That is interesting. I was under the impression that the IMAX expansions would be new construction, not add ons to exhisting theatres. It is my understanding that the Northrock 14 in Wichita,Ks will get an IMAX auditoriam, after the proposed new theatres' shopping center development fell through.
It is good to see that a privately owned organization is doing this type of upgrading in the midst of a credit crisis. However Dickinson does need to do some renovating in many of their locations as many of these houses are showing the wear and tear of the years.
The theatre in the Metcalf shopping center was originally an NGC theatre and then became a Mann house it was twinned by the Mann Group. If I remember right it was called the Metcalf South.
The curved screen in the Glenwood was the number 1 or original auditoriam and was approximately 90 foot wide, an awesome experience.
If it has anything to do with theatres in Kansas or Western Missouri, I probably have a post on them. I worked for the Dickinson as well as the Mann and American Entertainment circuits in the late 1970’s and early 80’s so I will probably make a nuisance of myself on this fantastic site occasionally!
Yep you’ve got the right person. I was unaware of the sister in St. Louis. I worked at the Mall Cinema, Wichita, Kansas when ‘Star Wars’ first came out. This version seated 805, but only 725 were useable as patrons complained becuase the picture was too big if they had to sit up close, (go figure!) As for the Yo-Yo marquee, the Fox-Garvey in downtown Wichita had a similar single pole sign. The Fox was new NGC construction next to the Holiday Inn high rise, (it is now something else, and the theatre is gone.) The close proximately between the two buildings created a wind tunnel effect and the sign would actually twist around the pole, periodically the sign company would have to be called to twist the thing back.
Excellent web site. The pictures of your theatres and the renovations add tremendously to the site and make the customer feel like they have to visit your theatre. Again excellant job on the theatres and the web site as well.
One theatre in the Kansas City area was the Ranch Mart, a Commonwealth house, but I believe it would have been on the Kansas side of the line, it was equipped for 70mm but rarely if ever used.
I am not totally sure on this, but was the Plaza, KC (Mann/NGC) equipped for 70?
I noted that you mentioned the Dickinson/Springfield 8, do you know if it is still equipped for 70 or has that equipment been removed.
Almost sounds like a management issue more than anything else. AMC is one of the world largest
chains of motion picture theatres, and they are simply that movie theatres with a bottom line. Costs are cut to meet bottom line projections. There are theatres which are professionally operated, it all comes down to the general manager and their commitment to the craft, some are excellent and some don’t give a damn. It is encouraging that you sought out the 3D experience to enhance your movie going experience, thats a positive sign, but again it will all come down to the personal who operate the theatre and their commitment to seeing how the presentation is done.
As mentioned above log onto YouTube and keyword in Gillioz, there is a fanstatic 3 minute video tour of the theatre that is very very very well done, plus other short clips from various acts that have recently played there.
If I remember right this theatre was at one time owned by National General and then the Mann circuits and may have been sold to the Dickinson chain when they acquired Mann’s interests in Missouri.
The Art Center Cinema is a division of the Salina Art Center. The main gallery for the Salina Art Center is 242 South Santa Fe, and the theatre is at 150 South Santa Fe. Two different blocks apart. The Art Center Cinema is across the street from the Stiefiel Fox Watson Theatre which is used for live performances. The Art Center Cinema is a small theatre, around 100 seats that caters to the art and foreign films. WIth its connection to the Salina Art Center there are various media of art displayed in the lobby as a ‘cross plug’ for the Art Center. The Salina Art Center Cinema does a commendable job in running a theatre as well as booking it and exhibitors across the country could learn a lesson from their passion and commitment to the art of film.
Just curious who does own the Mann chain today. They don’t seem to be doing much, no expansion or upgrading. I know I am in the central part of the country so I don’t hear that much, but from their
web site it just appears to be the same old thing!
Dickinson is building new theatres with IMAX and digital, but appears to be doing little upgrading on their older theatres circuit
wide. The NorthRock 14 in Wichita Kansas was desinged by the same firm and it as well is in need of an upgrade, likewise the Central Mall 10 in Salina Kansas has been expanded over the years but a common theme does not exist and it has a variety of color schemes, seats, etc. as the auditoriams were added on.
Isn’t is amazing, first the single screen theatres became useless then the twin and now the six and eight screen theatres are considered antiquated. What a dispsoable society we live in. It's
just interesting.
