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The latest movie theater news and updates
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January 14, 2008
How the Portage came back
CHICAGO, IL — Just a little inside info on the Portage. Dennis who was the manager at the Gateway for over 20 years is an incredible person and the manager now. He had a vision, found people with the same vision, brought them together and as they say the rest is history, well it is, the Portage is open and doing well. How many theaters in the US can say the same thing. The funding was from a small group of investors who had the same vision as Dennis.
I worked with Dennis for over 10 years when he was managing the Gateway and been a friend of his since 1990. The most important thing to Dennis and Linda was the the theater be presented in the best light. He would would alway side step any praise. It was my distinct pleasure to work with him, even when the management at the Gateway became difficult to work with. I stayed in touch with him and when I found out he had left the Gateway and was working on the Portage, I knew it was only a matter of time and the Grand Portage Theater would reopen with all the splendor she once had.
My first time at the theater was about 2 months after things had been worked out and they were in. The interior was completely black. Someone along the line had sprayed everything black, put up a wall and called it a duplex. Too bad they got away with doing this. The garbage that was there was unbelievable. Months later visiting one weekend the transformation was remarkable, three quarters of the theater was painted and really looking great. The lobby was cleaned up, new paint, electrical working, the counter repaired. I was glad I was able to help out a bit, its hard when you are working two jobs but here and there as I could I would help out.
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Will pay top money for old sound equipment
WANTED: Cash paid for old amplifiers, speakers, horns, single drivers or pairs, Altec A7, A4, A5 515, 555 594 4181 4194 field Coil Speakers and drivers, Large Horns, pressure units, microphones, audio valves, tubes, crossovers, Altec, Klangfilm, RCA, jbl, Western Electric and Westrex, 124, 147, 1086A, 1086B, 515 drivers, TA Speakers, 91A, 10a, 9a 41,42,43 and all d spec units 618a, b, c transformers. All spare transformers, also McIntosh, Marantz, JBL or any other interesting equipment.
Condition is not important can be rusty and not working or missing parts. Cash paid on time of pick up, call 773-339-9035 or .
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January 11, 2008
Winter in the Hamptons
Even though it’s not summer, there’s still reason to go to the Hamptons with the film series at the Bay Street Theater.
Just because it’s off-season in the Hamptons doesn’t mean there aren’t any good reasons to go there. From now through February, in fact, there are at least 14 good reasons. And all of them involve sitting in the dark and staying warm.
The Bay Street Theater at Sag Harbor has an inviting array of classic American films screening every Friday and Saturday night through Feb. 23. Sponsored by BookHampton, the winter series offers theme-oriented programming aimed at casual moviegoers and cinema buffs alike.
Read more in Newsday.
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How many was that again…?
As a result of having recently visited the NYC area scoping out movie palaces, I got to talking to a friend of mine and the following question came up: ‘How many first-run, single screen cinemas are left in North America?’ (To be accurate, it was an offshoot of us trying to figure out if there were any of these movie houses still in operation in the Greater Toronto Area. Excluding ‘art houses’ or ‘rep theatres’, the answer was ‘No.’)
I’d be very curious to know the figure…I’m assuming it’s going to be an extraordinarily depressing one.
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January 10, 2008
Mystery Camden, S.C. theater
I’m hoping someone in the Camden, South Carolina area can help me. I was driving through Camden on my way home from Texas over the holidays and came accross a really nice old theater on rt. 20 right in town. It’s still open-showing “National Treasure” and “Alvin And The Chipmunks.” I stopped and took photos of it, but there was no name on the theater, except a small sign on top reading “Little’s” I believe. I went to Cinema Treasures, they list two theaters for Camden-the Camden, the Hagler and the Majestic-all listed as closed.
Does anyone know the name of this theater?
Thanks,
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In need of theater seats
Hi, my name is Dario and I am the TD for Stage Door Inc. CPAE in Pasadena, Texas. We are a new organization and we are renewing our auditorium. I am looking for 120 seats, of them with 10 chair per row used, in good condition.
