The Paramount is about two blocks away. The downtown Oakland area is coming back to life. New places to eat and many new condos. The people that will run the Fox are music people. They will be open for music type entertainment for the new Fox. We all hope it won’t just be Rock. I think after they test out the place they will find they need to put in some 35mm or video projectors and offer some film things. With the bars set up on different levels It will be more like a night club. Not a disco type place but a classic place to see what you don’t see in San Francisco. With the Fox Warfield now closed for a big remodel job and new renters in San Francisco the Fox Oakland will have to come up with some different things. Bart is just one block away from the Fox Oakland. If they have the right type of event It will bring in people from all over the Bay Area. At this time the downtown part of Market St in SF is way worse then the Fox Oakland location on Telegraph Ave. The two new people that will run both the Warfield and Fox Oakland will need to have good security out front and around the parking areas. Bring plenty of change If you go to the Fox Warfield in SF, as the street people are not out as much in the Fox Oakland area yet.
I remember seeing Molly Brown at the Paramount down the street from the Fox Oakland. They got a mono print and the manager Mr Apple was very upset as the big Hollywood sneak preview was held a few months before at the Paramount with a 4 track stereo print shown. It sounded so great with all the many surrounds on the Paramount walls. The only stereo print I remember seeing at the Fox Oakland was a nice 4 track stereo print of The Music Man. The screen at the Fox Oakland was not as big as the semi curved Oakland Paramount. At the Fox they dropped down black masking to make Cinemascope but did open the side masking a little. The Fox screen was still large and very impresive for it’s day. I hope the Fox will show some films/video when they open. If the Paramount down the street won’t show movies. then the New Fox needs to offer some classic or first run film features. Have some big Hollywood type sneak previews like the old days. Fly up the stars from Southern CA and let them see what a classic movie palace looks like. I worked at both the Fox Oakland till it closed and then over at the Paramount when I was in High School. Mr Apple the manager at the Paramount was a super nice manager as Mr McDougal the head guy at the Fox Oakland was a very hard person to work for. Too bad they are both gone now. They will both miss the big Fox Oakland opening this Oct. I will be at the Fox when it opens along with my friend Ed Jacklich the former manager of Oakland’s Fruitvale and Fairfax Theatres run by Golden State Theatres. Fox West Coast Theatre ran most of the big downtown theatres in Oakland. They went downhill when they changed to more of property business called National General Corp. At least the Fox Oakland, Paramount and Grand Lake are still arround today in 2008 for a new generation to enjoy!
Has anyone been to The Alameda in the last two weeks? Id like to go again to the big house for Get Smart. I don’t want to go if they are still having projection problems. If I go and they don’t close and open the new curtain and the projector stops next time I will write to the editor of the SF Cronicle. Many people don’t know about this great Cinema Treasures site but they do read the SF papers. I can’t believe someone has not written to the Entertainment Editor at the Cron about the problems at the New Alameda Theatre. I hope things are better. To bad the new Fox Oakland Theatre will not be showing films when it opens soon. They can give the Alameda Theatre a run for better Showmanship.
Thanks Simon***I think one of these days a new movie circuit will come out with what the other companies are not doing. You will see curtains that open and close not just once but two times, at the start and after the previews. Also Blue title curtain lights. Ushers that show you to your seat if it’s dark. Quality pre show music, not adds. Proper overhead lights that can be go down when the previews are on. Large curved screens with proper maskings, not the little shoebox screens the the big circuits are putting in now. Most of the new multiplex junk has a square screen then they just drop down a little masking for cinemascope. At least in the USA there are a few single screens still around that do still have some showmanship left. Check out the Cinerama Theatre in Seattle and the El Capitain in Hollywood. They have what it takes for showmanship!
Yes they can. Serve food and drinks and a movie or a music,comedy club type theatre. Many people in Marin don’t like the multiplex type set up. At least they have not cut up the Cinema in Corte Madera. It is still has the largest screen in the area and a great stereo system. Watch out now that Cinemark owns Century Theatres. I think this is the only single screen they own. Bring on the entertainment to downtown Novato. Some time ago The Syufy’s (Century) made the semi curved screen smaller at the Cinema Theatre like they did to the Century 21 in San Jose. Put in the largest screen you can fit into the Novato Theatre and make the curtains work again. The Cinemark/Century people have disconected all the curtains at the theatres they run. They don’t like SHOWMANSHIP anymore, just the ring of the candy counter $$$$.
