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December 5, 2008
Remembering Cinerama (Part 14: Montreal)
REMEMBERING CINERAMA
Part 14: MontrealThe following is Part Fourteen 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, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also 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 events took place.
Part 1: New York
Part 2: Chicago
Part 3: San Francisco
Part 4: Houston
Part 5: Washington, D.C.
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: ColumbusAnd now…Part 14: Cinerama Presentations in Montreal!
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Redstone to possibly sell NA
Faced with mounting debts, Sumner Redstone might be forced to choose one of his companies to sell. It could end up being National Amusements.
To the list of bizarre recent events such as taxpayers owning a chunk of Citigroup, and Lehman Bros., Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch all biting the dust can be added the prospect of Sumner Redstone selling National Amusements holdings.
Privately held National is essentially the holding company for Redstone’s stakes in both CBS and Viacom as well as the theater chain run by daughter Shari Redstone.
Nothing is official, but a divestment of theaters is on the table as the mogul wrangles over how best to address the looming debt payments of about $800 million. Redstone has repeatedly vowed not to sell “one single share” of either company and to hold onto the 1,500-screen exhib circuit, the original building block of his empire.
Read the full story in Variety.
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Delaware’s last drive-in closes
FELTON, DE — The last drive-in theater in Delaware is closing Saturday. The theater operator can’t afford to buy the land and the property owners want to sell.
The Diamond State Drive-in Theater opened in 1949 and converted to adult films in 1966 until 1985. The screens were dark from then until 1995 when the present operator reopened it.
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Mann’s Chinese gets “3-D sound” system
HOLLYWOOD, A — Iosono, a spinoff of Germany’s Frauhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology, has installed its first “3-D sound” system in Mann’s Chinese 6’s digital theater.
The system uses 380 speakers set six inches apart around the walls of the auditorium. Iosono explained that it uses “wavefield synthesis” to envelop the audience with sound. It can play regular movie soundtracks as well as those specially mixed for the sustem.
The system is expected to cost about 30% more than a “good” 5.1 surround sound system as well as additional installation costs.
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Ridgewood Theatre items
RIDGEWOOD, QUEENS, NY — A few months ago the Ridgewood Theatre closed due to competition from a new near by Multiplex.
Found in this 95 year old theatre was the following:
1- 4 columns about 15 feet tall in the balcony. They are in the
shape of a women or mermaid. They were in a sealed off room.
2- The blower and pipes for the organ (which was not found).
The blower was installed by The Kinetic Engineering Company of
Philadelphia and was certainly used in the silent picture period.
3- Several old light fixtures.I’m wondering is there is any interest in these items and what their value might be.
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Sanibel Island Cinema reopens
SANIBEL ISLAND, FLORIDA — The Island Cinema has reopened under new ownership and after an extensive five-month renovation.
During the renovation, the entire two-screen theater was completely gutted, including the electrical system, with nothing left except for the projector booth door.
Each auditorium features 60 soft, extra-wide, leather-like rocking seats, a new digital projector, nine surround-sound speakers and three ceiling fans, with new air conditioning throughout.
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Heights Theater under new ownership
ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NY — On Tuesday November 24,2008 the owners of the Glen Theater in Watkins Glen New York took over ownership of the Heights Theater in Elmira, New York,
This ends former owner Craig Spencer’s 6 years of operating the single screen, 2nd run theater.
The Heights has continually screened films since 1949 except for the 2 years prior to Spencer renovating in 2002.
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Capitol Theatre 1931 - Livingstone Zambia
The Capitol Theatre in Livingstone Zambia is being restored. Built in 1931 it is the country’s oldest surviving cinema (the first one had no roof and when it rained it was described in the local press at the time as ‘being a little inconvenient’ when the heavens opened up with a torrential down pour!!!)
The Grill family, refugees from Lithuania, initially started the theatre and it soon passed on to the Sossen’s (related by marriage). Old man Harry Sossen was quite the gent in the town and he hosted the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Danny Kae and Ann Todd during their visits to Livingstone to see the Victoria Falls. Harry also struck up a friendship with Laurens van der Post whose book ‘Flamingo Feather’ Hitchcock wanted to put into film form. He had even chosen his leading lady for the film, Grace Kelly, but shortly afterwards she married Prince Rainier of Monaco and so the idea was shelved.
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December 4, 2008
70/70: Laemmle 70th Anniversary Series
LOS ANGELES, CA — 70/70: A Series Of 70mm Films Celebrating Laemmle’s 70th Anniversary
In celebration of its 70th anniversary, Laemmle Theatres is pleased to present 70/70: A Series of 70mm Films Celebrating Laemmle’s 70th Anniversary. All screenings will take place at the Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles and benefit various local charities. Filmmaker James Cameron, Actor Bill Paxton and others will participate in Q&A’s after the screenings of their films on Saturday, December 20th.
December 19, 2008 ~ A Little English
Benefitting the Hollywood Sunset Free ClinicTHE REMAINS OF THE DAY (1993)
TOMMY (1975)
PINK FLOYD: THE WALL (1982) -
3D sports could be next big thing
Sporting events in 3D could be the next big thing as a company called 3ality Digital is coordinating a test broadcast of the NFL’s Thursday Night Football game in 3-D on Dec. 4th.
The game will be beamed via satellite to the Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood, and theaters in Boston and New York.
3ality was behind the recent U2 3D concert film. Technicolor Digital Cinema is providing the satellite transponder time and digital downlink services.
Read more in The Hollywood Reporter.