When theatres are allowed to deteriote and go down hill like that, it’s clearly a wake-up call that it’s demise is around the corner, so to speak. Not a good sign, imho.
College students, too, are a great crowd to tap into for the midnight movie crowd(s). I bet if you ran movies like “The Warriors”, “The Gremlins”. and a bunch of others like that for your midnight movies programs, you might attract a good crowd, but I guess that’s just my opinion.
Older classics, specially for the 40 and older crowds, are an excellent idea, but I’m sure that if you ran enough of those, at good hours, both during the day and earlier in the evening, you might also get a good crowd. “Midnight Cowbow”, “West Side Story”, “Sound of Music”, “Lawrence of Arabia” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” come to mind here, also, when it comes to the golden oldie-but-goody classic films. Again, that’s just my opinion.
Hope I’ve been of some help here. All the best of luck to you.
Who knows? WIth more people flocking to the movies now, especially with the economy the way it is, what would be so impossible about making money from Classic movies and midnight movies?
As everybody here knows, I drove down from Boston to Hartford, CT for a screening of my alltime favorite movie, “West Side Story”. A great print of WSS, shown on a big screen in this great classic-looking old theatre, which is beautiful both inside and out, and in the heart of a very pretty campus, plus the ruffled curtain and sitting on the balcony of the CineStudio Theatre to watch this great golden oldie-but-goody movie/musical classic made for a wonderful evening. Here’s hoping CineStudio thrives forever and ever.
That’s so sad…really. It’s too bad that a once-very nice theatre was allowed to deteriorate to the point where it’ll more than likely be torn down, as opposed to being renovated and converted back into a theatre of some kind or other.
Hi, Lost Memory. I was unable to access the article, but what a nasty thing for people to do to a theatre. There’s no justification for it, even in these hard economic times. Here’s hoping they put better security in so that customers and employees alike will feel safe wlhen they go to the movies.
What a fantastic-looking theatre, both inside and out!! It seems like just the perfect theatre for both live performances AND great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films.
That’s agreed, movie534. However, while this is great to read about, it’s only a drop in the bucket. It’ll be a long time, I’m afraid, before one can actually say that drive-in theatres are making a comeback. Let’s hope they make a comback all over the country and not just simply play the schlockier films of today, either.
Good point, shoeshoe14. One doesn’t have to have all the answers (I know that I don’t) to realize that
what’s been going on with the movie theatre industry for the past 30 or more years is seriously messed up and something has to be changed. Granted, the days when movie palace theatres were really part of the holding actions of towns and neighborhoods are pretty much gone forever, but I believe that more theatres should offer more choices in movies, and not just the schlocky stuff that’s so commonly played nowadays.
Hi, Bill Huelbig. Thanks. Yes, Robert Wise was present for the “West Side Story” screening. I’m very lucky to have gotten to go, and I’m still savering that great evening, almost eight years later! In mid-August of 2001, I’d just gotten back from an eye-dilation exam when I received a phone call from some friends of mine who’d formerly lived in my area. had moved down to NYC a number of years before, and knew that “West Side Story” was my alltime favorite movie. So saying, when my friends down in NYC asked me if I wanted them to send off for some tickets for the special 40th-year Anniversary screening of West Side Story in early October, I immediately (and enthusiastically) said yes. Although somewhat of a snafu came up regarding the tickets, the tickets were obtained, and, when the big day came, I drove down to the Big Apple specially to see the screening of West Side Story, old friends, and relatives. What a beautiful Saturday night out it was! There was a beautiful new screen print of West Side Story, RCMH was packed with an exuberant, friendly crowd, and there was much fingersnapping and applause from the audience. It was great to experience such a wonderful film with five to six thousand other people! It was great!!
The only trouble is, movie534, is that these big chain movie theatres have all but killed off most of the independent movie palace theatres here in the United States and elsewhere. The fact that lots of these big franchise/chain multiplex cinemas are in trouble is, at least in part, their own doing, imho.
Warren Harris: I KNEW that the special 40th-year Anniversary “West Side Story” screening at RCMH was a special event. My friends who I went with told me so beforehand. It was a great evening out…and it was especially fantastic that several thousand people got together for such a splendid evening less than a month after the horrific 9/11 attacks on the WTC Towers.
Bill Huelbig: Wow!! Sounds like you and your brother really DID have some day at the movies!! Cool!!
You’re both right about “West Side Story” having played at the Rivoli when it first came out. I stand corrected on that one. “West Side Story” was fantastic at RCMH—as in any other place it’s played.
p. s. Get me talking about “West Side Story”, and there’s virtually no end to it! LOL!
Warren Harris: First of all, I went to a special 40th-year anniversary screening of the film “West Side Story” at RCMH in early October 2001 with some friends of mine, and had a wonderful time.
Secondly, I know at least 3 people who saw the film “West Side Story” at RCMH back in late 1961, when it first came out.
When theatres are allowed to deteriote and go down hill like that, it’s clearly a wake-up call that it’s demise is around the corner, so to speak. Not a good sign, imho.
All over the country, CapnRob? LOL!
Thanks, gritz76. Sounds like you’ve got a good idea going there. Again, all the best of luck in making this dream come true!
RCMH is still a neat place to see movies, concerts, etc.
College students, too, are a great crowd to tap into for the midnight movie crowd(s). I bet if you ran movies like “The Warriors”, “The Gremlins”. and a bunch of others like that for your midnight movies programs, you might attract a good crowd, but I guess that’s just my opinion.
