Comments from terrywade

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terrywade
terrywade commented about Track the progress of the Village over the years on Jun 12, 2011 at 10:48 pm

To bad they didn’t keep it one large theatre. Please, two 99 seat theatres are way to small. I’ll try the larger cinema space, do they even have curtains that open? Good luck to the new owners.

terrywade
terrywade commented about TCL Chinese Theatre on May 4, 2011 at 8:27 pm

Hope the new owners can keep the Big Chinese for both film and live events. Enlarge the curved screen and move it up a few feet to the ceiling plus put a circle stage into the first five rows of seats in front of the huge screen for live entertainment. Add a seperate reverse curve curtain track to cover the new stage area. Bring back all the nice color lights.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Grauman's Chinese Theatre sold on May 4, 2011 at 8:06 pm

I think the screen will not have to made smaller if the new owners put in a new stage. The stage needs to be built out into the theatre. Most times I have been to Grauman’s and when it’s got a big crowd to see a first run film if a tall person sits in front of me the large screen is blocked by a head. The best thing is to keep the THS sound wall but enlarge the curve screen and move the whole thing up 5 feet. Put in a large half curve thrust stage going into the first 5 rows of seats. Most people don’t sit in the first five rows for a film so this space can be used for limited live events when films or sneak previews are not run. Even a separate curtain can come out of the sides to cover the new stage floor. Does anyone know if the Chinese still has any dressing rooms in the basement or off stage?

terrywade
terrywade commented about Grauman's Chinese Theatre sold on May 4, 2011 at 3:42 am

Simon***The new owners of the Chinese want to get some money out of this ex movie palace that the public does not want to see movies in anymore. Times change it’s time for the Chinese to be turned into a live event theatre. Many former luxury movie theatres have been turned into other uses and the buildings has not been destroyed, like the Pantages Theatre down the street in Hollywood. Put the disco clubs in the back and bring in some entertainment on a new stage at Grauman’s. Most people like the multiplex they don’t care about showmanship these days and just go to the Arclight Cinemas to see a first run film or just wait for it’s DVD time. The days of the old Fox West Coast Grauman’s Chinese Theatre Hollywood are almost over for film and digital video. A combo of film and live events will save this Hollywood dragon house. Do you think the new owners will like it when only 10 people show up for a matinee movie or 25 for a night show during the week. Most people will not come into Hollywoood and pay to park ect when they can see the same movie close to home in the LA area. They don’t care about the Chinese unfortunately. The tourists only want to see the for court for free and take photos. Wait till the new management starts charging to enter the famous autograph area outside. Watch for new plans coming soon for the former Grauman’s Chinese. Maybe Simon you can get a good judge who likes old theatres and films and lives in the past to hear the case when they submit the new layout to keep the place open.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Grauman's Chinese Theatre sold on May 1, 2011 at 5:55 pm

We hope the new owners will bring back the color lights in the ceiling and enlarge the curved CinemaScope screen that the Mann gang never opened the masking to the full height and width. Please use the giant curtains and bring in some showmanship and live stage shows like across the street does at the Disney El Capitain Theatre. Also bring back at least one of the neon dragons that is still working in storage the Mann people removed to make the front look dull and with no color or life. Time to turn on all the color lights outside and spotlights at night to make the Chinese Theatre a star again in Hollywood. Will the new owners run the back little shoe box cinemas as movie cinemas and turn the huge Grauman’s Chinese Theatre into a plush Hollywood nightclub? I must tell you if movies fail to bring a crowd the nightclub thing may save the place for locals and tourists. Turn up the disco surround sound and laser lights and make Grauman’s come to life for a new generation to enjoy. Movies or a nightclub format we are so glad the Chinese will still stay open.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Embassy 1,2,3 Theatre on Mar 23, 2011 at 7:01 pm

Hollywood 90038 I tried to e mail you about the Times Sq Theatres. The one that starts with unisphere? Do you have a new e mail thanks Terry San Franciso CA

terrywade
terrywade commented about Decatur theater dumps 3D on Jan 18, 2011 at 5:11 pm

