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The latest movie theater news and updates
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August 7, 2008
The case for a downtown movie theater
ORLANDO, FL — It’s still up for debate whether Orlando will land a new theater downtown. One local writer thinks the city would be seriously neglecting its cultural landscape without one.
Passing by the still-empty multi-plex space in the downtown Premiere Trade Plaza development, I was struck by how cool it still would be if Orlando could land a downtown movie theater in that space, despite the developer’s setbacks, the general downturn in the economy and the specific fall-off in new theater construction.
Local curmudgeons, including some inside this very paper, have made griping threats about the deals the City of Orlando might yet make (and should not, in their view) to help the new owners of the structure get a theater in there. Some of these same curmudgeons have, in earlier columns, sung the praises of what having a downtown performing arts center will do for the Big O. And I would heartily agree with that. The impact of a new arena for the Orlando Magic pales in comparison to what a performing arts center will do for downtown.
But those poo-pooing City tax breaks and incentives for a movie theater are missing a big part of the equation. Film, and the counter-programming a downtown cinema would have to offer in order to compete, is a vital part of a downtown arts mix.
Read more at the Orlando Sentinel.
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Last curtain for Bomes
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI — With not enough support to save and restore it, the Bomes Theatre finally came down this week.
The Bomes Theatre across from City Hall started coming down last week, when part of the structure fell to the street.
Beginning this morning, it will come down in earnest.
A demolition team will begin razing the old movie theater, which was built in the 1930s and had been a city landmark.
Read the full story in the Providence Journal.
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August 6, 2008
Providers of weekly box office info
I heard that some local theater managers working for the largest chains can access box office earnings online sorted by individual theaters. Is this correct? Anybody ever seen this data? If so, what company provides it?
I heard that the top grossing theater in America is the AMC Empire, Times Square, NYC. Is this true?
Thanks Much.
(Thanks to yuankei for providing the photo.)
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Culver Plaza Theatres continues movie revivals
CULVER CITY, CA —
8/13/08 Gone with the Wind
8/20/08 Hook
8/27/08 Bladerunner
9/03/08 A Clockwork Orange
9/10/08 Spaceballs
9/17/08 Pink Floyd The Wall
9/24/08 The Maltese Falcon
10/1/08 Reservoir DogsOne Showing Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
All Seats $7.00Culver Plaza Theatres
9919 Washington Blvd, Culver City
310-836-5511 Official Website -
Sci-fi film fest at De Lux
MILFORD, CT — Starting in August and continuing through September, the CINEMA de lux 14 (in the CT POST Shopping Mall) will be stuck in the Fifties and Sixties. I can’t wait to check my brain in at the box office and revisit on the big screen all those entertaining sci-fi flicks that I have been watching over and over on DVDs!
The line-ups will be:
August 7-Giant Gila Monster and, of course, Killer Shrews
August 14-Gorgo plus Teenagers From Outer Space
August 21-The Brain That Wouldn’t Die plus First Spaceship on Venus
August 28-Devil Girl From Mars plus the ‘legendary’ ROBOT MONSTER! -
Brenkert c14 spot light circa 1930
Does anyone have a user’s manual for a Brenkert c14 spot light that I could copy please?
Mike G.
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August 5, 2008
Detroit historic theatres tour
DETROIT MI — The annual Preservation Wayne Historic Theatre Tour in Detroit will be held August 9th. The tour is almost always a sellout and tickets should be booked early.
This year’s tour will be highlighted by a look at what remains of the original grand lobby of the Oriental Theatre on West Adams Street. The 3,000-seat auditorium was demolished in the 1950s, but the lobby remains. It has been sealed off for much of the past 50 years.
The tour lasts about 4 hours and leaves every thirty minutes from 9 am to 11:30 am from the lobby of the Fillmore Detroit (formerly the State Theatre), at Woodward Avenue at Elizabeth Street. Theatres to be toured this year include the Gem, Century, Michigan and Fox theaters. The Fox will offer a demonstration of its Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ with Dave Calendine on the console. A box lunch will be served at the Detroit Opera House, also part of the tour.
Tickets, $40, are available through www.preservationwayne.org or at 313-577-7674.
(Thanks to J'ossettelope for providing the photo.)
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August 8th - Rooster Cogburn Day at the Lyric Theater
FLATONIA, TX — The Flatonia Chamber of Commerce and the Lyric Theater proudly proclaim it “Rooster Cogburn” Day in Flatonia, TX.
Please get out all your cowboy/cowgirl duds and show your support this Friday, August 8th, when we present the showing of “Rooster Cogburn”, starring John Wayne & Katharine Hepburn. BTW, it’s FREE!
For more information, go to the Flatonia Chamber of Commerce.
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Uptown letter from new owner
CHICAGO, IL — With the deal on the Uptown all but done, one of the new owners, Jerry Mickelson of UTA II and JAM Productions speaks out to the Uptown family.
It’s only been one day (now going on two) since the foreclosure sale occurred. You should know there was only one bidder who showed up on July 29 to purchase the Uptown Theatre and that was UTA II, a company whose members include but are not limited to Arny Granat and myself. While initially being surprised that we were the lone bidders, we fully understand why others did not show up. The fact of the matter is that the Uptown Theatre is a daunting project that faces many challenges for it to re-open. Not only will this be a very expensive project, it will take an incredible amount of time and effort to put the pieces of this intricate puzzle together in order to ensure the Uptown Theatre’s future.
We don’t have all the answers today about how all of this will come together but we do know a couple of things; (1) the Uptown Theatre now has owners who truly care about saving and preserving this architectural gem; and (2) we will reach out to all of you at the proper time to have you hopefully join with us in our effort. The Uptown Theatre would not still be here today if it wasn’t for you and Alderman Smith and probably won’t be here in the future without you and the Alderman.
Read the full letter at Uptown Chicago History.
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August 4, 2008
Where have all the drive-ins gone?
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — This San Francisco Chronicle article looks back at the Bay Area drive-in landscape that once was.
At least 35 drive-in theaters have operated in Bay Area history. With the Skyview Drive-In on the edge of Santa Cruz closing last year to make room for a medical facility, now there are only two.
In the interest of nostalgia, and to look for the ghosts of drive-ins past, we found the addresses and drove to many of the sites of former drive-ins to see what’s there now. Research also included frequent visits to the sites Cinematreasures.org, Cinematour.com and Drive-ins.com. Of the 35 Bay Area drive-ins that we could confirm existed, most have been replaced by retail space, industrial parks or housing developments. But drive-in land has also been turned into a waterslide parking lot, part of a college campus and a BART station.
In addition to reminiscing, the piece also discusses how today’s economic climate might facilitate a return of demand for such an operation.
(Thanks to Dalboz17 for providing the photo.)