Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5
9180 W. Golf Road,
Niles,
IL
60714
9180 W. Golf Road,
Niles,
IL
60714
3 people
favorited this theater
This movie theater, located on Golf Road just north of Golf Mill Mall in a non-descript strip mall, was opened in 1984 by the Essaness chain. It was later taken over by Cineplex-Odeon, and finally Loews-Cineplex.
The theater was closed down in the late-1990’s after the Loews-Cineplex chain went through bankruptcy. In 2002, Village Theaters took over and reopened the six screen Golf Glen. It operated until February, 2006, when Village closed the Golf Glen. It has since been re-opened (minus one screen) by the Phoenix AdLabs Theatres chain, and by 2010 by Phoenix Big Cinemas.
Contributed by
Aaron Wood
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Recent comments (view all 80 comments)
I went to dinner in the area today and drove by the theater afterwards. What a difference a couple of months makes! It looks from the outside like a modern theater all shiny and new! The poster cases were illuminated outside and even the marquee was redone. I couldn’t really see inside because the doors were still covered in paper, but it looks like from the lighting that there was a complete overhaul done in the lobby too. I was kind of hoping to see some 2nd run movies shown here, but regardless, I definitely have to stop in and check out what they’ve done to the place when it opens (anyone know when that is?). A part of me is a little sad there will be no more Cineplex Odeon decor inside, but I guess Village Theaters is the only chain that does zero renovations to the theaters they reopen. All in all, good to see someone do something positive to an older theater rather then carve it up for retail or make it into a church or gym.
The Golf Glen reopened on May 30. Their website shows 5 screens with a restaurant/bar, presumably built into the 6th auditorium.
Yep, it’s all Bollywood features.
http://www.bigcinemas.com/US/golfglen/index.asp
I went to the Golf Glen many times because it was close by, but I didn’t like it. Some of the screens were so small, on par with the old Woodfield indoor. I remember walking in to see Gremlins 2 the day it opened and they played it on the smallest screen. It seemed like the size of a bedroom wall. That being said, it didn’t stop me from going back.
The Hidden, Prince of Darkness (Halloween 1987), No Man’s Land. Others I can’t remember.
The last was either Vegas Vacation or the movie where Howie Long was a firefighter.
Status should be changed to open, Indian movies.
Here’s what it looks like now.
http://tinyurl.com/klzlb2
Very flashy and certainly more attractive than the plain exterior the theater used to have.
I remember when the Golf Glen opened back in the summer of ‘84. I was a teenager at Maine East High School and the first movie I saw there was KARATE KID. I also remember seeing BACHELOR PARTY, CONAN THE DESTROYER, ELECTRIC DREAMS and REVENGE OF THE NERDS that same year there, too. I liked to grab a bite with my friends after a movie at the Omega restaurant, which was located in the same strip mall. It was never my favorite place to see movies, because it was so small and unimpressive. I’d rather watch the big blockbusters and must-sees at the nearby Golf Mill and Old Orchard theaters and usually check out a lot of the smaller films and B-movies at the Glen. I saw almost every 80s horror, action and sex comedy released from '84 to '90 there, including: CREATURE, JUST ONE OF THE GUYS, PORKY’S 3: PORKY’S REVENGE, HELLRAISER, PHANTASM II, PRINCE OF DARKNESS, NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE, BREAKIN’ 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO, THE HIDDEN, DEADLY FRIEND, THE WRAITH, DEAD AGAIN, UNDER THE CHERRY MOON, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, INVASION U.S.A., MISSING IN ACTION and PREDATOR. I don’t think I saw any films there at all in the 90’s. It was definitely a product of the era.
What a change between now and its Village or C-O days.
Mike I saw KArate Kid there too. Right around Labor Day of 84. Also saw Secret of the Sword(He Man movie) and Iron Eagle.
No showtimes at the Big Cinemas/Phoenix website. Is this theatre closed again?
The theatre’s Yelp page at http://www.yelp.com/biz/big-cinemas-golf-glen-5-niles is full of bad reviews for this cinema.
When you call the theatre telephone you hear what is playing this week end. They are all foreign movies with english subtitles. So it is still open.
Most assuredly open. I had lunch at the Filipino restaurant next door to the theater yesterday. A steady stream of customers were seen going to the Bollywood matinees.