Comments from Mark_L

Showing 326 - 350 of 538 comments

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about IMAX and AMC to develop more IMAX-lite theaters for 2011 on Jun 6, 2010 at 2:07 pm

This headline speaks the truth! Call it Lie-Max, Imax Light, or, my preferred term, Imax Junior, it is NOT true Imax. Until the digital systems can light a minimum 60' x 90' screen, they are not true Imax.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Main Theatre on Jun 6, 2010 at 1:31 pm

No balcony.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Clinton Theatre on Jun 2, 2010 at 9:43 pm

To follow up on retroguy’s post about a car hitting the Clinton, The Columbus Dispatch reported on 6/2/2010 that the owners of the building had been ordered in April, 2010 to fix the “deteriorating buildings at 3367 – 3383 N. High St.” The owner would face a fine of $250 per day starting on August 1, 2010. This week, the city inspectors ordered the owner to hire an engineer to check structural integrity. The building must also be kept secure. Some preservationists would like to save the Clinton Theater building, but the buildings are graffiti covered and deteriorated.

I don’t think this theatre is going to have a very happy ending.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about New Hudson Theatre on May 28, 2010 at 10:56 pm

In February or March 2010, all of the comments disappeared from the Cleve Theatre (Columbus Ohio) page, and I was able to grab them from the Google Cache. Looks like the phantom deleter struck again!! Something very strange going on around here.

Ron, thanks for pulling them out of Cache-land. Very much appreciated.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Newport Music Hall on May 26, 2010 at 8:06 am

I haven’t gotten that far in my research yet, but I do have a note that it became the Agora approximately April 1970. It was taken over by Henry & Joe LoConti, who invested $200,000 in the project.

I should have more exact data by the end of the summer.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about World Theater on May 26, 2010 at 5:27 am

The Little Theatre did become the Little Art Theatre. The local police tried many times to shut that down. Many films were confiscated and managers arrested. Film censorship was a huge issue well up into the 1970’s. Building was finally condemned and torn down.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Loews Arlington on May 26, 2010 at 5:24 am

You are only talking about a distance here of about 100 yards…unless you really looked at the maps, you wouldn’t know the difference. If you would ask someone to circle an area of a map that would be considered Arlington, they include this shopping center. If I didn’t live here, I certainly wouldn’t have noticed the difference. As I said above, the city boundaries here get very, very confusing.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about York Plaza Cinema on May 25, 2010 at 10:07 pm

Theater opened on 6/6/1972.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about World Theater on May 25, 2010 at 10:05 pm

The WORLD theatre actually opened in 1947 in the building that housed the Olentangy at 2523 North High Street. On 9/14/1949, the WORLD moved to the Alhambra building, and the Olentangy became known as the Little Theatre, playing classic films.

In October, 1956, Charles Sugarman installed a 12' x 24' Cinemascope screen.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about W. 5th Ave. Drive-In on May 25, 2010 at 10:01 pm

On May 3, 1965, the screen was blown down by a storm, and the drive-in was forced to close. It reopened with a new screen on 5/17/1965.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Wilmar Theater on May 25, 2010 at 10:00 pm

Theatre closed on October 14, 1950. Closing features were Ghost of Frankenstein and Baron of Arizona.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Studio 35 Cinema on May 23, 2010 at 9:57 pm

In Ohio, a beer license is different from a liquor license. They have had beer for a long time. They have quite a selection of national and local brews.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Happy 30th, "Empire" on May 22, 2010 at 2:32 pm

Raysson, I think you mean “Dolby Stereo”. Shades of Spinal Tap.

I saw EMPIRE at the beautiful Dayton Mall I theatre just after it opened. One of my most memorable movie experiences.

It also had my favorite name from all of the Star Wars series: Lando Calrissian. It’s even fun to say: Lan-do. Billy Dee was a great choice there. Today, I could see it played by Denzel Washington.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Loews Arlington on May 21, 2010 at 5:52 am

In this case, the theatre is in Columbus, BUT the 43220 zip code also includes the north part of the city of Upper Arlington, where I live. It also includes some unincorporated/township areas.

