Hey LMHG, good list (and point). However there is one vampire film you seem to left out: the excellent Australian film “Thirst”. Not to be confused with the current Korean import of the same name, this low-budget thriller focused on a young woman who is forced into a cult of blood drinkers upon learning of her connection to Elizabeth Bathory. Although it featured primarily Australian actors, the film also starred British actor David Hemmings and American Henry Silva in an attempt to lure international audiences. It was released 29 September, 1979.
The article notes that despite the economy, there is a likelier chance for a buyer to step in since Paramount and Warner Brothers are agreeing to sell theatres individually instead of the “package deal” of previous efforts.
I think KingBiscuits is referring to the late Richard Sinnott, who served from 1960-80 as the City of Boston’s “official censor” (and the catalyst for the famed term “Banned In Boston”).
Thank you, Sarah Peter. Crescent Cinema was I believe this theatre’s second (and last) lease on life, after the Brockton East Cinema as we know it closed in 1998.
The cinema opened as the Brockton East Twin Cinema (can’t say exactly when as I was too young – but from my memory it goes back to at least 1979, where I saw the Chuck Norris classic A Force Of One there with childhood pals). It was largely a second-run cinema through much of its life, but did occasionally show a first-run film now and again. And not just B-movie stuff; Disney, Universal and Columbia would sometimes book a first-run feature there. I should clarify at this point however that when BCG ran Crescent theatres, it was exclusively first-run.
This cinema actually occupied two distinct lots at one time or another. The first building was where the original twin screen complex was located, inside the small boxy white building across from where the church is now. It has long been abandoned but as of this writing still stands. Sometime around 1983-84, the cinema took over an abandoned Bradlees in the strip mall next door (where the cinema would more or less remain from now on) and opened three additional screens there, bringing its total to five. Shortly thereafter (late 80s), the cinema closed the “twinplex” and twinned the remaining three screens, bringing its final total to six.
I heard that at one time this cinema was owned by Christo’s, a nearby family restaurant and function hall known for its famous Greek salad (and not to be confused with the Minnesota-based chain of Greek restaurants with the same name). I couldn’t confirm this, but I remember during the 70s and 80s ads for Christo’s did run before the feature, leading me to believe it may have been true at some point.
This cinema is far from the best theatre I’ve been in. It wasn’t an ornate palace, it had shoebox auditoriums (particularly later in its life), and lacked many of the amenities you’d find in bigger chain theatres. But I loved it anyway as it had a good selection of movies, was conveniently located (especially since I rode a scooter much of the time) and it remains a fond memory.
Now, this is fascinating. Today’s Boston Metro says that the Boston Common will be adding an IMAX screen, which would make it the first IMAX screen in Boston dedicated solely to Hollywood film exhibition. The IMAX house is expected to open in September of this year.
Although Regal operates many theatres under the original names of theatre chains they assimilated even though those chains no longer exist as a corporate entity (United Artists is a prime example of this), I doubt that Regal could legally retain the Loews name lest they want to incur the ire of AMC.
Regal’s own ads (which appeared in last weekend’s Boston Herald) called it the “Fenway Stadium 13”. In a similar vein, Regal took over the E-Walk in Times Square, NYC also last week and it is now referred in ads as the “Regal E-walk Stadium 13”. It was previously known as the E-Walk 13 or just the E-Walk when Loews (and later AMC) had it.
I guess Regal likes to put the “stadium” in there to differentiate from it’s conventional seating theatres.
I concur with dwodweyla though, if only for the sake of clarity.
Despite the aforementioned “glaring” omissions, it is a fine selection and I am impressed that you were able to track down the titles in your selection.
But I agree with Robert and Ed. In all serious, read the Ziegfeld thread and see how disheartening it is to learn just how sorry a shape film preservation is despite the noble efforts of a few magnificent souls (Robert Harris comes to mind as one). Especially with regards to certain timeless film classics. I guess such is the price in these digital-happy times but still…
It looks like the Tower Records info mentioned in thr story has some gravity to it. This Hollywood Reporter/Reuters story seems to indicate the situation is more dire than in the 2004 bankruptcy.
