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The latest movie theater news and updates
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April 9, 2004
Milwaukee’s Oriental to Host Silent Film Weekend
MILWAUKEE , WI — The venerable Oriental Theatre will have another of its monthly ‘Silents Please’ series of not-so-silent movies this Saturday the 10th, titled: “The Last Laugh” (1924) starring Emil Jannings and it is an odd opus as this description from Maltin’s Movie Guide makes clear:
“Silent film classic told entirely by camera, without title cards. Jannings plays proud doorman at posh hotel who is suddenly demoted; film details his utter and grievous humiliation. Brilliantly filmed …with a towering performance by Jannings.”
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April 8, 2004
Pickwick Theatre In Center of Struggle
PARK RIDGE, IL – The landmark 76 year-old Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge, which is a symbol of this Chicago suburb, is finding itself in the midst of a struggle between the City of Park Ridge, its owners, the Vlahakis family, and the Pickwick Theatre Council, according to the Mount Prospect Journal.
The Art Deco-style former vaudeville house (and one of the largest movie palaces in the Chicago suburbs) needs extensive repairs and renovations according to Pickwick Theatre Council president Catherine Kenney.
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Compuware Sports Arena Drive-In?
PLYMOUTH, MI — The Compuware Sports Arena’s parking lot in Plymouth township may be drive-in theater according to this report from the Detroit Free Press.
The site could be a drive-in as early as May 15, if the township approves the proposal.
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April 7, 2004
Radio Days for the Wealthy Theatre?
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The management of the Wealthy Theatre is in partnership talks with the Community Media Center, according to a report in the Grand Rapids Press.
The partnership would make the theater the new home of local community radio station WYCE and allow TV broadcasting classes to be held at the theater alongside its existing theater classes.
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April 6, 2004
Art Theatre Photos
BINGHAMTON, NY — Roger Katz sent in these photos of the Art Theatre (pre-fire).
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Ambassador Super Cinema
SALFORD, UK — It’s official (from the demolition crew anyway): the Ambassador Super Cinema is to be demolished.
The sad end to a wonderful era of cinema on Langworthy Road in Salford. I have pictures of yesterdays work and will be going today to see how they are doing today at lunchtime.
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April 5, 2004
Art Theatre Burns Down
BINGHAMTON, NY — The Art Theatre burned down on February 9, 2004 due to a fire sparked by a faulty 75 watt lightbulb.
The theater went up quickly since its 1924 roof was covered with oil-based paints. The Art’s owner, Richard Krus, who bought the former “adult” theatre in 1987 and turned it into the county’s only venue to see art films, wants to rebuild the theater using the walls that remained.
However, the city has said remains of the structure are unsafe and has ordered it demolished by the end of April. Krus, who lacked insurance on the theater, has become so frustrated with the city’s lack of support that he’s decided to look elsewhere for a location for his theater.
Photos of the fire are available at the City of Binghamton Professional Fire Fighters website.
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More Cloudy News for Huntington’s Keith Albee
HUNTINGTON, WV — During a town meeting, several townspeople expressed their concerns that the federally funded Pullman Square development with its 16 screen movie theatre would have an adverse impact on the 1928 Thomas Lamb Keith-Albee theater, according to a report in the Herald Dispatch.
The Transit Authority which will receive rent money from the new theatre seemed glib. Vicki Shaffer, President of the Transit Authority, admitted the Keith had not been properly considered under federal historic preservation laws. “The devil is in the details,” she admitted. Keith lovers should be working the emails and phone lines to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Advisory Council for Historic Preservation. The Herald Dispatch finally ran a story about the Keith’s “cloudy” future.
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April 2, 2004
Do Movie Ratings Work?
ANCHORAGE, AK — Today, the Anchorage Daily News takes a look at the effectiveness of the MPAA rating system.
Designed in 1968 by MPAA head Jack Valenti, the system has been used by Hollywood for decades to help parents have more informed choices about the movies they’re children are watching. But, in today’s media environment, is the system still an effective tool for reducing childrens' exposure to sex and violence?
With lax enforcement policies at theaters, video chains that don’t check for age, and cable television channels that serve up popular (and violent) content like the “Sopranos”, are we really protecting children from things they haven’t seen?
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April 1, 2004
Memories of Paterson’s U.S. Theatre
PATERSON, NJ — The U.S. Theatre was located in the heart of downtown Paterson, New Jersey. In the early 1900s, Paterson was the textile center of the United States and the bustling city proudly built the U.S. Theatre, Fabian Theatre, Garden Theatre, Rivoli Theatre, State Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, and Majestic Theatre. The two most outstanding, both in architecture and elegance, were the U.S. Theatre and the Fabian Theatre.
As one entered the lobby of the U.S. Theatre, the coming attraction display cases were encrusted in gold leaf. The main auditorium glistened with its burgundy velvet, oil paintings on silk twelve feet in height, and clouds on the theater ceiling that slowly drifted by as one awaited the beginning of the show.