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The latest movie theater news and updates
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February 16, 2007
3 Classic Films at Loew’s Jersey in Jersey City, Feb. 23 and Feb. 24, 2007
Movies …
By Popular Demand
February 23 & 24 at the Loew’s Jersey Theatre
54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306Last season (2005-2006), the Landmark Loew’s Jersey invited each of its patrons to name the ONE movie they would die to see on our big screen. This month, we will present the 3 most popular responses that are available for booking:
Back to the Future Friday, February 23 at 8PM
Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover and Lea Thompson (1985, 118mins., Color, Universal, Rated PG) Asking the question, “What might happen if a teenager from the 1980s traveled back in time and saw his hometown and met his parents when they were teenagers in the 1950s?,” the surprise hit film cemented Michael J. Fox’s reputation as a major star, and successfully blended sci-fi, comedy adventure with just enough sentiment to make it a modern classic.Gone With The Wind Saturday, February 24 at 2PM
Starring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, Hattie McDaniel (1939, 222mins., Color, Selznick/MGM, Rated G upon re-release) Based on Margaret Mitchell’s best-selling book, Gone With The Wind defined epic film and tells the story of a spoiled Southern girl’s impossible love for a married man, set against the sweeping backdrop of the American Civil War. The movie made Vivien Leigh a star, is arguably the most famous movie ever made, and remains one of the all-time highest grossing films. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture.Casablanca Saturday, February 24 at 8PM
Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt. Directed by Michael Cortiz (1942, 102mins, B&W, Warner Bros, Not rated, but suitable for all audiences.) Bogart plays a cynical expatriate American who, in the early years of WWII, has to confront his past in the person of Ingrid Bergman, deal with the frightening presence of Nazi Germany on the march, and contemplate the future, “his and the world’s” all from his nightclub in Vichy-controlled Casablanca. Considered by many to be, overall, the best American movie ever made, Casablanca is, at the very least, an outstanding example of effective storytelling on film seamlessly blending romance, suspense, humor and patriotic drama to create full bodied characters, gripping suspense, and a narrative that has become a part of popular culture, all in under two hours. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture.0 comments -
Screenvision lives at Clearview… for now
Check this link out from Mediaweek regarding Screenvision’s renewal to show in-theater ads at the Clearview Cinemas chain.
Screenvision announced Tuesday it had expanded its relationship with Clearview Cinemas, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp. Under the new long-term contract, Screenvision retains the exclusive rights to sell the advertising on Clearview’s 258 screens.
The cinema rep firm also gains the rights to sell advertising on Clearview’s in-lobby plasma screens and in-lobby promotional programs. Screenvision will also install and operate its high-definition digital network on all Clearview screens.
For more, go to Mediaweek.
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February 15, 2007
State Theater to become permanent home for TC Film Festival
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Recent news on the State Theater is the Board of Directors of the Traverse City Film Festival, Michael Moore, John Robert Williams, and Doug Statton are in meeting with the Traverse City Rotary Charities (who owns the State) about the possibility of the Historic State Theater becoming the permanent home of the TC Film Festival and reopening the long closed movie house on a year round basis.
This would be a huge event should it happen; a boost not only to Downtown Traverse City, but to movie lovers both far and wide. The word on the street is that Carmike Cinemas has a contract against showing first and second run movies there for 25 years from when it was sold back in the late eighties. We’ve got are fingers crossed here in Traverse City hoping and praying Carmike will do the right thing and void the contract.
marctee
(The Letter Guy) -
Raymond Theatre in search of help
RAYMOND, WA — With a planned closure in the near future, residents are banding together to save the Raymond Theatre.
About 5,000 residents in North Pacific County can expect a letter soon asking them to open their wallets to help save the Raymond Theater from closure.
A movie house and performing arts venue, the theater is owned by the city. It has been losing $50,000 to $60,000 a year for the last few years due to declining attendance and the expense of renting movies.
The city had planned to shut down the theater on March 31, but is allowing some wiggle room to see what develops. The letter writing campaign is being launched as a first step by community groups to keep it open.
For more, go to the Daily World.
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Redsin Premiere at Baronet this Friday
ASBURY, PARK, NJ — This Fri. the 16th at the Baronet Theatre, the premiere of “The Redsin Tower” with special guests Director Fred Vogel and film crew! Come out and join us for a night of cutthroat horror!!!
