I wish there was a good drive-in theatre left here in the Bay State that didn’t play the same schlock as most everybody else. There’s one out in Mendon, MA, which is too far away to be worth it.
Quite frankly, I think that the quality of many, if not most movies that’re coming out nowadays, are a rather vicious assault on the whole human psyche, with the overly graphic pictures, constant exploding on the screen, and, often, unnecessary amounts of blood, guts and gore. Most movies coming out nowadays are also long on style(?) and woefully short on substance. Cheapening and coarsening. The sign of the times.
It’s also true that, compared to loud rock concerts, the previews of other movies are far less damaging and assaultive to the human brains.
I think that the Brattle Theatre, the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Somerville Theatre, in Somerville’s Davis Square definitely fall into that category.
MPol
commented about
Cinestudioon
Aug 12, 2008 at 4:21 am
Hey, folks!!
Yes, I did make the drive down to Hartford, CT., for yet another viewing of my alltime favorite film, West Side Story, at the CineStudio Theatre. I found Trinity College campus to be a very pretty campus, and the people friendly, although a number of the nearby neighborhoods of Hartford, CT, seem kind of run-down and not so great.
Saturday, August 9th, was sunshiny and cool, perfect for making the scenic drive down there, although I lost almost an hour when I got stuck in some awful traffic prior to and while approaching the pay tolls at the I-84 exit. Once I was on I-84 itself, however, there was no more trouble, and t he rest of the trip down to Hartford, CT went smoothly. Arriving at the Trinity College campus at around six o'clock that evening (I’d left Boston at 3 that afternoon), I explored the rather verdant, pleasant -looking campus for awhile, and then, at the suggestion of a campus employee there whom I’d asked where I could get something to eat, I walked to a small restaurant on the nearest intersect ing street, ordered a huge salad with mozzarella cheese with ham, walked back to the campus and the theatre, and ate as much of the super-huge salad as I could without overstuffing my self. As much as I love the film West Side Story, I didn’t want to see the movie (or any movie, for that matter) on an empty stomach, and I was hungry. While waiting to be let into the theatre, I talked to some people who were also going in for the film. One guy I talked to, who lived in a town 40 mnutes away from Trinity College, said that he’d been to and knew a bunch of the same movie theatres that I know and often frequent, since he often went to different places on vacation. He and his partner help run the CineStudio Theatre, and they ’d tried to book the brand-new 70mm print of the film West Side Story that just came out, but San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, which is also supposed to be a beautiful theatre was booked to play that print of WSS So they showed the 35-mm print, which was just as beautiful, although it would also be cool to view the new 70-mm print of West Side Story. Hopefully, maybe someday, that’ll happen.
When I told the guy that WSS is my alltime favorite film and that I’d driven down from Massachusetts to see it, he was interested in how I’d come to like this great classic so much. As is always the case, I didn’t hesitate t o relate how I’d been introduced to West Side Story as a musical generally, and how I’d come to love the music, and, later, as a high school Senior, the film. At a little after seven p. m., the theatre opened for the 7:30 screening. I went and took a seat in the balcony of the theatre, which, imho, is the best p lace to view a film such as West Side Story. After some rather u nnerving previews of other coming film attractions, WSS finally started. (Somehow, I’ve begun to think more and more that the previews are put in there for the benefit of late stragglers, so they won’t end up missing any of the feature film presentation. If so, that’s good, imho.)
The CineStudio Theatre seemed to be another epitome of a nice old movie palace of a threatre, with a shirred curtain over the screen, and a 50-foot wide screen that was slightly concave, if one gets the drift. This is a wonderful feature to have for such classic films as West Side Story, because it brings out the richness in such films. As always, (whenever I attend a screening of WSS), I noticed things that I hadn’t really noticed before on viewing the film. The various facial expressions of sorrow, exuberance, frustration, anger, arrogance and hubris, recklessness and combativeness among the gangs and more noticeable among the Jets, were far more noticeable than before, and especially during the Dance at the Gym scene, there seemed to be whole families with small kids watching from the sidelines while the Jets & Sharks danced in competition with each other. The adults, especially Doc, the Candy Store owner, but including Lt. Schrank, Ofcr. Krupke, and social worker,
“Glad Hand”, seemed more frustrated, nervous and sorrowful over what was coming and what ultimately did come. The grittiness and anger of the kids' faces before and after the rumble, as well as their facial expressions were more noticeable. This great film classic is clearly about teens and/or young adults who live in an urban area, and the slightly concaved screen seemed to accentuate the city scenery.
