Circle Cinemas
399 Chestnut Hill Avenue,
Brookline,
MA
02146
399 Chestnut Hill Avenue,
Brookline,
MA
02146
7 people
favorited this theater
Given the impressive research and diligence on this site, the absence of the Circle is surprising. Now an unremarkable Showcase multiplex, in its heyday the single screen Circle rivaled the Charles as the best place to see a film in the Boston area and was, I believe, considered to be the crown jewel of the chain owned by Sumner Redstone.
Many films (a majority of which were Paramount releases) played the Circle exclusively in the 60s and 70s, including “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Paint Your Wagon”, “Love Story” (which ran for over a year), “Chinatown” and “Three Days of the Condor”. I remember the print ads for the Circle always included the name of the theatre using the same font as the logo for the film then playing there.
After the theater was twinned in 1976 and renamed Circle Cinemas (additional screens were added later), the Circle no longer played films exclusively.
It was closed by National Amusements Inc. on September 7, 2008.
Contributed by
Erik Hestnes
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Recent comments (view all 105 comments)
‘Sleep No More’ will not be held at the Circle Cinemas after all. The ART website now says “A mystery location in Brookline Village”.
Fun place, went to a lot of movies here while in college – the Ground Round used to be right next door, but it preceded the theater into retirement
Went by last month, still sitting there silently
<<< Many films played the Circle exclusively in the 60s and 70s, including “Love Story” (which ran for over a year) >>>
The Circle’s engagement of “Love Story” ran for 26 weeks, exactly one-half year.
A developer is proposing to build a hotel on the site; apparently, the building is already slated for demolition: View link
I’m amused that the article describes Applebee’s and Ground Round as “restaurant concepts” rather than actual restaurants.
I found it hard to believe that “LOVE STORY” played that long[one year] even though it was filmed there.26 weeks about par.It probably ran that long at Southgate Cinema.I am sure it seemed liked a year to employees with one screen.
Another article about the proposed project to raze the theater and build a hotel; it has a picture of the theater after it closed that will enlarge if you click on it: View link
The proposed hotel project on the site of the Circle is also mentioned in the business news in today’s Boston Herald. The hotel will have 150 rooms and 24,000 sq ft of retail space. It says that the “60-year-old theater” (actually, closer to 70 y/o) closed two years ago due to slow ticket sales.
More coverage of the proposed hotel development is at Brookline Patch: Part of New Cleveland Circle Hotel Would Fall on Brookline Land