Buy the Boyd and put in millions more to re-equip it so it can showcase Cinerama? Pigs will fly and cows will circle the Moon first. Cinerama hasn’t even returned to NYC.
In 1996, I saw Mission Impossible in the huge auditorium with the huge screen lowering in front of the proscenium. This was a showing when the movie was new, and in English. The place was packed. The French rushed in for seats. I ended up at the top of the balcony, but it didn’t matter. The auditorium is one of the best anywhere to see a movie.
I agree with the new post, except insofar as studios will release the films if the profit in some way rather than being nice to classic film fans.
And, since arthouses and commercial moviehouses nationwide do show classics, I’m sure arrangements will be made NOW even if they go digital. Indeed, Roadshow’s assertions as to costs sound so high that even new movies might not be able to go out nationwide on the formula he suggests.
Ed, the movies that studios send into movie theaters are what’s keeping movie theaters alive! If those classics could sell better, they’d be in the theaters. So few people went to see the nationally reissued The Godfather in 1997, that The Godfather Part II wasn’t reissued. People had seen The Godfather on TV & didn’t jump at the chance to see it again in the theaters. (I did, and saw it again at the Ziegfeld last year).
I’m not saying the classics can’t ever play, but I am saying that in general, movie theater distribution follows the market.
Also, don’t expect temporary huge screens to be constructed for Cinerama. I’m not sure how digital classic cost structures will be worked out, but the costs and other logistics of construction of huge screens would possibly be pretty high indeed.
Dreams are great. Reality is that nowhere in the USA is there a movie palace that was built to seat more than two thousand people and still open for daily movies ! There are many movie palaces hosting live performances and some have a film series. Clear Channel believed, and Friends of the Boyd agree, that the Boyd is a viable theater. New owner Live Nation is changing its focus on Rock N'Roll rather than Touring Broadway Musicals, so the Boyd project is stalled.
Advocacy as a daily movie palace, with one screen, would be useless. Bloggers kept suggesting such for New York City’s DeMille, /theaters/501/ and that space is being gutted! There just aren’t enough fans who would keep any theater built this big in the black, not in New York City, and not in Philadelphia.
Friends of the Boyd follow the path that has saved countless former movie palaces nationwide, which is mixed use. Live events will pay the bills and bring many people to the Boyd to enjoy first class entertainment there. A film series of classics, festivals, and premieres, will enable people to also experience the Boyd for film. Restored to its original Art Deco glamour, the Boyd will once again be a showplace and entertain future generations.
Is REndres projecting film in a residence or at a film studio?
Ed, There’s NO digital projector available yet to capture the high resolution of 70 mm. At most, a 4k projector might equal 35 mm. I’d much rather see 70 mm.
That beautiful photo is from Opening Day 1928 and belongs to the Irvin R. Glazer Collection of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. It shows the original Art Deco vertical sign, marquee, and ticket booth.
The restored Spartacus was in 1991 with Cineplex Odeon as operator. I’ve seen many great classics especially at the Uptown in DC, but I missed this one there & at Ziegfeld. I caught up with it at the Cineplex Odeon Worldwide, in one of the large auditoriums with 40 feet wide scope screen, and a perfect presentation of Spartacus in 70 mm restored version, with proper use of the curtain. Whereas C.O. opened the main curtain 1st at Ziegfeld, and on a featured movie’s title/opening, opened the see thru white curtain, current operators open both curtains together.
The website says:
The Hollywood Theatre became a mecca for film-goers in the early 1960s when it became the only Cinerama theater in Oregon. Portions of the building – especially the frame of the massive curved screen in the downstairs auditorium – are a testament to that time.
and also says:
The main floor auditorium seats 460 (35mm/16mm/DLP/live performance).
The upstairs west auditorium seats 171 (35mm/16mm/DLP/live performance).
The upstairs east auditorium seats 219 (35mm only)
The Mezzanine lobby can accommodate up to 125 comfortably for a reception(depending on table set-up)
NY Times article-
In this pleasant Ohio place called Bexley, in this Midwest place close to neither New York nor Los Angeles, a boy named Rupert calls his grandfather George. His grandfather’s name is Jeff.
Rupert, who is 2 years old, bears no blame for this mistake because his grandfather introduced himself as George before the boy could form words, and has insisted on being called George ever since. The man has his reasons.
In Bexley, a leafy old suburb of the sprawling capital city of Columbus, everyone plays a role. Maybe you answer questions at the Bexley Public Library. Maybe you tend bar at the Bexley Monk. Maybe you fill prescriptions at the Bexley CVS, paying close attention to details.
George, whose full name is Jeff Frank, runs the old movie theater in town, the Drexel, and has done so for 26 years. He is 56 now, bald and bespectacled, settled and successful. Still, he cannot help but wonder what might have been had he not been seduced long ago by the Drexel’s red-neon call: those bright lights dazzling the East Main Street sidewalk; that Art Deco sleekness; the faint echoes of here’s looking at you, kid.