Most movie studios are just filming in 2-D to save money and doing a bad convergance to 3-D. The theatre owners love to charge the extra $ for the 3-D hype when It is not true 3-D. When word gets out on these films the public will just go see the movie in 2-D and save the money. 3-D will be dead in a year. The movie companies never learn their lesson from 1953. To film a good movie with two cameras in 3-D done correct can look great but this phony digital 2-D to 3-D one projector 3-D system that is now out is bad news! Goodbye 3-D let’s bring 70mm back on large screens on select fims.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Decatur theater dumps 3D on Jan 18, 2011 at 5:10 pm

Most movie studios are just filming in 2-D to save money and doing a bad convergance to 3-D. The theatre owners love to charge the extra $ for the 3-D hype when It is not true 3-D. When word gets out on these films the public will just go see the movie in 2-D and save the money. 3-D will be dead in a year. The movie companies never learn their lesson from 1953. To film a good movie with two cameras in 3-D done correct can look great but this phony digital 2-D to 3-D one projector 3-D system that is now out is bad news! Goodbye 3-D let’s bring 70mm back on large screens on select fims.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Fox Oakland Theater on Dec 28, 2010 at 12:59 am

The people that lease the Fox Oakland are missing out entertainment and movies for the older adult crowd. As they just book rock mainly. To bad, write to them and lets see If we can get them to book some acts that the seniors will enjoy. So easy to just take the BART train almost to the front door. Book in some family shows also.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Exclusive one month engagement of "2001" in Toronto on Dec 15, 2010 at 12:28 am

At the Bell Lightbox is the 70mm screen curved? Any curtains? Let us know please. When 2001 is finised they need to book the new 70mm print of Sound Of Music!!!!! Then ‘My Fair Lady’ all in 70mm with full 6 track stereo.

terrywade
terrywade commented about John Waters gives Christmas present to Roxie Theater on Dec 11, 2010 at 7:12 pm

John needs to buy the Roxie Theatre in SF and turn It back into a GRINDHOUSE!!!Re open the Strand Theatre on Market St. Show the young people of SF what a ‘Grindhouse Cinema’ was like. They will line up for the trasy experience. Show old horror trailers and book B films. Run them 24/7.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Landmark spruces up the Piedmont Theatre on Dec 7, 2010 at 6:05 pm

Has anyone been. I hear they put in new stage drapes but do they open and close. A friend told me they just stay open. Now I hope the Landmark gang can do the same thing at the Albany Theatre in Albany CA near Berkeley CA. This palce is very run down. I will not go see a film at the Albany. The place needs new seats a better sound system new rugs ect. Same with the Fox California in downtown Berkeley CA. When Landmark did the small remodel job for earthquake work only many years ago they put in a tiny screen downstairs and moved It forward. The curtains have been broken for many years both at the Albany and California. Landmark leases these two cinemas and maybe they can bring the remodel people over that just finished the Oakland Piedmont and start the badly needed work at the Albany & Fox California. Wow two bring back the large curved CinemaScope screen the Fox California once had!

terrywade
terrywade commented about Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights turns 85 on Dec.1 on Nov 30, 2010 at 6:00 pm

Before they chopped up the place did the Cedar Lee have a large curved screen? I think they had roadshow in the 50’s & 60’s for a time with 70mm.

terrywade
terrywade commented about CineMiracle's "Windjammer" at Warner Grand on Nov 23, 2010 at 11:49 pm

Thanks John for the tech info. I’ll try to get Jim at the Del Mar Theatre in Santa Cruz to get in touch with you or Dave about booking of Windjammer in the Smile Box format in Santa Cruz CA. I wrote Ted Gooding about this so he can help.

terrywade
terrywade commented about CineMiracle's "Windjammer" at Warner Grand on Nov 22, 2010 at 3:48 pm

