I visited this theater the other day and was quite impressed. I was in Cinema 1, which I thought might have been an old single-screen theatre until I read otherwise on this site. Then I saw another movie, in Cinema 6. It was so nice to see the gold curtains with red footlights, rare for a multiplex today.
I visited this theater yesterday in my quest to visit single-screen theaters around the country. It is a very nice theater with excellent projection, and I enjoyed my visit. My only complaint is that the curtain was already open and there were no stage lights. The front of the auditorium was just dark. I feel that if a theater has a curtain, they should use it, along with stage lights. It would make the place much more attractive and inviting. Too many of the single-screen theaters I visit are so dark that you can’t appreciate the decor and ornamentation of the place. It’s always disappointing.
I visited this theater yesterday and was a little disappointed. I was in the larger cinema, which is largely intact from its single-screen days. It was quite dark in there before the show. There was no curtain, or else it was open. There was some interesting decoration around the procenium, but with lack of stage lights, you could hardly see it. If a theater has no curtain, at least they could flood the screen with colored light to make the place more attractive.
The new theatre was the Walnut Mall, which was built to replace the aging Century, but the Century soldiered on for about three more years and closed because they were afraid the roof would cave in if there was a heavy snow. The Walnut Mall Theatre was later twinned. Then after it closed, it became a church, which it is to this day.
I worked with Tom Connell at the Willow Lawn, and with Jerry Norwood at the Colonial. I worked many of Ray’s midnight shows at the Towne and Colonial, and a couple at the Ridge.
I worked there as a projectionist quite a few times when you were there. I also liked Cecil Burroughs and I remember Dan. My regular job was at the Towne and Trans-Lux, but I pulled quite a few shifts at the Westover. It was a beautiful theatre. I really liked the waterfall curtain.
Why doesn’t the Regent use their curtain any more? For 15 minutes before the show started, I just stared at a white screen. I know they have a curtain, so why don’t they use it? It adds to the atmosphere of going to the movies.
I also was wondering why it was in 1.33, since I know that when it was released to theatres, it was in 1.85. Maybe it was the full-screen edition for television. But they announced from the stage prior to the showing that it was a DVD.
They announced that there was no 35mm print available, but they got permission to show the collectors edition DVD. It was in 1.33:1 and masked properly on the sides, but was slightly out of focus.
I visited this beautiful theatre yesterday for the Natalie Wood film festival. GYPSY was in 35mm scope, and the projectionist did an outstanding, making sure every reel was in sharp focus. But the second feature, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, was on DVD and was a little out of focus throughout. I know DVD projectors can be focused, because I have operated them. Why then, did he take extra care on GYPSY, but for LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER he just turned the projector on and didn’t fine-tune the focus?
I, too, have only been to the Uptown once. That was in 1963 or 1964 to see “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” I thought it was going to be in 3-projector Cinerama, and was disappointed to find out it wasn’t.
I would like to know more about the two additional auditoriums added when it was triplexed. Where were they located? What size were they? Does anyone have any pictures they could post?
I visited this theater today and liked it very much. It even has a curtain, which is rare these days. My only complaint is that the picture was very dark. It looked like the xenon bulb had seen better days. The movie I saw today was flat, and it took up the entire screen. How do they present a scope picture? Is it in the same aspect ratio as the flat picture, or do they have a top masking that can be lowered?
I have worked in theaters with curved screens and with steep projection angles without such problems. It’s all in filing the aperature plate to compensate.
Go to the Richmond Public Library and ask for the movie theatre file. It is full of pictures and has a great picture of the Bellvue auditorium and stage curtains.
There are several in the Los Angeles area: The Vista, Regent, Village, Bruin, and Gardena. The Cinerama Dome is still intact, although a large cinema complex has been built onto it.
I visited the Nuart on Sunday, and I thought it was a very nice place to see a movie. They have a curtain and a curved screen, which I like in a theater. I think they could flood their curtain with more light to make it stand out, but at least they have one and use it.
Whay a coincidence. I was also there for “The Warriors”, and was surprised at the quality of the print for such an old movie. I had no idea it was from 1979 until I read the copyright date on the end credits. I live in Virginia, but in my travels I seek out single screen theaters to visit. I guess I live in the past, but I enjoy experiencing movies the way I remember from my youth.
I visited this theater last night and was disappointed to see that there was no curtain. There was also no side masking to close in for flat pictures. And there was a mark across the whole screen about a foot up from the bottom. A good point, however, is that the projection was excellent. It was focused the minute it hit the screen. As a retired projectionist, I am always critical of the projection. But the projectionist at the Bay gets an A+ from me.
I just visited this theatre to see “The Great Victor Herbert.” The organ concert before the movie and during the silent comedy was outstanding. I was disappointed that the movie was a DVD, and the quality was poor. There was no contrast in the picture. Blacks were light gray. And the sound and picture were out of sync. I was hoping for a 35mm print, but it didn’t happen. At the end, the letters DVD appeared on the screen.
I visited this theater the other day and was quite impressed. I was in Cinema 1, which I thought might have been an old single-screen theatre until I read otherwise on this site. Then I saw another movie, in Cinema 6. It was so nice to see the gold curtains with red footlights, rare for a multiplex today.