The Baronet Theatre is located at 205 4th Ave. in Asbury Park, NJ.
Showtime is 10:00pmDont be late!
Info: Baronet Myspace Page
Toe Tag Pitcures or Redsin Tower Website. -
Astrological premonition saves Bijou
BEACH, ND — On the recommendation of an astrologer, a couple moved to North Dakota and bought the closed Bijou Theatre.
The Bijou Theater in Beach will reopen next month and the new owners, with roots in England and the Chicago area, have dramatic plans for the vintage venue.
Emanuel Culman and his wife, Cheryl Planert, purchased the retro ‘40s movie hall, still decked in maroon and gold, from Margaret Walz, who lowered the curtain on the family enterprise in June due to lack of business.
Culman said the astrologer who told him the 48th parallel was a good zone for him narrowed the best opportunity for success and literary artistry to somewhere between Fort Peck, Mont., and Velva. There, roughly in the middle, is Beach, and their inquiries into the community were based on the chance purchase of a newspaper with a story of the Bijou Theater being for sale.
To read more, go to the Bismarck Tribune.
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Meeting Today to Discuss Franklin Cinema’s Future
FRANKLIN, TN — A meeting, open to the public, to discuss ideas for the future of the recently shuttered Franklin Cinema, will be held at the theater at 419 Main Street in Franklin today from 3 to 4 PM.
Consultant Paul Siemborski, of the Cleveland, OH design and management firm of Westlake, Reed, & Lekosky which has restored historic theaters across the country as performing arts venues, will be giving the presentation. Siemborski will first meet with stakeholders, potential investors and local officials to get their thoughts on what to do with the former Franklin Cinema.
Siemborski appears as part of the Peer Advisory Review program of the League of Historic American Theatres, a non-profit organization which strives to preserve historic theaters across the nation.
For more information, see the article in the Tennesseean.
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February 14, 2007
Lebowsky Center gutted by fire
OWOSSO, MI — The Joseph H. Lebowsky Center, formerly the Capitol Theatre, was gutted by a fire late Tuesday, February 13.
A historic theater in Owosso is gutted by fire. Firefighters from 12 departments are still on the scene battling that fire. It’s burning the Joseph H. Lebowsky Center. Fire officials say it started Tuesday night just before 11.
Community members who were on the scene say, if the fire destroy’s the historic center, it’ll be a huge loss for the area.
For more news coverage, go to WLNS which has a Javascript video link at the main page of the website. News coverage from WJRT including a video link can be found here: WJRT Video Update.
Additional stories have since been printed in the Flint Journal and Owosso Argus-Press. The official website has yet to be updated.
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Unique Theater in risk of collapse
SALIDA, CO — Here is an article about the Unique Theater which is now in immediate danger of collapse:
Under the threat of “imminent danger” that Unique Theater may collapse, Salida Fire Chief Don Taylor Thursday recommended a number of F Street and First Street businesses not allow people inside until it can be stabilized.
The 118-year-old building at 129 W. First St. has been under scrutiny by Salida officials since August when a routine fire inspection and subsequent building inspection exposed problems with structural integrity of the building.
For the full piece, go to the Mountain Mail.
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Larry King (of the blurbs)
Ever notice how many movies Larry King seems to like? (His quotes have been appearing on a ton of movie trailers and posters.)
Well, the Los Angeles Times has a funny piece about CNN host Larry King’s prolific movie reviews.
King sees movies every week, often catching a noon flick before heading over to CNN to do his show. It must keep him young. At 73, he’s slim and trim, almost boyishly petite. His hair, once gray, is now a dry brown, like the trunk of a palm tree, with gray at the temples. He seems to see everything, describing the movies in blurb-like bursts, from “Letters From Iwo Jima” (“Loved every minute of it!”) to a film about Turkish genocide called “Screamers” (“Very well done!”).
“I know they’re only looking for a catchphrase,” he explained the other day, ensconced at his favorite table at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, where he orders a spartan salad for lunch (“Don’t give me any eggs!”). “If I like the movie, I give ‘em a quote. If I don’t like something, I’m not gonna rap it. Sometimes they don’t even use it. I gave Clint a big rave for his movie and they didn’t even need it.”
While King could probably take a break from reviewing movies for a while, the article mentions that the CNN anchor oftens sees a film before heading into the studio each day.
And there’s a nice story about why movies mean so much to him.