I guess they did not put in 70mm in Staten Island like many of the other Alamo Cinemas. Looks like only one semi large auditorium the rest tiny flat screens. Same lights and wall covering like all the other Alamo places.
Just before CinemaScope® came out. I do think It had a 4 ch stereo track. A NYC Roxy Theatre movie and stage ice show, something you won’t see today at the multiplex. Thanks CC for the ad.
Great ad these owners advertised 70mm and the curved screen not just the word TODD-AO. Should have been CAMERAS/PROJECTORS, STEREOPHONIC sound. I think ORTHOSONIC was a stereo record sound?
Thanks David great color photo. Loved the marquee GIANT SCREEN HI FI STEREOPHONIC SOUND. Probably a 35mm 4 track mag showing at this big long gone Fox West Coast Theatre in Long Beach. Thanks again.
Nice lobby photo BS. They need to put some color lights in the glass blocks on the refreshment stand. Many older theatres even had color neon in the glass.
Try to make it to the old Castro Theatre soon to see a movie while they still have seats. The new lease/renters will remove all small seats and take out the downstairs lobby candy counter and put in booze bars in the back of the house and tier the flat floor. Long gone will be the semi big masking screen as they will use the old long hidden deco back of stage area with a small roll down screen I bet. If they do show any films/movies they will bring up some new portable chairs from the basement I guess. A sad day for movie people in SF once the rockers take over and pay big bucks to stand up drink and jump around on party drugs. The new operators say they will keep the seats in the upstairs loge area just like the Fox Oakland they also run but I bet they won’t put in new ones just clean the old ones. I wonder If the ‘Planet’ gang will still offer high price popcorn and candy with the loud music touring shows on stage. The movie days are almost over at the Castro Theatre in SF. Check It out for the last time!
One of the best Cinerama Theatres ever. The Orpheum SF is still around but not with the huge curved screen and three projection booths. I saw my first Cinerama movie there and the last one. The pink/gray lighted curtains came way out into the downstairs seating area. Loved the huge stereo surround speakers mounted on the upper side walls. It would be nice If the current owners had a small display in the lobby of the history of Cinerama in SF with photos and newspaper ads when It played in 1953. Cinerama Holiday the second movie made had a section filmed in San Francisco and now has been restored on Bly Ray with a curve screen look for the home screen. It was a big thing to go see Cinerama at the Orpheum Theatre while in San Francisco. Thanks GD for the photo clip.
Thanks m1944 CinemaScope® was a big thing in 1953 for movie theatres and the screen here in Hollywood at the Fox Grauman’s Chinese Theatre must have looked nice and huge with a slight curve to it. They did the front up with the big sign like no other theatre did.
Just sold Jan 13 2022 to True Investments for $1.6 million. This Art-Moderne neighborhood theatre opened in 1949 I think. The building for closed in 2019. I have no idea what the inside looks like at this time. The new owners may have no interest in turning It back into a theatre? The Preservation Action Council of San Jose will try to reach out to the new owners about future use. The former cinema is listed on the Santa Clara Country’s Historic Resources Inventory but legal protections on It’s demolition are very limited. Let’s hope they don’t tear the theatre down and build more condos.
The Drafthouse New Mission Theatre SF is starting to run 35mm/70mm films again. Now that the nearby Castro Theatre has cut way back on movies/films and going more live events the ‘New Mission’ will be a great cinema in San Francisco at least in the larger downstairs space that has film projectors to see a movie and grab some food. They just finished Licorice Pizza in a 70mm blow up print and soon have ‘Inherit Vice’ in 70mm plus ‘Mars Attacks’ with a 35mm film print. Stop by and say hello to the live projectionist Jim. He knows showmanship and curtain/masking cues.
