Framingham Cinema Shoppers' World

1 Worcester Road,
Framingham, MA 01701

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: General Cinema Corp.

Architects: Benjamin Schlanger

Firms: Ketchum, Gina & Sharp

Previous Names: Cinema in the Shoppers' World, Cinemas I & II

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News About This Theater

Shoppers World Cinema in 1962

Opened as a single screen on October 4, 1951 with Fred MacMurray in “A Millionaire for Christy” & Ethel Barrymore in “Kind Lady”. This was one of the first ‘modern’ shopping center theaters in the US. It was used for summer stock the first two seasons, then opened year round for movies. The original theater was added onto in 1963 becoming twin cinemas, then in 1974, another addition and a couple of splits, made this a sixplex before it was closed in December 1994. It was demolished in the 1990’s when Shoppers World was torn down.

Contributed by David Wodeyla

Recent comments (view all 74 comments)

rivest266
rivest266 on April 26, 2013 at 2:11 pm

October 4th, 1951 grand opening ad has been uploaded in the photo section for this theatre.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 12, 2013 at 6:17 am

Also uploaded the ad for the twin on May 20th, 1964.

mwresinski
mwresinski on March 5, 2017 at 11:30 pm

I can remember approaching the theater while “Earthquake” was screening and could hear the Sensurround a few hundred feet away in the parking lot! Big Cerwin Vega speakers! When Cinema II opened (not because of splitting – it was a completely seperate house in the same building as David W. said. The date seems correct. I saw Dr. Z. in ‘65) – it had one of the worst designs ever! The screen took up most of the end of the house and, to either side, the walls curved outward to join the side walls of the house. I guess it was supposed to give the feeling of drawing you into the picture except the curved walls were white and reflected the light from the screen. It must have been an experimental design because I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else.

mwresinski
mwresinski on March 6, 2017 at 12:10 am

This site has also dredged up a fond memory of the GCC bumper shown before the “Coming Attractions” and “Feature Presentation”. Animation of letters running around the GCC logo like film threading through a projector accompanied by a jazzy high-hat cymbal and bass line.

DICK3570
DICK3570 on March 6, 2017 at 5:49 am

The Cinema II screen installed was sometimes called a “Shadow Box Screen” General Cinema started using it in all of its new theatres in the sixties. Both theatres in the new Peabody Twin had them. Showcase Cinemas used it when they took over and re-modeled the Cleveland Circle when it was still a single house. It was simple to install and eliminated curtains and masking but made filing the projector aperture plates very difficult.

DENNISMAHANEY1
DENNISMAHANEY1 on March 6, 2017 at 3:23 pm

So right about the shadow box the patrons love it I being with G.C.C. since 1959 but the focus or aptitude was now as good and when you go to a plate picture really was not as clear as using masking I alway felt and most of the union men I know the masking help give a sharp look

optimist008
optimist008 on March 7, 2017 at 6:10 am

It was actually invented in the early 1950’s by Ben Schlanger. Google it’s official name : RCA Synchro Screen.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on April 18, 2019 at 6:13 am

Opened with “A millionaire for Christy” and “Lucky lady”.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on April 19, 2019 at 1:11 am

Is there anything on the site now? The name sounds like a video library.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on June 21, 2022 at 11:21 am

This closed in connection to the opening of the General Cinema Framingham 14 nearby in December 1994 (now known as the AMC Dine-In Framingham 16).

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