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The latest movie theater news and updates
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June 30, 2010
Joesph Musil passes away quietly
SANTA ANA, CA — Famed Theatre Designer and Showman Joseph J. Musil Jr. died at age 74 last night after a long illness. He will be mostly remembered by his greatest work, the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood as well as the Majestic Crest in Westwood.
You can find more information about this genius at Cinema Sightlines along with a tribute.
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“Trailer Trash” at the Tilton 9
NORTHFIELD, NJ — On July 23rd at 10PM the Tilton 9 theater in will be presenting “Trailer Trash” hosted by Newt Wallen and the cast and crew of screwattack.com’s series, “Underbelly”!
A night of classic cult movie previews and drive in ad’s from the 60’s to the 80’s, all on 35mm film.
The night will be filmed for an upcoming episode of “Underbelly” and will feature trivia, great grindhouse inspired prizes and other special guests.
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Latest interior photos of Odeon (Paramount)
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND — Current owners of the building have allowed the Newcastle and Northumberland Society to tour the interior of the former Odeon Cinema, which closed in 2002, photos taken show many of its original features and fittings have been removed since closure. The cinema and neighboring buildings are earmarked for demolition.
Urban Exploration website, 28 days later has been given permission to show the photos.
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Sony to deploy 4k to AMC’s in UK
According to DCinema Today , Sony Professional will install 4K projectors in AMC’s UK theaters, which will be done by autumn 2010, following a similiar deal that AMC did to US and Canadian theaters.
AMC currently operates two sites in the UK, the Broadway Plaza 12 in Birmingham and Great Northern 16 in Manchester. The deal in the UK follows the success of Sony’s agreement with AMC in the United States and Canada via DCIP (a joint venture owned equally by exhibition industry leaders AMC, Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group). Deployment of the 4K projector system in the UK is expected to be finished by autumn 2010.
“Our agreement with Sony is a prime example of our strong advocacy of the industry’s move to a digital platform. Digital cinema provides a new world of programming flexibility and opportunities for cinemas,” said Mark McDonald, executive vice president, global development, AMC. “Sony 4K projection systems enable us to deliver an enhanced entertainment experience to our guests.”
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Ground broken for eight-screener in Henderson, KY
HENDERSON, KY — Soon, residents of this northern Kentucky city will no longer have to cross the Ohio River over to Evansville, Indiana to enjoy a film, as construction has begun on an eight-screen multiplex here. The theater will be operated by the family-owned North Park Cinemas, based in Evansville, and will be their fifth facility in the region.
“People will never have to cross the river again to do it. We will have our own movie theater,” Schneider said to a round of applause at the ceremonial groundbreaking for Showplace.
“It will be a first-class facility,” promised Mick Stieler, the corporate secretary for Evansville-based North Park Cinemas Inc., the family-owned parent company of Showplace.
There is more at Gleaner.com.
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June 29, 2010
AMC acquires Mann Criterion 6
SANTA MONICA, CA — The Mann Criterion 6 will now be under AMC management, giving the company control of all three theaters on the Third Street Promenade. AMC has been working to close the AMC Loew’s Broadway 4 on the Promenade to comply with city-imposed conditions relating to its desire to build a new theater; AMC says this acquisition gives them additional options.
AMC’s acquisition, though, could have implications for the company’s plan to develop a state-of-the-art 12-screen theater on Fourth Street at the present site of Parking Structure No. 3.
AMC and its partner, Metropolitan Pacific Capital, are in the early stages of getting their project entitled and hope to open in 2013. A Planning Commission hearing on the proposed theater concept is scheduled for July 7.
City Hall officials have said AMC will be required to reduce the number of seats at its older theaters so that the opening of the new multi-plex will result in only a “modest” net increase of about 570 theater seats Downtown.
There is more in the Santa Monica Daily Press.
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Grass roots effort begun to save the Queen Theater in Honolulu
HONOLULU, HI — A growing and determined group of local preservationists have banded together to help save the 1936 Queen Theater. The deteriorating theater has been closed for decades, ending its movie exhibition days as an adult theater. The group is working first to get the theater designated as a landmark, and convince the owner that the building can be made viable once again.
Lately, a few concerned citizens have organized themselves around this shared sentiment. Together they’re the nonprofit Friends of Queen Theater. Whether it’s a screening of a Godard film, a staging of Waiting for Godot, or a performance by a Go-Gos cover band, its members want to see the structure as an operating theater again.
“Our mission is to restore the Queen Theater for community use into a working, multi-use venue,” says Nancy Wilcox, a McKinley High School photography teacher and founding member. “Films, live performances, concerts—-it could do practically anything and contain modern technology that’ll have no affect on its historical nature.”
The full story is in the Honolulu Weekly.
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70mm Star Trek TOS Movie Series at the Laemmle Royal Theater
LOS ANGELES, CA — Star Trek fans and moviephiles of widescreen 70mm are cordially invited to attend a rare, spectacular, or is it Trektacular movie event happening every Saturday (except July 3) through July 24, 2010 at the Laemmle Royal Theater. Each of the original series films starting with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan will be shown in 70mm. The screenings start at about midnight and will have a Q&A with a special guest star.
For more information, details can be found at Laemmle.
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IMAX to deploy portable theaters in the U.S. and China
NEW YORK, NY — The IMAX Corp. has announced plans to build and deploy portable theaters to serve areas of the U.S. and China. The first will be unveiled in September, and apparently will resemble inflatable tennis bubbles.
IMAX hopes to unveil its first portable theater at an event in New York this September, said IMAX spokeswoman Sarah Gormley. The theaters, which the company likens to a tennis bubble, have inflatable exterior walls and come with full seating for an audience of about 450 people. Gormley says the interior walls and ceiling come acoustically treated to ensure the sound quality of a normal IMAX film.
There is more in the Wall Street Journal.
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Looking to purchase movie theater merchandise
ENTERPRISE, AL — I am looking for old movie theater seats for cheap! If they need to be recovered that is okay! I am also looking for any cotton candy machine or popcorn machine at a reasonable price! I will drive to pick up if close to Alabama.
Just contact me via email.