To br91975: I did drive by the area of the old Sacks/USA/Loews/Entertainment Cinemas Brockton recently. I stand corrected from my earlier post, the building is still there, the exterior hasn’t changed at all and there’s a big “For Rent†sign, although I don’t remember any businesses moving in since the theatre closed in the mid-90s. I noticed that signs for The Foxy Lady have replaced the two small marquees of the theatre.
I remember the Westgate Cinema Center being the one place locally to see a big movie in the 70’s and 80’s. However, in the 90’s, the area began to get a bad reputation, and the area seemed to dry up. Tenants abandoned the Westgate Mall left and right. General Cinema sold off the property in the mid-1990’s (I guess with the burgeoning expansion well underway they must not have seen a future for the Westgate, even though I remember reading they did enhance a couple of the auditoriums with digital sound shortly before selling it). For a time it was an Entertainment Cinema, then a Hoyts. I remember Entertainment Cinemas did renovations to the marquee and adjoined the 4-screen and 3-screen areas of the building, which originally had their own separate box-offices and lobbies.
It amazes me that at one point in time, there were no less than 19 screens over 3 complexes that showed movies in the city of Brockton and now there a none…nada…zip…zilch. Even today, ok, Brockton may not be a “paradise†but there have been some improvements. Even the Westgate Mall is filling up with tenants. As dwodeyla put it, where do they go for movies?
RE: Perhaps, but also one of the least imaginative. I can’t recall ever seeing a Showcase Cinema run an exclusive premiere or promote an undiscovered small film.
posted by Ron Newman on Jul 22, 2005 at 8:59am
I agree with you, Ron. National Amusements/Showcase Cinemas has always been one of the most mundane exhibitionists in terms of style and selection. I’m not knocking them for it. It just happens to be a fact.
But I do remember in August of 1998, Showcase did host a limited engagement of “The North End†a low budget, Boston-set film directed by Frank Ciota. It’s marquee value stemmed from a token appearance by Frank Vincent, a character actor known mainly for his mobster roles in Scorsese films such as “GoodFellas†and “Casinoâ€. The film played for about two weeks in Showcase’s Revere cinema and also their newly opened Randolph complex (which is where I saw the film). It may have played in another one or two of their local theatres (Woburn, perhaps) but the memory starts to get fuzzy at this point.
It was a fairly decent film, one that presented the local flavor just as well as the much more esteemed local film from that time, Good Will Hunting. To date, it has not been released on video and I have seen hide nor hair of this film since my 1998 Randolph viewing. If you like more information on the film, here’s the IMDB page:
Aside from The North End, the only other Showcase “exclusive†I remember was that they hosted the Boston-area engagement of the 1987 nomadic vampire film Near Dark in it’s area theatres, despite the fact that a couple of General Cinemas outside of Showcase’s booking jurisdictions also played the movie.
Going by memory here, so please bear with me. Any corrections or additions are most welcome.
The General Cinema “Projector” trailers of the 1970’s and early 80’s (which David talks about) were retired in 1986 and replaced by new trailers. The font of the letters GCC were changed to a more contemporary one (although strangely, the positioning of the letters remain unchanged from their “projector” days) and the letters were set up against a dark blue circle. This particular logo would serve as the company logo right up until AMC bought out the chain in 2002, but I think the 1986 trailers were retired long before then. These new trailers pitched the new logo against either a starry nighttime backdrop (for the Coming Attractions/Also Playing bumper) or a blue sky with scattered clouds (for the Feature Presentation bumper). I believe these are the trailers to which Forrest136 is replying about, not the 1970’s trailers (which were set against a background of trippy “multi-colored” ripples).
David, you might want to try and reach member “dwodeyla” about this. He worked as a manager for General Cinema for a number of years (in fact I worked under him for a short time in the 1980s, so be sure to say hello for me). He’s mentioned this fact in other posts so I am not dropping any trade secrets here. Now I don’t know if he can procure the materials you are looking for, but he at least should be a great reference point.