I visited this theater yesterday in my quest to visit single-screen theaters around the country. It is a very nice theater with excellent projection, and I enjoyed my visit. My only complaint is that the curtain was already open and there were no stage lights. The front of the auditorium was just dark. I feel that if a theater has a curtain, they should use it, along with stage lights. It would make the place much more attractive and inviting. Too many of the single-screen theaters I visit are so dark that you can’t appreciate the decor and ornamentation of the place. It’s always disappointing.
I visited this theater yesterday and was a little disappointed. I was in the larger cinema, which is largely intact from its single-screen days. It was quite dark in there before the show. There was no curtain, or else it was open. There was some interesting decoration around the procenium, but with lack of stage lights, you could hardly see it. If a theater has no curtain, at least they could flood the screen with colored light to make the place more attractive.
The new theatre was the Walnut Mall, which was built to replace the aging Century, but the Century soldiered on for about three more years and closed because they were afraid the roof would cave in if there was a heavy snow. The Walnut Mall Theatre was later twinned. Then after it closed, it became a church, which it is to this day.
I worked with Tom Connell at the Willow Lawn, and with Jerry Norwood at the Colonial. I worked many of Ray’s midnight shows at the Towne and Colonial, and a couple at the Ridge.
I worked there as a projectionist quite a few times when you were there. I also liked Cecil Burroughs and I remember Dan. My regular job was at the Towne and Trans-Lux, but I pulled quite a few shifts at the Westover. It was a beautiful theatre. I really liked the waterfall curtain.
I took this picture on Jan. 3, 1964.
Why doesn’t the Regent use their curtain any more? For 15 minutes before the show started, I just stared at a white screen. I know they have a curtain, so why don’t they use it? It adds to the atmosphere of going to the movies.
I also was wondering why it was in 1.33, since I know that when it was released to theatres, it was in 1.85. Maybe it was the full-screen edition for television. But they announced from the stage prior to the showing that it was a DVD.
They announced that there was no 35mm print available, but they got permission to show the collectors edition DVD. It was in 1.33:1 and masked properly on the sides, but was slightly out of focus.
I visited this beautiful theatre yesterday for the Natalie Wood film festival. GYPSY was in 35mm scope, and the projectionist did an outstanding, making sure every reel was in sharp focus. But the second feature, LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER, was on DVD and was a little out of focus throughout. I know DVD projectors can be focused, because I have operated them. Why then, did he take extra care on GYPSY, but for LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER he just turned the projector on and didn’t fine-tune the focus?
I, too, have only been to the Uptown once. That was in 1963 or 1964 to see “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” I thought it was going to be in 3-projector Cinerama, and was disappointed to find out it wasn’t.
I would like to know more about the two additional auditoriums added when it was triplexed. Where were they located? What size were they? Does anyone have any pictures they could post?
I visited this theater today and liked it very much. It even has a curtain, which is rare these days. My only complaint is that the picture was very dark. It looked like the xenon bulb had seen better days. The movie I saw today was flat, and it took up the entire screen. How do they present a scope picture? Is it in the same aspect ratio as the flat picture, or do they have a top masking that can be lowered?
This theater is closing tonight. Does anyone know if it is permanent? I’ll be in LA this weekend and I was hoping to go there.
I have worked in theaters with curved screens and with steep projection angles without such problems. It’s all in filing the aperature plate to compensate.
No, Loew’s never operated the State. I used to work there until it closed in 1981, and it was operated by Neighborhood Theatres, Inc.
I’m wondering if that is the theater that later became Barney’s, and was later operated as the Remmie around 1965. It seems to be the same location.
Go to the Richmond Public Library and ask for the movie theatre file. It is full of pictures and has a great picture of the Bellvue auditorium and stage curtains.
There are several in the Los Angeles area: The Vista, Regent, Village, Bruin, and Gardena. The Cinerama Dome is still intact, although a large cinema complex has been built onto it.
It is not deeply curved, just the normal curve that CinemaScope screens were originally delivered with.
I visited the Nuart on Sunday, and I thought it was a very nice place to see a movie. They have a curtain and a curved screen, which I like in a theater. I think they could flood their curtain with more light to make it stand out, but at least they have one and use it.
Whay a coincidence. I was also there for “The Warriors”, and was surprised at the quality of the print for such an old movie. I had no idea it was from 1979 until I read the copyright date on the end credits. I live in Virginia, but in my travels I seek out single screen theaters to visit. I guess I live in the past, but I enjoy experiencing movies the way I remember from my youth.
I visited this theater last night and was disappointed to see that there was no curtain. There was also no side masking to close in for flat pictures. And there was a mark across the whole screen about a foot up from the bottom. A good point, however, is that the projection was excellent. It was focused the minute it hit the screen. As a retired projectionist, I am always critical of the projection. But the projectionist at the Bay gets an A+ from me.
I just visited this theatre to see “The Great Victor Herbert.” The organ concert before the movie and during the silent comedy was outstanding. I was disappointed that the movie was a DVD, and the quality was poor. There was no contrast in the picture. Blacks were light gray. And the sound and picture were out of sync. I was hoping for a 35mm print, but it didn’t happen. At the end, the letters DVD appeared on the screen.