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Theaters
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January 8, 2008
Pennsylvania Road Show
This New York Times article takes a look at where some of the historic theaters of Central Pennsylvania are today like the Majestic Theater and Fulton Opera House.
The Fulton is one of a number of historic – and fully operating – theaters in south-central Pennsylvania that offer backstage tours where one can step right into theatrical history. All within a few hours' drive from Philadelphia, they can provide an easy weekend getaway for theater history lovers.
Some theaters charge for tours (at the Fulton it is $7); others (like the Majestic in Gettysburg) offer tours free, while placing show bills into the hands of visitors who are encouraged to come back that evening as theatergoers.
For theater buffs (and for a former drama club president like myself), it is a heady experience to peek into stars' dressing rooms in gilded palaces that radiate theatrical magic in a way that modern performance spaces lack. And to pick up a few tricks of the trade.
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December 31, 2007
Happy Birthday Radio City!
NEW YORK, NY — This past week on December 27th, Radio City Music Hall celebrated its 75th Anniversary.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL. AND MANY MORE YEARS!
Roxy opened the doors to RCMH and called it the “Showplace of the Nation” and it was with an all live show. Movies with a show came later.
This is one of the leading Art Deco masterpieces and it is still with us and still in use. It was a very advanced theatre for its time. Huge pipe organ, everything about it was huge.
Information provided by Mr. Don Bohatka of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Courtesy of Ted Gooding at THSA.
Happy Holidays from everyone here at Cinema Treasures and a Happy New Year!
(Thanks to Chirstopher Chan for providing the photo.)
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Proposed new cinema for Scarborough, England
Proposed multiplex for Scarborough.
Plans have been put forward for the Hippodrome Centre, a new entertainment and retail centre on the current car park in North Street, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. It will occupy four floors plus a basement car park for 109 vehicles.
There are plans for 6 cinema auditoria on the 1st and 2nd floors, seating:–
1)and 6) 34 premium, 152 standard and 3 disabled (total 189 patrons)
2) 65 premium, 271 standard and 4 disabled (total 340 patrons)
3) 4) & 5) 28 premium, 75 standard and 3 disabled (total 106 patrons) -
December 26, 2007
Exciting future for D&R
Courtesy of THSA:
Friends,
Aberdeen, WA, is joining the ranks of cities with a restored theater, the D&R. The theater was derelict for many years and was in very poor conditions. On December 21, 2007, a new marquee and blade sign were tested and it was spectacular. It appears that in May, when it reopens, it will prove to be a world class venue and a masterful restoration.
John Yonich’s, the owner, current plan is to have only live performances at the D&R. He would like to buy and restore a second theater “The Aberdeen,” currently a church, for movies.
As many of you know, this is deja vue all over again for me. But, for once, I have had nothing to do with these projects except as a spectator.
If any of you have any material on or artifacts from either of these theaters, please let me know.
Please get the word out about this project and lets get some press.
Mike Dickerson
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December 25, 2007
ABC Wakefield uncovered
WAKEFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND — Check out the great pics and story of a journey into the long shuttered ABC Wakefield
Pics courtesy of Phill D
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Minivan slams into former State-Lake Theatre
CHICAGO, IL — During a Sunday night broadcast of ABC7 News at 10 p.m., a minivan crashed into a glass wall of the WLS-TV studios disrupting the live broadcast at the former location of the State-Lake Theatre. The driver was arrested and the broken glass was boarded up.
There was no structual damage to the historic State-Lake Building. Further details including video from WLS-TV.
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December 21, 2007
Update: One of the few Dimension 150 Theaters left…..
PLEASANT HILL, CA — Yes, one at least remains, the Dome, undivided and intact, apart from the original screen. It’s the CineArts. I went to see Atonement this week and spoke with a manager. There is only one screen there, (he has been behind the present screen and there is no other, so likely the original is gone). There is only one projector in the dome and apparently no capacity to do 70mm, (I stayed through the credits and watched an employee carry a big reel, (platter size?) to another theater as they were showing it in two, and didn’t seem to have interlock between the two).
I specifically asked why the curtains weren’t used anymore. He said they weren’t automated, but they manually moved them depending on the screen size needed. If they were ‘motorized’, they don’t work anymore. (They did for Titanic, which played for weeks, but that was ten years ago.)
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December 18, 2007
State Theater showing more silent films
SPRINGFIELD, OH —
From today’s Springfield News-Sun:
One of only two surviving downtown movie theaters, the State officially is vacant again.
The other theater, the Regent, is just now beginning the slow march toward renovation with a new roof after 15 years of sitting empty.
But the State — while it needs work, too — at least has had activity going on inside.
“The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” with a new live score will be shown in late March, 2008. I’ve been given the go-ahead to try to start a new classic film series at the State Theater.
-Larry Coressel
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December 14, 2007
Historic Astor Theatre “saved by bell”
ST. KILDA, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA — The venerable Astor Theatre opened on Friday, April 13, 1936. It is one of Australia’s last remaining single screen movie palaces still in operation. The theatre has seen very few alterations and has survived mostly intact. The interior has been repainted and a new wall to wall screen was added in 1998.
In was saved from demolation in 1967 when the owners converted it to a Greek-language theater. It was also used for occasional concerts. After a brief closure from February to September of 1982 it returned to film presentation and currently runs classic double features along with occasional blockbusters.
The theatre was recently put up on the auction block and received one bid for $2.5 million dollars, a bid which was passed on by the owners. One of Victoria'a top private grammer schools, St. Michael’s, saw an opportunity to expand its current 150 seat studio and offered $3.8 million for the theatre 20 minutes after the previous offer was declined. That offer was accepted by the owners. The theatre, conveniently located across the street from the school, will be used for school concerts and speech nights.
The great news for cineastes is that when not in use by the school it will maintain its program of classic and independant films. Additionally St. Michael’s head Simon Gipson said the school would clean and repaint inside and out, while protecting heritage-listed features. Mr Gipson said: “We are honoured to have become the custodians of a building that holds such architectural and emotional significance for St Kilda.”
An article on the purchase can be found at Theage.com website.
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December 13, 2007
Terrace Theater brings back showmanship
CHARLESTON, SC — Longtime Cinema Treasures member Michael Furlinger brings a superior moviegoing experience to Charleston with the Terrace Theater.
Exuding a mix of charisma, panache and insouciance, Michael Furlinger stands in the foyer of the Terrace Theater, with tiny twinkling lights overhead, greeting theatergoers before a concession stand that includes a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne.
Furlinger’s Long Island, N.Y., accent, tinged with a bit of a Brooklyn patois, can be heard clearly across the lobby as he welcomes film aficionados to the Lowcountry’s only art-house theater, and the largest in the state.
The Terrace is where genres appealing to serious film addicts are shown, and Furlinger says he isn’t afraid to show controversial celluloid fare not usually screened in multiplex chains. Since Furlinger bought the theater five months ago, he has continued the tradition of foreign-language films, such as “La Vie En Rose” about French singer Edith Piaf and the global-warming documentary “Eleventh Hour.”
Read the full article in the Post and Courier.