Older classics, specially for the 40 and older crowds, are an excellent idea, but I’m sure that if you ran enough of those, at good hours, both during the day and earlier in the evening, you might also get a good crowd. “Midnight Cowbow”, “West Side Story”, “Sound of Music”, “Lawrence of Arabia” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” come to mind here, also, when it comes to the golden oldie-but-goody classic films. Again, that’s just my opinion.
Hope I’ve been of some help here. All the best of luck to you.
Looks like a neat thatre, both inside and out.
Another one bites the dust. How sad.
Who knows? WIth more people flocking to the movies now, especially with the economy the way it is, what would be so impossible about making money from Classic movies and midnight movies?
Thanks for the photo, Lost Memory. I love it!
As everybody here knows, I drove down from Boston to Hartford, CT for a screening of my alltime favorite movie, “West Side Story”. A great print of WSS, shown on a big screen in this great classic-looking old theatre, which is beautiful both inside and out, and in the heart of a very pretty campus, plus the ruffled curtain and sitting on the balcony of the CineStudio Theatre to watch this great golden oldie-but-goody movie/musical classic made for a wonderful evening. Here’s hoping CineStudio thrives forever and ever.
Enjoy!!
Hmmmm….interesting photograph. Hidden treasures and a hidden history in RCMH. Cool!
That was a beautiful-looking theatre, both inside and out. It’s a pity what happened to it.
Certain things that make me avoid AMC, Cinemark, etc., and other big-chain multiplex cinemas when and if at all possible:
A) The (mostly) schlocky quality of the movies (today’s) that’re played in those particular theatres.
B) Prices are outrageous, for both general admission and concession food.
C) Rude, obnoxious cell-phone/texting patrons, and unruly kids out of control
D) Very antiseptic-looking design, both inside and outside.
That’s so sad…really. It’s too bad that a once-very nice theatre was allowed to deteriorate to the point where it’ll more than likely be torn down, as opposed to being renovated and converted back into a theatre of some kind or other.
Hi, Lost Memory. I was unable to access the article, but what a nasty thing for people to do to a theatre. There’s no justification for it, even in these hard economic times. Here’s hoping they put better security in so that customers and employees alike will feel safe wlhen they go to the movies.
Btw—I read the above article about the Sheas Theatre with much interest and enjoyment. Thanks, LOUB.
What a fantastic-looking theatre, both inside and out!! It seems like just the perfect theatre for both live performances AND great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films.
That’s agreed, movie534. However, while this is great to read about, it’s only a drop in the bucket. It’ll be a long time, I’m afraid, before one can actually say that drive-in theatres are making a comeback. Let’s hope they make a comback all over the country and not just simply play the schlockier films of today, either.
Good point, shoeshoe14. One doesn’t have to have all the answers (I know that I don’t) to realize that
what’s been going on with the movie theatre industry for the past 30 or more years is seriously messed up and something has to be changed. Granted, the days when movie palace theatres were really part of the holding actions of towns and neighborhoods are pretty much gone forever, but I believe that more theatres should offer more choices in movies, and not just the schlocky stuff that’s so commonly played nowadays.
Sounds cool, Bill! Glad you had a great time at “West Side Story” also.
Hi, Bill Huelbig. Thanks. Yes, Robert Wise was present for the “West Side Story” screening. I’m very lucky to have gotten to go, and I’m still savering that great evening, almost eight years later! In mid-August of 2001, I’d just gotten back from an eye-dilation exam when I received a phone call from some friends of mine who’d formerly lived in my area. had moved down to NYC a number of years before, and knew that “West Side Story” was my alltime favorite movie. So saying, when my friends down in NYC asked me if I wanted them to send off for some tickets for the special 40th-year Anniversary screening of West Side Story in early October, I immediately (and enthusiastically) said yes. Although somewhat of a snafu came up regarding the tickets, the tickets were obtained, and, when the big day came, I drove down to the Big Apple specially to see the screening of West Side Story, old friends, and relatives. What a beautiful Saturday night out it was! There was a beautiful new screen print of West Side Story, RCMH was packed with an exuberant, friendly crowd, and there was much fingersnapping and applause from the audience. It was great to experience such a wonderful film with five to six thousand other people! It was great!!
The only trouble is, movie534, is that these big chain movie theatres have all but killed off most of the independent movie palace theatres here in the United States and elsewhere. The fact that lots of these big franchise/chain multiplex cinemas are in trouble is, at least in part, their own doing, imho.
Warren Harris: I KNEW that the special 40th-year Anniversary “West Side Story” screening at RCMH was a special event. My friends who I went with told me so beforehand. It was a great evening out…and it was especially fantastic that several thousand people got together for such a splendid evening less than a month after the horrific 9/11 attacks on the WTC Towers.
Bill Huelbig: Wow!! Sounds like you and your brother really DID have some day at the movies!! Cool!!
You’re both right about “West Side Story” having played at the Rivoli when it first came out. I stand corrected on that one. “West Side Story” was fantastic at RCMH—as in any other place it’s played.
p. s. Get me talking about “West Side Story”, and there’s virtually no end to it! LOL!
Warren Harris: First of all, I went to a special 40th-year anniversary screening of the film “West Side Story” at RCMH in early October 2001 with some friends of mine, and had a wonderful time.
Secondly, I know at least 3 people who saw the film “West Side Story” at RCMH back in late 1961, when it first came out.