UA Riverview Plaza Stadium 17

Because the main floor auditoriums changed with the addition of the 2nd floor & stadium seating, I waited for the Comments to mention a Feb 2, 1997 Philadelphia article, page A 22. The then General Manager, Ron Angeli, described the largest auditorium as follows:

The screen is huge: 41 feet wide and 18.5 feet tall. The action blasts out of a 2400 watt Surround system that includes 3 stage speakers with horns, 8 on the sides, and 2 in the back. 457 seats.

(My own note to above would be that the main screen at the Sameric, aka Boyd, that United Artists was then operating in downtown Philadelphia, was larger, at more than 50 feet wide.)

June 1999 Philadelphia Magazine rated the UA Riverview 17 as a "3.5" on a 1 to 5 scale with comment "Best Center City mainstream choice - for now" Very high ratings were given in the categories of Seating and Cleanliness.

Philadelphia Weekly November 2006
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=13454
"the poor old UA Riverview can't seem to ditch its negative image despite two enormous screens that, along with the main theater at the Ritz Five, are the best venues to see a movie in town."

This theater has two excellent auditoriums, but it seems to attract a pretty rowdy crowd -- regardless of what movie you're seeing.

I was just back in Philly last week and was sadden to look at the nespaper and see nothing but megapexes. Ecept for 3 or 4 theaters all the others are gone. Even the popular Eric Pennsuaken aka UA Pensauken is no longert in existance.

Yes, years ago, none of us Philly natives what have believed it!

Yet, that's reality, and why starting last weekend, and this past weekend, I added 13 multiplexes/megaplexes in Philadelphia & its burbs (on the PA side) to this site including this theater. All the others in the newspaper on the PA side had already been entered.

of course, this is also good reason to ensure the Boyd www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org is restored and reopened including for movie premieres, film classics & film festivals, and live shows the rest of the year. Many people experience movies in stadium seated auditoriums in plexes, but people should still be able to experience them some time during the year in Golden Age Hollywood style movie palaces!

From Philly.com - 12/26/08:

Phila. man shot because family talked during movie

By Barbara Boyer

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.

James Joseph Cialella Jr., 29, of the 1900 block of Hollywood Street is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons violations.

"It's truly frightening when you see something like this evolve into such violence," said police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore.

Police were called to the Riverview Theatre in the 1400 block of Columbus Boulevard about 9:30 p.m. where the gunshot victim, a Philadelphia man who was not identified, told police a man sitting near him told his family to be quiet and threw popcorn at his son.

After exchanging words, Vanore said Cialella allegedly got out of his seat to confront the family when the father got up to protect them. That's when the victim was shot once in the left arm, sending others in the theatre running to safety.

Cialella then sat down to watch the movie. Police arrived a short time later and arrested Cialella and confiscated his weapon, Vanore said.

very scary. thank god it didn't happen in rockaway!

AP says it was the Brad Pitt movie:
http://tinyurl.com/8d6cdc

Great theater when it was new-saw "Far And Away", "Hoffa", and "Gettysburg" in 70mm here. They were in two different auditoriums, so either there were two 70mm installations, or the projector was moved. No problems with patrons, either-you can blame the chain for letting things get out of hand.