Plantation Cross Roads

1870 N. University Drive,
Plantation, FL 33332

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David_Schneider
David_Schneider on October 2, 2019 at 1:26 pm

Sun-Sentinel newspaper article from August 8th, 2019:

“Plantation’s Mercede Theater Gone, But Great Memories Will Live On”

Also, the former theater is now viewable on Google Street View with its poster boxes empty.

The article mentions the building is likely to be torn down in the coming months.

rivest266
rivest266 on March 5, 2017 at 2:27 pm

This opened on April 9th, 1976 as the Mercede Cinema 4. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on May 8, 2013 at 4:01 pm

Wow this is a surpirse. Sunrise cinemas remodled this theater and put in stadium seating a few years back beofre they sold to the Frank Chain.

sporridge
sporridge on January 5, 2013 at 10:08 pm

I’m told Plantation Crossroads finally closed in January 2012 after a 35-year run. A new CVS Pharmacy now fronts University Drive: I’m unaware if the rest of the Mercede Center and the theatre were demolished. Nearest screens are now Frank Sunrise, Regal Sawgrass, and Ridge Cinema.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on January 5, 2013 at 11:35 am

This seems to be closed again. The intro mention as the Seminole must be a typo.

Dorg
Dorg on June 20, 2011 at 6:54 pm

If I’m not mistaken there is also another entrance to the complex off Sunrise where the Quizno’s Subs is.

sporridge
sporridge on June 13, 2011 at 10:45 pm

Street view: Entrance to the Plantation CrossRoads complex from University Drive. This sign was formerly the theatre’s marquee. The actual fourplex is a bit further in beyond Google’s reach.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 20, 2011 at 5:32 pm

Enjoyed the story on “10”.We had to watch teenage boys slipping in on it in the twin I worked,which was pretty easy since the screens were apart.I don’t really remember that much nudity if any in the movie.Thanks Irv.I did sneak into to see “THE GROOVE TUBE” when i was underage,so i know the thrill.

sporridge
sporridge on March 19, 2011 at 11:18 pm

Frank Theaters did briefly close the Plantation CrossRoads; it’s now due to reopen March 25 under the same owners who took over the Gateway.

sporridge
sporridge on February 26, 2011 at 6:51 pm

It appears Planation CrossRoads is no longer listed at the Frank Theaters site, and there was a report that foreclosure proceedings are underway for the entire shopping center.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on December 1, 2010 at 12:13 am

This theater is now being managed by Frank Theatres; the new official website is: http://www.franktheatres.com/Home.aspx

sporridge
sporridge on August 8, 2010 at 11:55 am

There was an attempt to add two more screens to the Plantation CrossRoads, but the city nixed the request.

Most of my visits were in the 80s, when the rare subtitled or alternative movie showed up (“The Last Metro” had a very long run here, and did help increase awareness to the distributors that Broward was ready for international films; I remember Drier telling the local paper about their earlier attempt to book another acclaimed subtitled movie of the time, but he was turned down). Around the mid 80s, they were even trying midnight movies (saw “Don’t Look Back” there, and “Eraserhead” was on another screen).

On the other hand, I remember reels being switched around when they played “Fantasia” in the early 80s: A Tchaikovsky/Beethoven mashup.

As of this writing (and as various proposed megaplexes nearby still haven’t materialized), Plantation CrossRoads is still the only game in town for moviegoers.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on August 15, 2008 at 11:32 am

Plantation Cross Roads should be the name here with Mercede Cinema as an aka.

evmovieguy
evmovieguy on October 24, 2006 at 8:17 pm

Wow…end of an era. They’re changing the name, huh? I wonder what kind of ‘renovations’ they could possibly make to that place. It’s not very big, so maybe they’re changing the carpet or something. But there you go, change is happening all around. CBGB closes in New York and the Mercedes changes it’s identity. Heavy..

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on August 21, 2006 at 10:21 pm

last time i saw a movie here was 1983-some chuck norris film-if i remember correctly floors tilted up to the screen…..very few theaters built this way…(manhattan twin in nys also)

chomposaurus
chomposaurus on August 20, 2006 at 11:54 pm

Yes, the former Mercede Cinema 4 will now be called “Plantation CrossRoads.” Awful name, if you ask me. Sounds more like a halfway house or substance abuse rehab facility than a movie theater.

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on August 20, 2006 at 7:15 pm

theater says closed for renovations…………looks like a name change also……

chomposaurus
chomposaurus on April 4, 2005 at 2:10 pm

Irv,

The Mercede Cinema’s experiments with “alternative” programming have all been mostly short-lived. The Mercede’s sister theater, the Gateway, has always played the bulk of the chain’s more limited releases. In 1996, the owner, Mitch Dreier, attempted an “early morning classics series” at both theaters, showing various “classics” on Tuesday (Gateway) and Thursday (Mercede) mornings. The films on the roster were, in chronological order, ‘My Fair Lady,’ ‘Driving Miss Daisy,’ ‘Dial M For Murder,’ ‘Hannah and Her Sisters,’ ‘High Noon,’ ‘The Searchers,’ ‘That Touch of Mink,’ ‘Camelot,’ and ‘House of Wax.’ I requested special permission from my high school principal to allow my Thursday absences to be excused so that I may enjoy this series.