Things can get very confusing in the northwest part of Columbus. You might live in Columbus proper, go to school in the Worthington School district, and have a mailing address of Dublin. It really takes careful study of the local maps to really figure things out.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Cine Capri Theatre on May 20, 2010 at 8:40 pm

No fight intended, and certainly no disrespect to MikeRogers. I wish only that the Force stay strong among us, and we resume discussing one of the the most memorable theatres of its time. All hail the Cine Capri, with the hope that we DO see the likes of it again.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Cine Capri Theatre on May 20, 2010 at 8:19 pm

Please allow me to go off-topic here and address MikeRogers comment.

While growing up, we all want to be something special. Sure, while a child, we say we want to be a fireman or policeman, but, deep in our hearts, we want to be a hero. For my generation, it was Davy Crockett and, later, the 7 Mercury astronauts. For those growing up in the last decade loved and idolized the LORD OF THE RINGS. More recent folk seem to be especially entranced by AVATAR.

That group that grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s, and even, to some extent, those just a bit younger, STAR WARS was one of the most memorable events of their childhood and adolescence. Luke and Han Solo were men without peer, Princess Leia was the most beautiful creature in the universe, and Darth Vader was the epitome of evil. They read the books, hung the posters and listened to the music until their lives matured.

Seeing STAR WARS and its companion films was a big moment. Folks of those years remember where and when they first saw it, and tell the tales of standing in lines as badges of honor. They argue about which theatres got the coveted 70mm prints, and who saw it in the new process of Dolby Stereo.

Sure, its a “B” movie…even George Lucas will admit to that. But, its a darn good story that really captures people.

That, MikeRogers, is why there are so many comments about the STAR WARS series and the theatres where it played. And they were very significant money makers for the theatre owners.

I enjoy the STAR WARS comments, and I really hope to see many more.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Carousel Cinemas on May 14, 2010 at 11:40 am

The Carousel Theater was constructed after the Carrousel Motel. Architect was Tom Tilsley, who worked for the same firm that designed the motel.

Now, to the question…why was the theatre CAROUSEL and the motel CARROUSEL?

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about 40 East Drive-In on May 8, 2010 at 9:55 pm

Original name was TORCH DRIVE-IN. Name changed to 40-East when taken over by Frank Yassenoff in 1967.

Mark_L
Mark_L on May 6, 2010 at 9:47 pm

My guess would be that they tore down the Carmago to build the Carrousel Inn.

The Carrousel Inn was right across the street from the Carousel Theatre.

Question for Cincinnatians—-Which came first…the Carousel Theatre or the Carrousel Inn?

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Eastland Cinema on May 5, 2010 at 7:15 pm

According to Box Office magazine, 2/19/1968, this theatre was originally operated by Cincinnati Theatre Company, a division of Associated Theatres of Cleveland.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Showcase Cinemas Toledo on May 5, 2010 at 7:08 pm

According to a 1968 Boxoffice Magazine, Cinema III opened at this site on 2/27/1968 with a screening of CAMELOT.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about North High Drive-In on May 4, 2010 at 3:14 pm

Original name was North Hi Drive-In.

Opening date was 6/4/1952. First features were “Belles On Their Toes” and “North of the Great Divide”

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Showcase Cinemas Toledo on May 4, 2010 at 8:19 am

Please don’t assume this was to be a multi-purpose venue. It was always planned to be for movies. I’m glad they dropped the “Theatre Arts Center” name before opening…I agree it is confusing.

My source for this was a 1963 issue of Boxoffice magazine.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Flicker's East Cinema Pub on May 3, 2010 at 9:12 pm

In early 1984, Royal Theatres, operator of the Forum at the time, announced that they were going to build a 6-screen theatre behind the Forum. It was to seat 2,500 with 2-500 seat rooms. Dolby and 70mm equipment was to be included. This project was never completed.

Mark_L
Mark_L commented about Loews Arlington on May 3, 2010 at 9:07 pm

Theatre was to be twinned shortly after Easter, 1974. Each room was to seat 550. Cost of twinning was to be $70,000, and construction was to take approximately 30 days.