Boston must have been one of the only cities with 1 Cinerama theatre continuously. They ran Cinerama 3 strip and 70mm For 20yrs. Did any other major US city do this? The RKO Boston theatre was changed to Boston theatre after the advent of Cinerama. It was always The RKO way back to the 20’s.
Boston has plenty of Indie houses. Who says they don’t. We have the Brattle and the Landmatks in Cambridge. The Coolidge Corner in Brookline. The Dedham in Dedham. The Lowes Boston Common and the Regal Fenway also run some independents and art films. Also the Embassy in Waltham.The Somerville in Somerville. The Regent in Arlington runs indies occassionally between sing a lon gs and live shows. There are others.
There are 2 70mm equipped theatres here in the Boston area. Onne is the Coolidge corner theatre in Brookline and the Somerville in Somerville. I don’t know about screen size and curvature. The Coolidge occassionally rune 70 mm like Lawrence of Arabia. I don;t know the last time Somerville did.
Coate. I have just done some research and the twin drive in ine Cinn played Windjammer after a cinemiracle run downtown, The drive in ran it in Cinerama from July-Aug in 1960. I am still trying to find out more info on the Albany Drie in. I still can’t see how Cinerama was any good at any drive in without 7 track stereo.. The picture might be big and great but lousy mono sound.
This was a great theatre to watch and listen to movies. I was stationed in Pensacols in 1959, 1964-1968 and later in the 80’s. Some of the movies I saw there were the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, How to succeed in business, A funny thing happened on the way to the forum and Khartoum plu many others. Did this theatre have actual 70mm projection or was it just a big bright screen and great Stereo?
Mike, here in Mass. Some theaters have signs stating capacity. A fire law in most areas. I have never heard of a Manager that would not you to tell how many seats.
I just visited the Orpheums and read there history. They have an error by stating that it is the 2nd oldest Orpheum behind LA in the country. Well the Orpheum in Boston is much older. It was opened in 1852 as the Empire and in 1905 it became the Orpheum and it became a Lowes.
To BKRESS. You said the 3 strip Cinerama had only a 2 year run in Sacramwento. To bad they installed so late. We here in Boston had 10 year run of 3 strip before 70mm Its A Mad Mad Mad world. Some cities had 2-3 Cinerama theatres. We had only 1. If you look at the list for Boston you will see the Beacon Hill theatre listed. This is wrong because it only showed This Is Cinerama in a 70mm Re-issue in 1973. Alarge almost flat screen and fair stereo. More people walked out than were coming in. It managed a 5 week run.
To CS. I just looked up on wikipedia about the 70mm version of House of Wax. They said that the 70mm version played at the Metropolitan theatre. The Beacon Hill may have pled it in 70mm or srtereovision 35mm but it was after the Met. I saw it at the Astor which could have been either format and also at the Exeter which must have been in 35mm. Sorry about doubting you on a 70mm version but I had never heard of that version.
I agree with some of the above. This is not the place to discuss todays news. That belongs on facebook or other news sights. But to continue, what are a 3 month old and a 6 year old doing at a midnight showing. That is the parents fault. I remember all the hoopla that happened when “The Warriors” opened so many years ago. All the stabbings and fights that occured in the theatres at that time all over the country not just in one place. I hope the planned re-make of this movie never takes place because they WILL make the movie more violent, more graphic and terrible language. Lets not blame this incident on the movie or the theatre. This is todays society. Look at the recent massacres in Canada and Alabama. So once again lets get the news off of these entertainment type sights and back on to the news sights. By the way some of the problems when the “Warriors” came out were right here in Massachusetts.
To Dan P and others. When Reade opened the Charles it had the 2nd largest ccreen in downtown Boston. #1 was the Music Hall and # 2 was the Astor which was never owned or run by Sack or USA or Lowes. Gettysburg opened at the Coolidge Corner and then 3 weeks later at the Charles. Both theatres ran it in 70mm. I believe the CC is still equipped with 70mm. I don,t believe the CitiWang(Music Hall) has 70mm anymore.
To Mike R. I believe that this may be a legal IMAX. If what I read is right the screen is 70'x40'. Most retrofit theatres are only about 40-45; wide. We have 3 real Imax theatres and 1 Omnimax here in the Boston area. We also have several retrofit Imax and some Regal RPX.Also if you are only plopping down $12.00 that is cheap. By the way IMAX real or otherwise is not worth all that money. I would rather see them bring back Cinerama and Todd A O and other 70mm formats.
When the Saxon theatre played Earthquake in Boston in Sensurround Some of the plaster in the ceiling came down according to reports I read. I had seen it in suburban Framingham a few weeks before it came to downtown. The Saxon only played one more sensurroud film and that was Battlestar Galactica. I took my youn son and there were no more problems. The rest of the sensurrounf films, Midway and Rollercoaster played in suburban Braintree at the General Cinema 4 or 6plex and no more in Downtown Boston.
