This was the first theatre I operated as a general manager. 21 years old. I loved that theatre, and even did an episode of my podcast about it… sort of.
Drove by it a couple weeks ago, while I was in town for my 40th high school reunion. Still closed. Screens gone. Snack bar and projection booth still in place. Weeds everywhere. Fenced in off Soquel Blvd. Still undeveloped by the hospital.
I saw Megalopolis at the Lucerna back in October 2024, when my wife and daughter and I were in Prague for no good reason. Such a beautiful theatre. Sat in the balcony, which has a few regular rows of seats in the back, along with single rows of dining room chairs on the edges.
I’ve been promising RM I would add my photos for half a year now, which I will be doing after this post.
Looks like Forever 21 is going back into bankruptcy again, and closing down many if not all of their locations. Maybe Taubman will pull their heads out of their backsides and open a new theatre venue in its place.
Technically, the theatre has been demolished. The middle floor between the main theatre level and the rooftop additions is gone. All evidence of a theatre once being there is gone. Every auditorium. Every hallway. Every snack bar, storage area, stairway and elevator, gone. The green room I was creating for talent while they waited for their Q&As, gone. It’s all gone. Gone, baby, gone.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Cineplex Beverly Center 14 (July 16th), I devoted a full episode of my podcast to the life and death of the theatre. Includes a discussion with Cinema Treasures co-founder Ross Melnick on the importance of the Cineplex Beverly Center 14 on the exhibition industry. I hope you’ll listen.
This is not the State IV, or as I knew it when I was the GM in training there, the Regency. This photo belongs under the Golden State Theatre (http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3688).
The one time I needed to go to the MQ6, in late 1989 or early 1990, I was picking up a print of a movie (don’t remember which one) to move it to the UA Blossom Hill 4, which I was managing at the time. I got to the theatre a little early (the projectionist was still breaking down the print), so they had me wait in the booth. It was one of the ugliest, dirtiest booths I had ever been in. I may be mis-remembering, but instead of a linoleum floor or a thin carpet, I think it had like full shag carpeting in the booth.
When I worked at the Cineplex Odeon Universal City Cinemas in 1991, the seating was as follows:
1: 787 (607 on the main floor, 180 in the balcony)
2 and 13: 283
3, 4, 11 and 12: 280 each
5 and 10: 324 each
6: 221
7: 220
8: 219
9: 225
14: 780 (612 on the main floor, 168 in the balcony)
15: 174
16: 175
17: 173
18: 177
1, 6, 10 and 14 were 70mm capable.
1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14 were THX certified.
When I worked for AMC in 2013-2014, the seat counts had changed considerably:
1 and 14: 376 2, 3, 4, 11, 12 and 13: 163 each 5 and 10: 217 each 6, 8 and 9: 131 each 7: 130 15 and 17: 98 each 16 and 18: 93 each IMAX: 369
It was a poorly designed and generally crappy theatre. I saw Cronenberg’s Crash there, and I never went back again.
This was the first theatre I operated as a general manager. 21 years old. I loved that theatre, and even did an episode of my podcast about it… sort of.
Drove by it a couple weeks ago, while I was in town for my 40th high school reunion. Still closed. Screens gone. Snack bar and projection booth still in place. Weeds everywhere. Fenced in off Soquel Blvd. Still undeveloped by the hospital.
An absolute nightmare for movie lovers.
Space is now known as The 418 Project. They bought the theatre in 2021, but I’m unsure how long it’s been open.
the418project.org
I saw Megalopolis at the Lucerna back in October 2024, when my wife and daughter and I were in Prague for no good reason. Such a beautiful theatre. Sat in the balcony, which has a few regular rows of seats in the back, along with single rows of dining room chairs on the edges.
I’ve been promising RM I would add my photos for half a year now, which I will be doing after this post.
Looks like Forever 21 is going back into bankruptcy again, and closing down many if not all of their locations. Maybe Taubman will pull their heads out of their backsides and open a new theatre venue in its place.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/forever-21-closing-headquarters-laying-231242847.html
Technically, the theatre has been demolished. The middle floor between the main theatre level and the rooftop additions is gone. All evidence of a theatre once being there is gone. Every auditorium. Every hallway. Every snack bar, storage area, stairway and elevator, gone. The green room I was creating for talent while they waited for their Q&As, gone. It’s all gone. Gone, baby, gone.