Good News!!!I was at the Chinese a few weeks ago and the curtains closed and opened!!! Now lets get them to put some blue/red and green lights up hi when the film is running. The stereo Dolby Digital® JBL system for Speed Racer was the best bass I have ever heard. Not super loud but very deep. I felt the air move thru my hair. Now that is a super THX sound system at the main Chinese Theatre.
We were at the new Alameda a week ago Wed for the 1 PM matinee of Jones in the big main theatre. While the remodel looks great many things bothered me. First like others have mentioned the main large curtain was open. They didn’t open or close it. The first 30 minutes the projector stopped 7 times and the lights came up. I don’t think they have union projectionists running the place. Its sad after spending all the money in the fix up and with new theatres next store they hired people that don’t know what is going on. See other posts about projection problems. While even a union projection guy may have problems with new equipment not working they need to get a handle on the problem. Also upon entering the large theatre they had Dolly Parton music playing. Please how about having music from the 30'3 or 40’s or pipe organ music playing on a CD. Bring back the art deco theme into this great theatre. Also I found they put in many stereo surround speakers In the large theatre even a double bank of them in the front side walls. The sound from the stage 3 speakers was way off and the surrounds were not up as they need to be. I was waiting for a nice curtain opening and a Dolby logo to show off the system but it did not happen. Another thing the screen was put in flat like a cement wall. With the huge angle way up in the balcony the light is hitting the screen the wrong way. At the top of the screen on bright scenes it is very cakey looking. I think most older movie palaces tilted the top of large screens for a better light angle. All said with the problems I think these can be taken care off in the future. I will go back in afew weeks. I spoke to Eric the manager about the curtains and also mentioned to him about having some color lights (blue) on when the movie is on. With all the nice lights on the ceiling some need to on during the film very low. he said they had some on the first week and they flickered? I hope they can get this fixed. I’ll bring Kyle the owner over some of my organ Cd’s next time when I am over in Alameda. Good Luck to the Alameda Theatre. You look great! I loved the deco lights in the lobby. I’ll also bring over some color bulbs also. I don’t know why so many theatres restore art deco lights and then put in hot bright white lights. The two large deco lights in the lobby just before you go into the candy counter are begging for blue, green and yellow lights. Visit the Alameda and tell the managers to open and close the main curtain. And send the projection guys to projection school.
Turn the Globe and Roxie Theatres into 500 seat Art Theatres. Time for Landmark Theatres to get some seed money and get onboard. Have Mexican music and stage shows at the Palace with a few films. Turn the Tower Theatre into a Film Noir dinner and movie venue with all the help dressed like 1946! Someone with some cash and imagination will make a bundle on the New Los Angeles Broadway. People are tired of the boring multiplex junk. Bring on the Showmanship with Disney people so they can do what they did at the ElCapitan in Hollywood. Turn the Rialto into a first class comedy club. The Mayan Theatre is a disco rental now. The public of Los Angeles wants new entertainment, bring the past back for a new generation to enjoy! The Shuberts need a new home in Southern CA. The State or Los Angeles Theatres are ready for roadshows to hit town. The Shorensteins have kept ‘Wicked’ so long at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood so many shows can’t play Southern CA as they have locked up the some of the best venues. People will take the train to downtown LA have dinner and a event at these great old Broadway Theatres. The money is on it’s way. Let the entertainment start. The Orpheum Theatre has started what will be a new day for downtown theatre prensentation. Turn on the neon and watch the new crowd come! With a good exchange space the church people at the grand United Artists Theatre can be turned back into theatre events.
I don’t see any stereo surround speakers. Are they hidden in the false ceiling? Please put in blue lights in the side lights when you run a Dvd. Are the stage curtains going to open and close? Go up and down waterfall or open side ways? Hope you can get some 35mm projectors some day. You need the correct video lens for 16x9 video. Do you have three stereo speakers behind the screen or just one? If you have 3 place them far right, center and far left to give a better stereo balance. If you don’t want to put in surround speakers on side walls put in rear of theatre. The place looks great. Do you have photos of the marquee and front? Any neon?