At about a quarter past ten that night, the screening of WSS ended, and I drove home, which took only a little bit over 2 hours, due to no delays.
I recall going to the Fresh Pond Drive-In, in Cambridge, MA, back in the late 1950’s, when I was a preteen. My parents would pile everybody into our lime-green Rambler station wagon, and then we’d go out to dinner first, and then to a drive-in movie. I admittedly don' t recall noticing whether or not there were African-Americans, immigrants, etc, or people who helped service cars there, but it was kind of a neat experience. We’d go into a little booth, get served burgers and French Fries, and a little gray speaker would be attached to our car. My dad was always the one who drove, although all four of us, including my mom and my younger sister (my brother hadn’t come along yet ), were along for the ride.
As I posted in another thread here on cinematreasures, I still recall evenings when my parents would pile my sister and I into the back of our lime-green Rambler Station Wagon, with a whole bunch of blankets, and, after eating dinner in a restaurant, we’d go to the Fresh Pond Drive-In, in Cambridge, MA, and see a movie. It was cool. The Natick Drive-In, in Natick, MA, was cool also. I remember seeing “Bullit” and “The Reivers” on it, back in the winter of 1969, as a high school senior.
Too bad there aren’t many drive-ins left, particularly here in the Bay State. I think that West Side Story would be cool shown on a huge drive-in movie screen.
The Arclight and the Dome sound like cool movie theatres—perfect for some of those great old classic films, too. Sure wish we had something like that here in the Boston area, although we do have IMAX. Not sure if it’s the same, though. Regarding the question I was going to ask about films such as West Side Story being shown in such a theatre (or theatres), that’s been answered already. Wish it would come here again, and that we had a big theatre like that that ran older classic films.
MPol
commented about
After darkon
Jul 29, 2008 at 5:43 am
“Dark Knight” is still going strong and in the number one place right now. From what I understand, it grossed something like 67 million in one day!
I recently saw “Dark Knight” in a theatre not far from where I lived. Although the evening show that I attended wasn’t a sell-out show, it was well attended. Imo, it was well done, but there was a little too much explosion on the screen in some places. Heath Ledger was wonderful as the “Joker”. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale were good, also. Too bad that Heath Ledger died at such a young age.
KingBiscuits: Potential complaints from purists? About what? just curious. While it’s true that the films that you mentioned above would be great if reprinted, remastered, cleaned up and re-released on digital/dolby sound IMAX cinema, I also think that a film such as West Side Story would really be out. of. this. world if re-released likewise.
From what I’ve read and heard, however, Jwr, the fact that many, if not most of the movie theatre projectionists are not unionized has contributed a great deal to the problems that’ve been plaguing the movie industry as well as many other things for years. Because the movie projectionists are often not unionized, they are often poorly trained and/or non-professionals or young college or high school kids working summer jobs and handling ultra-sophisticated movie-theatre equipment that’s really only meant to be handled by professionals. Non-unionized projectionists are often poorly-paid, and inexperienced, because they’ve had little to no chance of honing their craft. As other members of this forum have pointed out, too, theatre movie projection is an art that entails far more than just simply started up the film reels and letting them go until the end of the movie(s) in question. Professional and unionized projectionists are far more likely to do it right due to better training, better conditions and their having had more opportunity to hone their craft.
I agree, Forrest136. The Embassy/Landsmark Theatre, on Waltham’s Pine Street, is sort of a phony effort to implement a sort of “something old, something new” project, as were the Lowe’s Cinemas (now bought out by AMC Theatres) Theatres. Unfortunately, it’s not really working. The moviegoing public isn’t fooled that easily, I don’t think. Plus, I went to the new Landsmark/Embassy Theatre to see the film “Liberty Heights”, which I thought was OK and enjoyed, but there was something really creepy about the general area; it wasn’t well lit, and neither was the parking lot behind it. As a woman, I found it rather creepy going back out to that poorly-lit parking lot later that night after the movie.
