennis Whitefield, Keith Smith, Eric Enders, “Fox Theatres”, Ivan Kent Steinke, Wes Reeves, Jose Mendez, Jake Vanek, Aaron Bennet, Lisandrea Wentland, Paul Lappin, Ron Pierce, Darren Jones, Steve Smith, and Mike Croaro.
Enjoy!
-
January 6, 2003
A Look Back / A Look Ahead
Our vacation is officially over and we’re back at work!
We hope you a terrific holiday, saw some of the better movies that were released at the end of 2002, and maybe pitched in to help a theater in need. In these difficult economic times, theaters, performing arts groups, and preservation organizations need all the assistance they can get.
Luckily for those theaters still showing movies, motion pictures have usually bucked economic downturns during their history, as evident by last year’s box office performance. According to Yahoo!/The Hollywood Reporter, the total box office for last year should reach $9.4 billion, up a reported 13% from 2001, with ticket sales reaching their highest count in 45 years.
While this news is terrific for resurgent theater chains such as Loews Cineplex, Regal Entertainment Group, Pacific Theatres, AMC, and more, the independent exhibitor is still struggling. The reasons are too many to list, but access to product, high overhead, and the inability to book multiple films in single screen theaters are amongst the largest culprits.
Still there were bright spots in 2002: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” proved to be a lifesaver for theaters such as the Catlow; and more and more older, second run theaters switched to art house product for far better profits and reliability.
But there were so many theater closures at the hands of financially strapped exhibitors, frustrated landlords, and expanding drugstore and retail chains, we would need UPS to deliver the hefty list.
As we look ahead to 2003, we’ll begin focusing more of our attention not only on the stories and events that impact you, the exhibitor, the patron, the preservationist, or the theater lover, but show you how others have stayed alive and what we can all learn from their experiences.
The news will be changing as well. Lately there have been so many news stories regarding historic theaters that it’s been impossible for us to relay them to you quickly and effectively. Therefore, we will be posting more of them in link format so that you can read the original stories sooner and in more depth.
Elsewhere, our incredibly dedicated volunteer staff like Bryan Krefft, Grant Smith, William Gabel, Roger Katz, Ian Grundy, and others will continue to help us preserve the memory and futures of these beloved theaters around the world.
We’re extremely excited to get Cinema Treasures 2003 underway and we’ll be back tomorrow with more theaters, more news, and more of what you’ve come to rely on at Cinema Treasures.
Thanks and let’s start saving some theaters!
-
December 12, 2002
Regal To Spend $70 Million In Digital Upgrade
CENTENNIAL, CO — Regal Entertainment Corp has announced a massive digital projection initiative, with plans to equip nearly 80% of its existing locations with digital projectors, high-speed networks, and satellite downlinks, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times.
While Regal (which owns both the Edwards Cinemas and United Artists theater chains) plans to spend $70 million going digital, initial plans call only for the digital projection of short films and advertisements. In other words, these conversions will not allow theaters to digitally project feature-length films—at least for now.
“At some point in time, digital projection will become a standard for theatrical films,” said Jeffrey Logsdon, managing director of investment bank Gerard Klauer Mattison. “Until then, Regal believes that if it can put the infrastructure in now, and build a business around it with promotional or advertising customers, it’ll put the company that much farther ahead of everyone else.”
Regal’s digital rollout is in partnership with Christie Digital, a company which specializes in the deployment and management of digitial projection systems.
By the end of the 2003, Christie Digital and Regal plan to deploy the new systems on over 4,500 screens. Additionally, plans call for the installation of over 1,400 42' high-resolution plasma displays throughout Regal theater lobbies.
Read the Los Angeles Times article
Read the Christie press release -
December 11, 2002
Lincoln Square Theatre Receives Grant For $3.5 Million
DECATUR, IL — Cinema Treasures regular Dave Wiegers sent in this update from the Herald-Review about the Lincoln Square Theatre in Decatur, IL:
“The story I am sending to you is about the theatre that I have been involved with for 15 years or so. I lead a group that saved the theatre and got it reopened and operating. This influx of funds is an answer to my prayers eventhough I have been living in Chicago for 6 years.”
Dave is referring to the fact that the State of Illinois announced on Monday that the Lincoln Square will receive a $3.5 million grant, as part of its Illinois FIRST program.
(Thanks, Dave!)