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The latest movie theater news and updates
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April 30, 2008
Merger to bring more Asian Cinema to U.S.
ImaginAsian and Adlabs are partnering for an expansion of their interests in the U.S.
Reliance ADAG’s Adlabs Films Ltd, through its US subsidiary Adlabs Films USA, has signed a partnership deal with ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc, a player in promoting Asian Pacific American culture to mainstream America.
Adlabs will operate a 240-screen movie theatre chain in the US from the second quarter of 2008. As part of its US strategy, Adlabs will show Hollywood films as well as cinema from South Asia and East Asia. ImaginAsian, with its marketing and distributing of Asian Pacific content, will supplement, support and provide content related to South Asia and East Asia.
Read more at Indiantelevision.com.
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April 29, 2008
Fox Theatre set to reopen this week
WATSONVILLE, CA — The 1923 Fox Theatre is set to reopen in Watsonville, CA.
This budget Landsburg-designed theatre has been closed since April 1, 2005.
After nearly three years of dark screens, the historic Fox Theatre marquee is lighting up again this week to announce a blockbuster, a children’s matinee and an independent film.
“It’s a good thing for downtown Watsonville,” said Ivan Chable, general manager of the Fox Theatre, who personally scrubbed many of the 600 upholstered seats to prepare the 85-year-old theater for its reopening and hired the new staff. “The people in Watsonville don’t have too many choices where to go and have some fun.”
Here is the full article from the Monterey County Herald.
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Buchanan Theatre sold
BUCHANAN, VA — The Buchanan Theatre was sold to the company Standing Room Only and continues to supply a mix of theatre and film.
“But one way for a small town theatre to survive is to become more than a movie theatre and offer live music, a place for community meetings, a place for educational programs, a practice hall for local musicians and students and, yes, a place to watch movies. As a non-profit multi-functional community theatre, enlisting the help of volunteers, the future of the Buchanan Theatre is assured.
Read more in the Roanoke Times.
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April 28, 2008
Hi-Pointe looking for new management
ST. LOUIS, MO — Landmark Theatres is not renewing their lease on the Hi-Pointe Theatre, thus leaving the single-screen owners in search of a new company to run the theatre.
“Gone fishin'. See you soon,” says the marquee of the otherwise-empty Hi-Pointe Theatre.
But just how long the one-screen theater at 1005 McCausland Ave. stays dark is anybody’s guess.
Landmark Chief Executive Officer Ted Mundorff said the company decided not to renew its lease with building owners George W. and Georgia L. James because of a national trend against one-screen theaters.
Read more in the West County Journal.
(Thanks to Arbitrary.Marks for providing the photo.)
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Re-Opening a historic single-screen, but need help!
There is a historic one screen theatre that closed last week due to bankruptcy and I am very seriously considering purchasing and re-opening it. But I need some guidance to figure out how I can make it a viable operation. I have all the information about the business and the building but I’m not sure whether to spend money on fixing it up right away or not. Also whether to run first run movies or go with films that have been out a couple weeks.
It has almost 300 seats. It’s in a small community that supports and wants this theatre. It’s not in terrible shape but has some issues. I see it as a very viable business opportunity, not to mention how nice it would be to keep in the community!
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One of our last remaining Drive-Ins re-opens!
BARKHAMSTED, CT — The Pleasant Valley Drive-In re-opened April 25 for yet another season! The one-screen, 300-car theater is nestled just off State RT 44 between Harford and Winsted in Litchfield County, Connecticut. This drive-In always features two movies, most of which are first-run or recently released. For the first double-featured, the Pleasant Valley Drive-In is showing “Nims Island” and “Vantage Point”.
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April 25, 2008
Paramount celebrates 17 years since reopening
BRISTOL, TN — The Paramount Center for the Arts is celebrating 17 years since its renovations and subsequent name change as it looks forward to even more exciting times.
Wow, how time flies. It has now been 17 years since the refurbished Paramount Center for the Arts reopened with a grand gala featuring hometown hero Tennessee Ernie Ford.
Bristol’s old “Paramount Theatre” was reborn on April 24, 1991 as the “Paramount Center for the Arts.” Talk about a transformation: The rebirth marked the reopening of a place that had sat vacant for 14 years. What was once a movie theater became a performing arts center, said Merle Dickert, the Paramount’s executive director.Read more at Tri-Cities.com.
(Thanks to John Erickson for providing the photo.)
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Fandango and Microsoft introduce voice-activated movie times
Fandango and Microsoft are launching a program for some cell phones that will allow users to get movie times and theater locations through voice-activated technology.
Today Fandango, the nation’s leading moviegoer destination, and Tellme, a Microsoft subsidiary, announced the addition of voice-activated movie information for mobile phones. Consumers will be able to simply hold down the ‘talk’ button, say a movie title or local theater name, and see showtimes, purchase tickets and get driving directions to the theater, all from the phone’s screen.
Read more in Fox Business.
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Valley Art celebrates UA Anniversary
TEMPE, AZ — The Harkins gem, the Valley Art Theatre will mark 90 years of United Artists with a film series.
Conceived by movie stars, killed by “Heaven’s Gate” and resurrected by Tom Cruise, United Artists has arguably the most bizarre, turbulent history of any American movie studio.
By the same token, the brainchild of silent era legends Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith also boasts one of the most impressive archives in Hollywood — James Bond, The Pink Panther and Sergio Leone’s “spaghetti” Westerns all sprang into America’s pop culture consciousness because of UA stewardship.
Starting today , the Harkins Valley Art Theatre in Tempe will host a weeklong series honoring the 90th anniversary of the on-again, off-again studio. And the saga isn’t over yet. Cruise and his producing partner, Paula Wagner, recently acquired a minority stake in the company and will use it as an audience-friendly brand for their film projects.
Get the full story in the East Valley Tribune.
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April 24, 2008
Info on Flushing theater
There’s an abandoned old theatre in Flushing, Queens, NY, completely boarded up with only the frame of the marquee giving it away. It’s on Northern Blvd. & Main St., just blocks away from the YMCA.
Would anyone know the history or name of this massive-looking house and have any stories to share?
Thanx!