Before the Landsmark/Embassy Theatre was built, however, there was a (now-defunct) multiplex Cinema in Waltham’s Totten Pond Road area, right off of Route 128, in a rather secluded spot and somewhat close to the Waltham-Lincoln line, on Waltham’s Winter Street, which was then a sort of a “Lover’s Lane”, where young couples would go, park and make out in their cars. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of fights over there, and one girl even got assaulted, at one point. In another rather grisly incident, (back in the 1970’s, when I was already out of high school, thank heavens), a group of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School students hitchhiked somewhere one Saturday night, while on a date. The guys, sensing that something was a little bit wierd, had the men who’d picked them up let the girls in the group off first. Then things took a nastier, more vicious turn. The boys in the group later said that the men who’d picked them up had been drinking, but did not seem unfriendly. One of the boys received a concussion after being hit over the head with a blunt, heavy instrument. The other boy almost got run over by their attackers' car while escaping. This particular multiplex cinema, too, like the Landsmark/Embassy, was a very antiseptic-looking theatre. Not withstanding that, however, the fact that it was located in such a secluded area, with a lot of wierd stuff going
on at night makes me wonder if that had any bearing of the eventual closing down of this particular cineplex. Anyway, I’m glad that I’ve found some movie theatres in this area that I like going to.
I’ve thought of buying a yearly membership to the Brattle Theatre, in addition to the one that I already have at the Coolidge, but, unfortunately, the Brattle Theatre’s still not out of the woods financially. I hope they do get out of the woods eventually, however.
I think that there’ll always be cinephiles (myself included) who enjoy seeing certain films.
The Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA and, occasionally the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline and the Somerville Theatre all show classic films from time to time. These three theatres seem to be the only three movie palaces left in the area that do show such great classics, such as Midnight
Cowboy, West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago. to name afew. Unfortunately, the Coolidge Corner Theatre no longer has a balcony, but the Brattle Theatre and the main screen of the Somerville Theatre do, however. The balcony, imo, is the best place to view a classic, especially West Side Story.
The big, cavernous Boston Common AMC Theatre, which is right on Tremont St,. right across from Boston Common, although they, too are a multiplex cinema, at least have one redeeming factor: Stadium-type seating, which enables one to look directly at the movie screen, rather than at the
backs of people’s heads. Come to think of it, that, too would be a beautiful theatre to show old
classics such as West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, etc. in, if they’d only be more flexible at times. Too bad about the movie industry now being such a money-making outfit that they feel that they’ve got to DVD everything to make a quick buck.
The Clearview Ziegfeld Cinema, right in the heart of NYC’s West Side, is also a beautiful movie palace.
Through another blog that I post on, another poster had posted the link for the showings of various Hollywood movie musicals, including West Side Story. Not being able to resist the temptation when I saw the link, I phoned my cousin, who lives on the Upper West Side of the city to ask if she wanted to take in a screening. Tickets were obtained for Tuesday, October 10th, 2006, and on that morning, I drove down to NYC. What a wonderful time my cousin and I both had at the West Side Story screening! The Ziegfeld Cinema is quite handsome and palatial-looking, very cavernous, too, with a long, narrow screen. This, too, is a great screen to see something such as WSS on. I’d also seen the 40th-anniversary screening of WSS at Radio City Music Hall 5 years earlier, with friends, and enjoyed it immensely, also. As much as I enjoy West Side Story on a great big screen—it’s a beautiful experience, I sometimes wonder if a longer, narrower screen is a somewhat more appropriate kind of screen to show a film like that on. Who knows?
I see your point, BradE41. Nowadays, it seems that no sooner does a new movie hit the theatres, then it’s made into a DVD about six months or so later. When I was a teenager throughout most of the 1960’s, films also had long, exclusive runs, wide runs, and then re-releases. I still enjoy filmgoing, and, with rare exceptions, don’t attend the more current films. I have a yearly membership at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, which plays all kinds of stuff, as opposed to the same schlock that most all of the other theatres play, and I also attend the Brattle Theatre and the Somerville Theatre from time to time, both of which play all kinds of stuff that’re different from most of what comes out nowadays in the way of movies. When older classics come to the Coolidge, the Brattle, or to the Somerville Theatre, I jump at the chance to attend those screenings and see them on a great, big wide movie theatre screen, in a real movie palace, with the lights down low. Regardless of what anybody says or thinks, I believe that movies really ARE meant for theatres, and that even if one sees a great classic film on a home-theatre system and/or a big TV screen, it’s NEVER, EVER the same as seeing such films in a big theatre. It’s true that money-making hand over fist is the order of the day, and the reason for the DVD-home entertainment business is that the movie industry makes even more money that way—quickly, too.
So, I always like to go to the movie theatre, not just for the movie experience, but to get out and about among people, and to share the experience with several hundred or more people, whether I know them or not. There’s something more fun about that, and, even when I go alone, I always manage to find people to talk to before and after the film, also.
