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The latest movie theater news and updates
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August 18, 2008
Sag Harbor looking for new owner
SAG HARBOR, NY — After a 30 year run, Gerald Mallow is calling it quits and looking to sell the Sag Harbor Cinema to someone interested in maintaining the tradition.
Mr. Mallow, 72, announced recently that the movie house in the midst of Main Street’s shopping district would be for lease or purchase for $12 million.
About 75 films a year are shown there, but Mr. Mallow said he hoped that whoever takes over runs it “on a much more ambitious level” as a community performing arts center.
Read the full story in the New York Times.
(Thanks to haccamopooly for providing the photo.)
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Small town theater closes down for 2 weeks to reorganize
COSHOCTON, OH — With new nearby competition hurting the Hollywood Studios Theatres business, the owner decided to shut it down for a few weeks to rework their model.
He said the reason for the closing was a “reorganization” of his theater businesses.
“You get to the point where you need to reorganize, so you shut down, reorganize, reopen and hopefully get back on your feet,” he said.
Siegel said that grosses were down 15 percent this year from the year before and that last year’s grosses were down 15 percent from the year before that.
Read more in the Coshocton Tribune.
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Former Fine Arts Theaters to be renovated
CHICAGO, IL — According to this article from the Chicago Tribune the Fine Arts Theaters (also known as the Studebaker and the Playhouse Theaters) are going to be restored by the current owner and returned to use as smaller theatrical venues. They were used as cinemas in the 1980’s and 1990’s, but both have a long history as legitimate theaters.
The colorful owner of the historic Studebaker Theatre inside the Fine Arts Building on South Michigan Avenue has recently hired Chicago’s most prominent theater architect and says he plans to quickly restore and reopen the landmark performance venue “without using a penny from the city.”
It’s unclear whether the restoration and renovation will be sufficiently extensive for the theater to attract major shows and function as the Broadway-style house that downtown Chicago so badly needs and is cost-prohibitive to build.
Great news for Chicago and certainly a boost for the Loop area. Read the full article in the Chicago Tribune.
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August 15, 2008
Once in a lifetime film event at the restored Plaza Theatre in El Paso Texas
EL PASO, TX — A once in a lifetime event is being held at the beautifully restored Plaza Theatre. Sixty four classic films are being screened now through August 24th. Classics from every period include “Casablanca”, “King Kong”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Singin' in the Rain”, “North by Northwest”, “Giant”, “The Exorcist”, “Frankenstein”, “An Affair to Remember”, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, “Bonnie and Clyde” and “2001 A Space Odyssey.”
The cost of the screenings range from $2.00 to $6.00. For a full list of films see The schedule at the Plaza Theatre website The screenings will be split between the main restored theatre and the adjacent smaller auditorium built in a style reminiscent of the original auditorium.
Also check out an extensive gallery of photos before and after the restoration. The restoration is absolutely remarkable.
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Drive-In Theaters in San Diego
SAN DIEGO, CA — For those with fond memories of the Drive-In theatre experience in its heyday the San Diego Weekly Reader has an extensive article entitled Drive-In Theaters in San Diego: Complete Illustrated History 1947 thru 2008.
The article is huge and lavishly illustrated with photographs and newspaper ads of the time. It also covers their peak years in the 1950s when there were over 4000 operating in the United States, their adaption to new technologies such as Cinemascope and 70mm, their alternate daytime uses such as swap meets, farmers markets and church services on Sunday and, sadly, their eventual decline. It is well worth the time spent to read the entire article.
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Kenosha closes the curtain on historic theater
KENOSHA, WI — More news on the sad future of the Roosevelt Theatre.
Kenosha is tearing down one of its historic movie houses over the objections of the building’s owners.
Kathryn Hanneman and John Gee, owners of the Roosevelt Theatre since 2000, pleaded with city officials to spare the building. They want to turn the movie house into a studio for shooting commercials and television pilots. But after eight years, they’ve made no progress.
Worse, say city officials, the owners let the building deteriorate to a condition beyond repair.
Read the full story at the Daily Reporter(reg. reqr’d)
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Ventnor and Beach theatres both threatened with demolition
VENTNOR CITY, NJ — The Ventnor Twin Theatre has a champion in local resident Marsha Galespie who, along with a group of local residents, doesn’t want to see the last remaining theatre on Absecon Island replaced with 24 condos. Challenges to The Ventnor have included a city that would like to redevelop the area, an economy that still relies in part on a summer influx of vacationers and a $1.75 million dollar asking price by the current owners. These aren’t the best of circumstances to launch a rescue.
The Ventnor Twin Theatre was opened in 1938 as The Ventnor Theatre after a fire destroyed the original 1921 structure. The art deco theatre was twinned in the 1960s or 1970s with a remodel that included a drop ceiling masking the original and blue and silver draping of the walls. The theatre was closed after a 1998 city inspection declared the structure on the verge of collapse. Then owners brought the theatre to code and it re-opened in 2000 but survived only until 2004 when it was shuttered.
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Free “Raiders” screening at Broadway 8/22
PITMAN, NJ — The Broadway Theater will be presenting a free 35mm screening of the classic blockbuster, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Make it over for a special evening.
Friday August 22nd at 9PM.
Broadway Theater
43 South Broadway
Pitman, NJ 08071
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DIYer brings the Drive-In home
Don’t have any drive-ins nearby? You can build your own like this guy.
Many of us long for the days of the classic drive-in, with the smell of popcorn wafting through the fresh air, and the crackle of the speakers perched on car windows as far as the eye could see.
Of course, all of those things are wonderful, but it wasn’t the nostalgia that first got Kevin Van to build his outdoor theater. Aside from the inspiration he received on BackyardTheater.com, he didn’t have to look further than his own house. “When I bought my first projector for the bedroom theater,” he says, “I got the idea to also use it outside.” You have to love a multitasker.
Read more at Electronic House.
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August 14, 2008
Local theaters struggle to thrive
KENOSHA, WI — While the future of the Roosevelt Theatre might be the primary concern, other Kenosha theaters are working to make ends meet as well.
“Kenosha cannot support four theaters” was a common refrain as the city debated the fate of the Roosevelt Theatre. That particular question became somewhat moot after the City Council approved contracts to tear down the 80-year-old theater at 2908 Roosevelt Road on Monday.
But three other city theaters are still working out the scripts for their future. And each theater has a different ending in mind.
Read the full story in the Kenosha News.