Tickets by mail, reserved seating, and group rates were all standard features for a road show premiere. That era would soon come to an end. If I remember correctly, “Paint Your Wagon” from 1969 might have been the last road show premiere to play the Elmwood.
The movie also played at the Art Cinema after its first run engagement at the Elmwood. Occasionally, the Art Cinema took a break from its foreign film policy to show an American made film.
“Ulysses” returned for a three week engagement at regular prices some time later. However, the art house policy would come to an end by the fall of 1967 when the theater began showing sexploitation films on a weekly basis.
The film premiered at the Majestic Theater. After a successful run of 5 or 6 weeks (Held Over!) at the Art Cinema, it was followed by “A Cold Wind in August.”
Growing up in the 1960s, I just loved reading the movie page, especially the ads for the Art Cinema and the Avon Cinema. All those foreign films and, occasionally, a few unusual independent films that I was not old enough to go and see.
The Art Cinema had such a talent for booking a double bill of compatible foreign films even when they came from different countries. “Dear John” and “Red Lanterns” are a good example. I looked forward so much to the “Starts Tomorrow!” movie ads for the theater. Sadly, by the fall of 1967, the art house policy had ended.
The last roadshow production that played the Elmwood in its golden era was the musical “Paint Your Wagon” in 1970. The film sank at the box office nationwide. So, it’s almost certain that the movie lost a lot of money for the Elmwood, as well. I recall going there to see “MASH,” one of its last first run engagements. Soon afterwards, the theater changed ownership and began showing films like “Illsa.”
Re: Newspaper ad for Esquire Theaters. When the Esquire and General Cinema chains began to lump their movie ads into one indistinguishable mass, the theaters lost their identity. It was especially troubling when the Elmwood joined the group.
Jon Berberian, the theater’s owner, once stated in an interview that he lost money showing art films, with only a handful of people in the audience night after night, that is, until he booked a foreign film called “The Doll.” Ticket sales went through the roof.
In the 1970s and 1980s, I saw most movies at either the Warwick Mall Cinemas or the Showcase. The downtown movie palaces had closed, and, when the neighborhood theaters were sliced into mini theaters, I stopped going to them. I did make an exception, though, with the Cinerama which sometimes showed a foreign film that I wanted to see.
Also, while “Kiss Me, Stupid” was the first major American film rated C by the Legion of Decency since “Baby Doll,” a few years earlier, another American film “A Cold Wind in August” made the list. It played several weeks during its RI premiere at the Art Cinema in 1961. The theater even brought it back the following year for another engagement.
I did not like the Midland Cinema. Tucked inside the mall, it seemed more like a screening room than a theater. Still, I enjoyed tremendously the few films that I went there to see, including “Pauline at the Beach” and “Cries and Whispers.”
When the Four Seasons first opened, the theater announced that one of its two screens would show mostly foreign films, but the policy did not last. I saw “The Tenth Victim” when it opened there.
I always suspected a connection with the Avon. The films that played there were often booked at the Art at a later date, sometimes immediately afterwards. When “David & Lisa” ended its run at the Avon, the theater placed a newspaper ad showing a moving truck carrying the movie logo leaving the Avon and heading in the direction of the Art. The movie page was so much more fun to read in those days.
The agreement that forced the theater to withdraw “Kiss Me, Stupid” in 1964, had obviously ended by 1969 when it booked “Heironymus Merkin,” not only rated C-Condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency, but also X by the ratings board. Of course, this was when the X rating was not yet synonymous with pornography.
When the theater was renamed the Ocean State in 1976 with the purpose of showing first run movies, I attended the opening of its first feature presentation “Murder By Death” and the film that followed that engagement, “King Kong.” I never really believed, however, that this policy would entice moviegoers downtown on a regular basis.
In the latter half of the sixties, the theater’s reputation as an art house began to diminish, at least in my mind. It would schedule more mainstream fare and fewer foreign films. One reason is likely the competition from other theaters like the Columbus Theater/Studio Cinema, the newly opened Four Seasons Cinemas in East Providence, and, years later, the Midland and Cinerama Theater.
I saw “Luther” at the Cable Car Cinema on a Sunday afternoon. Being the first to arrive, I had to wait a while for the theater to open. Few people attended the matinee. I enjoyed the movie, but not the experience of sitting on a big sofa in a theater. Furthermore, the film print was a poor one. It displayed lines throughout the movie which, at times, was rather annoying.
Tickets by mail, reserved seating, and group rates were all standard features for a road show premiere. That era would soon come to an end. If I remember correctly, “Paint Your Wagon” from 1969 might have been the last road show premiere to play the Elmwood.
The movie also played at the Art Cinema after its first run engagement at the Elmwood. Occasionally, the Art Cinema took a break from its foreign film policy to show an American made film.
