Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
The latest movie theater news and updates
-
January 22, 2010
Renovations to Casino Theater may be closer to launch though hurdles remain
WARE, MA — The owner, Fred T. McLennan, has fulfilled his obligation to construct a protective walkway, but actual work on restoring the Casino to cinema use has actually yet to begin. Back taxes still need to be paid before a construction permit can be issued. Twinned before it closed in the 1980s, the theater may actually be a century old.
Work to renovate the building is to begin on Jan. 30 and completed by Feb. 28, according to the agreement. If McLennan fails to do the work, he agreed that the town can enter the building, have work done and that he would be liable for all costs.
Tzambazakis said she is still hopeful that work will be done, but noted that the law requires the $10,390 in taxes be paid before a permit can be obtained.
Read more in The Republican.
0 comments -
January 21, 2010
Remembering Cinerama (Part 47: Phoenix)
REMEMBERING CINERAMA
Part 47: PhoenixThe following is Part Forty-Seven in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable screenings took place.
Part 1: New York City
Part 2: Chicago
Part 3: San Francisco
Part 4: Houston
Part 5: Washington, DC
Part 6: Los Angeles
Part 7: Atlanta
Part 8: San Diego
Part 9: Dallas
Part 10: Oklahoma City
Part 11: Syracuse
Part 12: Toronto
Part 13: Columbus
Part 14: Montreal
Part 15: Northern New Jersey
Part 16: Charlotte
Part 17: Vancouver
Part 18: Salt Lake City
Part 19: Boston
Part 20: Philadelphia
Part 21: Fresno
Part 22: Detroit
Part 23: Minneapolis
Part 24: Albuquerque
Part 25: El Paso
Part 26: Des Moines
Part 27: Miami
Part 28: Orange County
Part 29: Pittsburgh
Part 30: Baltimore
Part 31: Long Island
Part 32: Kansas City
Part 33: Milwaukee
Part 34: Nanuet/Rockland County
Part 35: Denver
Part 36: Worcester
Part 37: Toledo
Part 38: St. Louis
Part 39: Tampa
Part 40: Calgary
Part 41: Hartford
Part 42: Albany
Part 43: New Haven
Part 44: Sacramento
Part 45: Las Vegas
Part 46: SeattleAnd now…Part 47: Cinerama Presentations in Phoenix, Arizona!
-
Photographer captures haunting images of departed drive-ins
NEW YORK, NY — Photographer Carl Weese took his first B&W picture of an abandoned drive-in theater over a decade ago in Connecticut. Since then, he has been taking pictures of drive-ins in over 25 states, most of them now closed and decaying. He sees the drive-in theater as a “stealthily strong feature of American history.” A recent article in the New York Times spotlights his work and includes a slideshow of his pictures.
From the middle of the field, Mr. Weese could see the screen of an abandoned drive-in movie theater at the foot of a nearby hillside. It was half-covered in a thicket of overgrown trees. The image of the derelict screen blending into the surrounding landscape intrigued him.
The following morning he got up early. At dawn he photographed the drive-in, just as the day’s first shafts of light fell upon the white screen and illuminated it.
It was Mr. Weese’s first photograph of a drive-in theater. Over the years, he has produced hundreds more. “Drive-ins are this stealthily strong feature of American history,” said Mr. Weese, who takes a sociological approach to much of his photography.
-
Theater seats wanted
I am trying to re-open a theatre in Northeast Connecticut and I am in need of seats. I am looking for 2 lots of 200 seats. So if anyone has any that they are going to throw out, please let me know. I will travel a reasonable distance to pick them up. I can be e-mailed .
Thanks
-
January 20, 2010
Kerasotes sells theaters to Kansas City’s AMC
CHICAGO, IL — Kerasotes Showplace Theatres LLC, have announced that they (with the exception of three theatres) will be bought by AMC Entertainment.
Providence Equity Partners, which became a majority owner of Kerasotes Showplace Theatres in 2003, wanted to cash out of its investment, said Jim DeBruzzi, Kerasotes Showplace’s chief financial officer.
“We put a line in the water,” he said, and AMC appeared as a suitor.
AMC will take over 93 of Kerasotes' 96 movie theaters. Tony and Dean Kerasotes will continue to own and operate the ShowPlace Icon theater that opened in December on Roosevelt Road near Clark Street. The brothers will also retain an Icon theater in Minneapolis and a ShowPlace theater in Secaucus, N.J.
