Live long enough, you’ll get to sound like your parents: “We didn’t have that when I was your age. They don’t do it the way they used to.”
Well, as far as grand movie houses, they don’t do it the way they used to—and they probably never will again.
I saw “Camelot” at a downtown Chicago theater called the McVickers in 1966. We had reserved seats; the seat assignments were printed on the tickets.
As far as I can recollect, the first Cinerama theater I went in was a United Artists 150 theater at Oakbrook (suburban Chicago). That’s where I first saw “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1969. Blue velvet rockers, curved screen, the works.
Next place I saw “2001” was at the Gaylynn or Gaylynn Terrace (the latter, I believe) in 1974. Quite a house.
But I was blown away by my first visit to the Windsor in 1975. “Rollerball” played there that summer & into the early fall. The Windsor was a palace. Never went up in the balcony; never had to, because the house was virtually deserted. (My first job had been at a Tercar theater in Baytown, and I knew just enough abut how that company operated to suspect, in looking back, that it was purely a tax write-off or a money-laundering gig somebody really rich set up.) When I had to pay, it cost $3.50 to get in (which was some money in 1975). But mostly I got in on free passes; I went back to watch “Rollerball” repeatedly. The long drive & immersion into the Windsor offered a dandy escape from Baytown.
It was a lush but elegant and classy place. There were faint grayish and powder-blue clouds on the ceiling (in a theater, the area actually called “the cloud”).
Anyhow, it was quite an experience to watch a film there. “Rollerball” doesn’t compare favorably to “2001,” but it was a great place to see movies. It was really nice to get dressed up & take a date there.
I have an original “Rollerball” one-sheet poster on glossy stock, as well as two lobby posters announcing the Houston-Tokyo and Houston-New York games. (I made the mistake of giving away the Houston-Madrid poster. WHY did I do that?) Someday when I can afford to have them framed, the game posters will make nice flankers for the one-sheet.
But I digress.
There was no cable, and nobody had VCRs or DVDs back then. There were only 3 television networks (which explains why they could get away with showing crap like “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” or “Dallas”). With the wide variety of entertainment options available nowadays, I’m afraid we’ll never see real movie palaces again.
Live long enough, you’ll get to sound like your parents: “We didn’t have that when I was your age. They don’t do it the way they used to.”
Well, as far as grand movie houses, they don’t do it the way they used to—and they probably never will again.
I saw “Camelot” at a downtown Chicago theater called the McVickers in 1966. We had reserved seats; the seat assignments were printed on the tickets.
As far as I can recollect, the first Cinerama theater I went in was a United Artists 150 theater at Oakbrook (suburban Chicago). That’s where I first saw “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1969. Blue velvet rockers, curved screen, the works.
Next place I saw “2001” was at the Gaylynn or Gaylynn Terrace (the latter, I believe) in 1974. Quite a house.
But I was blown away by my first visit to the Windsor in 1975. “Rollerball” played there that summer & into the early fall. The Windsor was a palace. Never went up in the balcony; never had to, because the house was virtually deserted. (My first job had been at a Tercar theater in Baytown, and I knew just enough abut how that company operated to suspect, in looking back, that it was purely a tax write-off or a money-laundering gig somebody really rich set up.) When I had to pay, it cost $3.50 to get in (which was some money in 1975). But mostly I got in on free passes; I went back to watch “Rollerball” repeatedly. The long drive & immersion into the Windsor offered a dandy escape from Baytown.
It was a lush but elegant and classy place. There were faint grayish and powder-blue clouds on the ceiling (in a theater, the area actually called “the cloud”).
Anyhow, it was quite an experience to watch a film there. “Rollerball” doesn’t compare favorably to “2001,” but it was a great place to see movies. It was really nice to get dressed up & take a date there.
I have an original “Rollerball” one-sheet poster on glossy stock, as well as two lobby posters announcing the Houston-Tokyo and Houston-New York games. (I made the mistake of giving away the Houston-Madrid poster. WHY did I do that?) Someday when I can afford to have them framed, the game posters will make nice flankers for the one-sheet.
But I digress.
There was no cable, and nobody had VCRs or DVDs back then. There were only 3 television networks (which explains why they could get away with showing crap like “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” or “Dallas”). With the wide variety of entertainment options available nowadays, I’m afraid we’ll never see real movie palaces again.
Folks, I’m sorry—don’t know why that posted twice.
