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The latest movie theater news and updates
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January 2, 2007
Mohawk Theater Project inching forward
NORTH ADAMS, MA — With the Mohawk Theatre dormant for so long, the community is desperately trying to raise funds to restore it. A new governor should help the process but private donations are still essential to making it a reality.
An estimated $7.7 million theater renovation project, when completed, would likely restore the historical theater to its' place of prominence within the city’s downtown and its' heart.
The renovation plans include an expansion of the stage house, a reconfiguration of a theater parking area, the construction of performer dressing rooms, theater restrooms, and numerous amenities. The project is anticipated to turn the space into a sought-after, star-quality performing venue.
To read more, go to iberkshires.com.
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For Sale-New In Box Osram 1600W Xenon Bulb
Brand new bulb (XBO 1600W/HS OFR), box never opened, cost me approximately $420 but will sell it for $200. Left over from a theater I sold a month ago. Call Larry at (920)242-8333 or .
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January 1, 2007
How feasible is opera in movie theaters?
PHILADELPHIA, PA — As was reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer for Wednesday, December 27, 2006, productions by the Metropolitan Opera House will be simulcast on various screens in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area and elsewhere which will be in high-definition.
The AMC Neshaminy 24 — a multiplex in Bensalem, Pennsylvania (to Philadephia’s immediate north in Bucks County) — will be one of the area theaters participating. And it’s quite unusual, as more often than not this region of Lower Bucks County, where a nearby race track recently introduced slots gambling, is associated with suburban sprawl than anything so refined as opera.
So given that, it’s hard to say just how well this experiment will go over ahead of time. Major opera productions have often been broadcast on PBS. But never before on a sizeable movie theater screens this way.
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Bel-Air Drive-In to be demolished for a shopping center
CICERO, IL — Plans are in motion to build a couple big box stores on the site of the former Bel-Air Drive-In.
Cicero trustees have approved plans for a Wal-Mart store and a Lowe’s Home Improvement store to be built near 31st Street and Cicero Avenue, at the site of a former drive-in movie theater, the Bel-Air, said a spokesman for the developer, Monroe Investment Partners of Chicago.
Prior to the Bel-Air drive-in, the property was used as a landfill and a quarry. The 217,000-square-foot Wal-Mart and the 150,000-square-foot Lowe’s stores are expected to open at the end of 2007 or in early 2008.
To read more on this story, go to the Sun Times.
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Hollywood Theater - Pittsburgh, PA renovation
PITTSBURGH, PA — Today’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review includes an article with photos on the current renovation of the Hollywood Theater in the Dormont neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
“The theater will draw in people from all over the South Hills,” said Garry McGrath, chief financial officer for the Bradley Center, which has campuses in Mt. Lebanon and Robinson. “It’s too much of an asset to remain closed.”
McGrath said the theater will seat about 300 patrons — 250 in large theater seats and an additional 50 or so in a coffeehouse-style setting. The interior has been repainted, and a concessions stand has been installed that will be run by teenagers from Bradley.
For more, go to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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December 29, 2006
Moviegoing Rituals
Whenever I go to ArcLight to see a movie, as long as I’m with a certain friend, we always buy their caramel corn in addition to their regular popcorn. We have this little routine that she came up with where we eat some of the popcorn first to get our fingertips a bit greasy. Once they’re sufficiently oily enough, we start munching on the caramel corn. One without the other would be just okay, but together they have an unbeatable synergy. I don’t know why it works and maybe it doesn’t entirely in the end, but it’s tradition and any trip to the ArcLight feels naked without it.
Another friend and I regularly see event films together opening night. After lining up hours in advance, as soon as they let us into the theater, we race in quickly make our way to the most center row. At the point we begin counting seats. As if just being comfortable in the centermost seats weren’t enough, we have to be positive that we are at the true middle of the auditorium. Maybe we just revel in the sightlines or maybe we get a certain satisfaction of seeing the faces of the next moviegoers arriving that look for the best seats in the house and find us in them.
Perhaps none is more important to me these days than of course, the theater listings. It used to be that I’d just get excited when I knew the actual times a new movie would be shown opening weekend. Like I care about times now. I want to know what’s playing where.
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New owners to restore the historic Strand Theater
HAMBURG, PA — The historic Strand Theater, a single-screen theater in Hamburg Borough dating back to 1920, has been newly acquired by a local Berks County couple.
Christmas Day, eighty-six years ago, The Strand Theater first opened with the silent film,“The Whistling Devil.” It was not until March 1930 that the first talky, “Untamed,” was shown. Movies were only shown four days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday); the decision to stay closed on Sundays made by allowing patrons to vote on the issue. Currently, The Strand continues to operate only four days a week, Friday through Monday evenings. The remainder of the week, both days and evenings, the theater sits dark.
The new owners plan to have the theater operating at full capacity; opening throughout the week and, showing not only movies Friday through Monday, but serving as an avenue for the arts as well as for a multitude of events the remainder of the week.
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Re-opening of Pulaski Theatre draws near
PULASKI, VA — With new seats and refurbished walls, The Pulaski Theatre is on pace to reach its ideal spring 2007 reopening date.
Passers-by on the town’s Main Street can see one big sign of visible progress: the new marquee made by Sign Systems of Radford to resemble the old and long-gone marquee the building sported when it last housed a movie theater.
The new marquee was lit for the first time for Pulaski’s Christmas parade. And the theater’s outside brick work is cleaned up. New poster cases are on the walls.
For more on this story, go to the Roanoke Times.
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December 28, 2006
Cinema advertising breaks new barriers
Cellit is introducing texting technology to be incorportated into preshow ads.
Cellit, LLC announced today its landmark agreement with Cinema Screen Media, LLC (CSM) to provide mobile marketing services to CSM’s clients. CSM’s on-screen advertisers will now be able to incorporate text messaging features into their pre-movie slideshow display, creating innovative, interactive promotions. CSM will start offering these services in the Phoenix metro area, while planning for a national roll-out.
Using Cellit’s technology, moviegoers can interact with specific promotions showcased in the pre-movie slideshow. By texting the advertiser’s selected keyword to a special 5-digit phone number included in the pre-movie slideshow, the audience can obtain additional product information, text their vote on a topic, or participate in games and contests.
To read more, go to Broadcast Newsroom.
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Restore the theater, restore the community
PHILIPPI, WV — This sleepy little community has a gem nestled right in the center of town. The years of misuse and neglect are taking their toll, and the great lady who is the Grand Theatre is fading. We are here on faith, moved from Orlando, Florida, in an attempt to breathe life back into this unsung heroine.
Built in the late 20’s or early 30’s as a vaudeville palace, the Grand went the way of many theaters of her type, which is to be converted to a cinema. It appears from all the information I can gather that none of the owners of this theater in this timeframe had the vision or the finances to allow this lady to really achieve her name.
Our desire is to purchase this theater, restore her — perhaps to a condition she never enjoyed — and to host movies as well as other theatrical events, including concerts, recitals, plays, dramatic readings and inspirational/motivational speakers. Our mission is to provide all forms of family-friendly entertainment, and to engage the community to be involved in the process.