What might have been had he not shrugged one day and thought: “Well, I love the movies. Why not run a movie theater?â€
The day the Drexel opened on Christmas 1937, certain Columbus lights winked with the promise of cheap escape. Come stand beside the “Stage Door,†or find momentary serenity in “Lost Horizon,†all at neighborhood places that were not as grand as, say, that downtown palace, the Ohio, but were still magical portals to someplace else.
Eddie Cantor, that apostle of pep, was mugging it up in “Ali Baba Goes to Town†down at the Thurmania; the theater is now an art gallery and gift shop. Jimmy Savo was bounding about in “Merry-Go-Round of 1938†at the Main; it is now a cavernous medical center, absent of anyone who might remember the little clown named Jimmy.
Warner Baxter, a box-office draw at the very beginning of his career’s decline, was leading the cast of “Vogues of 1938†at the Hollywood; it now houses three empty stores whose awnings say Jihad’s Gifts, African Heritage Shop, and Zawadi Children’s Books, Jewelry, Oils, Etc. The owner of the mini-mart next door says his place used to be a bar, as if to suggest things change, so what.
And Shirley Temple, whose hair featured exactly 56 curls, was melting a cranky grandfather’s heart in “Heidi†at the tiny Wilmar. Marc Eller, the property’s owner, says he had the theater torn down 20 years ago for a parking lot.
“I curse that now,†he says, as he presents old photos of the theater that he keeps in a plastic bag. “It had the little hexagonal tiles, and the projection booth…â€
The Drexel, though, survived. It opened that Depression Christmas with Sally Blane, Loretta Young’s sister, in “One Mile from Heaven,†and kept its screen flickering through the decades. By 1981 it had lost much of its luster, and was showing bargain movies just to survive, but it always managed to catch the eye of a young man with plans named Jeff Frank.
Mr. Frank had grown up not far from here, giving his Saturdays and more than a few of his high school days to the cool darkness of his neighborhood movie theater, the now-gone vessel by which he traveled to the moon, to the Old West, to places far from Columbus. After graduating from a university only an hour away, he returned with a degree in film studies and a plan to leave as soon as possible.
“Go to Hollywood! Go to New York!†he says. “Be involved in the film industry. Be a part of it.â€
Mr. Frank never left Columbus. He worked in an art museum, where he met his future wife, Kathy Wooley; her favorite western is “Red River,†his the “The Searchers.†He then became the assistant director at the restored Ohio Theatre, with a daily commute that took him past the Drexel.
One day the Franks rolled the dice of life and bought the Drexel. They closed it down for 30 days of restoration, removed the hundreds of plastic flowers that hid its Art Deco grandeur, and reopened with a screening of “Top Hat†that included a personal appearance by Herself, Ginger Rogers. Movie history was made â€" at least in Columbus.
Over the years, at the Drexel and a handful of theaters, the Franks became masters of promotion, purveyors of escape, always with an emphasis on art films and the classics. They provided free passes to those who wore red shoes to “The Red Shoes,†offered Shirley Temple movies for children on summer Saturdays, invited people to dress up for “Casablanca†and sing when the band at Rick’s strikes up “La Marseillaise.â€
As Mr. Frank became the local Mr. Movie, he came to think of himself as a sort of George Bailey, who never fulfills his dream of leaving Bedford Falls, yet comes to realize that remaining in his hometown is his passage to a wonderful life. So Rupert calls his grandfather George.
Now and then Mr. Frank travels to a film festival, but mostly he stays here, fully aware of his role as an escort into the imagination. “For a short time,†he says, “you take people someplace they’ve never been to before.â€
Another night has fallen on the quiet streets of Bexley. The lights of the Drexel beckon. And a man called George is selling tickets for the 3:10 to Yuma.
exterior photos here. Looks enormous!
View link
sketch here:
View link
Photo as Hard Rock Cafe:
View link
I saw Broken Arrow in 1996. Then: vertical curtain (goes up & down). 2 balconies.
2007 exterior photo:
View link
A friend of mine recently saw movie there, maybe as part of a film festival. In 1996, I saw a movie in the large upstairs auditorium.
Buy the Boyd and put in millions more to re-equip it so it can showcase Cinerama? Pigs will fly and cows will circle the Moon first. Cinerama hasn’t even returned to NYC.
In 1996, I saw Mission Impossible in the huge auditorium with the huge screen lowering in front of the proscenium. This was a showing when the movie was new, and in English. The place was packed. The French rushed in for seats. I ended up at the top of the balcony, but it didn’t matter. The auditorium is one of the best anywhere to see a movie.