Here’s something else; West Side Story, which is my alltime favorite film, is a film that I sort of follow around our general area (I’ll go within reasonable driving distance, not any farthur), in addition to attending every screening of WSS that comes around, including TV/TCM airings of it. I have no DVD player, because I’m not much of a TV watcher. When they screened the film West Side Story at the Brattle just this last May, I attended both screenings of it!
Thanks for the compliments. I understand why you have the policy of not letting young children into the theatre after six p. m. I was just curious—that’s why I asked. I remember that you also had a summer midnight movies program. What happened to that? Again, just curious. Again, you’ve screened many wonderful movies, have had many wonderful concerts, and it’s a great, old movie palace. Here’s hoping this theatre stays on forever, and that you keep up the great work. Btw, would it be possible to get some more of the older classic films into your theatre? That would be cool. Again, had a great time at the screening of WSS last year.
Since Hartford, CT is about a 2-hour drive from where I live, I plan to drive down to Hartford to see the screening of West Side Story there. Regarding KY and CA, including S. F.—too far for me.
Frankly, I think smoking really should be outlawed in movie theatres and oher public places where there are many people in close quarters. Nobody should be forced to inhale second-hand smoke!
“It’s a shame Die Hard isn’t playing in more theatres this year. Every film is better on the big screen, but some benefit more than others. Die Hard really benefits.”
reinforces the fact that I feel exactly the same way about the great golden oldie-but-goody movie musical classic, West Side Story. How I wish WSS would play in more theatres more often this year, and forever. The MGM adage “Unlike other classics, West Side Story grows younger” is so true.
This, too:
“The original "Die Hard” looks more and more like a classic Hollywood blockbuster—“classic” as in something that was uncommonly well done for its time and has held up unexpectedly well. "
The Albany Palace Theatre is another beautiful theatre, very baroque-looking inside, yet a little bit old-looking, too, which is one of the beauties of movie palaces like this. I drove out to Albany from Boston to see a screening of the film “West Side Story”, and had a wonderful time. After the movie, I spent the night at the nearby Hampton Inn Suites, and then headed home the next day. after exploring the city for a little while.
Without having seen any of the “Die Hard” Series, unfortunately, JSA, the failure of sequels to match the original is all too common, although there have been some notable exceptions. Superman I and Superman II were both very good, as were Spiderman I and Spiderman II. I didn’t go to see any of the other ones, because, as I figured they would be, the other sequels to both Superman and Spiderman were disastrous failures.
The Somerville Theatre in Davis is another cool place, and I’m glad that it, too, along with the Coolidge Corner Theatre, was saved from the wrecking ball. I’ve seen some cool movies there, including:
THE DEPARTED
PAN’S LABYRINTH
SHREK III
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
and afew others.
I’ve also seen Arlo Guthrie live in concert, in the big main theatre—he was really cool.
A year ago last March, there was a singalong screening of the film West Side Story. What a wonderful afternoon it was. It was a pleasure to be in line and in the audience with all the other WSS movie-goers, and, it was great sitting on the balcony. The main theatre of the Somerville Theatre, in addition to being one of two theatres left here in this area that has a balconied theatre, is also quite baroque-looking inside, as a real movie-theatre palace generally is. Wonderful for a movie
experience. It’s also the only moviehouse around that one can get in for under 9 or ten dollars, even in the evening. Hope it stays that way. Does anybody know, btw, if they still have the policy of not letting kids under 8 years of age into the theatre for evening shows? Just curious.
I remember going to the Assembly Square AMC (then Lowes) cinema a number of times, even to late shows by myself. One day, about a year ago, when I was perusing the Arts/Movies section of the Boston Globe, I noticed that the Assembly Square Lowes Cinema wasn’t there anymore. Not long after that, I heard from somebody that AMC had bought that particular theatre and for whatever reason, didn’t want to keep it, and that there’d been some discussion of the possibility of building a new cinema to take its place. I’m sort of hoping, (though it’s just wishful thinking on my part), that, if it does get renovated into a new cinema, that it gets renovated into a movie theatre that plays independent film, and older classics, etc., as opposed to the schlock that most theatres play nowadays.
Yet, at the same time, that area could get kind of wierd. Audiences were often quite rude, and, yes, the theatre did start looking kind of grubby and run-down shortly before it closed. Since the mall pretty much closed down, it began to lose customers, I think, too.
I wish there was a good drive-in theatre left here in the Bay State that didn’t play the same schlock as most everybody else. There’s one out in Mendon, MA, which is too far away to be worth it.