Signage for the new operator is already up.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Cineplex Beverly Center 14 (July 16th), I devoted a full episode of my podcast to the life and death of the theatre. Includes a discussion with Cinema Treasures co-founder Ross Melnick on the importance of the Cineplex Beverly Center 14 on the exhibition industry. I hope you’ll listen.
https://the80smoviepodcast.com/episode-082-the-cineplex-beverly-center/
This is not the State IV, or as I knew it when I was the GM in training there, the Regency. This photo belongs under the Golden State Theatre (http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3688).
Happened to be next door today to where the Crest once stood. Added a picture of what the block looks like now.
The theatre has added a ninth screen in the past few years.
I saw the original Hong Kong version of Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx here on March 1, 1995.
The one time I needed to go to the MQ6, in late 1989 or early 1990, I was picking up a print of a movie (don’t remember which one) to move it to the UA Blossom Hill 4, which I was managing at the time. I got to the theatre a little early (the projectionist was still breaking down the print), so they had me wait in the booth. It was one of the ugliest, dirtiest booths I had ever been in. I may be mis-remembering, but instead of a linoleum floor or a thin carpet, I think it had like full shag carpeting in the booth.
I’m not sure why this picture is here. The El Rey in Salinas is a good 300 miles north of the El Rey in Los Angeles.
Status should be changed to “Demolished.”
Nope. Still closed.
Time to change the name of the theatre. As of last month, it’s now the Hitchcock Cinema and Public House.
When I worked for Cineplex Odeon in 1991-1993, this was the seating for the Broadway Cinemas:
1: 176
2: 395
3: 325
4: 225
Theatre 2 was 70mm capable.
Today, the seating has changed:
1: 64
2: 138
3: 120
4: 66
When I worked for Cineplex Odeon in 1991-1993, this was the seating for the Marina Marketplace 6:
1: 489
2: 298
3: 289
4: 294
5: 182
6: 230
Theatre 1 was 70mm capable.
With the Dine-In concept, the current seating is:
1: 109
2, 3 and 4: 70 each
5: 43
6: 57
When I worked for Cineplex Odeon in 1991-1993, this was the seating for the Fairfax Cinemas:
1: 192
2: 499
3: 222
House 2 was 70mm capable. All houses were able to show films in 1.33:1, 1.66:1, 1.85:1 and 2.39:1. House 2 could also play 4 track 35mm mag prints.
When I worked for Cineplex Odeon in 1991-1993, this was the seating for the Century Plaza Cinemas:
1: 772
2: 583
3 and 4: 198 each
Theatres 1 and 2 were 70mm capable. Theatre 1 was THX certified. Theatres 2, 3 and 4 had the HPS-4000 sound system.
When I worked at the Cineplex Odeon Beverly Center in 1991-1993, these were the seat counts:
1: 465
2: 291
3: 103
4: 89
5: 100
6 and 10: 70 each
7: 78
8: 133
9: 113
11: 60
12: 80
13: 95
Houses 1 and 2 were 70mm capable.
The seating stayed relatively the same until the closing in June 2010.
When I worked at the Cineplex Odeon Universal City Cinemas in 1991, the seating was as follows:
1: 787 (607 on the main floor, 180 in the balcony) 2 and 13: 283 3, 4, 11 and 12: 280 each 5 and 10: 324 each 6: 221 7: 220 8: 219 9: 225 14: 780 (612 on the main floor, 168 in the balcony) 15: 174 16: 175 17: 173 18: 177
1, 6, 10 and 14 were 70mm capable. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 14 were THX certified.
When I worked for AMC in 2013-2014, the seat counts had changed considerably:
1 and 14: 376
2, 3, 4, 11, 12 and 13: 163 each
5 and 10: 217 each
6, 8 and 9: 131 each
7: 130
15 and 17: 98 each
16 and 18: 93 each
IMAX: 369
It’s just sitting there. Topa Management still has it and the neighboring buildings waiting for someone to lease the space.