The 35mm/70mm projectors at SF’s Castro Theatre will not be used much now that a deal has been signed for ‘Another Planet Entertainment’ to take over the management and booking at this famous SF movie palace. The Nasser family will still own the building. The Nasser’s are mainly under ‘Bay Properties’ in the real estate business. Look what they have done to the Royal Theatre on Polk St, turned the cinema property into condos same with the Alhambra Theatre on Polk ST now a gym. At least the Nasser family won’t be knocking the Castro Theatre down for apartments or condos in the Castro area. The ‘Planet’ people say they will remodel the theatre with added lobby and stage space? The only way they can enlarge the small lobby is to turn the rental stores out front to new drink bar set up spaces inside. That’s how they can afford to pay for all the long delayed fix up work by charging inflated money for booze. The same with the very small backstage, I don’t think they will spend the money knocking down the back wall parking lot and extending the stage for live events. Planet will probably put in a thrust stage and take out 8 rows of seats or maybe take out all the seats downstairs like they have done at the Fox Oakland Theatre they book in Oakland CA. The old bathrooms downstairs need a major up grade. Forget the days of paying $9 to see a classic movie or double bill in 35mm film on the giant Castro screen. Be ready to come up with big bucks to sit or stand for a live show. They say they will still show some movies but this never happened at the Fox Oakland. Planet says they will up grade the neon marquee but I bet this will be a junky LED video screen that will flash and glare all over Castro St. No more plastic marquee letters. A new sound system is also planned but I don’t think It will be a nice surround Dolby Atmos® or Meyers® system for movies. They will probably hang ugly rock/music speakers on the side stage ceiling like at the Fox Oakland? Forget the days of seeing a double bill, going to a matinee, the smell of fresh popcorn in the lobby and hearing a live pipe organ pre show before the noisy gold curtains opened. Thanks to the Nasser family for holding on as long as they could in keeping some sort of showmanship at their famous SF movie theatre. Looks like the Drafthouse ‘New Mission Theatre’ in SF not far away still shows 35mm/70mm films in the larger downstairs auditorium with curtains with my friend ‘Jim’ as a live projectionist on duty. They don’t have all the seats as the Castro has but a least they may get some film festivals or show classic movies on film or DCP video. We hope ‘Another Planet’ still keeps as promised the new giant pipe/electric organ that was to go in and many people donated money for? We wish the new managers well and hope they can bring back all the color lights that once lit up the inside along with other up grades, time will tell. We will miss seeing movies all the time at the Castro Theatre.
Thanks Rocky the land money hungry Syufy family tore this great dome curved screen D-150 cinema down a few years ago. Over the last years they cut the size of the screen way down and didn’t bother to even close the curtains. At least the Syufy’s did not twin the place like they did in Reno NV and a few domes in San Jose CA. In Pleasant Hill they put some smaller auditoriums in the back.
Thanks for the ad. Sensurround® was a great sound system only used in a few films. When I saw ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox Hollywood Chinese Theatre those Cerwin Vega® speakers shook the place. They even put gimmick nets up on the ceiling to prevent plaster from falling down. Some older cinemas did suffer from the sound shaking and deep base sounds.
I guess they did not put in 70mm in Staten Island like many of the other Alamo Cinemas. Looks like only one semi large auditorium the rest tiny flat screens. Same lights and wall covering like all the other Alamo places.
So nice they plugged TODD-AO and stereophonic 6 track sound.
Just before CinemaScope® came out. I do think It had a 4 ch stereo track. A NYC Roxy Theatre movie and stage ice show, something you won’t see today at the multiplex. Thanks CC for the ad.
Great ad these owners advertised 70mm and the curved screen not just the word TODD-AO. Should have been CAMERAS/PROJECTORS, STEREOPHONIC sound. I think ORTHOSONIC was a stereo record sound?
Thanks GD. Must have looked great in 70mm at this drive-in. I wonder if the outdoor screen was curved.
No word in this ad if they played in Stereo.
The Todd-AO screen was great. Later on they put in the UA D-150 large curved screen also at the UA Rivoli Theatre NYC.
Thanks David great color photo. Loved the marquee GIANT SCREEN HI FI STEREOPHONIC SOUND. Probably a 35mm 4 track mag showing at this big long gone Fox West Coast Theatre in Long Beach. Thanks again.
Thanks Richi movie must have looked and sounded great on the semi curved Chinese Hollywood IMAX screen. One of the few IMAX theatres with curtains.
Nice lobby photo BS. They need to put some color lights in the glass blocks on the refreshment stand. Many older theatres even had color neon in the glass.
Thanks film that screen so high up.
I don’t think the Drive In’s had Sensurround® ?
Thanks Kino what a great curved curtain for this long gone Pacific Theatre in Pasadena CA.
Try to make it to the old Castro Theatre soon to see a movie while they still have seats. The new lease/renters will remove all small seats and take out the downstairs lobby candy counter and put in booze bars in the back of the house and tier the flat floor. Long gone will be the semi big masking screen as they will use the old long hidden deco back of stage area with a small roll down screen I bet. If they do show any films/movies they will bring up some new portable chairs from the basement I guess. A sad day for movie people in SF once the rockers take over and pay big bucks to stand up drink and jump around on party drugs. The new operators say they will keep the seats in the upstairs loge area just like the Fox Oakland they also run but I bet they won’t put in new ones just clean the old ones. I wonder If the ‘Planet’ gang will still offer high price popcorn and candy with the loud music touring shows on stage. The movie days are almost over at the Castro Theatre in SF. Check It out for the last time!
One of the few curved screen Imax screens with curtains. Nice slow move. Check the place out if in Hollywood CA!
Too bad the large deep curved screen is gone. At lease they left the curtains.
One of the best Cinerama Theatres ever. The Orpheum SF is still around but not with the huge curved screen and three projection booths. I saw my first Cinerama movie there and the last one. The pink/gray lighted curtains came way out into the downstairs seating area. Loved the huge stereo surround speakers mounted on the upper side walls. It would be nice If the current owners had a small display in the lobby of the history of Cinerama in SF with photos and newspaper ads when It played in 1953. Cinerama Holiday the second movie made had a section filmed in San Francisco and now has been restored on Bly Ray with a curve screen look for the home screen. It was a big thing to go see Cinerama at the Orpheum Theatre while in San Francisco. Thanks GD for the photo clip.