The screen masking seems to be off? Does it go up any more. Do they do video or film 35mm? Any Dolby Stereo in the new place? I hope they have color lights up on the sides. Good luck with the new house.
Any one who buys it will not show movies. Great place for a Hotel. The Stanford Theatre people need to buy it and show movies and rent out to music people. Save the State Theatre! Monterey has so much money with the tourist and local $$$. Can you imagine the people at Century/Cinemark Theatres buying the place and chopping it up to 5 little art deco screens so they have a venue in dowtown Monterey!
All of the domes have curtains but they don’t close them. Century/Cinemark have no showmanship left. They can be closed from the booth like they did before automation came in. The San Jose Domes have smaller screens then when they first opened. They are just a little curved. But the Pleasant Dome has the best D-150 curved screen in the Bay Area. Go check it out. Call the phone number listed in the paper and make shure you are going the the LARGE theatre and not the showbox’s in the back.
I have sad news for all my Drive In friends. The Skyview has now CLOSED! The last day for the flea market was Nov 25 2007. The big Cinemascope sreens closed Sun Dec 2 2007. No more Drive In in Santa Cruz CA. Please change listing to closed not open. I was in Santa Cruz today and yes it is all closed. When the wreckers come who knows. Go by and take some photos before they do the dirty work. Its locked up but you can take photos from the outside. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Sutter Maternity now owns the old Encina DI (Skyview) To bad the family that owned the Skyview didn’t have a weeklong blow out with old classic movies ect. It closed fast. They got the $$$ from the hospital and shut off the films fast. The popcorn is no longer pop'n in Santa Cruz CA at the Drive IN.
IMAX is broke. They needed the AMC cash flow. Very few AMC Theatres will have the tall IMAX screens like the current IMAX houses have. It will be the poor mans Cinerama (Cinemascope) a little taller and with video digital 3-D. IMAX needs to come out with a new name for these makeover theatres. People will think they are going to get the big square tall IMAX experience. What happens with all the towns that have the IMAX license for the area and AMC comes in with the IMAX logo on a small screen? Just because it’s in 3-D it won’t be the same as the HUGE IMAX 70mm 3-D screen. Can anyone come up with a new name for the AMC/IMAX 3-D experience? AMC is not going to spend the money to cut off the ceiling or take out another cinema above to make room to put in a true IMAX screen. They just want the extra $$ they can get for useing the name IMAX. If IMAX can fit in regular theatres lets get the Pacific Cinerama folks to get on the band wagon and bring back a new digital curved single projector Cinerama type movie experience. 3-D or regular on a huge wide curved wrap a round curved screen will look great in many CineMark or Regal large Theatres. If you don’t have the tall space for IMAX, curve the image around the cinema and put in curtains ect. How many new AMC Imax 3-D Theatres will bring in some showmanship with curtains. I can tell you 0!
I hope they show the 70mm films on the curve screen. Last time I saw a stereo movie at the Fox California the surround speakers had distortion. Hope they have been fixed. The bells will be ringing for the 70mm print of The Sound Of Music. Thanks to the Fox California for bringing in 70mm film to this great theatre. Go check out the new remodel and visit this former Fox West Coast Theatre. Original Joe’s is open around the block for dinner so make it a event.
How sad this once great theatre has become. A trip down to Hollywood this past Friday for the 5pm show of Hitman. Across the street the El Capitan had all the neon on with huge crowds for Enchantment. The Chinese sat dark on the outside at 4:30 PM. Like the problems I had when I visited the Chinese about 6 months ago came to pass again. I asked when I bought my ticket if they close and open the curtain, the lady told me yes. I also asked the doorman the same question he told me they close them after the pre show Screenvision presentation before the main 35mm previews and main feature. To my shock again like 6 months ago the digital pre show comercials were up on the big curved screen in flat without the side masking closed as Hitman is in scope. The whole screen had red/orange and blue lights on the screenvision adds running on the screen. You couldn’t see the digital image, all covered by a red/yellow tint. Can you imagine paying for a Sreenvision ad at the Chinese and have it ruined by bad light. I went out to the lobby to look for someone to ask why the curtain lights are on when video is up. They gave me the same run a round like last time. Said it was on a computer. Then the real disapointment came at 5:04 after someone finally shut of the screenvision adds and the red lights and started the main previews. guess what NO CURTAINS close or open. Same thing happend at the start on the Fox logo for Hitman. Well I found my ticketstub and had to track down over three puppet people to get my refund for the red distortion and curtains not closing. Good I asked before. How sad the showmanship is gone at Graumans Chinese. Why have a new curtain if they don’t use it! Next time you go complain and get your many back! I had to sign a complaint form. I told about the red and orange lights on the pre show and curtain problem. Today I will call the main office of Screenvision® and tell them what is going on at Manns Graumans Chinese Hollywood. Wait till they start digging in the parking lot next door for the new wax museum as it is all fenched in waiting for the bulldozers. The sound will go thru the walls when a movie is on. You can see why the Disney people make the money across the street with quality presentation. They know how to show off a nice theatre with plenty of curtains that work and a front that doesn’t look dead like the cold dark Chinese.
