Janus Theatres
1416 Northwood Street,
Greensboro,
NC
27408
1416 Northwood Street,
Greensboro,
NC
27408
1 person
favorited this theater
The Janus Theatres in Greensboro North Carolina opened in 1968 as a twin theatre, one of the first in the south. The first films shown were “Yellow Submarine” and “Elvira Madigan”. It eventually grew to eight screens when it closed in 2000. It was demolished to make way for luxury condos that have yet to be built.
The Janus Theatre showed many first run blockbusters as well as smaller art films. I was a projectionist there for many years; it was a fun place to work.
Contributed by
John Brannon
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
The Janus also held exclusive enagement showings as well.
One of the roadshow enagements THE GODFATHER was a record breaking event at the Janus when it played to record capacity crowds in 1972.
The last picture shows at the Janus Theatres were on June 22,2000. When the Janus Theatres close its doors forever,it was replaced with the huge 20-plex Carousel Cinemas just down the street on Battleground Avenue.
A row of condos now stands where the Janus Theatres once stood.
The Janus was one of three theatres in North Carolina that had the exclusive North Carolina engagement showing of Steven Spielburg’s 1985 film THE COLOR PURPLE that opened on December 20,1985. The other locations were in Raleigh and Charlotte.
The “JANUS” was independently owned by a Burlington, N.C. physician. Of note, when the theatre opened ,twin siblings were hired as ushers and dressed in the theatre colors. In the early 70’s an attached restaurant was converted to auditoriums 3&4. The seating capacity was 214 each for #1&2, and 193&176 for 3&4. Later in the 70’s a ladies apparel shop on an addjacent property was converted to three additional screens. Soon thereafter an addtional screen was added on a second level to become “The Penthouse Screening Room”. This was accompanied by “The Cinebar Lounge” which also had among the first “Advent” Videobeam front projectors. Early X&K Band Satellite Reception was available, Sports etc. Upscale food, and spirits were served. The screening room had a very luxurious and intimate feel as the seating was love seats and swivel lounges. The auditorium was fully carpeted on three levels of six inch risers. The ceiling height was only 9' therefor rear screen projection was implemented.
The “Janus” underwent a continuing evolution of projection and sound technologies as the owner always wanted whatever was cutting edge at the time. The original two screens each had twin 6000' “Century” projectors with “Strong” X-16 Xenon Lamps. The booth also implemented among the first “EPRAD” Automation systems. 35mm 4Track Magnetic Sound was also used. Later in the 70’s the treatre had two of the first “DOLBY” CP-50 sound processors in the state for “STARWARS”. The early 80’s brought about the change to platter type film transports versus reel to reel changeovers. Another change brought about by platters was adding synchronous motors to projectors to allow a single print to be run in more than one auditorium at once. This feature became invaluable during the opening weeks of popular films due to the dimenished seating capacity of modern cinemas. In the 90’s “DOLBY” Digital Sound was added for a new “STARWARS” title. “DTS” also known as “DIGITAL THEATRE SYSTEMS” processors were also added to accomodate prints recorded in that format. Different film companies at that time used proprietary digital sound formats. Today a film print can contain all three digital soundtracks as well as the standard optical analog track. With the later addition in the 70’s, of screens 5,6,7, “CINEMACANICA” V-14 Italian projectors with 16,000' reels were installed. Screen 7 projection booth was located in a closet at the back of the auditorium. Film on these projectors were rewound directly on the projector without removal. Later when the screening room was added a “Century” projector mounted on a “Christie” console was installed in an inclosed space on the roof projecting into a front surface mirror to reflect into the rear screen panel. A “Christie” platter on the lower level fed film on a path of rollers attached to the ladder leading to the roof level. Sync motors and rollers were also in place to accomodate single print use between the “Century” and the two “Cinemacanicas” on the lower level. After a fire in 93 that destroyed the booth in screen 5,6, and the screening room all the projectors were replaced with “SIMPLEX” turrets mounted on “Cinema Film Systems” Consoles. The screening room projection booth on the roof was enlarged to accomodate the platter as well. The ladder access was maintained to accomodate print sync. Having been in this business for over 40 years and having traveled the entire U.S. in the cinema equipment field, this was one of the more unique cinemas I’ve had the pleasure to work with.
Correction: Only THE GODFATHER PART II played at the Janus when it came out around 1974.
THE GODFATHER when it came our played first-run at The Cinema(which was located in Downtown Greensboro on March 24,1972…I have the original ads from the News and Record)….Does anyone know where “The Cinema” was located in Downtown Greensboro?
The Janus was the only theater in the Winston-Salem/Greensboro area to show the infamous movie ‘Showgirls’ when it was released in 1995. Controversial at the time, my husband and I went to see it opening weekend. A local newschannel was waiting outside of the theatre, asking patrons how they liked the movie and if it was as shocking as rumored. We ducked and ran to the car, embarrassed and afraid that members of our church would see that we had gone to see ‘Showgirls’!
I saw SHOWGIRLS where it played in the Raleigh-Durham area when it was released in 1995 at the Imperial VI Cinemas in Cary. SHOWGIRLS only played in selected theatres upon it’s release. But SHOWGIRLS wasn’t the first movie to have a controversial following in the Carolinas,especially in the greater Greensboro area.
The Janus also was the ONLY theatre in the greater Triad area in 1990 to show the controversial and explicit frank and sexually graphic film HENRY AND JUNE that was in the first movie to be released with the MPAA’s new “NC-17” rating(originally “X”). It was one of four cinemas in North Carolina that show it during its theatrical release. The others were in Charlotte, Asheville,and Raleigh.
The Cinema Theater was not downtown but on Tate St. near UNC-G. I saw “The Getaway” there in 1972 or 3, first run.
Carprog: The Cinema Theater is listed on this site located on Tate Street near the UNC-G campus. I also saw “The Getaway” there around Christmas of 1972,first-run.