A great few days coming up for this THS 2017 conclave in LA CA. Downtown Los Angeles has some of the best movie palaces on one street in the USA. Hollywood still has a few classic theatres that are still open also. A fun week for every movie theatre fan to check out.
To bad the city of SF made all the theatres on Market ST take off their huge neon marquees in the 60’s, trying to make the street signs flat. It now has a old brown plastic flat pigeon stained cheap marquee that just rots in the sun. The rock music crowd that now buys tickets has no idea what the original marquee looked like. Same with the RKO Golden Gate next door around the corner. The GG blade neon signs need a blue, yellow and gold paint job so bad. The Neder folks just painted over everything Brown. At least they did not take down this marquee because It was not directly on Market St, but the current GG owners removed most of the old neon when they brought in expensive road productions.
Thanks CC for this hot ad. To bad It did not play at the Egyptian Theatre down the street. As the Chinese was a Fox West Coast Theatre. They got all the Fox CinemaScope® films. Must have looked great on the Chinese semi curved Magic Mirror CinemaScope® screen with stereophonic sound. To think 4 years later (1958) they took the screen out and put in a huge curved Cinemiracle screen in.
Once someone removes the wall down the middle and brings in a better large screen and sound system this will be a great place to see a movie or live music event in the future. Tired in need of remodel work all the Landmark cinemas in Berkeley/Albany they lease will have some competition If the Oaks re opens again and fixed up. I have some friends with $$ that may be interested and may take a look this week.
The big AMC remodel job is almost over at the Metreon Theatre in San Francisco. One of the worst changes is the removal of the dark blue cove lights in the long hall. AMC replaced them with bright ugly white LED lights that shine in your face when you walk around to go into your auditoriums. They trashed about 50% of the nice large candy counter display popcorn and drink signs in the lobby. They did make a big change in the Dolby Cinema #13 for the better after my last visit 6 months ago and reduced the red lights on the aisles so they don’t shine on the curved Dolby Vision® screen on the bottom corners. I did enjoy the new Pirates movie in Imax 3-D in their only Imax screen in the building even though they had a 10 minutes delay at the start at a 12:45 mat because of a chiller problem in the Imax projectors. The people that do these remodel jobs for AMC have no showmanship, at least they could have put in multi color LED lights so the manager could change to what ever color he wanted in the lobby halls but now we are stuck with boring no class white bright lights.
Thanks JZ for the photos. Nice old SF Bay Area DI still run by the Syufy family brothers under the name West Wind. Looks like one of the screens is the original large scope type.
To bad they were in a rush to tear down the large screen tower. You can see were they added a CinemaScope® wing on the sides in the early 50’s. The lot is still in place used for a flea market and hospital parking.
Thanks Steve for the photo. When I was very young I went here to see a movie in 4 track mag stereo surround sound on 35mm film. It was a Fox West Coast Theatres house. The color inside was something else. To bad they tore the whole cinema down many years ago. Almost looks like the inside of the Laurel Theatre.
Galaxy Theatres has their own huge curved screen It’s called DFX along with the Dolby Atmos® sound system in a few auditoriums. They will not have the old XD Century/Cinemark branded screen at this new remodeled location in Sparks. I hope they can really curve the screen in the large cinema space re name It GALAXYVISION !
Great news that this once huge movie theatre will open again. Lets hope they put in some nice curtains that go up and sideways. No red please go with a nice blue,turquoise or green. Also I hope they put in some color LED lights not just boring white lights to lite up the decor.
Good news the Galaxy Theatre owners have signed a long term lease on this closed cinema in Sparks NV across from the Nugget Casino. They have one popular cinema now open in another part of Sparks this will give them 2 places to see first run movies in Sparks. A complete remodel is now going on with large curved screens with new seats ect. They hope to open around Dec 2017. If you have ever been to a Galaxy Theatre you know they do a great job both with picture and stereo surround sound. They show a Dolby® sound demo to show off their sound system before the movie starts. The staff is first rate, they are bringing showmanship back a little at a time. With their blue lights in one of their large auditoriums and a personal live person intro by Ken and others before the movie starts this now closed cinema will be a luxury space to see films around the Reno/Sparks Nevada area soon. Lets hope they can bring in more color LED lights or neon in the lobby and inside the refurbished cinemas. I am also hoping for a set of waterfall curtains in the largest auditorium? Watch for a new large neon sign coming soon out front. With all the new apartments and condos just in the same block this new movie multi palace will be a gold mine for people wanting to see films and other local live special events.
Thanks Granola for the color photo. It’s time for someone to lease or buy this fine old cinema, knock down and take out the wall in the middle and turn the theatre into a movie or live music event space for the people of the Berkeley area. It just sits empty year after year. Someone is loosing money. Get some remodel grants and open up the doors again.