The sneak peak was great hard hats and all! I think downtown Oakland is on the change for the better. With all the new condos and food places going in around the Fox I think the security will be in top form when the New Fox Oakland opens next year. They won’t let bad publicity ruin the new remodel. Watch for big security around this great Fox. I was talking to many people at the Fox party about the use of color lights in the theatre,in the domes ect. They are going to try to keep the color lights in the same place. The ceiling lit blue during a movie. Lit Red and blue during intermission. The buddas on each side I think had small gold lights during film intermission and a dark purple during the movie. When I worked at the Fox Oakland in high school in the mid 60’s the side buddas had no lites. I did remember the ceiling with its great dark blue lites.
The Shubert gang needs to work out a deal with the church and find them a new location and take over the Hellinger and bring back live theatre. Also if the Shuberts don’t have the cash let the Disney movie theatre division take it over like they have at The El Capitian in Hollywood CA. Bring in the Disney films with live stage shows with a pipe organ. The El Capitain is the best selling movie theatre in the USA many weeks out of the year.
Thanks Fairfax for having the only theatre in your area with digital 3-D. Today and this week watch the crowds come to see ‘Beowulf’ in the new 3-D at the Fairfax. I can’t believe the Century/Cinemark guys are so slow in your area to install this new technology. Why go to a movie theatre and see a 3-D movie in boring flat 2-D! Your business will be triple from the 3 Cinemark theatres showing the 2-D 35mm print. Watch out as soon as they see the $$ going to the indi Fairfax Theatre they will wake up and get caught up with the new digital world of projection. Enjoy the business while you can at the Cinema West Fairfax.
Thanks Lark. In todays SF Chronicle Fri Nov 16 a add for your new first run Mr Magorium’s shows the Lark Theater listing. You will see a big turnout for this film. People from around the Bay Area will now know you are open as a nice single screen theatre. I will be bringing my friends over this Sat. Hope you have a good stereo system. Thanks for finaly having a add run. Its sad the Century/Cinemark chain in Marin County will not put in any digital projectors for the new 3-D film opening today ‘Beowulf’ The indi theatre Fairfax in Marin will do all the business as they are the only movie theatre in the area with 3-D digital. The Cinemark theatres in Marin County are not going to get the crowds. Why see a 3-D movie in a flat 2-D theatre. Now in you budget for next year if the Lark can put in the new 3-D digital system it will be a big plus over the chain multiplex theatres in the area that are way behind the times. They just pop the corn and sell the hi price drinks and forget the new projection experience. Long live the single screen Lark Theater in Larkspur CA!
The best thing I like about the Pacific Grove are the curved screens. When I visit LA the time to go is on the weekdays, you don’t have the weekend crowds.
Will they keep the old marquee and neon as part of the new store? Landmark was glad to get out of the lease early. You can go to the new multi box Landmark 12 and see what was at the NuWilshire. Landmark saves money and staff. We lost another theatre like in Pasadena. Landmark will soon get out of the single screen business and go multi screen with little small screens. Why bother to go to them. You can now have a bigger screen in your home with better digital sound. Anyone that lives up in SF CA that has been to the Landmark Opera Plaza and Luminere Theatres can tell you about the bad sound and tiny screens. When the lease runs out in SF they will do the same as at the NuWilshire.
