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The latest movie theater news and updates
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October 28, 2008
Carbondale’s Varsity Theater reopens
CARBONDALE, IL — The Varsity Theater reopened Friday, October 24th, as the Varsity Center for the Arts, after showing its last movie in May of 2003. Kerosotes Theatres donated the theater to the city in Febuary of this year. The city then gave it to the Stage Company, which had been without a home since the demolition of their old theater two years before. After a long campaign of clean-up and renovation, the group performed their first play Friday, “The Star-Spangled Girl”, by Neil Simon.
The reopening of the theater is just the beginning of a long campaign planned by the Stage Company. The group plans to renovate the main theater as their primary performance space and reopen the old balcony for movies. They also wish to restore the exterior as close as possible to its original state.
You can read more about the reopening in The Southern Illinoisan. If you hurry, there is also a video on their site about the theater.
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October 27, 2008
Netflix and Samsung partner to instantly stream movies
With a new deal, Netflix can now offer subscribers instant downloads to certain Bluray players.
Netflix, Inc., the world’s largest online movie rental service, and Samsung Electronics America, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced a broad partnership to offer consumers the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from the Netflix Web site directly to their living rooms via Samsung’s BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 Blu-ray disc players. The companies also said they are collaborating to enable Samsung to integrate instant streaming from Netflix into a range of home entertainment products.
Read the full story in Market Watch.
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Grant may brighten future of Lamp Theater
IRWIN, PA — With local organizations chipping in, the Lamp Theater may have a comeback soon.
Soon, however, folks may take seriously a hand-painted sign on the marquee that proclaims: “The Lamp will shine brightly again.”
Financial support from the S&T Bancorp Charitable Foundation last week has raised hopes that the restoration of the Lamp Theater will be put on the fast track.
Read more at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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MN Small-town theaters in danger
HARMONY, MN — This article in the Post-Bulletin looks at the waning business at small town southeast Minnesota theaters like the Jem.
Not long ago, a line of cars parked on Main Street in Harmony on a Friday night meant a blockbuster movie was playing at the JEM Movie Theatre.
No longer. Attendance is lagging at the family-owned, one-screen theater, owner Paul Haugerud said.
“A lot more families must be going camping or leaving town for the weekend,” Haugerud said.
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October 24, 2008
Remembering Cinerama (Part VIII)
REMEMBERING CINERAMA
Part VIII: San DiegoThe following is Part Eight in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series will not describe in detail the particulars of what the system was or how it worked, as extensive coverage of such is accessible in numerous books and websites. Instead, the series focuses on providing an historical overview of a less-accessible aspect of the Cinerama story: a film-by-film breakdown of how, when and where Cinerama (and its multi-panel clones) were exhibited in selected markets since every region was treated differently. As well, the easy-to-reference articles serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced Cinerama when it was new and to highlight the movie palaces in which these memorable events took place.
Part I: New York
Part II: Chicago
Part III: San Francisco
Part IV: Houston
Part V: Washington, D.C.
Part VI: Los Angeles
Part VII: AtlantaAnd now Part VIII: Cinerama Presentations in San Diego!
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A Grade II Listed derelict Art Deco jewel is saved and restored
BERKHAMSTED, HERTFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND — Check out the theater page for the Rex Cinema to see Ian’s post on 10/20 regarding the remarkable developments in this one theatre’s path back to life.
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World’s first boothless multiplex opens
BESSEMER, AL — Premiere Cinemas has announced the opening of the world’s first multiplex theater without a projector booth.
The Tannehill Premiere Cinema 14 features all digital projection using Barco projectors hung from the ceiling.
Each projector is mounted to a platform suspended about 10 feet above the floor at the top row of each stadium. The enclosure is insulated to prevent noise and vibration leaking through.
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Capitol Theatre a mainstay of downtown
CHAMBERSBURG, PA — Locals take a look back at the Capitol Theatre.
A community hub since its opening on Feb. 3, 1927, at 159 S. Main St. in downtown Chambersburg, the Capitol Theatre was established by Pottstown Theatre Co., of Pottstown following nine months of construction.
Local citizens recall its elegance and the variety of entertainment it has offered throughout its history.
Read the full story in Public Opinion.
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October 23, 2008
Green theater initiative
There’s a push now for theaters on Broadway to become greener with the Green Theater Initiative.
Sure, theaters were getting greener on their own, thanks to the efforts of some progressive proprietors and forward thinking designers. But now there’s an entire initiative looking to sweep Broadway with unifying green policies. It’s the Green Theatre Initiative, and it just launched its comprehensive website last week. So what’s its impact?
The Green Theater Movement
The initiative’s aim is both to inspire theaters around the world to adopt more environmentally friendly policies, and to lessen their impact and increase sustainability. It will also offer a network of support, via the website’s forums and a bi-weekly newsletter to better create a community of green minded participants.Could its success lead to these practices carrying over to cinemas? Read more at Tree Hugger.
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Half of UK theaters in danger of closing in five years
Almost half of Britain’s theaters may close down in the next five years because of the transition from film to digital projection, according to a Times Online article.
Only the big multiplexes and a few arthouses will be able to afford the £60,000 cost per screen with three-quarters of screens and 85% of box office being in the London area.