Where was this theatre in realtion to the mall, was it on the parking lot or accross the street? The Battlefield Mall had the Century 21 (single screen) Mann Theatre which became Dickinson, I was under the impression that Dickinson may have added screens inside the mall. Can someone straighten me out!?!?!
It is amazing the disposable, throw away society we now live in. McDonalds leaves their buildings up for a short period of time and then tears them down only to erect another McDonalds in its place. Probally a governemnt office building would stand longer than the 37 years that the National occupied this corner of Los Angeles. Hats off to ‘Hollywood 90038’ for the photography, it strikes me as interesting to note how ‘new’ looking the concrete block and steel frame works look. I assume that all the fixtures, seats, poster cases, carpet, lighting, etc. were all just scooped and dumped in a landfill somewhere.
The newspaper article indicated that two hopsitals owned the Chinese. Can someone shead some of their insight on what a hospital is doing with this theatre?
Your right the chain appears to be dying a slow death. I do not believe that they have opened anything new in some time. I was under the impression that Paramount owned the Mann orgainzation, (please feel free to correct me if I am wrong,) it would seem that with the prestigious theatres that they currently operate that someone would be highly interested what is left of it.
What about getting a radio station to tie in to the event. I assume there are a variety of specialized radio stations in the LA market and maybe a few underground ones as well, see if one could work a deal, free tickets to the 5th caller, or split the profit, and let them promote the midnight showings. Radio people are creative as well let them come up with the idea.
Thats the 40 million dollar question, where are the prints? When I was in the old national film serivce depot in downtown Kansas City, Missouri many many years back, they had several 70mm prints in storage. It has been so long ago that I could not tell you the titles, but they had been there a very long time, and someone, somewhere was paying storage on them. Probally were not useable, largely because of the way they were being kept in the depot, but none the less they were there, and as stated above, where they are now, God only knows.
That is interesting. I was under the impression that the IMAX expansions would be new construction, not add ons to exhisting theatres. It is my understanding that the Northrock 14 in Wichita,Ks will get an IMAX auditoriam, after the proposed new theatres' shopping center development fell through.
It is good to see that a privately owned organization is doing this type of upgrading in the midst of a credit crisis. However Dickinson does need to do some renovating in many of their locations as many of these houses are showing the wear and tear of the years.
The theatre in the Metcalf shopping center was originally an NGC theatre and then became a Mann house it was twinned by the Mann Group. If I remember right it was called the Metcalf South.
The curved screen in the Glenwood was the number 1 or original auditoriam and was approximately 90 foot wide, an awesome experience.
If it has anything to do with theatres in Kansas or Western Missouri, I probably have a post on them. I worked for the Dickinson as well as the Mann and American Entertainment circuits in the late 1970’s and early 80’s so I will probably make a nuisance of myself on this fantastic site occasionally!
Yep you’ve got the right person. I was unaware of the sister in St. Louis. I worked at the Mall Cinema, Wichita, Kansas when ‘Star Wars’ first came out. This version seated 805, but only 725 were useable as patrons complained becuase the picture was too big if they had to sit up close, (go figure!) As for the Yo-Yo marquee, the Fox-Garvey in downtown Wichita had a similar single pole sign. The Fox was new NGC construction next to the Holiday Inn high rise, (it is now something else, and the theatre is gone.) The close proximately between the two buildings created a wind tunnel effect and the sign would actually twist around the pole, periodically the sign company would have to be called to twist the thing back.
Excellent web site. The pictures of your theatres and the renovations add tremendously to the site and make the customer feel like they have to visit your theatre. Again excellant job on the theatres and the web site as well.
At one time I do remember seeing a 70mm print of TOP GUN in the National Film Service depot in Kansas City. Just sitting there collecting dust.
One theatre in the Kansas City area was the Ranch Mart, a Commonwealth house, but I believe it would have been on the Kansas side of the line, it was equipped for 70mm but rarely if ever used.
I am not totally sure on this, but was the Plaza, KC (Mann/NGC) equipped for 70?
I noted that you mentioned the Dickinson/Springfield 8, do you know if it is still equipped for 70 or has that equipment been removed.