I am in Pasadena, Texas, so if is possible add shipping to the quote.
Thank you
Technical Director
Stage Door Inc.
Center for the Performing Arts & Education
www.stagedoorinc.com
Pasadena, TX -
January 9, 2008
Balboa Theatre returns to its former splendor
SAN DIEGO, CA — The 1924 Balboa Theatre in San Diego reopens this week after being closed for 22 years. However, it will mostly be a preforming arts center.
That moment finally arrives this week, when the historic 1924 theater opens its doors for the first time in 22 years. After Mayor Sanders delivers his State of the City address there Thursday, the Balboa hosts three days of free public performances and open houses starting Friday.
So a house built in the Roaring ‘20s to cater to the public’s taste for vaudeville acts and silent movies begins a new life as a showcase for (among many other things) music, thanks to its renowned acoustics.
Read more at the Union-Tribune.
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London cinema to host a stage & screen production
LONDON, ENGLAND — A stage production based on David Lean’s film Brief Encounters will begin February 2 at “The Cinema on The Haymarket” (Cineworld Haymarket) and last until at least June 22. Both stage and screen will be used. Westminster Council agreed to change the use from cinema to live shows on stage. The official, gala opening will be on February 17. Top price tickets will be only $29.50 pounds, a bargain for the West End.
There will be a red carpet every night for a Brief Encounter with a fabulous difference. A new multi-layered stage production based on the David Lean film, which in turn was adapted from Noel Coward’s one-act 1936 play Still Life, will begin previews at a new venue to be known as The Cinema on The Haymarket from February 2.
Well, it’s sort of new. Actually, it occupies the cinema on The Haymarket, currently called Cineworld, which is on the site of the former Carlton Theatre.
The auditorium boasts Art Deco chandeliers, and the 444 seats, because they’re designed for a cinema, all have perfect views. To keep with the Forties period, staff will wear cinema attendant uniforms of the era and the cinema, inside and out, will be dressed with a nod to another age.
The article does not state whether movies will continue in the two auditoriums placed in the former stalls (orchestra).
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Seminar at Egyptian
The American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre and the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles present a Slide Show presentation and lecture surrounding the publication of the new book Los Angeles Theatres (Arcadia Press) which details historic theatres in Los Angeles through rare photographs and text. Many of the photos were taken by movie location scouts and have never been published before. This Saturday, January 26th event starts at 2:00 PM (approximately 2 ½ hour event total) will consist of the slide show/lecture, a question and answer period and a book signing with co-authors Marc Wanamaker (Bison Archives), Suzanne Tarbell Cooper and Amy Ronnebeck Hall. The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles will begin the event with a short progress report on their activities in historic preservation in 2007 and a preview of plans for 2008.Los Angeles and the movies grew up together, so it is only fitting that this city would boast the biggest, the best and the brightest theatres imaginable.
Other lectures in this series are planned and will be announced as they are confirmed.Tickets for this event are $5 for members of Hollywood Heritage, the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque. Other regular prices apply for the general public and students/seniors.
This event is in the Spielberg Theatre at the historic Egyptian (6712 Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and Las Palmas) in Hollywood. Tickets are available on www.fandango.com Guests subject to availability.
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January 8, 2008
Drive-In Box Office Gold
This came in from the SoCalDIMS (Southern California Drive-In Movie Society:
We wanted to share this interesting box office tidbit that should interest all you drive-in fans out there.
From Box Office Essentials, an online industry service that film studios, marketing firms and theater owners often use to get weekend box office grosses reported some very enlightening box office returns for the weekend opening of Fred Clause starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti.
For per screen grosses covering that Friday, Saturday & Sunday…
The Vineland Drive-In in the City of Industry, California ranked #1 in the country with a weekend box office take of $19,827. In fact for the entire nation the top ten theaters ranked on Box Office Essentials website, 9 of them were drive-in theaters. And of those 9, 8 of them were right here in California.They are in order: