Comments from Buck Wilson

This theater is now CLOSED.

http://www.examiner.net/article/20140628/NEWS/140628877/1994/NEWS/?Start=1

“ The last dollar-house theater in the Kansas City metropolitan area has succumbed to the era of digital film.

Noland Fashion Cinema 6, 13520 E. U.S. 40 in Independence, closed its doors for good June 22. The movie theater ran films that had been out weeks, or even months, prior to their initial release at discounted ticket prices since 2002. It opened in the mid 1980s as a first-run theater, said former General Manager Daryl Smith.
              
                “We sure didn’t want to close, but had no choice,” he said.
              
                The major reason behind the theater’s closing was the movie studios’ push for digital film, he added. Both he and Brian Wolfgang of Pharaoh 4 Cinemas, 114 West Maple Ave., in Independence, said it is harder to secure 35 millimeter film prints for exhibition due to many Hollywood movie studios releasing movies only in a digital format. The two theaters still use celluloid film projectors.
              
                “The cost ... didn’t justify the need to continue,” said Smith. He added that attendance at Noland Fashion Cinema 6 declined over the past few years, too. Given the low volume of business, it didn’t warrant the purchase of expensive digital projectors. Plus the time between a film’s theatrical release and its release on either DVD or Blu-ray has considerably shortened over the years, he added.
              
                Now the Pharaoh 4 remains as the only theater in Independence that still uses 35mm prints, but hopefully that is about to change soon, said Wolfgang.
              
                He said his theater is in the process of financing digital projectors that should be installed by late summer. However, it is estimated that four digital projectors for all of Pharaoh’s auditoriums would be in the price range of $250,000.
              
                But it should pay off.
              
                “Developing a 35mm print could be up to $2,000 to $2,500,” Smith said. “It’s cheaper on the digital factor.”
              
                With digital projectors comes the opportunity to also have a 3-D projector, he added. “There should be a resurgence when we become digital.”
              
                Currently, Wolfgang says he had to pass up on some films because the ones they previously acquired have to be shown for a specific amount of time. “We have to make a deal with the studio to show a film for two to three weeks, and we just don’t have the auditorium space.” And given the movie business, it’s hard to foresee what will be a box office draw.
              
                Wolfgang said a kick start program will be set up soon to help raise money for new digital projectors.
              
                As for Smith, he believes the movie theater market will not become obsolete."
                

This theater, unfortunately, is still CLOSED. Please update.

Visited this theater today and watched “Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. What a neat little place! Was very clean and well kept. They were still running film, but presentation was quite good. Projectionist started film on-time and in-frame, sound was clear, cues were in proper place, and the print itself was in decent(not perfect) condition. I was quite pleased. I hope they can stick around. I want to thank the projectionist for the quick tour of the booth as well.

GREAT pics. Love it.

Nope, still closed, Looks nearly unchanged since the two pics uploaded by me in September 2011.

The vitrolite is now falling off of the exterior in depressingly large quantities, there are now ~20 tiles missing/fallen. I’m currently using a shard I found on the sidewalk as a keychain. I will own this building someday….

This theater is at risk of closing in the spring of 2014. The current operators do not appear to be interested in purchasing the building from the owner nor does either party show interest in making the necessary upgrades to the building to keep it operating. The roof leaks, the HVAC systems are on their last legs, the bathrooms are decrepit, there are many many broken seats and torn curtains, poor sound, and the rest isn’t far behind. This theater is still operating with 35mm film and associated equipment, much of which was used when the building was built. All 8 auditoriums are currently ‘operating’. Such a shame, there has been a theater on this site since the ‘40s or '50s. This place could really shine up nice with a good overhaul…. It’s really a St. Joseph staple at this point. The only other theater in town currently is the Hollywood 10 at the far north end of town.

Entire Hollywood Theaters company purchased by Regal Entertainment Group in March of 2013

HogGravy, Nothing has been done since I took those construction pictures last September…. Quite sad. How I would LOVE to own that building.

Maybe even earlier.

This Theater has 415 seats from what I know, not 300