The Paramount is about two blocks away. The downtown Oakland area is coming back to life. New places to eat and many new condos. The people that will run the Fox are music people. They will be open for music type entertainment for the new Fox. We all hope it won’t just be Rock. I think after they test out the place they will find they need to put in some 35mm or video projectors and offer some film things. With the bars set up on different levels It will be more like a night club. Not a disco type place but a classic place to see what you don’t see in San Francisco. With the Fox Warfield now closed for a big remodel job and new renters in San Francisco the Fox Oakland will have to come up with some different things. Bart is just one block away from the Fox Oakland. If they have the right type of event It will bring in people from all over the Bay Area. At this time the downtown part of Market St in SF is way worse then the Fox Oakland location on Telegraph Ave. The two new people that will run both the Warfield and Fox Oakland will need to have good security out front and around the parking areas. Bring plenty of change If you go to the Fox Warfield in SF, as the street people are not out as much in the Fox Oakland area yet.
I remember seeing Molly Brown at the Paramount down the street from the Fox Oakland. They got a mono print and the manager Mr Apple was very upset as the big Hollywood sneak preview was held a few months before at the Paramount with a 4 track stereo print shown. It sounded so great with all the many surrounds on the Paramount walls. The only stereo print I remember seeing at the Fox Oakland was a nice 4 track stereo print of The Music Man. The screen at the Fox Oakland was not as big as the semi curved Oakland Paramount. At the Fox they dropped down black masking to make Cinemascope but did open the side masking a little. The Fox screen was still large and very impresive for it’s day. I hope the Fox will show some films/video when they open. If the Paramount down the street won’t show movies. then the New Fox needs to offer some classic or first run film features. Have some big Hollywood type sneak previews like the old days. Fly up the stars from Southern CA and let them see what a classic movie palace looks like. I worked at both the Fox Oakland till it closed and then over at the Paramount when I was in High School. Mr Apple the manager at the Paramount was a super nice manager as Mr McDougal the head guy at the Fox Oakland was a very hard person to work for. Too bad they are both gone now. They will both miss the big Fox Oakland opening this Oct. I will be at the Fox when it opens along with my friend Ed Jacklich the former manager of Oakland’s Fruitvale and Fairfax Theatres run by Golden State Theatres. Fox West Coast Theatre ran most of the big downtown theatres in Oakland. They went downhill when they changed to more of property business called National General Corp. At least the Fox Oakland, Paramount and Grand Lake are still arround today in 2008 for a new generation to enjoy!
Has anyone been to The Alameda in the last two weeks? Id like to go again to the big house for Get Smart. I don’t want to go if they are still having projection problems. If I go and they don’t close and open the new curtain and the projector stops next time I will write to the editor of the SF Cronicle. Many people don’t know about this great Cinema Treasures site but they do read the SF papers. I can’t believe someone has not written to the Entertainment Editor at the Cron about the problems at the New Alameda Theatre. I hope things are better. To bad the new Fox Oakland Theatre will not be showing films when it opens soon. They can give the Alameda Theatre a run for better Showmanship.
Thanks Simon***I think one of these days a new movie circuit will come out with what the other companies are not doing. You will see curtains that open and close not just once but two times, at the start and after the previews. Also Blue title curtain lights. Ushers that show you to your seat if it’s dark. Quality pre show music, not adds. Proper overhead lights that can be go down when the previews are on. Large curved screens with proper maskings, not the little shoebox screens the the big circuits are putting in now. Most of the new multiplex junk has a square screen then they just drop down a little masking for cinemascope. At least in the USA there are a few single screens still around that do still have some showmanship left. Check out the Cinerama Theatre in Seattle and the El Capitain in Hollywood. They have what it takes for showmanship!
Yes they can. Serve food and drinks and a movie or a music,comedy club type theatre. Many people in Marin don’t like the multiplex type set up. At least they have not cut up the Cinema in Corte Madera. It is still has the largest screen in the area and a great stereo system. Watch out now that Cinemark owns Century Theatres. I think this is the only single screen they own. Bring on the entertainment to downtown Novato. Some time ago The Syufy’s (Century) made the semi curved screen smaller at the Cinema Theatre like they did to the Century 21 in San Jose. Put in the largest screen you can fit into the Novato Theatre and make the curtains work again. The Cinemark/Century people have disconected all the curtains at the theatres they run. They don’t like SHOWMANSHIP anymore, just the ring of the candy counter $$$$.