Thanks David for all your great photos from Davenport. These theatres in the 50’s & 60’s new how to advertise with glass poster cases lite up with side lights to show off the one sheets and stills. You don’t see this any more in the multi junk. No more National Screen Service.
Thanks Steve for another classic photo. Just to think you got 3 big B movies and cartoons at the old Pix Theatre. The building is still there. I don’t see any beggars on the street then. Time to open up the Pix again now that Radio Shack is gone. I wonder if some neon company can copy the old neon marquee of the Pix from these classic old photos.
CC thanks for the great ad. I think It was 1954. So nice to see the Chinese Theatre Hollywood giving a plug in the Fox ad to the new 4 track mag stereo system they had plus CinemaScope® The surround sound must have sounded great here in the early 50’s with the many small box type speakers hung on the side walls.
Thanks Steve for this classic photo. The Pix Theatre building is still on Market St next to the Powel Bart station. It has two retail stores now that the Pix showed films in. I remember It had a Perry turn thing to let you in once you paid the kind lady at the small boxoffice. No live ticket taker. Many years ago the then manager of the Radio Shack store was changing some ceiling lights and he showed me what was the ceiling of the Pix above the false covering. They showed second run B movies like the Hub Theatre down the street. Many of these small cinema buildings are still around in SF but no longer showing movies If you look up the address they are now store fronts.
Nice remodel. Do the girl ushers have to wear wooden shoes? Do the windmills turn during a movie or music performance? I hope they have some color lights in the houses.
Thanks CC for the classic NYC Todd-AO photo. If only some of our theatres today had a nice sized curved screen with curtains in place, but most cinema screens are getting smaller and the seats bigger. This was such a great theatre to see 70mm in plus later on they installed D-150. Now only the photos tell the Todd-AO showmanship story.
Thanks CC for the ad. Something you won’t see this coming Easter is a live stage show with orchestra and a 35mm film movie. I was so lucky as a young kid to see the whole Radio City production. It was even a 70mm film I think with a stage production.
Thanks again Dallas for this fine old marquee photo from the past. You won’t find anything like this going on these days much less climb a ladder to change marquee letters. They would not do any publicity or showmanship to hang pineapples on a marquee as they would be afraid of a law suit in case the fruit fell in the wind and hit someone on the head.
A great few days coming up for this THS 2017 conclave in LA CA. Downtown Los Angeles has some of the best movie palaces on one street in the USA. Hollywood still has a few classic theatres that are still open also. A fun week for every movie theatre fan to check out.
Great article I must try to check this theatre out. Do they have curtains that work? Long live 35mm film!!!!
To bad the city of SF made all the theatres on Market ST take off their huge neon marquees in the 60’s, trying to make the street signs flat. It now has a old brown plastic flat pigeon stained cheap marquee that just rots in the sun. The rock music crowd that now buys tickets has no idea what the original marquee looked like. Same with the RKO Golden Gate next door around the corner. The GG blade neon signs need a blue, yellow and gold paint job so bad. The Neder folks just painted over everything Brown. At least they did not take down this marquee because It was not directly on Market St, but the current GG owners removed most of the old neon when they brought in expensive road productions.
Thanks CC for this hot ad. To bad It did not play at the Egyptian Theatre down the street. As the Chinese was a Fox West Coast Theatre. They got all the Fox CinemaScope® films. Must have looked great on the Chinese semi curved Magic Mirror CinemaScope® screen with stereophonic sound. To think 4 years later (1958) they took the screen out and put in a huge curved Cinemiracle screen in.
Once someone removes the wall down the middle and brings in a better large screen and sound system this will be a great place to see a movie or live music event in the future. Tired in need of remodel work all the Landmark cinemas in Berkeley/Albany they lease will have some competition If the Oaks re opens again and fixed up. I have some friends with $$ that may be interested and may take a look this week.
The big AMC remodel job is almost over at the Metreon Theatre in San Francisco. One of the worst changes is the removal of the dark blue cove lights in the long hall. AMC replaced them with bright ugly white LED lights that shine in your face when you walk around to go into your auditoriums. They trashed about 50% of the nice large candy counter display popcorn and drink signs in the lobby. They did make a big change in the Dolby Cinema #13 for the better after my last visit 6 months ago and reduced the red lights on the aisles so they don’t shine on the curved Dolby Vision® screen on the bottom corners. I did enjoy the new Pirates movie in Imax 3-D in their only Imax screen in the building even though they had a 10 minutes delay at the start at a 12:45 mat because of a chiller problem in the Imax projectors. The people that do these remodel jobs for AMC have no showmanship, at least they could have put in multi color LED lights so the manager could change to what ever color he wanted in the lobby halls but now we are stuck with boring no class white bright lights.
Thanks JZ for the photos. Nice old SF Bay Area DI still run by the Syufy family brothers under the name West Wind. Looks like one of the screens is the original large scope type.