Website about it!
http://www.silverscreens.com/rex_en.html
Official: http://www.legrandrex.com/
Exterior tower:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/metropol2/117271012/
Auditorium- Now that’s a movie theater!
View link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/djou/518173200/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhino75/44435586/
Unfortunately the links no longer work to Ed’s fantastic interior photos.
Here are others,
Set of 2005 interior photos:
View link
2006 Grand Lobby:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ohtoberich/183121235/
Sept 2007 exterior detail:
View link
I agree with the new post, except insofar as studios will release the films if the profit in some way rather than being nice to classic film fans.
And, since arthouses and commercial moviehouses nationwide do show classics, I’m sure arrangements will be made NOW even if they go digital. Indeed, Roadshow’s assertions as to costs sound so high that even new movies might not be able to go out nationwide on the formula he suggests.
Ed, the movies that studios send into movie theaters are what’s keeping movie theaters alive! If those classics could sell better, they’d be in the theaters. So few people went to see the nationally reissued The Godfather in 1997, that The Godfather Part II wasn’t reissued. People had seen The Godfather on TV & didn’t jump at the chance to see it again in the theaters. (I did, and saw it again at the Ziegfeld last year).
I’m not saying the classics can’t ever play, but I am saying that in general, movie theater distribution follows the market.
Also, don’t expect temporary huge screens to be constructed for Cinerama. I’m not sure how digital classic cost structures will be worked out, but the costs and other logistics of construction of huge screens would possibly be pretty high indeed.
The airplanes didn’t show movies in 35 mm. Did the Queen Mary?
Dreams are great. Reality is that nowhere in the USA is there a movie palace that was built to seat more than two thousand people and still open for daily movies ! There are many movie palaces hosting live performances and some have a film series. Clear Channel believed, and Friends of the Boyd agree, that the Boyd is a viable theater. New owner Live Nation is changing its focus on Rock N'Roll rather than Touring Broadway Musicals, so the Boyd project is stalled.
Advocacy as a daily movie palace, with one screen, would be useless. Bloggers kept suggesting such for New York City’s DeMille, /theaters/501/ and that space is being gutted! There just aren’t enough fans who would keep any theater built this big in the black, not in New York City, and not in Philadelphia.
Friends of the Boyd follow the path that has saved countless former movie palaces nationwide, which is mixed use. Live events will pay the bills and bring many people to the Boyd to enjoy first class entertainment there. A film series of classics, festivals, and premieres, will enable people to also experience the Boyd for film. Restored to its original Art Deco glamour, the Boyd will once again be a showplace and entertain future generations.
Regarding Bob’s post of September 13, I hope there’s photos somewhere of the 1930’s era ceiling light fixtures and the original colors of the column!
When I see Warner/Grand appear on Comments, I know that it is THIS theater and none other, so the current label is quite functional!
Is REndres projecting film in a residence or at a film studio?
Ed, There’s NO digital projector available yet to capture the high resolution of 70 mm. At most, a 4k projector might equal 35 mm. I’d much rather see 70 mm.
Exterior photos here:
View link
That beautiful photo is from Opening Day 1928 and belongs to the Irvin R. Glazer Collection of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. It shows the original Art Deco vertical sign, marquee, and ticket booth.
Photos of this theater:
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/2920.html
Photos
Entry from Shopping Mall:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flaneur/260299791/
HugeLobby of movie theater:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/v63/255468910/
Mural in Lobby:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thejcgerm/276790439/
Ceiling Light Fixture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbcastro/371599251/
What time last night was it over?
Did they use the 4 track sound?
So, signed. Good luck, Michael.
The restored Spartacus was in 1991 with Cineplex Odeon as operator. I’ve seen many great classics especially at the Uptown in DC, but I missed this one there & at Ziegfeld. I caught up with it at the Cineplex Odeon Worldwide, in one of the large auditoriums with 40 feet wide scope screen, and a perfect presentation of Spartacus in 70 mm restored version, with proper use of the curtain. Whereas C.O. opened the main curtain 1st at Ziegfeld, and on a featured movie’s title/opening, opened the see thru white curtain, current operators open both curtains together.
It is easy to visit the Internet site from Philadelphia. I’ve never been to Oregon or Washington, but eventually….
Simon,
It would appear balcony was split up:
The website says:
The Hollywood Theatre became a mecca for film-goers in the early 1960s when it became the only Cinerama theater in Oregon. Portions of the building – especially the frame of the massive curved screen in the downstairs auditorium – are a testament to that time.
and also says:
The main floor auditorium seats 460 (35mm/16mm/DLP/live performance).
The upstairs west auditorium seats 171 (35mm/16mm/DLP/live performance).
The upstairs east auditorium seats 219 (35mm only)
The Mezzanine lobby can accommodate up to 125 comfortably for a reception(depending on table set-up)
NY Times article-
In this pleasant Ohio place called Bexley, in this Midwest place close to neither New York nor Los Angeles, a boy named Rupert calls his grandfather George. His grandfather’s name is Jeff.