Br91975, the theatre you are referring to was the Old Sack Cinema Brockton (a.k.a. Sony Theatres Brockton, Loews Theatres Brockton, and Entertainment Cinemas West Brockton). It closed in 1996 I believe. To the best of my knowledge, the building was demolished and it made way for The Foxy Lady, a gentleman’s nightclub. Hope this helps and if anyone can add/correct anything, please do.
Hey LMHG, good list (and point). However there is one vampire film you seem to left out: the excellent Australian film “Thirst”. Not to be confused with the current Korean import of the same name, this low-budget thriller focused on a young woman who is forced into a cult of blood drinkers upon learning of her connection to Elizabeth Bathory. Although it featured primarily Australian actors, the film also starred British actor David Hemmings and American Henry Silva in an attempt to lure international audiences. It was released 29 September, 1979.
Looks like the Chinese is on the block…again.
View link
The article notes that despite the economy, there is a likelier chance for a buyer to step in since Paramount and Warner Brothers are agreeing to sell theatres individually instead of the “package deal” of previous efforts.
This news is unfortunate, but given Redstone’s current sad financial status, I’m quite sure he could use the reprieve.
I think KingBiscuits is referring to the late Richard Sinnott, who served from 1960-80 as the City of Boston’s “official censor” (and the catalyst for the famed term “Banned In Boston”).
Thank you, Sarah Peter. Crescent Cinema was I believe this theatre’s second (and last) lease on life, after the Brockton East Cinema as we know it closed in 1998.
The cinema opened as the Brockton East Twin Cinema (can’t say exactly when as I was too young – but from my memory it goes back to at least 1979, where I saw the Chuck Norris classic A Force Of One there with childhood pals). It was largely a second-run cinema through much of its life, but did occasionally show a first-run film now and again. And not just B-movie stuff; Disney, Universal and Columbia would sometimes book a first-run feature there. I should clarify at this point however that when BCG ran Crescent theatres, it was exclusively first-run.
This cinema actually occupied two distinct lots at one time or another. The first building was where the original twin screen complex was located, inside the small boxy white building across from where the church is now. It has long been abandoned but as of this writing still stands. Sometime around 1983-84, the cinema took over an abandoned Bradlees in the strip mall next door (where the cinema would more or less remain from now on) and opened three additional screens there, bringing its total to five. Shortly thereafter (late 80s), the cinema closed the “twinplex” and twinned the remaining three screens, bringing its final total to six.
I heard that at one time this cinema was owned by Christo’s, a nearby family restaurant and function hall known for its famous Greek salad (and not to be confused with the Minnesota-based chain of Greek restaurants with the same name). I couldn’t confirm this, but I remember during the 70s and 80s ads for Christo’s did run before the feature, leading me to believe it may have been true at some point.
This cinema is far from the best theatre I’ve been in. It wasn’t an ornate palace, it had shoebox auditoriums (particularly later in its life), and lacked many of the amenities you’d find in bigger chain theatres. But I loved it anyway as it had a good selection of movies, was conveniently located (especially since I rode a scooter much of the time) and it remains a fond memory.
Now, this is fascinating. Today’s Boston Metro says that the Boston Common will be adding an IMAX screen, which would make it the first IMAX screen in Boston dedicated solely to Hollywood film exhibition. The IMAX house is expected to open in September of this year.
Here is the article:
View link
Although Regal operates many theatres under the original names of theatre chains they assimilated even though those chains no longer exist as a corporate entity (United Artists is a prime example of this), I doubt that Regal could legally retain the Loews name lest they want to incur the ire of AMC.
Regal’s own ads (which appeared in last weekend’s Boston Herald) called it the “Fenway Stadium 13”. In a similar vein, Regal took over the E-Walk in Times Square, NYC also last week and it is now referred in ads as the “Regal E-walk Stadium 13”. It was previously known as the E-Walk 13 or just the E-Walk when Loews (and later AMC) had it.
