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The latest movie theater news and updates
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September 5, 2007
Hollywood’s Famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater sold
CIM Group of Los Angeles, reportedly one of Hollywood’s largest commercial landlords has purchased Grauman’s Chinese Theater for an undisclosed sum of money. There are no plans to stop showing films there as Mann Theaters has a long term lease and plans to continue its operation.
For more details, read the AP News.
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No Cinderella story
DENVER, CO — The city is close to approving a plan to take down the Cinderella Drive-In for apartments.
If the plans are approved, there will be only one drive-in movie theater left in the metro area.
According to 9NEWS' partners at The Denver Post, the Sheridan planning and zoning commission has approved the final site plan for an 11-acre apartment complex where the Cinderella Twin Drive-In is currently located.
The Sheridan City Council is expected to give final approval to the plan next month.
Read more at 9News.
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September 4, 2007
September 11th and the meaning of movies in our lives
As the 6th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 approaches, I find myself reflecting on the weeks that immediately following those horrific events.
What I specifically remember regarding Hollywood was not only their (rare and temporary) sensitivity to violence (the release of COLLATERAL DAMAGE was postponed until the following spring) but their sensitivity to try and raise the spirits of the United States – nearly every comedy released by every major studio that summmer of 2001 had been immediately re-released for the public’s escape and enjoyment.
My wife (fiance at the time) and I were not exempt. As soon as we were able to leave New York City, we headed out to Westhampton Beach, Long Island to try and put our heads back together. It was there we went to see SHREK for the second time at the Hampton Arts Theatre. For 90 minutes of our lives, there was no better way to forget the recent events than to laugh along with the insanity of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy.
Unfortunately, the brief sensitivity Hollywood displayed was not to last long. Before we knew it, movies like THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, WAR OF THE WORLDS and TRANSFORMERS were out there showing just how exciting it can be to destroy society as much as possible.
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Residents fight for Whiteside
CORVALLIS, OR — With a decision expected soon, residents are banding together to prevent a retail complex going up on the site of the Whiteside Theatre.
A group of Corvallis residents is asking the state to put a stop to plans to turn a historic downtown movie theater into a retail complex.
The Whiteside Theater is listed on the city’s register of historic places. It dates to the 1920s.
A group of investors from Portland have an option to buy the building. They are planning to put shops on the ground floor, and a restaurant upstairs.
Read more at KTVZ.
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Regal Riviera brings people downtown
KNOXVILLE, TN — Far from the usual story of a new multiplex driving people away from downtown businesses, this new theater seems to be improving business.
“We couldn’t wait until it opened,” said Hossein Ghodrat who owns the Market Square Kitchen. “So far it’s helped a lot, we see a lot more people coming downtown that we’ve never seen before.”
Ghodrat says his restaurant was nowhere near this busy when it opened four years ago.
“We didn’t have a Saturday and Sunday like we do now,” he said. “Today we can’t find enough good help around here.”
You can read more at WVLT.
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September 3, 2007
Threat to Kilburn Gaumont State……Kilburn, London, England
KILBURN, LONDON, ENGLAND — The Kilburn State building has, it is believed, just possibly been sold (28 August 2007) by RankMecca PLC to a Bahrain based investment vehicle whose first intentions were rumoured to be a housing development. Despite repeated requests, RankMecca’s head of property, one Tony Robinson, has declined to provide any details of who has bought the building and organ.
The building and Wurlitzer organ has grade II* listed status from English Heritage, has a planning designation for entertainment and that is being reconfirmed in the new Local Development Framework which makes precisely no mention of housing on this site. There is just about zero chance of Brent Council agreeing to any change in planning designation and I would imagine the same response from English Heritage. The question has to be asked what the intentions are of the new owners and when they will identify themselves?
There is a question mark over the organ, notwithstanding the listed status applying to the organ as well. The Chief Engineer employed by RankMecca has been made redundant and there are no longer any technical staff at the State to keep it on a care and maintenance basis. Unless there is regular maintenance to the leather bellows of the pipes, these will start to dry and will then crack, rendering them useless.
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Future maybe in doubt for Towne Square
WINCHESTER, IN — With the owner claiming they are just doing renovations, other troubles indicate financial issues might be the reason for its present closure.
The movie screens are dark inside the Towne Square Cinema and Cafe.
The downtown theater is nearly $10,000 behind on its taxes and is facing a lawsuit from an Ohio publishing company for not paying an advertising bill.
But the marquee at the theater, 117 W. Franklin St., indicates it is closed for repairs, and general manager Steve Smelser repeated the same when contacted Friday. No movies have been shown for several weeks.
For the full story, go to the Star Press
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Cinema Park Drive In Phoenix, Arizona
I recently acquired a 1948 Crosley pickup truck that was made into a fire truck and served as a playground attraction at the Cinema Park Drive In theater at 7 ST. and Missourri in Phoenix, Arizona until it’s close in 1974 or 1975.
I would very much like to find an old photo or some history of it or the theater. I have checked the archives at the Phoenix library to no avail. Does anyone out there have any old photos stashed away?
Thank you, whizzer
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August 31, 2007
Fox Fullerton receives grant
FULLERTON, CA — I am writing to share some good news in our efforts to reopen the Fox Fullerton Theatre. The Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation has been selected to receive a nearly $2 million grant from the California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE). The Foundation’s grant to restore the Fox Fullerton Theatre was the second highest in a highly competitive process where 194 projects totaling $213 million were submitted statewide, for just under $43 million in available funds.
This was the third and final round to distribute funds made available by Proposition 40, which was passed by California voters in 2004 and included $250 million in funding for cultural and historic preservation. We have applied each year and this is the first time our application has been successful.
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The Academy Theater Book
We have extended the pre-sale offering of the book “The Incredible History of The Academy Theater” for $40. Please go to www.academybook.org and place your order today. If you would like to order 10 or more books, there is a 10% discount.
Also available a beautiful framed recent color photo of the Academy Tower illuminated at night. This beautiful photo is available here for only $20. Order this limited edition print online today.
Any questions please call 310-357-5462