Good News!!!I was at the Chinese a few weeks ago and the curtains closed and opened!!! Now lets get them to put some blue/red and green lights up hi when the film is running. The stereo Dolby Digital® JBL system for Speed Racer was the best bass I have ever heard. Not super loud but very deep. I felt the air move thru my hair. Now that is a super THX sound system at the main Chinese Theatre.
Does anyone know if the big curved screen was a D-150 set up?
We were at the new Alameda a week ago Wed for the 1 PM matinee of Jones in the big main theatre. While the remodel looks great many things bothered me. First like others have mentioned the main large curtain was open. They didn’t open or close it. The first 30 minutes the projector stopped 7 times and the lights came up. I don’t think they have union projectionists running the place. Its sad after spending all the money in the fix up and with new theatres next store they hired people that don’t know what is going on. See other posts about projection problems. While even a union projection guy may have problems with new equipment not working they need to get a handle on the problem. Also upon entering the large theatre they had Dolly Parton music playing. Please how about having music from the 30'3 or 40’s or pipe organ music playing on a CD. Bring back the art deco theme into this great theatre. Also I found they put in many stereo surround speakers In the large theatre even a double bank of them in the front side walls. The sound from the stage 3 speakers was way off and the surrounds were not up as they need to be. I was waiting for a nice curtain opening and a Dolby logo to show off the system but it did not happen. Another thing the screen was put in flat like a cement wall. With the huge angle way up in the balcony the light is hitting the screen the wrong way. At the top of the screen on bright scenes it is very cakey looking. I think most older movie palaces tilted the top of large screens for a better light angle. All said with the problems I think these can be taken care off in the future. I will go back in afew weeks. I spoke to Eric the manager about the curtains and also mentioned to him about having some color lights (blue) on when the movie is on. With all the nice lights on the ceiling some need to on during the film very low. he said they had some on the first week and they flickered? I hope they can get this fixed. I’ll bring Kyle the owner over some of my organ Cd’s next time when I am over in Alameda. Good Luck to the Alameda Theatre. You look great! I loved the deco lights in the lobby. I’ll also bring over some color bulbs also. I don’t know why so many theatres restore art deco lights and then put in hot bright white lights. The two large deco lights in the lobby just before you go into the candy counter are begging for blue, green and yellow lights. Visit the Alameda and tell the managers to open and close the main curtain. And send the projection guys to projection school.
Good luck to the Fox. I hope they have a big Dolby Digital® sound system in the large big theatre.
Turn the Globe and Roxie Theatres into 500 seat Art Theatres. Time for Landmark Theatres to get some seed money and get onboard. Have Mexican music and stage shows at the Palace with a few films. Turn the Tower Theatre into a Film Noir dinner and movie venue with all the help dressed like 1946! Someone with some cash and imagination will make a bundle on the New Los Angeles Broadway. People are tired of the boring multiplex junk. Bring on the Showmanship with Disney people so they can do what they did at the ElCapitan in Hollywood. Turn the Rialto into a first class comedy club. The Mayan Theatre is a disco rental now. The public of Los Angeles wants new entertainment, bring the past back for a new generation to enjoy! The Shuberts need a new home in Southern CA. The State or Los Angeles Theatres are ready for roadshows to hit town. The Shorensteins have kept ‘Wicked’ so long at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood so many shows can’t play Southern CA as they have locked up the some of the best venues. People will take the train to downtown LA have dinner and a event at these great old Broadway Theatres. The money is on it’s way. Let the entertainment start. The Orpheum Theatre has started what will be a new day for downtown theatre prensentation. Turn on the neon and watch the new crowd come! With a good exchange space the church people at the grand United Artists Theatre can be turned back into theatre events.
I don’t see any stereo surround speakers. Are they hidden in the false ceiling? Please put in blue lights in the side lights when you run a Dvd. Are the stage curtains going to open and close? Go up and down waterfall or open side ways? Hope you can get some 35mm projectors some day. You need the correct video lens for 16x9 video. Do you have three stereo speakers behind the screen or just one? If you have 3 place them far right, center and far left to give a better stereo balance. If you don’t want to put in surround speakers on side walls put in rear of theatre. The place looks great. Do you have photos of the marquee and front? Any neon?
The screen masking seems to be off? Does it go up any more. Do they do video or film 35mm? Any Dolby Stereo in the new place? I hope they have color lights up on the sides. Good luck with the new house.
Any one who buys it will not show movies. Great place for a Hotel. The Stanford Theatre people need to buy it and show movies and rent out to music people. Save the State Theatre! Monterey has so much money with the tourist and local $$$. Can you imagine the people at Century/Cinemark Theatres buying the place and chopping it up to 5 little art deco screens so they have a venue in dowtown Monterey!
Does anyone know if the Elmwood had a true curved ToddAo screen when it was showing 70mm roadshow?
All of the domes have curtains but they don’t close them. Century/Cinemark have no showmanship left. They can be closed from the booth like they did before automation came in. The San Jose Domes have smaller screens then when they first opened. They are just a little curved. But the Pleasant Dome has the best D-150 curved screen in the Bay Area. Go check it out. Call the phone number listed in the paper and make shure you are going the the LARGE theatre and not the showbox’s in the back.
I have sad news for all my Drive In friends. The Skyview has now CLOSED! The last day for the flea market was Nov 25 2007. The big Cinemascope sreens closed Sun Dec 2 2007. No more Drive In in Santa Cruz CA. Please change listing to closed not open. I was in Santa Cruz today and yes it is all closed. When the wreckers come who knows. Go by and take some photos before they do the dirty work. Its locked up but you can take photos from the outside. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Sutter Maternity now owns the old Encina DI (Skyview) To bad the family that owned the Skyview didn’t have a weeklong blow out with old classic movies ect. It closed fast. They got the $$$ from the hospital and shut off the films fast. The popcorn is no longer pop'n in Santa Cruz CA at the Drive IN.
IMAX is broke. They needed the AMC cash flow. Very few AMC Theatres will have the tall IMAX screens like the current IMAX houses have. It will be the poor mans Cinerama (Cinemascope) a little taller and with video digital 3-D. IMAX needs to come out with a new name for these makeover theatres. People will think they are going to get the big square tall IMAX experience. What happens with all the towns that have the IMAX license for the area and AMC comes in with the IMAX logo on a small screen? Just because it’s in 3-D it won’t be the same as the HUGE IMAX 70mm 3-D screen. Can anyone come up with a new name for the AMC/IMAX 3-D experience? AMC is not going to spend the money to cut off the ceiling or take out another cinema above to make room to put in a true IMAX screen. They just want the extra $$ they can get for useing the name IMAX. If IMAX can fit in regular theatres lets get the Pacific Cinerama folks to get on the band wagon and bring back a new digital curved single projector Cinerama type movie experience. 3-D or regular on a huge wide curved wrap a round curved screen will look great in many CineMark or Regal large Theatres. If you don’t have the tall space for IMAX, curve the image around the cinema and put in curtains ect. How many new AMC Imax 3-D Theatres will bring in some showmanship with curtains. I can tell you 0!
I hope they show the 70mm films on the curve screen. Last time I saw a stereo movie at the Fox California the surround speakers had distortion. Hope they have been fixed. The bells will be ringing for the 70mm print of The Sound Of Music. Thanks to the Fox California for bringing in 70mm film to this great theatre. Go check out the new remodel and visit this former Fox West Coast Theatre. Original Joe’s is open around the block for dinner so make it a event.