Thanks CC must sound great to hear a stereo surround movie in the theatre with all the surround speakers on the back wall and sides.
HH thanks must have looked great under glow black lights.
Thanks m1944 CinemaScope® was a big thing in 1953 for movie theatres and the screen here in Hollywood at the Fox Grauman’s Chinese Theatre must have looked nice and huge with a slight curve to it. They did the front up with the big sign like no other theatre did.
Just sold Jan 13 2022 to True Investments for $1.6 million. This Art-Moderne neighborhood theatre opened in 1949 I think. The building for closed in 2019. I have no idea what the inside looks like at this time. The new owners may have no interest in turning It back into a theatre? The Preservation Action Council of San Jose will try to reach out to the new owners about future use. The former cinema is listed on the Santa Clara Country’s Historic Resources Inventory but legal protections on It’s demolition are very limited. Let’s hope they don’t tear the theatre down and build more condos.
The Drafthouse New Mission Theatre SF is starting to run 35mm/70mm films again. Now that the nearby Castro Theatre has cut way back on movies/films and going more live events the ‘New Mission’ will be a great cinema in San Francisco at least in the larger downstairs space that has film projectors to see a movie and grab some food. They just finished Licorice Pizza in a 70mm blow up print and soon have ‘Inherit Vice’ in 70mm plus ‘Mars Attacks’ with a 35mm film print. Stop by and say hello to the live projectionist Jim. He knows showmanship and curtain/masking cues.
The 35mm/70mm projectors at SF’s Castro Theatre will not be used much now that a deal has been signed for ‘Another Planet Entertainment’ to take over the management and booking at this famous SF movie palace. The Nasser family will still own the building. The Nasser’s are mainly under ‘Bay Properties’ in the real estate business. Look what they have done to the Royal Theatre on Polk St, turned the cinema property into condos same with the Alhambra Theatre on Polk ST now a gym. At least the Nasser family won’t be knocking the Castro Theatre down for apartments or condos in the Castro area. The ‘Planet’ people say they will remodel the theatre with added lobby and stage space? The only way they can enlarge the small lobby is to turn the rental stores out front to new drink bar set up spaces inside. That’s how they can afford to pay for all the long delayed fix up work by charging inflated money for booze. The same with the very small backstage, I don’t think they will spend the money knocking down the back wall parking lot and extending the stage for live events. Planet will probably put in a thrust stage and take out 8 rows of seats or maybe take out all the seats downstairs like they have done at the Fox Oakland Theatre they book in Oakland CA. The old bathrooms downstairs need a major up grade. Forget the days of paying $9 to see a classic movie or double bill in 35mm film on the giant Castro screen. Be ready to come up with big bucks to sit or stand for a live show. They say they will still show some movies but this never happened at the Fox Oakland. Planet says they will up grade the neon marquee but I bet this will be a junky LED video screen that will flash and glare all over Castro St. No more plastic marquee letters. A new sound system is also planned but I don’t think It will be a nice surround Dolby Atmos® or Meyers® system for movies. They will probably hang ugly rock/music speakers on the side stage ceiling like at the Fox Oakland? Forget the days of seeing a double bill, going to a matinee, the smell of fresh popcorn in the lobby and hearing a live pipe organ pre show before the noisy gold curtains opened. Thanks to the Nasser family for holding on as long as they could in keeping some sort of showmanship at their famous SF movie theatre. Looks like the Drafthouse ‘New Mission Theatre’ in SF not far away still shows 35mm/70mm films in the larger downstairs auditorium with curtains with my friend ‘Jim’ as a live projectionist on duty. They don’t have all the seats as the Castro has but a least they may get some film festivals or show classic movies on film or DCP video. We hope ‘Another Planet’ still keeps as promised the new giant pipe/electric organ that was to go in and many people donated money for? We wish the new managers well and hope they can bring back all the color lights that once lit up the inside along with other up grades, time will tell. We will miss seeing movies all the time at the Castro Theatre.
Thanks Rocky the land money hungry Syufy family tore this great dome curved screen D-150 cinema down a few years ago. Over the last years they cut the size of the screen way down and didn’t bother to even close the curtains. At least the Syufy’s did not twin the place like they did in Reno NV and a few domes in San Jose CA. In Pleasant Hill they put some smaller auditoriums in the back.
Thanks for the ad. Sensurround® was a great sound system only used in a few films. When I saw ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox Hollywood Chinese Theatre those Cerwin Vega® speakers shook the place. They even put gimmick nets up on the ceiling to prevent plaster from falling down. Some older cinemas did suffer from the sound shaking and deep base sounds.