Quite frankly, I think that the quality of many, if not most movies that’re coming out nowadays, are a rather vicious assault on the whole human psyche, with the overly graphic pictures, constant exploding on the screen, and, often, unnecessary amounts of blood, guts and gore. Most movies coming out nowadays are also long on style(?) and woefully short on substance. Cheapening and coarsening. The sign of the times.
It’s also true that, compared to loud rock concerts, the previews of other movies are far less damaging and assaultive to the human brains.
I think that the Brattle Theatre, the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Somerville Theatre, in Somerville’s Davis Square definitely fall into that category.
Hey, folks!!
Yes, I did make the drive down to Hartford, CT., for yet another viewing of my alltime favorite film, West Side Story, at the CineStudio Theatre. I found Trinity College campus to be a very pretty campus, and the people friendly, although a number of the nearby neighborhoods of Hartford, CT, seem kind of run-down and not so great.
Saturday, August 9th, was sunshiny and cool, perfect for making the scenic drive down there, although I lost almost an hour when I got stuck in some awful traffic prior to and while approaching the pay tolls at the I-84 exit. Once I was on I-84 itself, however, there was no more trouble, and t he rest of the trip down to Hartford, CT went smoothly. Arriving at the Trinity College campus at around six o'clock that evening (I’d left Boston at 3 that afternoon), I explored the rather verdant, pleasant -looking campus for awhile, and then, at the suggestion of a campus employee there whom I’d asked where I could get something to eat, I walked to a small restaurant on the nearest intersect ing street, ordered a huge salad with mozzarella cheese with ham, walked back to the campus and the theatre, and ate as much of the super-huge salad as I could without overstuffing my self. As much as I love the film West Side Story, I didn’t want to see the movie (or any movie, for that matter) on an empty stomach, and I was hungry. While waiting to be let into the theatre, I talked to some people who were also going in for the film. One guy I talked to, who lived in a town 40 mnutes away from Trinity College, said that he’d been to and knew a bunch of the same movie theatres that I know and often frequent, since he often went to different places on vacation. He and his partner help run the CineStudio Theatre, and they ’d tried to book the brand-new 70mm print of the film West Side Story that just came out, but San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, which is also supposed to be a beautiful theatre was booked to play that print of WSS So they showed the 35-mm print, which was just as beautiful, although it would also be cool to view the new 70-mm print of West Side Story. Hopefully, maybe someday, that’ll happen.
When I told the guy that WSS is my alltime favorite film and that I’d driven down from Massachusetts to see it, he was interested in how I’d come to like this great classic so much. As is always the case, I didn’t hesitate t o relate how I’d been introduced to West Side Story as a musical generally, and how I’d come to love the music, and, later, as a high school Senior, the film. At a little after seven p. m., the theatre opened for the 7:30 screening. I went and took a seat in the balcony of the theatre, which, imho, is the best p lace to view a film such as West Side Story. After some rather u nnerving previews of other coming film attractions, WSS finally started. (Somehow, I’ve begun to think more and more that the previews are put in there for the benefit of late stragglers, so they won’t end up missing any of the feature film presentation. If so, that’s good, imho.)
The CineStudio Theatre seemed to be another epitome of a nice old movie palace of a threatre, with a shirred curtain over the screen, and a 50-foot wide screen that was slightly concave, if one gets the drift. This is a wonderful feature to have for such classic films as West Side Story, because it brings out the richness in such films. As always, (whenever I attend a screening of WSS), I noticed things that I hadn’t really noticed before on viewing the film. The various facial expressions of sorrow, exuberance, frustration, anger, arrogance and hubris, recklessness and combativeness among the gangs and more noticeable among the Jets, were far more noticeable than before, and especially during the Dance at the Gym scene, there seemed to be whole families with small kids watching from the sidelines while the Jets & Sharks danced in competition with each other. The adults, especially Doc, the Candy Store owner, but including Lt. Schrank, Ofcr. Krupke, and social worker,
“Glad Hand”, seemed more frustrated, nervous and sorrowful over what was coming and what ultimately did come. The grittiness and anger of the kids' faces before and after the rumble, as well as their facial expressions were more noticeable. This great film classic is clearly about teens and/or young adults who live in an urban area, and the slightly concaved screen seemed to accentuate the city scenery.
At about a quarter past ten that night, the screening of WSS ended, and I drove home, which took only a little bit over 2 hours, due to no delays.
I was very glad I’d gone—the trip was worth it.
