The Venus was closed in July 2007 due to the building changing ownership. As of Dec. 07 the building was demolished to make way for a condominium development. Pictures of the demo (which reveal original architectural features) and an article on the history of the theatre can be found at myspace.com/realboogienights
64lesabre
commented about
Mayanon
Apr 26, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Just a note that this film/DVD is actually titled REFINEMENTS IN LOVE (not Reflections…). Besides the historical footage – also including behind-the-scenes shotsof Tobalina shooting a sex movie — be aware this is a very entertaining film —– darn near wacky.
Oh yeah, the guy who owns this place was hanging onto the glory days by havign a sign saying it was 35mm — the place had been broken up into several smaller video theatres but I guess the projection room is intact so the guy claimed he was still showing 35mm! He kept one old film poster up in the display case as if to confirm it…
honestly, I would confidently bet good money they were showing video ——– think of it, paying a projectionist ALL day, preparing 3 or 4 different movies a week, and last but not least LOCATING the movie prints!? I’d love to be proved wrong.
What it comes down to V. Voice-wise is the writer mislead the reader a little so the article would have that retro-film cache value. Similarly innaccurate articles were done on the Metro Theatre in Toronto in the last few years.
Something not made clear was if the Polk had still been projecting FILM up to the end. I know it is extremely doubtful, and info that is in the above postings indicates otherwise. But I would like to have this confirmed. The Village Voice article implies the place was still showing film — I’m sure this was just to make the article more interesting. Please forward any info on this or any adult cinema showing FILM to — thanks!
BTW — the Polk’s phone number is OOS.
There is a balcony of sorts upstairs but it is not really public-access – the same stairway leads to the projection room and office. It also had no seats and was right in front of the film projector path. So I don’t really know what it was intended for. More interesting was a faux-balcony at the back left side of the main auditorium, a sharply steeped section that had been cheaply built from 2x4’s at some later date and had approx. 15 seats (same type of seats as in rest of auditorium so it was probably built when new seats had been put in some time in the past). This section had turned into a sordid den of depravity in the waning days of Fox’s old school porn movie days. When the rep. cinema people (Criminal Cinema) came in with their weekend arrangment they took out the faux-balcony, painted the lobby, put a Scott Baio painting in the Ladies' Room, and generally cleaned up the place. It was never the same after that.
The Venus was closed in July 2007 due to the building changing ownership. As of Dec. 07 the building was demolished to make way for a condominium development. Pictures of the demo (which reveal original architectural features) and an article on the history of the theatre can be found at myspace.com/realboogienights
Just a note that this film/DVD is actually titled REFINEMENTS IN LOVE (not Reflections…). Besides the historical footage – also including behind-the-scenes shotsof Tobalina shooting a sex movie — be aware this is a very entertaining film —– darn near wacky.
non-film, I presume..?
we still have 2 here in vancouver (Fox and Venus) — 3rd one (Kitten) had building demolished or would still be going. all video/dvd by now
I hear ya' — I already wrote a “letter to ed” of V Voice to this effect, politely of course. don’t know if they print those rec’d online….
“Many”? I’m betting ALL.
Oh yeah, the guy who owns this place was hanging onto the glory days by havign a sign saying it was 35mm — the place had been broken up into several smaller video theatres but I guess the projection room is intact so the guy claimed he was still showing 35mm! He kept one old film poster up in the display case as if to confirm it…
It was a telling sign when they rented out part of the lobby to someone selling remaindered glitz-clothing!! Great pic.
honestly, I would confidently bet good money they were showing video ——– think of it, paying a projectionist ALL day, preparing 3 or 4 different movies a week, and last but not least LOCATING the movie prints!? I’d love to be proved wrong.
What it comes down to V. Voice-wise is the writer mislead the reader a little so the article would have that retro-film cache value. Similarly innaccurate articles were done on the Metro Theatre in Toronto in the last few years.
Something not made clear was if the Polk had still been projecting FILM up to the end. I know it is extremely doubtful, and info that is in the above postings indicates otherwise. But I would like to have this confirmed. The Village Voice article implies the place was still showing film — I’m sure this was just to make the article more interesting. Please forward any info on this or any adult cinema showing FILM to — thanks!
BTW — the Polk’s phone number is OOS.
There is a balcony of sorts upstairs but it is not really public-access – the same stairway leads to the projection room and office. It also had no seats and was right in front of the film projector path. So I don’t really know what it was intended for. More interesting was a faux-balcony at the back left side of the main auditorium, a sharply steeped section that had been cheaply built from 2x4’s at some later date and had approx. 15 seats (same type of seats as in rest of auditorium so it was probably built when new seats had been put in some time in the past). This section had turned into a sordid den of depravity in the waning days of Fox’s old school porn movie days. When the rep. cinema people (Criminal Cinema) came in with their weekend arrangment they took out the faux-balcony, painted the lobby, put a Scott Baio painting in the Ladies' Room, and generally cleaned up the place. It was never the same after that.