July 2005

Oakland based art photographer Suzy Poling has posted ten black and white pictures taken in Chicago’s decaying Congress Theater and Uptown Theater. Titled “Palace of Mold,” the exhibit consists of photographs of parts of theaters never meant to be seen by the public, including the attics above the interior domes. Depressing, but interesting.

Individual offering digital (DVD) vintage film program sales and rental for small theaters, arts organisations, fundraising for renovating theaters. Most films are PD, and they will make special programs with sequential serials, subject matter, cartoons, etc. on a single DVD to present to an audience.

Sells old stock certificates for theater companies.

Brand new DVD for sale

Features include:-
. 50’s, 60’s, 70’s Cinema Adverts
. Opening/end credits and music with temple steps
. Opening/end credits and music featuring Asteroid
. Excellent quality
. Available on DVD disk playable on PC’s (DVD drive and software required) and DVD players
. Approximately 70 minutes

Essoldo Cinema, Stretford, Manchester

Brand new DVD for sale

Essoldo Video Tour

A rare opportunity to acquire a video taken of the Essoldo Cinema located in Stretford, Manchester

Originally known as the Longford Cinema (super-cinema) built in the ‘30’s, b/w photo published here taken in 1936

The Essoldo circuit took ownership in the ‘50’s

In the ‘70’s, converted to Top Rank Bingo Club

It stands today, abandoned as a bingo hall, but with much of the cinema still in tact

This item contains video footage of the building as it stood in December 1995

Features include:-

. Scenes including Foyer, Circle, Projection Room, Roof Void, Roof and Stalls etc
. Good quality
. Available on DVD disk playable on PC’s (DVD drive and software required) and DVD players
. Approximately 10 minutes

Bonus Features:-

. Pearl & Dean adverts, with never seen before opening titles!
. Pearl & Dean original opening closing titles, temple steps
. Pearl & Dean opening closing titles featuring Asteroid
. Approximately 12 minutes

Great theater photos from a user of Flickr.  Appears to be mostly Michigan theaters.

The day was not too long ago that a night at the theatre was a very special thing. When a young man wooing a lady friend would take her to the vaudville house, or the latest opera from france. They would be decked out in tails and flowing gowns. Theatre was a social event. As much a place to be seen as to see a show. The theatres built during this time were a testament to that aura of occasion. The 20’s saw a surge in large houses going up with ever increasing granduer. The major chains, especially, grew ever larger. Orpheums and Paramounts, amoung others, sprang up all over the country, and ‘the circut’ was institutionalized. The theatre was a major part of the town’s life. It was in a theatre in Schenectady, NY, that TV was introduced to the public. After the great depression, many of the grand old houses fell into a kind of sleep. Mimicing in many ways the downtowns that they occupied. Some were revived in the 70’s as movie theaters. Others were knocked down. The late 80’s held a sort of reintroduction of these old friends. Millions were spent on restoration, grand reopenings were held. These Grand Dames still hold the power to awe. And they know how to put on quite a show. 

Over 41,000 original movie posters and related ephemera dating from the silent era through current releases. featuring material ranging lobby cards through billboard sized 24 sheets. Site’s inventory contains large number of original pressbooks, the marketing manuals sent to movie theatres by the studios. Filled with ad slicks and promotional suggestins (some rather bizarre), pressbooks offer an insight as to how individucal theatre owners used to act as true showmen. 

This is a very quirky site, featuring and excellent array of photos, predominantly of the Odeon circuit, many of which are listed on Cinema Treasures, but without pictures.

Happy viewing !

Kev Phelan