I recall going to the Fresh Pond Drive-In, in Cambridge, MA, back in the late 1950’s, when I was a preteen. My parents would pile everybody into our lime-green Rambler station wagon, and then we’d go out to dinner first, and then to a drive-in movie. I admittedly don' t recall noticing whether or not there were African-Americans, immigrants, etc, or people who helped service cars there, but it was kind of a neat experience. We’d go into a little booth, get served burgers and French Fries, and a little gray speaker would be attached to our car. My dad was always the one who drove, although all four of us, including my mom and my younger sister (my brother hadn’t come along yet ), were along for the ride.
What a cool-looking theatre!! Thanks for sharing it. These old movie palaces of theatres are really what great movie theatres look like!
Drive-In Movie Theatres:
As I posted in another thread here on cinematreasures, I still recall evenings when my parents would pile my sister and I into the back of our lime-green Rambler Station Wagon, with a whole bunch of blankets, and, after eating dinner in a restaurant, we’d go to the Fresh Pond Drive-In, in Cambridge, MA, and see a movie. It was cool. The Natick Drive-In, in Natick, MA, was cool also. I remember seeing “Bullit” and “The Reivers” on it, back in the winter of 1969, as a high school senior.
Too bad there aren’t many drive-ins left, particularly here in the Bay State. I think that West Side Story would be cool shown on a huge drive-in movie screen.
The Arclight and the Dome sound like cool movie theatres—perfect for some of those great old classic films, too. Sure wish we had something like that here in the Boston area, although we do have IMAX. Not sure if it’s the same, though. Regarding the question I was going to ask about films such as West Side Story being shown in such a theatre (or theatres), that’s been answered already. Wish it would come here again, and that we had a big theatre like that that ran older classic films.
Movies in a cemetary—sounds cool!!
“Dark Knight” is still going strong and in the number one place right now. From what I understand, it grossed something like 67 million in one day!
I recently saw “Dark Knight” in a theatre not far from where I lived. Although the evening show that I attended wasn’t a sell-out show, it was well attended. Imo, it was well done, but there was a little too much explosion on the screen in some places. Heath Ledger was wonderful as the “Joker”. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale were good, also. Too bad that Heath Ledger died at such a young age.
Hey longislandmovies? What classic films have you played at your classic movie theatre so far? Just curious.
KingBiscuits: Potential complaints from purists? About what? just curious. While it’s true that the films that you mentioned above would be great if reprinted, remastered, cleaned up and re-released on digital/dolby sound IMAX cinema, I also think that a film such as West Side Story would really be out. of. this. world if re-released likewise.
From what I’ve read and heard, however, Jwr, the fact that many, if not most of the movie theatre projectionists are not unionized has contributed a great deal to the problems that’ve been plaguing the movie industry as well as many other things for years. Because the movie projectionists are often not unionized, they are often poorly trained and/or non-professionals or young college or high school kids working summer jobs and handling ultra-sophisticated movie-theatre equipment that’s really only meant to be handled by professionals. Non-unionized projectionists are often poorly-paid, and inexperienced, because they’ve had little to no chance of honing their craft. As other members of this forum have pointed out, too, theatre movie projection is an art that entails far more than just simply started up the film reels and letting them go until the end of the movie(s) in question. Professional and unionized projectionists are far more likely to do it right due to better training, better conditions and their having had more opportunity to hone their craft.
Frankly, I’m sort of glad they don’t do sneak previews anymore, because one never knows what films they’re going to end up missing as a result.
I agree, Forrest136. The Embassy/Landsmark Theatre, on Waltham’s Pine Street, is sort of a phony effort to implement a sort of “something old, something new” project, as were the Lowe’s Cinemas (now bought out by AMC Theatres) Theatres. Unfortunately, it’s not really working. The moviegoing public isn’t fooled that easily, I don’t think. Plus, I went to the new Landsmark/Embassy Theatre to see the film “Liberty Heights”, which I thought was OK and enjoyed, but there was something really creepy about the general area; it wasn’t well lit, and neither was the parking lot behind it. As a woman, I found it rather creepy going back out to that poorly-lit parking lot later that night after the movie.