To bad they were in a rush to tear down the large screen tower. You can see were they added a CinemaScope® wing on the sides in the early 50’s. The lot is still in place used for a flea market and hospital parking.
Thanks Steve for the photo. When I was very young I went here to see a movie in 4 track mag stereo surround sound on 35mm film. It was a Fox West Coast Theatres house. The color inside was something else. To bad they tore the whole cinema down many years ago. Almost looks like the inside of the Laurel Theatre.
Galaxy Theatres has their own huge curved screen It’s called DFX along with the Dolby Atmos® sound system in a few auditoriums. They will not have the old XD Century/Cinemark branded screen at this new remodeled location in Sparks. I hope they can really curve the screen in the large cinema space re name It GALAXYVISION !
Great news that this once huge movie theatre will open again. Lets hope they put in some nice curtains that go up and sideways. No red please go with a nice blue,turquoise or green. Also I hope they put in some color LED lights not just boring white lights to lite up the decor.
Good news the Galaxy Theatre owners have signed a long term lease on this closed cinema in Sparks NV across from the Nugget Casino. They have one popular cinema now open in another part of Sparks this will give them 2 places to see first run movies in Sparks. A complete remodel is now going on with large curved screens with new seats ect. They hope to open around Dec 2017. If you have ever been to a Galaxy Theatre you know they do a great job both with picture and stereo surround sound. They show a Dolby® sound demo to show off their sound system before the movie starts. The staff is first rate, they are bringing showmanship back a little at a time. With their blue lights in one of their large auditoriums and a personal live person intro by Ken and others before the movie starts this now closed cinema will be a luxury space to see films around the Reno/Sparks Nevada area soon. Lets hope they can bring in more color LED lights or neon in the lobby and inside the refurbished cinemas. I am also hoping for a set of waterfall curtains in the largest auditorium? Watch for a new large neon sign coming soon out front. With all the new apartments and condos just in the same block this new movie multi palace will be a gold mine for people wanting to see films and other local live special events.
Thanks Granola for the color photo. It’s time for someone to lease or buy this fine old cinema, knock down and take out the wall in the middle and turn the theatre into a movie or live music event space for the people of the Berkeley area. It just sits empty year after year. Someone is loosing money. Get some remodel grants and open up the doors again.
Thanks David for all your great photos from Davenport. These theatres in the 50’s & 60’s new how to advertise with glass poster cases lite up with side lights to show off the one sheets and stills. You don’t see this any more in the multi junk. No more National Screen Service.
Some movie theatre chain needs to re open this classic theatre and run movies and live events. Thanks Granola for the photo.
Hope they have a working AC unit as this type of theatre buildings get very hot.
Thanks Steve for another classic photo. Just to think you got 3 big B movies and cartoons at the old Pix Theatre. The building is still there. I don’t see any beggars on the street then. Time to open up the Pix again now that Radio Shack is gone. I wonder if some neon company can copy the old neon marquee of the Pix from these classic old photos.
Torn down for a parking lot many years ago. Thanks Steve for the photo.
CC thanks for the great ad. I think It was 1954. So nice to see the Chinese Theatre Hollywood giving a plug in the Fox ad to the new 4 track mag stereo system they had plus CinemaScope® The surround sound must have sounded great here in the early 50’s with the many small box type speakers hung on the side walls.
Thanks Steve for this classic photo. The Pix Theatre building is still on Market St next to the Powel Bart station. It has two retail stores now that the Pix showed films in. I remember It had a Perry turn thing to let you in once you paid the kind lady at the small boxoffice. No live ticket taker. Many years ago the then manager of the Radio Shack store was changing some ceiling lights and he showed me what was the ceiling of the Pix above the false covering. They showed second run B movies like the Hub Theatre down the street. Many of these small cinema buildings are still around in SF but no longer showing movies If you look up the address they are now store fronts.
To bad they don’t advertise what is playing on the marquee with plastic letters, just a big plug for the seats and just one XD screen.
Nice remodel. Do the girl ushers have to wear wooden shoes? Do the windmills turn during a movie or music performance? I hope they have some color lights in the houses.
Thanks CC for the classic NYC Todd-AO photo. If only some of our theatres today had a nice sized curved screen with curtains in place, but most cinema screens are getting smaller and the seats bigger. This was such a great theatre to see 70mm in plus later on they installed D-150. Now only the photos tell the Todd-AO showmanship story.
Thanks CC for the ad. Something you won’t see this coming Easter is a live stage show with orchestra and a 35mm film movie. I was so lucky as a young kid to see the whole Radio City production. It was even a 70mm film I think with a stage production.
Thanks again Dallas for this fine old marquee photo from the past. You won’t find anything like this going on these days much less climb a ladder to change marquee letters. They would not do any publicity or showmanship to hang pineapples on a marquee as they would be afraid of a law suit in case the fruit fell in the wind and hit someone on the head.