If a moderator could remove the duplicate and this message, I’d be obliged.
Live long enough, you’ll get to sound like your parents: “We didn’t have that when I was your age. They don’t do it the way they used to.”
Well, as far as grand movie houses, they don’t do it the way they used to—and they probably never will again.
I saw “Camelot” at a downtown Chicago theater called the McVickers in 1966. We had reserved seats; the seat assignments were printed on the tickets.
As far as I can recollect, the first Cinerama theater I went in was a United Artists 150 theater at Oakbrook (suburban Chicago). That’s where I first saw “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1969. Blue velvet rockers, curved screen, the works.
Next place I saw “2001” was at the Gaylynn or Gaylynn Terrace (the latter, I believe) in 1974. Quite a house.
But I was blown away by my first visit to the Windsor in 1975. “Rollerball” played there that summer & into the early fall. The Windsor was a palace. Never went up in the balcony; never had to, because the house was virtually deserted. (My first job had been at a Tercar theater in Baytown, and I knew just enough abut how that company operated to suspect, in looking back, that it was purely a tax write-off or a money-laundering gig somebody really rich set up.) When I had to pay, it cost $3.50 to get in (which was some money in 1975). But mostly I got in on free passes; I went back to watch “Rollerball” repeatedly. The long drive & immersion into the Windsor offered a dandy escape from Baytown.
It was a lush but elegant and classy place. There were faint grayish and powder-blue clouds on the ceiling (in a theater, the area actually called “the cloud”).
Anyhow, it was quite an experience to watch a film there. “Rollerball” doesn’t compare favorably to “2001,” but it was a great place to see movies. It was really nice to get dressed up & take a date there.
I have an original “Rollerball” one-sheet poster on glossy stock, as well as two lobby posters announcing the Houston-Tokyo and Houston-New York games. (I made the mistake of giving away the Houston-Madrid poster. WHY did I do that?) Someday when I can afford to have them framed, the game posters will make nice flankers for the one-sheet.
But I digress.
There was no cable, and nobody had VCRs or DVDs back then. There were only 3 television networks (which explains why they could get away with showing crap like “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” or “Dallas”). With the wide variety of entertainment options available nowadays, I’m afraid we’ll never see real movie palaces again.
Live long enough, you’ll get to sound like your parents: “We didn’t have that when I was your age. They don’t do it the way they used to.”
Well, as far as grand movie houses, they don’t do it the way they used to—and they probably never will again.
I saw “Camelot” at a downtown Chicago theater called the McVickers in 1966. We had reserved seats; the seat assignments were printed on the tickets.
As far as I can recollect, the first Cinerama theater I went in was a United Artists 150 theater at Oakbrook (suburban Chicago). That’s where I first saw “2001: A Space Odyssey” in 1969. Blue velvet rockers, curved screen, the works.
Next place I saw “2001” was at the Gaylynn or Gaylynn Terrace (the latter, I believe) in 1974. Quite a house.
But I was blown away by my first visit to the Windsor in 1975. “Rollerball” played there that summer & into the early fall. The Windsor was a palace. Never went up in the balcony; never had to, because the house was virtually deserted. (My first job had been at a Tercar theater in Baytown, and I knew just enough abut how that company operated to suspect, in looking back, that it was purely a tax write-off or a money-laundering gig somebody really rich set up.) When I had to pay, it cost $3.50 to get in (which was some money in 1975). But mostly I got in on free passes; I went back to watch “Rollerball” repeatedly. The long drive & immersion into the Windsor offered a dandy escape from Baytown.
It was a lush but elegant and classy place. There were faint grayish and powder-blue clouds on the ceiling (in a theater, the area actually called “the cloud”).
Anyhow, it was quite an experience to watch a film there. “Rollerball” doesn’t compare favorably to “2001,” but it was a great place to see movies. It was really nice to get dressed up & take a date there.
I have an original “Rollerball” one-sheet poster on glossy stock, as well as two lobby posters announcing the Houston-Tokyo and Houston-New York games. (I made the mistake of giving away the Houston-Madrid poster. WHY did I do that?) Someday when I can afford to have them framed, the game posters will make nice flankers for the one-sheet.
But I digress.
There was no cable, and nobody had VCRs or DVDs back then. There were only 3 television networks (which explains why they could get away with showing crap like “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” or “Dallas”). With the wide variety of entertainment options available nowadays, I’m afraid we’ll never see real movie palaces again.