It’s been awhile since we’ve posted a “newsreel,” but with so many stories it’s hard to keep up! Here are a few worth noting:

Metromode has a short article on the renovations at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, along with two photographs.

The Los Angeles Times reports on the state of the Vision Theatre (formerly the Leimert Theatre) and the financial troubles besetting the neighborhood.

The Billings Gazette is reporting that the Judith Theatre in Lewistown, MT will reopen next month. New photos can be seen here.

Cinema Treasures has just added a huge number of Moroccan theaters, thanks to Ken Roe. These are definitely worth a look. Thanks to our editors and all of our contributors, we’ve added over 60 theaters in the last 24 hours.

Big Screen Classics continue at the Lafayette in Suffern, NY this weekend with After the Thin Man.

Read more…

Please feel free to add the following post:

Watch a compelling 30 minute video charting the history of one of the world’s oldest working cinemas - The Victoria Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand. This video features the story of American John Benwell (from California) and the history of the cinema he built while living in Devonport in 1912.

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“Big Time for a Dime”

History of silver screen in the Catawba Valley of NC, 2007, by Don Barker incls 90 theaters, some closed, some open. Will be published in Fall of 2007.

Big Time Website

story here...

A contact of mine, with the retired ship RMS Queen Mary berthed here in Long Beach, California, has sent me a most interesting article about the newest British luxury liner still under construction.

Already in service is the RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Queen Mary 2, bigger and glitzier than all of the others put together! I now refer to the RMS Queen Victoria now in her finishing stages with a maiden voyage set for December ‘07.

Permission to name the new ship was granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

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A sample of video clips excerpted from the upcoming documentary tracing the history of the Balaban and Katz Theatre chain has been posted on the Balaban and Katz Historical Foundation website. Here’s the link. Be patient as it takes a while to load.

David Balaban
Balaban and Katz Historical Foundation

Those who have an international interest in cinema buildings may like to know that a book has recently been published that includes some excellent photos of cinemas in Bombay:

“Bombay Art Deco Architecture: A Visual Journey: 1930-1953” by Navin Ramani and Laura Cerwinske ISBN 81-7436-447-1

This provides excellent supplementary material to that included on Bombay in:

“Bollywood Showplaces: Cinema Theatres In India”
by David Vinnels and Brent Skelly, published in 2002, but rarely mentioned in booklists that I have seen.

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Hello Fellow CT’ers.  This is member Paul F.

And his friend, member Catherine DiM.

We were having a discussion recently on favorite films set in Chicago. We know that many of the CT faithful live in the Chicagoland Area. We’d like to conduct an informal poll. What is your favorite movie made in and set in Chicago. We came up with the following criteria:

1) It must be filmed primarily in and set in Chicago.
2) It cannot be set here, but filmed elsewhere such as Chicago (The musical) or My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  Catherine DiM “I find this practice distasteful.  Winnipeg is NOT Chicago.”
3) It cannot be filmed here but set elsewhere such as Light of Day, Batman Begins, Payback, or Stranger Than Fiction.
4) It cannot be The Blues Brothers (too obvious)

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A new book is coming out at the end of the year. It’s written by David Welling. Go to the website for more info. You can also order from Amazon.

Is it still required that a fire department license must be obtained for all new theater projectionists? Wondering how so many non union teens are running ( and sometimes ruining) projection booths throughout NY State. One NYC union projectionist union rep told me the test was dumbed down.

And how did the once strong projectionist’s unions lost their footing? The local based in Mount Vernon, NY years back was very, very strong throughout Westchester County, NY.

Thanks

Hi. I have a photograph of a theatre, which unfortunately doesn’t have a name - only a Star. I presume, therefore, that the name is Star Theatre. Problem is, a number of google image searches and title searches - even in your terrific website - has left me unsure about *what* Star Theatre it is.

Could you help me track down the location of this theatre?

I’d like to feature this pic on my blog.

Andy