Before the Landsmark/Embassy Theatre was built, however, there was a (now-defunct) multiplex Cinema in Waltham’s Totten Pond Road area, right off of Route 128, in a rather secluded spot and somewhat close to the Waltham-Lincoln line, on Waltham’s Winter Street, which was then a sort of a “Lover’s Lane”, where young couples would go, park and make out in their cars. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of fights over there, and one girl even got assaulted, at one point. In another rather grisly incident, (back in the 1970’s, when I was already out of high school, thank heavens), a group of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School students hitchhiked somewhere one Saturday night, while on a date. The guys, sensing that something was a little bit wierd, had the men who’d picked them up let the girls in the group off first. Then things took a nastier, more vicious turn. The boys in the group later said that the men who’d picked them up had been drinking, but did not seem unfriendly. One of the boys received a concussion after being hit over the head with a blunt, heavy instrument. The other boy almost got run over by their attackers' car while escaping. This particular multiplex cinema, too, like the Landsmark/Embassy, was a very antiseptic-looking theatre. Not withstanding that, however, the fact that it was located in such a secluded area, with a lot of wierd stuff going
on at night makes me wonder if that had any bearing of the eventual closing down of this particular cineplex. Anyway, I’m glad that I’ve found some movie theatres in this area that I like going to.
I’ve thought of buying a yearly membership to the Brattle Theatre, in addition to the one that I already have at the Coolidge, but, unfortunately, the Brattle Theatre’s still not out of the woods financially. I hope they do get out of the woods eventually, however.
I think that there’ll always be cinephiles (myself included) who enjoy seeing certain films.
The Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA and, occasionally the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline and the Somerville Theatre all show classic films from time to time. These three theatres seem to be the only three movie palaces left in the area that do show such great classics, such as Midnight
Cowboy, West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago. to name afew. Unfortunately, the Coolidge Corner Theatre no longer has a balcony, but the Brattle Theatre and the main screen of the Somerville Theatre do, however. The balcony, imo, is the best place to view a classic, especially West Side Story.
The big, cavernous Boston Common AMC Theatre, which is right on Tremont St,. right across from Boston Common, although they, too are a multiplex cinema, at least have one redeeming factor: Stadium-type seating, which enables one to look directly at the movie screen, rather than at the
backs of people’s heads. Come to think of it, that, too would be a beautiful theatre to show old
classics such as West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, etc. in, if they’d only be more flexible at times. Too bad about the movie industry now being such a money-making outfit that they feel that they’ve got to DVD everything to make a quick buck.
The Clearview Ziegfeld Cinema, right in the heart of NYC’s West Side, is also a beautiful movie palace.
Through another blog that I post on, another poster had posted the link for the showings of various Hollywood movie musicals, including West Side Story. Not being able to resist the temptation when I saw the link, I phoned my cousin, who lives on the Upper West Side of the city to ask if she wanted to take in a screening. Tickets were obtained for Tuesday, October 10th, 2006, and on that morning, I drove down to NYC. What a wonderful time my cousin and I both had at the West Side Story screening! The Ziegfeld Cinema is quite handsome and palatial-looking, very cavernous, too, with a long, narrow screen. This, too, is a great screen to see something such as WSS on. I’d also seen the 40th-anniversary screening of WSS at Radio City Music Hall 5 years earlier, with friends, and enjoyed it immensely, also. As much as I enjoy West Side Story on a great big screen—it’s a beautiful experience, I sometimes wonder if a longer, narrower screen is a somewhat more appropriate kind of screen to show a film like that on. Who knows?
I see your point, BradE41. Nowadays, it seems that no sooner does a new movie hit the theatres, then it’s made into a DVD about six months or so later. When I was a teenager throughout most of the 1960’s, films also had long, exclusive runs, wide runs, and then re-releases. I still enjoy filmgoing, and, with rare exceptions, don’t attend the more current films. I have a yearly membership at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, which plays all kinds of stuff, as opposed to the same schlock that most all of the other theatres play, and I also attend the Brattle Theatre and the Somerville Theatre from time to time, both of which play all kinds of stuff that’re different from most of what comes out nowadays in the way of movies. When older classics come to the Coolidge, the Brattle, or to the Somerville Theatre, I jump at the chance to attend those screenings and see them on a great, big wide movie theatre screen, in a real movie palace, with the lights down low. Regardless of what anybody says or thinks, I believe that movies really ARE meant for theatres, and that even if one sees a great classic film on a home-theatre system and/or a big TV screen, it’s NEVER, EVER the same as seeing such films in a big theatre. It’s true that money-making hand over fist is the order of the day, and the reason for the DVD-home entertainment business is that the movie industry makes even more money that way—quickly, too.
So, I always like to go to the movie theatre, not just for the movie experience, but to get out and about among people, and to share the experience with several hundred or more people, whether I know them or not. There’s something more fun about that, and, even when I go alone, I always manage to find people to talk to before and after the film, also.