Can somebody please put up some information about the Pen and Florida theatres in Pensacola. Being stationed there in 1959-60, 1964-1965 and then again in the 80’s I visited these theatres many times besides the Saenger.
Can somebody please add the Pen Theatre to this sight. Please give size, projection type. and screen size for what I thought was a wonderful theatre when I was stationed at NAS in 1949, 1963 and 1964 and again in 1983.
I believe the biggest movie that played there was Zefferelli’s Romeo & Juliet. If it opened here then I believe it played for about a year. If it didn’t open here and was on a moveover It still played a long time.
Thanks Coate, now I understand. And to King Biscuits: I hope that you were being only sarcastic about snipping(censoring) Cinerama films. It never happened. Mr Sinnott was nuts and the old feeling about Boston censoring all movies was just not true. Mostly European were snipped but most got by. Movies like I am Curious Yellow/Blue, Deep Throat, Debbie Does Dallas and even Ecstasy with Hedy Lamarr back in the day were ran uncut for Boston Audiences. Legitimate theatre was watched more closely like Hair and Oh Calcutta. Movie like I am curious yellow and plays like Hair were both raided by the cops but reopened within a week with the Judges approval uncut. I happened to be at the 2 that I mentioned. In fact I went back to see them both after they re-opened. Not very many movies were really snipped here. I bet more were not shown or really cut down south or in the Bible Belt than were here.Sorry to get on the Band Box but I like protecting Boston because we were the #1 Box Office city prior to the closing of so many Big Theatres, ship shod management, especially Sack(USA) Lowes and some other chains. We must now go to the suburbs and visit the little band box multi screens like everywhere else or visit the Lowes Common or the Regal Fenway 14, both with fake IMAX or RPX systems.
I believe that gettysburg opened 1st for about 3 weeks at the Coolidge Corner then Moved over to the Charles. Sack didnb’t want it because it was too long and he could only get about 3 screenings per day. So the coolidge tookit. The same thing happened to the 1st Muppetts movie. Sacl controlled downtown at that time and he thought it was probably too G to make money. So of all the theatres to take it was the Exeter and they laughed all the way too the bank for many weeks.
Boston must have been one of the only cities with 1 Cinerama theatre continuously. They ran Cinerama 3 strip and 70mm For 20yrs. Did any other major US city do this? The RKO Boston theatre was changed to Boston theatre after the advent of Cinerama. It was always The RKO way back to the 20’s.
Boston has plenty of Indie houses. Who says they don’t. We have the Brattle and the Landmatks in Cambridge. The Coolidge Corner in Brookline. The Dedham in Dedham. The Lowes Boston Common and the Regal Fenway also run some independents and art films. Also the Embassy in Waltham.The Somerville in Somerville. The Regent in Arlington runs indies occassionally between sing a lon gs and live shows. There are others.
There are 2 70mm equipped theatres here in the Boston area. Onne is the Coolidge corner theatre in Brookline and the Somerville in Somerville. I don’t know about screen size and curvature. The Coolidge occassionally rune 70 mm like Lawrence of Arabia. I don;t know the last time Somerville did.
If it plays here in Boston I imagine it will have to be at the Cooldge Corner theatre in Brookline. Heres hoping it happens.
Coate. I have just done some research and the twin drive in ine Cinn played Windjammer after a cinemiracle run downtown, The drive in ran it in Cinerama from July-Aug in 1960. I am still trying to find out more info on the Albany Drie in. I still can’t see how Cinerama was any good at any drive in without 7 track stereo.. The picture might be big and great but lousy mono sound.
This was a great theatre to watch and listen to movies. I was stationed in Pensacols in 1959, 1964-1968 and later in the 80’s. Some of the movies I saw there were the Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, How to succeed in business, A funny thing happened on the way to the forum and Khartoum plu many others. Did this theatre have actual 70mm projection or was it just a big bright screen and great Stereo?
Mike, here in Mass. Some theaters have signs stating capacity. A fire law in most areas. I have never heard of a Manager that would not you to tell how many seats.
Sorry I put the above under the wrong city. It should have been Fall River.
I just visited the Orpheums and read there history. They have an error by stating that it is the 2nd oldest Orpheum behind LA in the country. Well the Orpheum in Boston is much older. It was opened in 1852 as the Empire and in 1905 it became the Orpheum and it became a Lowes.
To BKRESS. You said the 3 strip Cinerama had only a 2 year run in Sacramwento. To bad they installed so late. We here in Boston had 10 year run of 3 strip before 70mm Its A Mad Mad Mad world. Some cities had 2-3 Cinerama theatres. We had only 1. If you look at the list for Boston you will see the Beacon Hill theatre listed. This is wrong because it only showed This Is Cinerama in a 70mm Re-issue in 1973. Alarge almost flat screen and fair stereo. More people walked out than were coming in. It managed a 5 week run.