How sad this once great theatre has become. A trip down to Hollywood this past Friday for the 5pm show of Hitman. Across the street the El Capitan had all the neon on with huge crowds for Enchantment. The Chinese sat dark on the outside at 4:30 PM. Like the problems I had when I visited the Chinese about 6 months ago came to pass again. I asked when I bought my ticket if they close and open the curtain, the lady told me yes. I also asked the doorman the same question he told me they close them after the pre show Screenvision presentation before the main 35mm previews and main feature. To my shock again like 6 months ago the digital pre show comercials were up on the big curved screen in flat without the side masking closed as Hitman is in scope. The whole screen had red/orange and blue lights on the screenvision adds running on the screen. You couldn’t see the digital image, all covered by a red/yellow tint. Can you imagine paying for a Sreenvision ad at the Chinese and have it ruined by bad light. I went out to the lobby to look for someone to ask why the curtain lights are on when video is up. They gave me the same run a round like last time. Said it was on a computer. Then the real disapointment came at 5:04 after someone finally shut of the screenvision adds and the red lights and started the main previews. guess what NO CURTAINS close or open. Same thing happend at the start on the Fox logo for Hitman. Well I found my ticketstub and had to track down over three puppet people to get my refund for the red distortion and curtains not closing. Good I asked before. How sad the showmanship is gone at Graumans Chinese. Why have a new curtain if they don’t use it! Next time you go complain and get your many back! I had to sign a complaint form. I told about the red and orange lights on the pre show and curtain problem. Today I will call the main office of Screenvision® and tell them what is going on at Manns Graumans Chinese Hollywood. Wait till they start digging in the parking lot next door for the new wax museum as it is all fenched in waiting for the bulldozers. The sound will go thru the walls when a movie is on. You can see why the Disney people make the money across the street with quality presentation. They know how to show off a nice theatre with plenty of curtains that work and a front that doesn’t look dead like the cold dark Chinese.
The sneak peak was great hard hats and all! I think downtown Oakland is on the change for the better. With all the new condos and food places going in around the Fox I think the security will be in top form when the New Fox Oakland opens next year. They won’t let bad publicity ruin the new remodel. Watch for big security around this great Fox. I was talking to many people at the Fox party about the use of color lights in the theatre,in the domes ect. They are going to try to keep the color lights in the same place. The ceiling lit blue during a movie. Lit Red and blue during intermission. The buddas on each side I think had small gold lights during film intermission and a dark purple during the movie. When I worked at the Fox Oakland in high school in the mid 60’s the side buddas had no lites. I did remember the ceiling with its great dark blue lites.
The Shubert gang needs to work out a deal with the church and find them a new location and take over the Hellinger and bring back live theatre. Also if the Shuberts don’t have the cash let the Disney movie theatre division take it over like they have at The El Capitian in Hollywood CA. Bring in the Disney films with live stage shows with a pipe organ. The El Capitain is the best selling movie theatre in the USA many weeks out of the year.
Thanks Fairfax for having the only theatre in your area with digital 3-D. Today and this week watch the crowds come to see ‘Beowulf’ in the new 3-D at the Fairfax. I can’t believe the Century/Cinemark guys are so slow in your area to install this new technology. Why go to a movie theatre and see a 3-D movie in boring flat 2-D! Your business will be triple from the 3 Cinemark theatres showing the 2-D 35mm print. Watch out as soon as they see the $$ going to the indi Fairfax Theatre they will wake up and get caught up with the new digital world of projection. Enjoy the business while you can at the Cinema West Fairfax.
Thanks Lark. In todays SF Chronicle Fri Nov 16 a add for your new first run Mr Magorium’s shows the Lark Theater listing. You will see a big turnout for this film. People from around the Bay Area will now know you are open as a nice single screen theatre. I will be bringing my friends over this Sat. Hope you have a good stereo system. Thanks for finaly having a add run. Its sad the Century/Cinemark chain in Marin County will not put in any digital projectors for the new 3-D film opening today ‘Beowulf’ The indi theatre Fairfax in Marin will do all the business as they are the only movie theatre in the area with 3-D digital. The Cinemark theatres in Marin County are not going to get the crowds. Why see a 3-D movie in a flat 2-D theatre. Now in you budget for next year if the Lark can put in the new 3-D digital system it will be a big plus over the chain multiplex theatres in the area that are way behind the times. They just pop the corn and sell the hi price drinks and forget the new projection experience. Long live the single screen Lark Theater in Larkspur CA!
The best thing I like about the Pacific Grove are the curved screens. When I visit LA the time to go is on the weekdays, you don’t have the weekend crowds.
Will they keep the old marquee and neon as part of the new store? Landmark was glad to get out of the lease early. You can go to the new multi box Landmark 12 and see what was at the NuWilshire. Landmark saves money and staff. We lost another theatre like in Pasadena. Landmark will soon get out of the single screen business and go multi screen with little small screens. Why bother to go to them. You can now have a bigger screen in your home with better digital sound. Anyone that lives up in SF CA that has been to the Landmark Opera Plaza and Luminere Theatres can tell you about the bad sound and tiny screens. When the lease runs out in SF they will do the same as at the NuWilshire.