Unfortunately, Dreier’s promotion of the series was too low-key, too grassroots. From what I recall, not a single ad was placed in the newspaper. Furthermore, Tuesday and Thursday morning screenings limit attendance mostly to retirees. As such, the series didn’t make it past ‘High Noon’ and was cancelled after only one showing of ‘The Searchers’ at the Gateway. I showed up to see it, excitedly (since I was saving this movie for the big screen), only to find the cinema desolate, with not a sign of employee life. After forty minutes, I and the other twelve people waiting decided to leave. I called the theater and it was explained to me that the series was cancelled. I was sent, by mail, a typewritten apology and one or two free passes which I never used, since the theater failed to subsequently book anything of interest.

From 1995 until about 2002, the only limited release I recall the Mercede getting was ‘Kiss Me Guido.’ In early 2003, the cinema became a second-run discount cinema, and that’s when, after scrapping all its digital sound equipment (which was sent to other locations in the now-expanded chain), it booked ‘Laurel Canyon,’ ‘How I Killed My Father,’ ‘The Company,’ ‘Talk To Her,’ ‘Far From Heaven,’ and others. While some of these drew crowds (‘Talk to Her’ and ‘Far From Heaven,’ namely), the Sunrise Cinemas (formerly Dreier Theaters) reverted the Mercede back to a first-run house, resuming its wholly uninspired programming.

What’s playing there right now?

Guess Who, The Ring Two, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, and Robots.

evmovieguy
evmovieguy on April 4, 2005 at 1:51 pm

Hey Born Jaded-

They showed ‘Laurel Canyon’ at Mercedes? Interesting. Compared to the old days that is really going into unchartered territory for them. Back in the day they were only showing mainstream films, but I’m sure over the years through different owners and stuff they have become more progressive with their choices.

chomposaurus
chomposaurus on April 4, 2005 at 3:24 am

Awesome post, Irv.

My list might be less impressive:

The Land Before Time (I was a cub scout, and this was an event movie for my den), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Scrooged, Parenthood, Hot to Trot, Sneakers, Pet Sematary Two, Consenting Adults, Death Becomes Her, Honeymoon in Vegas, A Few Good Men, Hero (with Dustin Hoffman), Housesitter, Stay Tuned, A Stranger Among Us, The Cemetery Club, Mrs. Doubtfire, Babe, their aborted Tuesday Classics series from 1996 (where I saw My Fair Lady, Driving Miss Daisy, Dial M For Murder, Hannah and Her Sisters, and High Noon), In & Out, Gangs of New York, How I Killed My Father, Laurel Canyon, Far From Heaven, Talk To Her, and finally, The Company.

And yes, a few others I can’t recall.

evmovieguy
evmovieguy on April 4, 2005 at 2:46 am

I grew up going to the Mercedes Cinema in the late 70s and into the 80s. It was very close to my house. For the longest time they were the only place in town that charged $1.00 admission!! This was back when the regular admission to a first run film was about $4.50 at other theaters in the area. The Mercedes was very popular, and I recall many times standing on a long lines to see whatever was playing. One day a friend and myself snuck into see Blake Edwards' “10” with Bo Derek & Dudley Moore. We were underage so it was a big deal that we actually got in there. We just wanted to see Bo Derek nude. Alot of retirees would go to the Mercedes since there was, and still is a huge retirement community down there. This particular time when we snuck into “10” I vividly remember a collective, somewhat loud groan coming from all the old-fart males in the audience when Bo finally got naked. True story!!

Wow, I remember seeing so many movies there. The theater itself was nothing to write home about. Pretty plain looking. Glad to hear that it’s still going strong though. Next time I’m back home I’ll make it a point to see a flick there just for old-time’s sake.

Here are some titles, in addition to “10” that I remember seeing there:

Breaking Away
Caddy Shack
Pink Panther Strikes Again
Rocky
Grease
Young Frankenstein (re-release)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (with the Bee Gees)
Rollercoaster (in “Sensorround”)
Sharkey’s Machine
The Seduction
The Jerk
Coal Miner’s Daughter
The Turning Point
Private Benjamin

and I’m sure many, many more that I can’t remember.

chomposaurus
chomposaurus on March 22, 2005 at 3:56 am

This is the oldest theater in the South Florida-based Sunrise Cinemas chain, which was initially known as Dreier Theaters. The Mercede is tucked away behind the Mercede shopping plaza and has been there since the 1970s. It’s an intimate four-plex in a very nondescript building whose parking is limited, although not a problem since the theater is rarely packed. The theater’s main attribute is that it’s cozy. A good theater to which to bring a girl with whom you can make out in the back. The lobby is small, and so the smell of popcorn and hot dogs pleasantly fills the air, making this smell like a cinema. Projection is good, although two of the houses have only monaural sound. Watching features in these houses is not advised.

I worked here very briefly and can attest to the cleanliness of the projection booth. A union projectionist, at least at the time I worked here, mans the booth part-time and projection staff is well-trained. The floor staff, however, is varied. At times, as a patron, I was impressed by the staff. At other times, particularly as an employee, I was frightened by the sleaziness of the given crop.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on December 11, 2004 at 4:48 pm

Update to the top under chain+Sunrise Cinemas