The latest movie theater news and updates

  • September 20, 2004

    Restored San Jose Fox and Stockton Fox Theaters Reopen This Week.

    SAN JOSE/STOCKTON, CA — Both the San Jose Fox California Theatre (now called the California Theatre) and the Stockton Fox Theatre (renamed the Bob Hope Theate) reopen this week. According to The San Jose Business Journal, San Jose spent $75 million to restore the California while Stockton spent $5 million.

    Related articles:

    The Hope Springs Eternal
    California Theater Opens in SJ This Weekend
    San Jose Landmark Set to Reopen to Crowds
    New Name, New Polish Give New Life To An Old Theater In Stockton

  • September 17, 2004

    Loew’s Jersey’s 75th Anniversary Film Festival

    JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with one of the most acclaimed movies of the Theatre’s first full decade:

    Tuesday, Sept. 28 7:45 PM
    Mr Smith Goes to Washington
    Starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains
    (1939 – 130 mins. – B&W)

    The 1929 admission of 35 cents re-instated for this night only!

    This show will be preceded at 7:15 with a public ceremony paying tribute to the spirit of civic activism that first saved the Landmark Loew’s from demolition and is now restoring it.

    And the celebration of the Loew’s 75th Anniversary will continue on the weekend with a selection of films spanning the 1940s, ‘50s, 60’s and 70’s.

  • Looking For My Dream Theater

    I currently live in Florida but it has been my dream since I was a little boy always dragging my grandma off to every movie to one day own my own. I am looking for some thing that is really special a piece from the past a real movie palace type theater.

    If any one knows of any with a great price tag that may be easy to fix up and start running, please reply here. Email me at or call me at any time at 352.257.9308.

    Also if any one has info on grants and government funds that I can easily get for this venture, please let me know. Thank you, fellow movie lovers.

  • September 16, 2004

    New Legit Theater Replacing Water Tower Theatre

    CHICAGO, IL — The new Drury Lane Theatre at the Water Tower Place shopping center on Michigan Avenue and Chestnut Street is nearing its opening early in 2005, according to this report from the Chicago Tribune.

    The legitimate theater, which is based in suburban Oakbrook (and recently closed its long-time Evergreen Park theater, which is set to be replaced by a Wal-Mart), has chosen the artistic director and producer and is hiring the remaining staff from local theater companies.

  • Adelphi Opening Its Doors Again!

    CHICAGO, IL — The Adelphi Theater is opening its doors once again to bring you back to the days when you were a child looking in.

    With the anticipation of opening this year, we are working hard around the clock fixing up the inside and giving it the attention it deserves!

    The Adelphi is coming along great, but we need your help! People are needed to help us whip the the Adelphi into shape. If you can provide ANY help at all, and want to see the Adelphi come back to life, email us at to get more information.

  • Sy Hirsch Reflects on Memories of the Victory

    CHICAGO, IL — Just heard an interview with Seymour Hirsch, the reporter who broke the My Lai and Abu Ghraib stories, among others. He said that he was born in 1937 and remembered going every Saturday to the Victory Theater on the south side of Chicago.

    Perhaps someone could contact him to get more information to add to the description on the Victory’s page

  • September 15, 2004

    Trying To Find “Exit”

    I am trying to track down a copy of Robert Headley’s 1974 book, Exit: A History of Movies in Baltimore. There’s a copy in the Library of Congress, but I am based in London, UK, and that’s a long way to go just to find out that the book is not what I am looking for.

    Is anyone aware of a UK library that holds a copy or where I might get hold of my own copy?

  • Clearview Cinemas Showing Its ‘Chelsea’ Pride

    NEW YORK, NY — Sometimes having a drag of a time at the movies can be a good thing, according to this article in this past Sunday’s New York Times.

    The nine-screen Clearview Cinemas, located in the Chelsea section of Manhattan and which opened its doors for business in the late 1980s, is more than just a cookie-cutter multiplex; it’s become a true neighborhood moviehouse, with its increasingly popular program offerings to the area’s gay and lesbian residents.

  • September 14, 2004

    Louisville’s Cinerama Theatre Closed, Now For Sale

    LOUSIVILLE, KY — This is a splendid, chic, mid-century modern theater complex with two story lobby (upper level even has an art gallery space). Cinema 1 was built with a louvered Cinerama screen (since removed), while Cinema 2 had Panavision flat screen with unusual framing surrounding it. Both are large theatres.

    Later, several more cinemas were added through the the following decades, though none are as interesting as the original two. The original building was not altered, except Cinema 2 was twinned about 25 years ago. Excellent opportunity to restore to original splendor, as much affection in the city for this building.

  • Old Screen Available?

    Can anyone help this man dedicated to opening a vintage screenings venue for local college kids? His registered non-profit “Brady Street Film Center” is a conversion of portions of his Brady Street Pharmacy which prior to 1954 was the Astor Theater, a 1912 cinema.

    If you are ever in Milwaukee, you must stop by the pharmacy on Brady St. at Astor St. and see the unusual transformation! Contact him directly via his email address if you can be of help.

    From: “James Searles” astortheater@wi.rr.com
    To: “Jim Rankin” jimor2@yahoo.com
    Subject: Request for Help
    Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 10:30:04 -0500
    Dear Jim,

    We finally got an occupancy permit. The sound system is operational. The screen frame is up.

    We need a small perforated snow white screen – used. We can re-cut to fit our frame – about 10 x 20'. Please pass this on. Perhaps some one knows of a theater that is about to come down.

    Jim