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The latest movie theater news and updates
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May 26, 2010
San Diego Council approves plan to demolish Starplex theater
SAN DIEGO, CA — It is not going to happen right away, but plans were approved to eventually demolish the Starplex Mission Valley 7 as part of a plan to revitalize the Hazard Center by building residential units. Organizers of the Asian and Latino film festivals, both of which have been annually held at the multiplex for several years, are concerned over the availability of another appropriate venue and the costs. The cinema opened in 1990 has the Mann Hazard 7.
There’s a story with pictures (that appeared before the vote was taken) in KPBS.
5 comments -
Looking for sound system
I need a sound system. I have a 298 theater seat newly built private donor theater in Santa Barbara(Pollock Theater). I need sound equipment. surround speakers. I am currently pricing a new JBL sound system. I would prefer used equipment. speakers, etc. Klipsich, jbl or any model you might have.
Anyone looking to unload sound, speakers? I just need good quality.
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Former Adams Cinema in Quincy to become sports bar and bistro
QUINCY, IL — Opened in 1915 as the Belasco, the twin-screen Adams Cinema closed in 1999 as a movie theater and was later given to a church. Two businessmen plan to gut the interior for a restaurant and lounge. A story with a video clip is here.
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May 25, 2010
Time to revisit the Paramount Consent Decree?
Many readers here on Cinema Treasures are aware of the 1948 Paramount Consent Decree which, in a nutshell, forced the big Hollywood studios of the time to divest themselves of the theater chains they owned, based on the contention that the studios unfairly controlled film distribution. These chains included some, if not most, of the greatest movie palaces ever built.
In a recent piece written for a blog at Film.com, commentator C. Robert Cargill argues that studios should once again be permitted to own theaters outright, pointing out that circumstances have radically changed since 1948 and that competition would now be enhanced not diminished if studios now had their own exhibition outlets.
The idea of the studios not being able to own their own theater chains is an outdated concept that should be challenged and overturned, something producer Joe Roth opined at the Digital Hollywood Conference a few weeks back. Roth’s beef stems from a collective boycott by a number of theater chains against his film, the runaway hit Alice in Wonderland, because they were upset with the 12-week window between their scheduled release of the film and its appearance on Blu-ray and DVD. And while that time may look short on paper, remember that Alice in Wonderland appeared in theaters on March 5 and the DVD release is still a month away.
The whole essay is here at Film.com.
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Indie theaters in UK struggle to meet the digital challenge
LONDON, ENGLAND — Like many of their North American counterparts, independent cinemas in the UK are grappling with the seemingly relentless pressure by Hollywood to go digital. The expense of conversion may force a number of cinemas, especially in smaller towns, out of business, though the government is accelerating efforts to provide conversion assistance.
“We are financially stretched,” said its manager, Gregory Lynn. “So many indie cinemas like us cannot afford to go digital, but we don’t really have a choice.”
The movie house is among thousands of small cinemas — mostly in Europe — in danger of going bust unless they make the switch. The conversion costs may leave some small towns with no theaters, and fewer venues to screen movies may result in the shrinking of the European film industry, already concerned about the cultural dominance of Hollywood.
Read the full story in Business Week.
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Loopnet theater listings
If you have the money, there are some major gems on the market.
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May 24, 2010
Facebook group forms to help save Cinedome 70
RIVERDALE, UT — Over 2,400 people have joined a Facebook group established to help save the Cinedome 70, a twin-domed theater closed since 2001 and threatened with demolition for a car dealership. It is similar in design to domed theaters built in Sacramento and around the San Francisco Bay area that are rapidly disappearing.
“It would be much better served in the community as a place for art and culture, rather than just another car lot.”
Glines said Riverdale already has an abundance of car dealerships, but what it is lacking is uniqueness.
“I think putting a dealership here would be directly going against the wishes of the people,” he said.
Read the full story in the Standard-Examiner.
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Christie is Cannes Festival partner
CYPRESS, CA — Christie, a global leader in digital cinema, announced that it is Cannes International Film Festival’s Technical Partner for the fourth year in a row, digitizing a record 22 theatres with the latest generation Christie DLP Cinema projectors. Installations include the next-generation Series 2 projector, the Christie Solaria Series, highlighted by the Christie CP2220 and Christie CP2230, which feature Academy Award*-winning DLP Cinema technology from Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN). Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, presented out of competition, opened Cannes with its world premiere on a Christie CP2230.
“It is a huge privilege to see our digital projectors playing such a critical role in this key event in international cinema,” remarked Christie EMEA Vice President, Dale Miller. “As a pioneer in the film industry for more than 80 years, Christie is proud to make available again its expertise and experience to the world of cinema.”
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WANTED: Old Theater sound equipment (amplifiers, power amps, preamps, limiters, mixers)
I buy and restore vintage tube equipment and am currently looking for old theater tube sound equipment. I often find this antiquated stuff sitting and rotting in vacant theaters and it really is a shame. I will buy this stuff and put it to good use. I am interested in equipment by Altec, Langevin, IPC, RCA, Western Electric, Fairchild, Electro Voice, etc. I am located in New England but I will travel anywhere if you have something I am really interested in
Thanks
-J
AudioSalvage/AudioHunters
508-208-5867 -
May 22, 2010
“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” free showing at Fresh Meadows 7
FRESH MEADOWS, QUEENS, NY — The Fresh Meadows 7 is running a free showing Sunday of the 1963 film “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. Apparently they also ran this film for free in November. These showings have been advertised in free local weeklies in Queens but are not shown on Fandango or Moviefone. They are also not listed in the papers though I believe the New York Post had a advertisment for it last year. I went to a film at the theater today and could not believe the film was up on the marquee with a May 23 date. I asked the manager about this and all he could tell me was that a Richard Bernstein rented the theater both times and it’s free for anyone to see.
“It’s one of my favorite comedy movies of all time, and I wanted other people to be able to see it and laugh the way I’ve laughed,” Bernstein said.
The movie that stars such big names as Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, and Buddy Hackett will play at the AMC Loews Fresh Meadows 7 Sunday, May 23, at 1:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Bernstein, who was 11 when he first saw the movie about a wild pursuit of $350,000, brought the film to the same theater last year but was disappointed when only about 25 people came to see a movie he has seen a “countless” number of times.
This year Bernstein is once again spending about $1,000 to rent the space and play the movie for a wide audience and has ramped up efforts to advertise the event in the hopes the theater will be packed. The theater can hold 145 people.
Read more in the Bayside Times.