Read more in the Chicago Business Journal.
-
Brooklyn’s King’s Plaza shuttered by AMC
BROOKLYN, NY — The nearly forty-year-old, six-screen AMC King’s Plaza has closed. It originally opened as a twin in 1970.
It seems that the curtains have finally closed on theAMC Loews' Kings Plaza movie theater.
The six screen cinematheque that thrilled audiences of all ages for over 30 years quietly closed its doors earlier this month without any hooplah and fanfare.
By Monday, in fact, there wasn’t even a sign that there had been a theater inside the Flatbush Avenue mall at Avenue U: the entrance to the theater was replaced with a blank wall; the fresh plaster securing it in position still visible.
Read the full story in Your Nabe.
-
Closed Foxmoor 7 becomes Poconos Movieplex
MARSHALLS CREEK, PA — Closed since early December, 2009, the former Foxmoor 7 has reopened as the Poconos Movieplex. The new owner is Vermont Senator Kevin J. Mullin, who owns theaters in New York and Vermont. Since the closure, the theater had apparently been vandalized.
“The demographics for the area are right for a theater. I know when people go to resorts they want to do something at night. I’m confident the theater is going to do well,” Mullin said.
He has cleaned the property and even replaced long-missing mirrors in the men’s and women’s bathrooms.
The Theater’s new name is Poconos Movieplex. A Web site with showtimes isalready online.
Read more in the Pocono Record.
-
Box office up, dvd sales down in 2009
According to engadget, more people spent money at the movies than buying movies on dvd in 2009 vs 2008.
During one of the worst economies our parents have ever seen, according to Adams research, people spent $9.97 billion to get out of the house to see a movie last year — up 10 percent from 2008. At the same time, Disc sales (DVD and Blu-ray included) were down 13 percent to $8.73 billion — which wasn’t down nearly as much as most consumer goods.
-
January 19, 2010
On its 70th anniversary, former manager shares memories of Houston’s River Oaks
HOUSTON, TX — Former manager and regular patron since she was very young, Sarah Gish shares her memories of the the River Oaks which soldiers on, even though threatened with demolition in a city not known for the preservation of its classic movie theaters.
The River Oaks Theatre turned 70 a couple of months ago and we celebrated with cake and drinks. The party reminded me how special that cool historic building is to me —– and how it’s more than just a movie theater. It’s a touchstone in my life.
I went there as a kid when it was a repertory theater and I got to see exciting new worlds in movies like Nicholas and Alexandra, although I didn’t get to stay to the end as I have a vague memory of my parents whisking me out because of some disgusting food scene. Later, as an adult, I loved going there not only for the wonderful art films, but also for the camaraderie, the delicious herbal tea and foreign chocolate bars.
Read more at culturemap.com.
(Thanks to cybertoad for providing the photo.)
-
Rebirth of Page Manor
DAYTON, OH — Richard Mendel-Martin, Executive Director of Nouveau Cinema Group, Inc, a Dayton based 501 (c ) (3) non-profit corporation, has announced that his organization has successfully entered into a long-term lease agreement with Shottenstein Properties of Columbus, OH for the former Page Manor Twin Theatre at 5584 Airway Road in the Dayton Suburb of Riverside, near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The lease signing, representing several months of negotiations, is for a term lasting into the next decade. According to Mendel-Martin, The new name of the cinema will become The Page Cinema Arts Theatre.
The theatre originally opened around 1970 as a first run theatre by Century Theatres (New York) and was purchased by Chakeres Theatres (Springfield, OH) and converted into a twin cinema and was under their direction for another ten years. In latter years, the Page Manor Twin Cinema went through several ownerships and has been closed for the past several years. According to Mendel-Martin, “The cinema is in need of renovation, refurbishing and installation of new, state of the art equipment.”
In his opening announcement, Mendel-Martin explained, “Nouveau Cinema Group will begin extensive cleaning and remodeling beginning in late January with a planned grand opening slated for April 2nd, 2010. Freshly re-upholstered seats, handicapped accessible restroom, state of the art projection and sound equipment with ‘mirror-glow’ wall to wall screens are amongst the many improvements to be made to the new Page Cinema Arts Theatre. Even our remodeled concession area will feature whole-organic snacks, penny candy for the younger set, beer and wine as well as traditional popcorn and theatre snacks.”