Ultravision Theatre

rivest266 on October 23, 2011 at 4:22 pm

I uploaded an ad from February 11th, 1971 with an picture of the theatre.

sporridge on February 15, 2010 at 9:51 am

1971 Palm Beach Post coverage of another Ultravision screen in the Broward/Palm Beach area, as the Dolphin opens in Palm Springs, with a concise explanation of the Ultravision projection process:

View link

Like the Ultravision Deerfield, the Dolphin was shuttered by the mid 80s, becoming one of the first local locations of Home Depot.

sporridge on January 30, 2010 at 10:01 am

Thanks for locating that grand opening ad, Mike. The Gold Coast Drive In (a couple blocks south) and GCC’s Pompano Cinema (2 ½ miles south) certainly weren’t celebrating that day. In particular, Pompano lost their lock on Disney product, and changed their policy to allow R-rated films.

The Ultravision fed my moviegoing habit from ages 9 to 24, supplying kiddie/summer matinees (often MGM and Selznick library classics) early on and later introducing me to the midnight movie movement. I know now that’s what they needed to do to keep the place solvent, but it was a nice coincidence to have those movies readily available. One hasn’t lived until they’ve stood in a long line populated with “A Clockwork Orange” and “Dawn of the Dead” fans.

Interesting that the grand opening ad mentions “Song of Norway” being presented in 70MM and stereo. A projectionist there in the later years told me they didn’t have the tracks for 70MM, and stereo wasn’t installed (south auditorium only) until 1980 (“The Elephant Man” being the first I saw with enhanced sound).

The Ultravision have other hoped-for spectacles in its early years: widescreen travelogues like “The RA Expeditions” and the psychedelic reissue of “Fantasia” (except for me and my mom, hippies occupied all 648 other seats — standing ovation for Mickey Mouse, mock cries of “Shame!” upon sight of the bare-breasted centaurettes, a massive cloud of weed…). They did their best to ballyhoo the likes of “The Great Waltz” remake, spelling out the film’s name all the way across the front of the building, decorating the lobby — and mainly to empty rocking chair seats.

I was there closing night in September 1985, purely by chance. A subrun of “The Emerald Forest” was booked on the north screen; I’d seen it in one of the crummy tube theaters elsewhere, and was eager to revisit it on a real wide screen. Spotted a tiny sign reading “Goodbye” near the entrance. The manager came over and thanked me for the support. He introduced me to the regional rep for Plitt, who made it official: the Ultravision was now deemed a dinosaur, and a church was moving in.

Almost 25 years later, I’ve been meaning to go to one of their services just to see what they’ve done with the place. It’s obvious that the former south screen has now been refitted with offices and classrooms, and the north round provides the house of worship.

Certainly not forgetting you Rocky Horror cast members, some of whom I got to know and write about for the local community college newspaper! Heard you guys were having so much fun they almost had to call the sheriff a couple times : )

rivest266 on January 30, 2010 at 8:40 am

This opened on February 12th, 1971
Opening announcement is at View link

trace4711 on May 17, 2006 at 4:42 pm

WOW….must be on the same wavelength as Cyberactor. On a whim a did a search for the Deerfield Ultravision and found this. I performed Rocky Horror with him way back when and I agree with everything he said. The Ultravision was the BEST theater to do Rocky in, it had the huge ramp in the front and a great spotlight…that usually followed the action…unless of course there was other action taking place in the spotlight booth (LOL)!! I still can’t believe it’s a church…all the Holy Water in the world can’t take all the sins that happened there. And boy did we have fun making them happen!!!

AlAlvarez on May 7, 2006 at 1:58 pm

This was an ABC Florida State Chain Theatre.