The latest movie theater news and updates

  • November 9, 2010

    Champaign Orpheum Theatre enters Pepsi Refresh Project

    CHAMPAIGN, IL — The Orpheum Theatre is in the running to be chosen as part of the Pepsi Refresh Project.

    The Orpheum Theatre opened in 1914 as part of vaudeville’s legendary Orpheum Circuit, staging performances by the likes of Will Rogers and Harry Houdini. Its interior featured a breathtaking model of the Versailles Opera House. But by 1989 the theater had been abandoned, forgotten until it was purchased as a site for a parking deck. Then the community began a preservation effort.

    Read more at Pepsi Refresh.

  • Need help finding concession stand in Wisconsin

    Hello,

    I would greatly appreciate it if someone could help me find a used movie theater concession stand/candy case. Please email me back if you have any info.

  • November 8, 2010

    Fire erupts at historic Majestic Theatre

    CHILLICOTHE, OH — A curtain caught fire but things seem ok so far after the incident at the Majestic Theatre.

    Crisler says Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark and daughter Amber Nelon Thompson credited members of the group Beyond the Ashes for helping them to escape. He says the three members of The Nelons, three singers from Beyond the Ashes and a member of their management team were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation and released.

    The Majestic Theater has hosted many legendary entertainers, including Laurel and Hardy, Milton Berle and Sophie Tucker.

    Read the full story in the Chillicothe Gazette.

  • Looking for a theater that is long gone…….

    The first 10 years of my life, 39' to 49', I lived in the Almeda area of Houston, TX. and would frequent the Almeda Theater on Almeda and the Delman Theater on So. Main. But there was a 3rd theater in that same area that my brother & I would ride our bikes to. We liked going there because it specialized in films geared to kids. You know, the B westerns, Dog pictures, Tarzan, Bomba etc.. It always played double features and changed programs 3 or 4 times a week. We could spend the entire afternoon there. I think it closed in the early 50’s. I believe it was located in the Holman area but it wasn’t the Holman Theater which was located further toward UH.

    Can anyone remember?

  • RealD Cinema reporting smaller loss as shares rise

    According to the L.A. Business Journal, RealD Cinema, a leader in digital 3D cinema, reported earnings that beat estimates.

    Late Tuesday, the Los Angeles company reported a net loss of $5.1 million (12 cents per share) for its fiscal 2011 second quarter ended Sept. 24, compared with a net loss of $5.4 million (-22 cents) a year earlier.

    Net revenue increased 69 percent to $65.3 million. RealD, which went public in July, develops and licenses stereoscopic technology used in 3D motion pictures, video games and other multimedia content. The company as of the end of the quarter had deployed approximately 9,300 RealD enabled screens, most of them in the United States and Canada. That’s 182 percent more than a year earlier.

  • November 5, 2010

    Ocala Drive-in to reopen

    OCALA, FL — Closed for over three years and in need of much work, nonetheless the Ocala Drive-in is going to reopen in late December. Brothers John and Charles Watzke have leased the theater from its Illinois owner; they and their new manager, Jeff Beenblossom, are working to get the property in shape. It will have both traditional speaker poles and FM sound.

    The new theater will have about 150 parking spaces with speakers and another 400 that will be able to pick up the audio portion of movies through FM radio signals.

    The three men plan to repaint the screen, rewire the speakers and restore the concession stand.

    There is more at Ocala.com.

  • Orpheum Photography Show and Documentary Premiere release

    NEW BEDFORD, MA — “Eye on the Orpheum”

    New Bedford Orpheum Photography Show and Documentary Premiere release

    Admission is Free

    The organization O.R.P.H., INC. (Orpheum Rising Project Helpers) with support of the Community Building Mini- Grant Program of the United Way of Greater New Bedford and Reynolds DeWalt Printing are proud to announce plans for a photography exhibit and documentary premiere. The event will feature expert photography by these distinguished photographers; Neil Alexander, Jason Baker, Amy Butts, Frank Grace, Brian Rapoza, John Robson, Denn Santoro and many others.

    This event will be held at…

    Gallery X in the Douglass Gallery from November 7th to November 21st.

  • Theater seats available

    We are installing new seats at our theatre, and the old ones are available to whoever wants them. There are 553 American Bodiform seats manufactured in 1961. They are in fair condition, red fabric with blue backs.

    Available on or about Dec. 3rd and must be picked up here in Northampton, PA.

    Call Rick
    610 262-7699

  • November 4, 2010

    Stock sale contemplated to save Columbia City Cinema in Seattle

    SEATTLE, WA — Owner Paul Doyle has applied to the Department of Financial Institutions in a bid to issue nearly a half million shares of stock in the Columbia City Cinema. The independent cinema has been struggling financially of late, hit by the economic downturn and the need to make upgrades to comply with the city’s fire code that required the installation of sprinklers. If the stock sale is blocked, the theater may have to close.

    The cinema, which opened upstairs in the building in 2004, has been facing the same economic challenges in recent years as its loyal patrons. “We have been playing catch-up and improvising from the beginning,” said owner Paul Doyle. “It’s been like the endgame in chess.”

    Doyle said the troubles began in 2007, “when our downstairs tenant defaulted on the rent. When we got rid of him, we were paying double rent because we had a vacant downstairs.

    The full story is in the Post-Intelligencer.

  • The “Horror-Thon” - November 5-7 at the Lafayette Theatre

    SUFFERN, NY — IT’S BACK!

    The Lafayette Theatre’s world-famous Horror-Thon returns! November 5-6-7 at the Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, NY.

    The Lafayette’s “Horror-Thon” unspools with nine fantastic shows, including Saturday’s four movie salute to Universal Horror and the New York theatrical Premiere on Friday night of the indie horror film “What Really Frightens You?”, which had several scenes filmed at the Lafayette! Tickets are $9 for each movie; Full Festival pass – $70; special Saturday-only “Salute to Universal Horror” pass – $32.

    Show schedule:
    Friday, November 5
    7:30 – Carnival of Souls (1962, Candace Hilligoss)
    9:45 – What Really Frightens You? (2010, New York Theatrical Premiere of the indie horror film from director Richard W. Haines. Note: certain scenes from What Really Frightens You? were filmed at the Lafayette!