Rupert, who is 2 years old, bears no blame for this mistake because his grandfather introduced himself as George before the boy could form words, and has insisted on being called George ever since. The man has his reasons.
In Bexley, a leafy old suburb of the sprawling capital city of Columbus, everyone plays a role. Maybe you answer questions at the Bexley Public Library. Maybe you tend bar at the Bexley Monk. Maybe you fill prescriptions at the Bexley CVS, paying close attention to details.
George, whose full name is Jeff Frank, runs the old movie theater in town, the Drexel, and has done so for 26 years. He is 56 now, bald and bespectacled, settled and successful. Still, he cannot help but wonder what might have been had he not been seduced long ago by the Drexel’s red-neon call: those bright lights dazzling the East Main Street sidewalk; that Art Deco sleekness; the faint echoes of here’s looking at you, kid.
What might have been had he not shrugged one day and thought: “Well, I love the movies. Why not run a movie theater?â€
The day the Drexel opened on Christmas 1937, certain Columbus lights winked with the promise of cheap escape. Come stand beside the “Stage Door,†or find momentary serenity in “Lost Horizon,†all at neighborhood places that were not as grand as, say, that downtown palace, the Ohio, but were still magical portals to someplace else.
Eddie Cantor, that apostle of pep, was mugging it up in “Ali Baba Goes to Town†down at the Thurmania; the theater is now an art gallery and gift shop. Jimmy Savo was bounding about in “Merry-Go-Round of 1938†at the Main; it is now a cavernous medical center, absent of anyone who might remember the little clown named Jimmy.
Warner Baxter, a box-office draw at the very beginning of his career’s decline, was leading the cast of “Vogues of 1938†at the Hollywood; it now houses three empty stores whose awnings say Jihad’s Gifts, African Heritage Shop, and Zawadi Children’s Books, Jewelry, Oils, Etc. The owner of the mini-mart next door says his place used to be a bar, as if to suggest things change, so what.
And Shirley Temple, whose hair featured exactly 56 curls, was melting a cranky grandfather’s heart in “Heidi†at the tiny Wilmar. Marc Eller, the property’s owner, says he had the theater torn down 20 years ago for a parking lot.
“I curse that now,†he says, as he presents old photos of the theater that he keeps in a plastic bag. “It had the little hexagonal tiles, and the projection booth…â€
The Drexel, though, survived. It opened that Depression Christmas with Sally Blane, Loretta Young’s sister, in “One Mile from Heaven,†and kept its screen flickering through the decades. By 1981 it had lost much of its luster, and was showing bargain movies just to survive, but it always managed to catch the eye of a young man with plans named Jeff Frank.
Mr. Frank had grown up not far from here, giving his Saturdays and more than a few of his high school days to the cool darkness of his neighborhood movie theater, the now-gone vessel by which he traveled to the moon, to the Old West, to places far from Columbus. After graduating from a university only an hour away, he returned with a degree in film studies and a plan to leave as soon as possible.
“Go to Hollywood! Go to New York!†he says. “Be involved in the film industry. Be a part of it.â€
Mr. Frank never left Columbus. He worked in an art museum, where he met his future wife, Kathy Wooley; her favorite western is “Red River,†his the “The Searchers.†He then became the assistant director at the restored Ohio Theatre, with a daily commute that took him past the Drexel.
One day the Franks rolled the dice of life and bought the Drexel. They closed it down for 30 days of restoration, removed the hundreds of plastic flowers that hid its Art Deco grandeur, and reopened with a screening of “Top Hat†that included a personal appearance by Herself, Ginger Rogers. Movie history was made â€" at least in Columbus.
Over the years, at the Drexel and a handful of theaters, the Franks became masters of promotion, purveyors of escape, always with an emphasis on art films and the classics. They provided free passes to those who wore red shoes to “The Red Shoes,†offered Shirley Temple movies for children on summer Saturdays, invited people to dress up for “Casablanca†and sing when the band at Rick’s strikes up “La Marseillaise.â€
As Mr. Frank became the local Mr. Movie, he came to think of himself as a sort of George Bailey, who never fulfills his dream of leaving Bedford Falls, yet comes to realize that remaining in his hometown is his passage to a wonderful life. So Rupert calls his grandfather George.
Now and then Mr. Frank travels to a film festival, but mostly he stays here, fully aware of his role as an escort into the imagination. “For a short time,†he says, “you take people someplace they’ve never been to before.â€
Another night has fallen on the quiet streets of Bexley. The lights of the Drexel beckon. And a man called George is selling tickets for the 3:10 to Yuma.
Exterior photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessenoonan/1057344/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessenoonan/1057330/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessenoonan/1057341/