Here’s something else; West Side Story, which is my alltime favorite film, is a film that I sort of follow around our general area (I’ll go within reasonable driving distance, not any farthur), in addition to attending every screening of WSS that comes around, including TV/TCM airings of it. I have no DVD player, because I’m not much of a TV watcher. When they screened the film West Side Story at the Brattle just this last May, I attended both screenings of it!
Hi, Ian.
Thanks for the compliments. I understand why you have the policy of not letting young children into the theatre after six p. m. I was just curious—that’s why I asked. I remember that you also had a summer midnight movies program. What happened to that? Again, just curious. Again, you’ve screened many wonderful movies, have had many wonderful concerts, and it’s a great, old movie palace. Here’s hoping this theatre stays on forever, and that you keep up the great work. Btw, would it be possible to get some more of the older classic films into your theatre? That would be cool. Again, had a great time at the screening of WSS last year.
Thanks, Jonesy.
Since Hartford, CT is about a 2-hour drive from where I live, I plan to drive down to Hartford to see the screening of West Side Story there. Regarding KY and CA, including S. F.—too far for me.
Frankly, I think smoking really should be outlawed in movie theatres and oher public places where there are many people in close quarters. Nobody should be forced to inhale second-hand smoke!
Hey Jonesy and Paul Bubny!!
This"
“It’s a shame Die Hard isn’t playing in more theatres this year. Every film is better on the big screen, but some benefit more than others. Die Hard really benefits.”
reinforces the fact that I feel exactly the same way about the great golden oldie-but-goody movie musical classic, West Side Story. How I wish WSS would play in more theatres more often this year, and forever. The MGM adage “Unlike other classics, West Side Story grows younger” is so true.
This, too:
“The original "Die Hard” looks more and more like a classic Hollywood blockbuster—“classic” as in something that was uncommonly well done for its time and has held up unexpectedly well. "
could be said for West Side Story.
The Albany Palace Theatre is another beautiful theatre, very baroque-looking inside, yet a little bit old-looking, too, which is one of the beauties of movie palaces like this. I drove out to Albany from Boston to see a screening of the film “West Side Story”, and had a wonderful time. After the movie, I spent the night at the nearby Hampton Inn Suites, and then headed home the next day. after exploring the city for a little while.
Without having seen any of the “Die Hard” Series, unfortunately, JSA, the failure of sequels to match the original is all too common, although there have been some notable exceptions. Superman I and Superman II were both very good, as were Spiderman I and Spiderman II. I didn’t go to see any of the other ones, because, as I figured they would be, the other sequels to both Superman and Spiderman were disastrous failures.
The Somerville Theatre in Davis is another cool place, and I’m glad that it, too, along with the Coolidge Corner Theatre, was saved from the wrecking ball. I’ve seen some cool movies there, including:
THE DEPARTED
PAN’S LABYRINTH
SHREK III
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
and afew others.
I’ve also seen Arlo Guthrie live in concert, in the big main theatre—he was really cool.
A year ago last March, there was a singalong screening of the film West Side Story. What a wonderful afternoon it was. It was a pleasure to be in line and in the audience with all the other WSS movie-goers, and, it was great sitting on the balcony. The main theatre of the Somerville Theatre, in addition to being one of two theatres left here in this area that has a balconied theatre, is also quite baroque-looking inside, as a real movie-theatre palace generally is. Wonderful for a movie
experience. It’s also the only moviehouse around that one can get in for under 9 or ten dollars, even in the evening. Hope it stays that way. Does anybody know, btw, if they still have the policy of not letting kids under 8 years of age into the theatre for evening shows? Just curious.
I remember going to the Assembly Square AMC (then Lowes) cinema a number of times, even to late shows by myself. One day, about a year ago, when I was perusing the Arts/Movies section of the Boston Globe, I noticed that the Assembly Square Lowes Cinema wasn’t there anymore. Not long after that, I heard from somebody that AMC had bought that particular theatre and for whatever reason, didn’t want to keep it, and that there’d been some discussion of the possibility of building a new cinema to take its place. I’m sort of hoping, (though it’s just wishful thinking on my part), that, if it does get renovated into a new cinema, that it gets renovated into a movie theatre that plays independent film, and older classics, etc., as opposed to the schlock that most theatres play nowadays.
Yet, at the same time, that area could get kind of wierd. Audiences were often quite rude, and, yes, the theatre did start looking kind of grubby and run-down shortly before it closed. Since the mall pretty much closed down, it began to lose customers, I think, too.