This year’s New Directors/New Films series will test the mettle of potential audiences by offering Edgar Reitz’s ‘'Heimat,’‘ a German film that spans 63 years in the life of a fictional German village. ’‘Heimat’‘ is 16 hours long – yes, 16 hours. It will be shown in four four-hour segments in the Museum of Modern Art’s Titus 1 Theater over two successive weekends, beginning April 6-7; it will also be shown twice, in two eight-hour segments, in the smaller Titus 2 auditorium on the same dates. The New Directors series begins on March 29 and runs through April 14.
A Staten Island Premiere
Staten Island, not often a site for movie premieres, will be host to the opening engagement of Sandy Tung’s ‘'Marriage’‘ today since Mr. Tung is a native son. In addition to the Amboy Twin on Staten Island, the film opens at the Embassy 72d Street theater in Manhattan today.
Mr. Tung made his largely autobiographical film about a marital breakup on Staten Island, and shot much of it in his own apartment. The film had a budget of $125,000, and was pretty much financed by the director himself. He has already visited the Amboy Twin to provide it with handbills about his film, and he concedes he’s a little worried. ‘'The film isn’t high-concept,’‘ he says. ’‘It doesn’t have a lot of sex and violence, it doesn’t have big stars and it has what you could call a grown-up theme. I think people in the suburbs might be interested in it, since that’s where the characters are from. But I go the movies in the suburbs all the time, and the average audience can’t be older than 18.’'
Ignore the incorrect caption at the top. I thought this USC archives photo was interesting if you note the “Homer Laughlin building” sign next to the MD. There was also a Homer Laughlin building and theater in Long Beach. http://tinyurl.com/23bt48
This is an interesting photo from the USC archive. Paul deLongpre was one of Hollywood’s early residents. Here is house is being demolished while the frame of the Warner theater rises in the background: http://tinyurl.com/3y9pkv
The theater is nice. The Grove itself is kind of artificial for me. I prefer a real city street as opposed to a manufactured one. Fortunately the Farmer’s Market was not obliterated and co-exists, more or less, with the complex.
The address is actually Dirksen Parkway, named in honor of the late Senator from Illinois. There is a hotel at that address now, but the former theater building may be on another part of the property: http://tinyurl.com/2rkbxt
According to this September 2007 newsletter, the Cinema III is being converted to a community theater:
http://tinyurl.com/yp6w4l
Wal-Mart and urban sprawl in Salida, circa 1994:
http://tinyurl.com/26v6hr
Here is a photo of the former Grove:
http://tinyurl.com/3xcqlr
Here is a photo:
http://tinyurl.com/3b8k2d
Here is the website. Looks like it’s showing first run movies now:
http://www.elginoperahouse.com/
This is from the NY Times, dated 2/22/85:
‘Heimat’ Clocks 16 Hours
This year’s New Directors/New Films series will test the mettle of potential audiences by offering Edgar Reitz’s ‘'Heimat,’‘ a German film that spans 63 years in the life of a fictional German village. ’‘Heimat’‘ is 16 hours long – yes, 16 hours. It will be shown in four four-hour segments in the Museum of Modern Art’s Titus 1 Theater over two successive weekends, beginning April 6-7; it will also be shown twice, in two eight-hour segments, in the smaller Titus 2 auditorium on the same dates. The New Directors series begins on March 29 and runs through April 14.
A Staten Island Premiere
Staten Island, not often a site for movie premieres, will be host to the opening engagement of Sandy Tung’s ‘'Marriage’‘ today since Mr. Tung is a native son. In addition to the Amboy Twin on Staten Island, the film opens at the Embassy 72d Street theater in Manhattan today.
Mr. Tung made his largely autobiographical film about a marital breakup on Staten Island, and shot much of it in his own apartment. The film had a budget of $125,000, and was pretty much financed by the director himself. He has already visited the Amboy Twin to provide it with handbills about his film, and he concedes he’s a little worried. ‘'The film isn’t high-concept,’‘ he says. ’‘It doesn’t have a lot of sex and violence, it doesn’t have big stars and it has what you could call a grown-up theme. I think people in the suburbs might be interested in it, since that’s where the characters are from. But I go the movies in the suburbs all the time, and the average audience can’t be older than 18.’'
Interesting article. Thanks.
Here is a 1965 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/ywfy8w
Here is a January 1965 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/2xln65
This ad is dated 1/29/31:
http://tinyurl.com/2awy93
This is a 1931 ad. If anyone has heard of “Magnifilm”, let me know. Perhaps it was an early version of Cinemascope:
http://tinyurl.com/27fmte
This 1/24/31 ad in the LA Times preceded the formal opening of the theater:
http://tinyurl.com/2zggqb
Here is a 1951 photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/yowm37
Ignore the incorrect caption at the top. I thought this USC archives photo was interesting if you note the “Homer Laughlin building” sign next to the MD. There was also a Homer Laughlin building and theater in Long Beach.
http://tinyurl.com/23bt48
This is an interesting photo from the USC archive. Paul deLongpre was one of Hollywood’s early residents. Here is house is being demolished while the frame of the Warner theater rises in the background:
http://tinyurl.com/3y9pkv
The theater is nice. The Grove itself is kind of artificial for me. I prefer a real city street as opposed to a manufactured one. Fortunately the Farmer’s Market was not obliterated and co-exists, more or less, with the complex.
Here is a 1944 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/2octca
I am Bill McIntyre’s son, but it is a coincidence. My dad never made it out of New Jersey. He would have gotten a laugh out of that.
Here is a 1944 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/396l6c
Here is a 1944 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/2mcsm3
The Tingel-Tangel was across the street in 1934. I think this was a playhouse:
http://tinyurl.com/267u2a
Here is another photo. It looks there is a drug store in at least part of the building:
http://tinyurl.com/36gspb
The address is actually Dirksen Parkway, named in honor of the late Senator from Illinois. There is a hotel at that address now, but the former theater building may be on another part of the property:
http://tinyurl.com/2rkbxt
The address is 14528 Plowden Mill Road. The business is Country Store Antiques.
Those are good photos. I think they mean loge instead of lodge, however. Part of the building may be a furniture store now, but that’s unconfirmed.