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The latest movie theater news and updates
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October 5, 2009
Sale of theatre seats, electric drapes, motorised 25ft x 15ft projector screen in Liverpool, England.
All parts of a small Theatre/conference area/cinema are to be removed from a central Liverpool location and are open to offers.
Available are:
200 green leather seats
2 hoover motor motorised wire pull drape curtain rails 35ft across
2 sets of quality drapes one Blue Velour ,one black 35ft by 15FT High
2 x3ft hanging high drapes 35ft ACROSS
1 motorised centre wire pull projection screen 25ft by 15ftIf you know any person or group that may be interested in all or part of this parties can contact me Dave by email or phone on UK 07972 324304 -Specific Photos available if required
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October 2, 2009
Branson Meadows Cinema closes
BRANSON, MO – The 11-screen Branson Meadows Cinema has closed. Located in the Shoppes at Branson Meadows and operated by Nova Cinemas, the theater had beem operating for ten years.
The cinema featured 11 houses, a large lobby with a small arcade, a central concession area with four serving stations and all stadium seating. It has also become a local hangout.
“I hate that it is closing,” Branson resident Sandy Booth said. “It is close to home and we come here all the time. I’m definitely going to miss it. My son worked here while he was in high school.”
Read more in the Branson Daily News.
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Castle Theatre to be operated by non-profit group
MANCHESTER, IA — Fridley Theaters has turned over ownership of the Castle Theatre to a non-profit organization, Castle Theater, Inc., which is making making repairs to the theater built in 1935. The group plans to re-open it in October.
The movie theater generated little revenue during its ownership, said Brian Fridley, vice president of Fridley Theaters. Fridley said entertainment attractions in nearby Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo took a toll on the theater.
“We thought it would be best if we found a group that would run it locally,” Fridley said. “Having this private group running the theater … the theater would be able to operate for years to come.”
Read more in The Telegraph Herald.
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Ada Theater for sale?
ADA, OH — Rodney Miller, the current owner of the 61-year-old Ada Theater says in a recent article that the theater is for sale. However, if can’t get the price he wants, he has backup plan: acquire a liquor license , develop a relationship with a pizzaria, and add tables in the theater.
The Ada was substantially renovated in 1986, with additional improvements made since then. Miller owns three other theaters in addition to the one in Ada, home of Ohio Northern University.
Catching Rodney Miller, owner of M. E. Theatres Inc., while he is in Ada and has a moment of spare time is either a difficult task or a stroke of good fortune. On the occasion of the latter, he is gracious enough to talk about his most recent business news: the Ada movie theater is for sale.
“Right now I am running four theaters,” Miller explains, “which is part of the reason for the sale – I’m putting in well over 100 hours per week.”
Read the whole story in the Ada Herald.
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Orleans Theatre re-opening
ORLEANS, IN — It has been a four year struggle to save the Orleans Theatre from structural collapse. Nevertheless, the theater has been saved and will run three fundraising events in October. The theatre will then permanently re-open in spring of 2010.
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Concert venue plans for former UC Theater on track
BERKELEY, CA — As reported on August 18 plans to convert the UC Theater in Berkeley are moving along. Although the theater was never a “palace,” the new owners are preserving many architectural details according to this article from the San Francisco Chronicle, which includes some pre-renovation pictures.
Gone will be the dusty blue velvet seats, but the rest of the UC’s mish-mash decor will likely be preserved, Mayeri said. That includes the Egyptian Art Deco trim, the tulip murals and the ornate grillwork encasing the organ loft.
The 1917 building has already been seismically retrofit and outfitted with sprinklers, so most of the renovation work will be soundproofing and cosmetic, Mayeri said.
In the case of the UC, “cosmetic” is a broad term. Unlike other historic single-screen movie palaces around the Bay Area, the UC lacks many gleaming adornments and gilded flourishes. The theater was gutted in a fire in the 1940s and rebuilt with a decidedly spartan motif.
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October 1, 2009
After millions in renovations, Cleveland’s Capitol re-opens on October 2
CLEVELAND, OH — Another classic theater will re-open soon in Cleveland. The 1921 Capitol Theater, will re-open as a three-screen theater to be operated by Jon Forman’s Cleveland Cinemas, which operates the Shaker Square Cinemas and the Cedar-Lee multiplex. The theater, closed since 1985, will be part of the Gordon Square Arts district. which will include two live performance venues for the Cleveland Public Theater and the Near West Theater.
This elaborate renovation project connecting Cleveland’s past with its future actually succeeded. The new Capitol, at 1390 West 65th Street just north of Detroit Avenue, opens next weekend.
For the city’s cultural and nightlife scene, the theater represents something film fans have been requesting for years: a movie house on the West Side that’s convenient for Clevelanders, within striking distance of Lakewood and Rocky River, and one that might offer the independent and foreign fare available for decades at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights.
Read the whole article, including a picture a video clip at Cleveland.com.
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Newsreel theater
Hi,
I’m not sure if this idea would fly in reality, but I’m wondering how successful an old theater, probably a smaller, neighborhood type or smaller town theater would be if it mainly showed a huge succession of older cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, etc.) and newsreels. This begs the question about who or what has the most complete collection of newsreels from maybe the 1920s to the 1960s when they ended. The first one to come to mind is Pathe News but I’m sure there were others. I think this may work if some kind of non-profit organization were placed in charge of a theater that has been rescued and providing such a collection of newsreels and cartoons were available, could charge a minimal admission, maybe less than a dollar, to watch as much or as little of the succession of cartoons and newsreels as the viewer wished within business hours of course. I would appreciate some feedback regarding this idea and if you know who has such a collection of cartoons and newsreels I’m sure many others might be curious to know.
Thank you!
David Stear
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Beach 4 in Cape May, NJ appears doomed
CAPE MAY, NJ — Opened in 1950 as the Beach Theatre, the Beach 4 is nearing a date with the wreckers. Although the demolition permit has yet to be issued and efforts have been underway to preserve the cinema, the owners have stated their intent to demolish it within the next four months.
The owners of the Beach Theatre in Cape May plan to demolish the structure within the next four months.
Bruce Frank, president of Frank Investments that owns the beach-block movie theater, said Friday that the demolition would take place before the end of the year.
The full story can be read at pressofAtlanticCity.com.
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September 30, 2009
Theater goes from part-time job to intense hobby for man
WINNER, SD — This story from the Daily Republic discusses the memories of a lifelong theater fan turned operator at the local Pix Theatre.
But an upcoming switch to digital projection that most industry professionals believe to be inevitable is an uncomfortable thought for Meister, who isn’t sure if the transition — a digital projector currently costs approximately $70,000 — will be one he can afford to make.
“It’s really scary to me,” Meister said. “It makes me wonder if I want to go and do any repairs right now or if I want to wait and see what’s coming.”