Almost sounds like a management issue more than anything else. AMC is one of the world largest
chains of motion picture theatres, and they are simply that movie theatres with a bottom line. Costs are cut to meet bottom line projections. There are theatres which are professionally operated, it all comes down to the general manager and their commitment to the craft, some are excellent and some don’t give a damn. It is encouraging that you sought out the 3D experience to enhance your movie going experience, thats a positive sign, but again it will all come down to the personal who operate the theatre and their commitment to seeing how the presentation is done.
As mentioned above log onto YouTube and keyword in Gillioz, there is a fanstatic 3 minute video tour of the theatre that is very very very well done, plus other short clips from various acts that have recently played there.
If I remember right this theatre was at one time owned by National General and then the Mann circuits and may have been sold to the Dickinson chain when they acquired Mann’s interests in Missouri.
The Art Center Cinema is a division of the Salina Art Center. The main gallery for the Salina Art Center is 242 South Santa Fe, and the theatre is at 150 South Santa Fe. Two different blocks apart. The Art Center Cinema is across the street from the Stiefiel Fox Watson Theatre which is used for live performances. The Art Center Cinema is a small theatre, around 100 seats that caters to the art and foreign films. WIth its connection to the Salina Art Center there are various media of art displayed in the lobby as a ‘cross plug’ for the Art Center. The Salina Art Center Cinema does a commendable job in running a theatre as well as booking it and exhibitors across the country could learn a lesson from their passion and commitment to the art of film.
Just curious who does own the Mann chain today. They don’t seem to be doing much, no expansion or upgrading. I know I am in the central part of the country so I don’t hear that much, but from their
web site it just appears to be the same old thing!
Dickinson is building new theatres with IMAX and digital, but appears to be doing little upgrading on their older theatres circuit
wide. The NorthRock 14 in Wichita Kansas was desinged by the same firm and it as well is in need of an upgrade, likewise the Central Mall 10 in Salina Kansas has been expanded over the years but a common theme does not exist and it has a variety of color schemes, seats, etc. as the auditoriams were added on.
Isn’t is amazing, first the single screen theatres became useless then the twin and now the six and eight screen theatres are considered antiquated. What a dispsoable society we live in. It's
just interesting.
Where was this theatre in realtion to the mall, was it on the parking lot or accross the street? The Battlefield Mall had the Century 21 (single screen) Mann Theatre which became Dickinson, I was under the impression that Dickinson may have added screens inside the mall. Can someone straighten me out!?!?!
It is amazing the disposable, throw away society we now live in. McDonalds leaves their buildings up for a short period of time and then tears them down only to erect another McDonalds in its place. Probally a governemnt office building would stand longer than the 37 years that the National occupied this corner of Los Angeles. Hats off to ‘Hollywood 90038’ for the photography, it strikes me as interesting to note how ‘new’ looking the concrete block and steel frame works look. I assume that all the fixtures, seats, poster cases, carpet, lighting, etc. were all just scooped and dumped in a landfill somewhere.
Pictures of this theatre and the rainbow concession stand can
be found here http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=1157
That is a simply amazing feat, and what is even more amazing is that American Multi Cinema was even involved with the undertaking!
The Century 21 was originally built by National General Theatres and then became a Mann Theatre when Ted Mann purchased the National General circuit.
The newspaper article indicated that two hopsitals owned the Chinese. Can someone shead some of their insight on what a hospital is doing with this theatre?
Your right the chain appears to be dying a slow death. I do not believe that they have opened anything new in some time. I was under the impression that Paramount owned the Mann orgainzation, (please feel free to correct me if I am wrong,) it would seem that with the prestigious theatres that they currently operate that someone would be highly interested what is left of it.
This at one time was part of the Commonwealth theatre chain, of Kansas City, Missouri.
What about getting a radio station to tie in to the event. I assume there are a variety of specialized radio stations in the LA market and maybe a few underground ones as well, see if one could work a deal, free tickets to the 5th caller, or split the profit, and let them promote the midnight showings. Radio people are creative as well let them come up with the idea.
Excellant suggestion!
Thats the 40 million dollar question, where are the prints? When I was in the old national film serivce depot in downtown Kansas City, Missouri many many years back, they had several 70mm prints in storage. It has been so long ago that I could not tell you the titles, but they had been there a very long time, and someone, somewhere was paying storage on them. Probally were not useable, largely because of the way they were being kept in the depot, but none the less they were there, and as stated above, where they are now, God only knows.