I was intrigued by the title of the film.
“Ulysses” returned for a three week engagement at regular prices some time later. However, the art house policy would come to an end by the fall of 1967 when the theater began showing sexploitation films on a weekly basis.
At last, there’s a photo showing the marquee. On each side of the marquee were the words “Distinctive Film Fare”.
The film premiered at the Majestic Theater. After a successful run of 5 or 6 weeks (Held Over!) at the Art Cinema, it was followed by “A Cold Wind in August.”
Growing up in the 1960s, I just loved reading the movie page, especially the ads for the Art Cinema and the Avon Cinema. All those foreign films and, occasionally, a few unusual independent films that I was not old enough to go and see.
As a boy, I was so fascinated by this ad that I rode my bike down to the theater to look at the posters and photos with scenes from the film.
The Art Cinema had such a talent for booking a double bill of compatible foreign films even when they came from different countries. “Dear John” and “Red Lanterns” are a good example. I looked forward so much to the “Starts Tomorrow!” movie ads for the theater. Sadly, by the fall of 1967, the art house policy had ended.
The last roadshow production that played the Elmwood in its golden era was the musical “Paint Your Wagon” in 1970. The film sank at the box office nationwide. So, it’s almost certain that the movie lost a lot of money for the Elmwood, as well. I recall going there to see “MASH,” one of its last first run engagements. Soon afterwards, the theater changed ownership and began showing films like “Illsa.”
The first film that I ever saw at the Elmwood was “Pepe” starring Cantinflas.
Re: Newspaper ad for Esquire Theaters. When the Esquire and General Cinema chains began to lump their movie ads into one indistinguishable mass, the theaters lost their identity. It was especially troubling when the Elmwood joined the group.
“Le Bonheur” also happened to be one of the last legitimate films to play the Art Cinema in 1967 before it switched to exploitation.
Jon Berberian, the theater’s owner, once stated in an interview that he lost money showing art films, with only a handful of people in the audience night after night, that is, until he booked a foreign film called “The Doll.” Ticket sales went through the roof.
When did the Lockwood Gordon chain break ties with the Avon? My guess would be at the time that the theater became a revival house.
In the 1970s and 1980s, I saw most movies at either the Warwick Mall Cinemas or the Showcase. The downtown movie palaces had closed, and, when the neighborhood theaters were sliced into mini theaters, I stopped going to them. I did make an exception, though, with the Cinerama which sometimes showed a foreign film that I wanted to see.
Thank you for the photo of the marquee. It brings back many fond memories. I will look at it often.
Also, while “Kiss Me, Stupid” was the first major American film rated C by the Legion of Decency since “Baby Doll,” a few years earlier, another American film “A Cold Wind in August” made the list. It played several weeks during its RI premiere at the Art Cinema in 1961. The theater even brought it back the following year for another engagement.
I did not like the Midland Cinema. Tucked inside the mall, it seemed more like a screening room than a theater. Still, I enjoyed tremendously the few films that I went there to see, including “Pauline at the Beach” and “Cries and Whispers.”
When the Four Seasons first opened, the theater announced that one of its two screens would show mostly foreign films, but the policy did not last. I saw “The Tenth Victim” when it opened there.
I always suspected a connection with the Avon. The films that played there were often booked at the Art at a later date, sometimes immediately afterwards. When “David & Lisa” ended its run at the Avon, the theater placed a newspaper ad showing a moving truck carrying the movie logo leaving the Avon and heading in the direction of the Art. The movie page was so much more fun to read in those days.
The agreement that forced the theater to withdraw “Kiss Me, Stupid” in 1964, had obviously ended by 1969 when it booked “Heironymus Merkin,” not only rated C-Condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency, but also X by the ratings board. Of course, this was when the X rating was not yet synonymous with pornography.
When the theater was renamed the Ocean State in 1976 with the purpose of showing first run movies, I attended the opening of its first feature presentation “Murder By Death” and the film that followed that engagement, “King Kong.” I never really believed, however, that this policy would entice moviegoers downtown on a regular basis.
In the latter half of the sixties, the theater’s reputation as an art house began to diminish, at least in my mind. It would schedule more mainstream fare and fewer foreign films. One reason is likely the competition from other theaters like the Columbus Theater/Studio Cinema, the newly opened Four Seasons Cinemas in East Providence, and, years later, the Midland and Cinerama Theater.
I saw “Luther” at the Cable Car Cinema on a Sunday afternoon. Being the first to arrive, I had to wait a while for the theater to open. Few people attended the matinee. I enjoyed the movie, but not the experience of sitting on a big sofa in a theater. Furthermore, the film print was a poor one. It displayed lines throughout the movie which, at times, was rather annoying.