To CS. I just looked up on wikipedia about the 70mm version of House of Wax. They said that the 70mm version played at the Metropolitan theatre. The Beacon Hill may have pled it in 70mm or srtereovision 35mm but it was after the Met. I saw it at the Astor which could have been either format and also at the Exeter which must have been in 35mm. Sorry about doubting you on a 70mm version but I had never heard of that version.
I agree with some of the above. This is not the place to discuss todays news. That belongs on facebook or other news sights. But to continue, what are a 3 month old and a 6 year old doing at a midnight showing. That is the parents fault. I remember all the hoopla that happened when “The Warriors” opened so many years ago. All the stabbings and fights that occured in the theatres at that time all over the country not just in one place. I hope the planned re-make of this movie never takes place because they WILL make the movie more violent, more graphic and terrible language. Lets not blame this incident on the movie or the theatre. This is todays society. Look at the recent massacres in Canada and Alabama. So once again lets get the news off of these entertainment type sights and back on to the news sights. By the way some of the problems when the “Warriors” came out were right here in Massachusetts.
To Dan P and others. When Reade opened the Charles it had the 2nd largest ccreen in downtown Boston. #1 was the Music Hall and # 2 was the Astor which was never owned or run by Sack or USA or Lowes. Gettysburg opened at the Coolidge Corner and then 3 weeks later at the Charles. Both theatres ran it in 70mm. I believe the CC is still equipped with 70mm. I don,t believe the CitiWang(Music Hall) has 70mm anymore.
How do I get in touch with the Boston Cinerama Chapter or is the site?
The Museum Of Science in Boston has 2 theatres. One is the Omnimax and the other is a 3D theatre.
To Mike R. I believe that this may be a legal IMAX. If what I read is right the screen is 70'x40'. Most retrofit theatres are only about 40-45; wide. We have 3 real Imax theatres and 1 Omnimax here in the Boston area. We also have several retrofit Imax and some Regal RPX.Also if you are only plopping down $12.00 that is cheap. By the way IMAX real or otherwise is not worth all that money. I would rather see them bring back Cinerama and Todd A O and other 70mm formats.
WHICH boston theatre had Cinemascope first and premiered with the Robe. Was it the Astor, Metropolitan or the Lowes Orpheum?
When the Saxon theatre played Earthquake in Boston in Sensurround Some of the plaster in the ceiling came down according to reports I read. I had seen it in suburban Framingham a few weeks before it came to downtown. The Saxon only played one more sensurroud film and that was Battlestar Galactica. I took my youn son and there were no more problems. The rest of the sensurrounf films, Midway and Rollercoaster played in suburban Braintree at the General Cinema 4 or 6plex and no more in Downtown Boston.
THE Navy Point theatre was nothing extravagant but it was a fine place to go for 2nd-3rd runs and cheap. Especially in between pay days.
Can somebody please put up some information about the Pen and Florida theatres in Pensacola. Being stationed there in 1959-60, 1964-1965 and then again in the 80’s I visited these theatres many times besides the Saenger.
I goofed. Not 1949 but 1959.
Can somebody please add the Pen Theatre to this sight. Please give size, projection type. and screen size for what I thought was a wonderful theatre when I was stationed at NAS in 1949, 1963 and 1964 and again in 1983.
I believe the biggest movie that played there was Zefferelli’s Romeo & Juliet. If it opened here then I believe it played for about a year. If it didn’t open here and was on a moveover It still played a long time.
Thanks Coate, now I understand. And to King Biscuits: I hope that you were being only sarcastic about snipping(censoring) Cinerama films. It never happened. Mr Sinnott was nuts and the old feeling about Boston censoring all movies was just not true. Mostly European were snipped but most got by. Movies like I am Curious Yellow/Blue, Deep Throat, Debbie Does Dallas and even Ecstasy with Hedy Lamarr back in the day were ran uncut for Boston Audiences. Legitimate theatre was watched more closely like Hair and Oh Calcutta. Movie like I am curious yellow and plays like Hair were both raided by the cops but reopened within a week with the Judges approval uncut. I happened to be at the 2 that I mentioned. In fact I went back to see them both after they re-opened. Not very many movies were really snipped here. I bet more were not shown or really cut down south or in the Bible Belt than were here.Sorry to get on the Band Box but I like protecting Boston because we were the #1 Box Office city prior to the closing of so many Big Theatres, ship shod management, especially Sack(USA) Lowes and some other chains. We must now go to the suburbs and visit the little band box multi screens like everywhere else or visit the Lowes Common or the Regal Fenway 14, both with fake IMAX or RPX systems.
I believe that gettysburg opened 1st for about 3 weeks at the Coolidge Corner then Moved over to the Charles. Sack didnb’t want it because it was too long and he could only get about 3 screenings per day. So the coolidge tookit. The same thing happened to the 1st Muppetts movie. Sacl controlled downtown at that time and he thought it was probably too G to make money. So of all the theatres to take it was the Exeter and they laughed all the way too the bank for many weeks.