The Seattle Cinerama with a new remodel opened this past weekend with ‘Harry’ What happens when a curved screen type Cinerama theatre shows the new SmileBox version of ‘Windjammer’ on a curved screen that is set up already? Do they just play a flat version if available and let the curve they have play out? I told my friend ‘Jim’ at the art deco large Del Mar Theatre in downtown Santa Cruz CA to try to play the SmileBox version of ‘Windjammer’ for a one week exclusive in Northern California on the Del Mar’s large wide flat CinemaScope screen with SmileBox, they have new digital projectors. Santa Cruz is a sea type town with many surf ocean type people and students that have never seen the curved Windjammer print.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Rave to operate former Magic Johnson Theater in Baldwin Hills after renovations on Nov 17, 2010 at 5:25 am

What about the people in wheel chairs. Do they sit down front for the big view. I like a theatre with a small slant floor and a large curved screen with curtains that work. Bring back the charm.

terrywade
terrywade commented about 1959's "House on Haunted Hill" returns to nearly 500 theaters on October 28 on Oct 23, 2010 at 5:10 pm

I have a question to ask. Many of these gimmick films played at the RKO Golden Gate and the Paramount Theatres in San Francisco CA. Who did all the installation work to put in ‘Emergo’ in ‘House’ and wire the seats for these other films as they even played in many of the neighborhood houses also with the same gimmick the large downtown theatres had. Did the studio provide a full ‘Gimmick Kit’ and did the local theatre owner do the work or the studios come in and set up the things for the run of the picture at each cinema and then take It down or move to another theatre? Does anyone still have the set up for ‘House On Haunted Hill’ with the overhead wire ect? And in the ‘Tingler’ was there a cue track on the print to turn on the seat shock buzz motors or did the projection people just pull a switch to turn on the effect at the correct time? To bad I was way to young to see these in person in a large downtown theatre with thousands of people screaming.

terrywade
terrywade commented about 1959's "House on Haunted Hill" returns to nearly 500 theaters on October 28 on Oct 19, 2010 at 6:35 pm

The new multiplex owners just care about candy money. They have no showmanship. You won’t find AMC or the others having ‘Emergo’ put in for a 35mm showing of ‘House On Haunted Hill’ on Oct 31. Lets bring back ‘The Tingler’ in 35mm with the color section and have Regal & Cinemark Theatres wire up the seats to shock the new people that have no idea what will hit them and turn up the power on the seats. Bring in fake nurses to help the yelling kids and probably some shocked adults. It’s time for a new ‘William Castle’ type person to work with the studios and theatre owners. Bring in something that can’t be done in their home theatres. This new video live showing looks like fun but not like the true original theatre experience.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Theater equipment for sale on Oct 15, 2010 at 4:41 pm

Wow a Imax Theatre with curtains. This was a first. Does anyone know If this was just a large format 70mm type of theatre not true Imax? Not to many seats for a Imax screen. Was the screen a wrap around curved or just a big Imax square type screen. A great deal if you own a cinema and this will fit in one of your auditoriums.

terrywade
terrywade commented about New movie about old theaters on Oct 7, 2010 at 2:43 am

Mike I hope when you do this doc you don’t just do the potrn theatres but many of the grindhouse theatres that played B movies and 3 features. Do you have a contact e mail. Terry

terrywade
terrywade commented about New movie about old theaters on Oct 6, 2010 at 4:53 pm

Sounds like a great project. You need to call Jack Tillmany who lives in the East Bay. He has plenty of photos and stories to tell but may be camera shy. Also my friend ‘Ed Jacklich’ who managed and worked at some area movie theatres like the Oakland’s T&D. I’ll try to e mail you. I also have some stories to tell. Market St in SF had so many little theatres in the 50’s & 60’s like the Hub, Pix, Regal,Strand,Embassy,Paris,Centre,Esquire Telenews,plus the large theatres like the Fox,Paramount,State,UA and many more in the neigborhoods like the Fox Parkside, Mission, El Rey, Granada ect. Oakland had many also like the Rex, Broadway, Lux, Moulin Rouge, Peerlex, Central, Globe in the Broadway area in downtown Oakland. As a kid in High School I collected movie posters from many of these theatres and managers in the Oakland area. Like I said you need to interview my friend ‘Ed Jacklich’ who managed the Fairfax Theatre in Oakland when the Hells Angels rented the theatre for a American International preview of a new biker movie called ‘Hells Angels On Wheels’ hundreds of bikers came and parked their bikes outside the theatre on Foothill Blvd in Oakland and the business peoople in the area got upset. Many stories you need to get on video. Also the time at the Fruitvale Theatre in Oakland he also managed booked the movie ‘The Tami Show’ and he was beat up in the lobby! Good luck on your project. PS*** You got to get the story from Jack Tillmany on your new doc about a theatre in Oakland he managed when a projectionist who went out to the roof to sun bathe between reels and the wind closed the projection room door. It locked and he had 15 minutes to climb down the fire exit in the nude to go thru the lobby to get back into the booth! We will talk soon and I will e mail you. Terry

terrywade
terrywade commented about CityPlace project approval spells doom for St. Francis Theatre on Sep 26, 2010 at 2:16 am

Aw the St Francis in It’s roadshow 70mm days as a single screen theatre. Does anyone have a list of the roadshow movies they did play. I remember ‘Sweet Charity’ in 70mm played at the St Francis. I don’t think the new mall is going to work out in this area. This has to be the most seedy area in SF and It won’t change just because new stores are coming on the block. The shoppers and tourists will see who is walking on the streets and turn back. The new owners need to save their building money and re open the St Francis with a remodel job and show $2 second run movies like the Embassy Theatre now gone up the street. The zombie drug street people will be glad to come in from the rain and they might even pay for a cold drink or popcorn. What a great place to take a rest and not have to lay on the streets and beg all day. The new St Francis Theatre owners can offer wine to the street people. The local liquor stores will miss the business. If the new owners want to make some extra money they can build condos above the air space on top of the St Francis. The new condo owners will get a good view and smell day and night from this section of Market St. It’s time to remove the plywood and open up the boxoffice again!

terrywade
terrywade commented about Left in the Dark: Portraits of San Francisco Movie Theatres on Sep 23, 2010 at 4:45 pm

Love this new book with great color photos of the inside of the UA Coronet(a Todd-AO house) before the wrecking ball came. Now It’s time for the New Mission Theatre(on the cover) to re open before It’s to late. Julie & R. A. McBride did a super job going into many of the SF Theatres to show us what is left. My pre sample ‘Left in the Dark’ book came 3 months ago from Julie and I have showed it to many eager movie theatre fans in the Bay Area that will now have their own copy to look at soon. Don’t miss this new book to add to your movie theatre photo book collection. My friend Jack Tillmany who has done many local SF & Oakland movie palace books and is now working on his third B&W classic book on the ‘SF Peninsula Movie Theatres’ will realy like this new color theatre book. Thanks again to everyone that got involved in the production of ‘Left in the Dark’

terrywade
terrywade commented about Admiral Twin Drive-In Consumed by Fire on Sep 5, 2010 at 5:24 pm

Was this a set up of one screen tower with two sides, one for one lot the backside for the other lot? If you have the space this seems like a great way to have two large screens on the same property.If they rebuild they can make the two new screens larger then the old ones.

terrywade
terrywade commented about Only operating cinema in Blythe closing on Aug 31, 2010 at 4:40 pm

I think the AC bill each month did them in. Now the people in Blythe CA will find out what’s It like not to have a ‘Cinema’ in town. Maybe someone else will buy the theatre in time for the holiday movie lineup. At least in the winter you don’t need the air conditioner going all the time. They can re build the DI and not worry about the AC. How far will the town folk go now to see a film? Or will they just sit back and not bother saving the Cinema and order DVD’s to watch on the 16x9 TV’s with home a/c. If you like Cactus and HOT weather this may be the place for some new person to get into the theatre business.