I guess Regal likes to put the “stadium” in there to differentiate from it’s conventional seating theatres.
I concur with dwodweyla though, if only for the sake of clarity.
Despite the aforementioned “glaring” omissions, it is a fine selection and I am impressed that you were able to track down the titles in your selection.
But I agree with Robert and Ed. In all serious, read the Ziegfeld thread and see how disheartening it is to learn just how sorry a shape film preservation is despite the noble efforts of a few magnificent souls (Robert Harris comes to mind as one). Especially with regards to certain timeless film classics. I guess such is the price in these digital-happy times but still…
Ah well….Best of luck to the REGAL Fenway 13.
I’m still kind of surprised that Redstone didn’t snatch this up. I guess that the Circle is going to stick around a little while longer.
What?? No ‘Octagon’? No ‘A Force Of One’? Not even ‘The Delta Force’? Where are THE CLASSICS, man???
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some suggestions for the Ziegfeld Classics series. ;–)
To Ron N:
View link
It looks like the Tower Records info mentioned in thr story has some gravity to it. This Hollywood Reporter/Reuters story seems to indicate the situation is more dire than in the 2004 bankruptcy.
“When there are no more cinemas in Hell, the Dead will watch DVDs.”
Sorry. I couldn’t resist that one. ;–)
To br91975: I did drive by the area of the old Sacks/USA/Loews/Entertainment Cinemas Brockton recently. I stand corrected from my earlier post, the building is still there, the exterior hasn’t changed at all and there’s a big “For Rent†sign, although I don’t remember any businesses moving in since the theatre closed in the mid-90s. I noticed that signs for The Foxy Lady have replaced the two small marquees of the theatre.
I remember the Westgate Cinema Center being the one place locally to see a big movie in the 70’s and 80’s. However, in the 90’s, the area began to get a bad reputation, and the area seemed to dry up. Tenants abandoned the Westgate Mall left and right. General Cinema sold off the property in the mid-1990’s (I guess with the burgeoning expansion well underway they must not have seen a future for the Westgate, even though I remember reading they did enhance a couple of the auditoriums with digital sound shortly before selling it). For a time it was an Entertainment Cinema, then a Hoyts. I remember Entertainment Cinemas did renovations to the marquee and adjoined the 4-screen and 3-screen areas of the building, which originally had their own separate box-offices and lobbies.
It amazes me that at one point in time, there were no less than 19 screens over 3 complexes that showed movies in the city of Brockton and now there a none…nada…zip…zilch. Even today, ok, Brockton may not be a “paradise†but there have been some improvements. Even the Westgate Mall is filling up with tenants. As dwodeyla put it, where do they go for movies?
RE: Perhaps, but also one of the least imaginative. I can’t recall ever seeing a Showcase Cinema run an exclusive premiere or promote an undiscovered small film.
posted by Ron Newman on Jul 22, 2005 at 8:59am
I agree with you, Ron. National Amusements/Showcase Cinemas has always been one of the most mundane exhibitionists in terms of style and selection. I’m not knocking them for it. It just happens to be a fact.
But I do remember in August of 1998, Showcase did host a limited engagement of “The North End†a low budget, Boston-set film directed by Frank Ciota. It’s marquee value stemmed from a token appearance by Frank Vincent, a character actor known mainly for his mobster roles in Scorsese films such as “GoodFellas†and “Casinoâ€. The film played for about two weeks in Showcase’s Revere cinema and also their newly opened Randolph complex (which is where I saw the film). It may have played in another one or two of their local theatres (Woburn, perhaps) but the memory starts to get fuzzy at this point.
It was a fairly decent film, one that presented the local flavor just as well as the much more esteemed local film from that time, Good Will Hunting. To date, it has not been released on video and I have seen hide nor hair of this film since my 1998 Randolph viewing. If you like more information on the film, here’s the IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124028/combined
Aside from The North End, the only other Showcase “exclusive†I remember was that they hosted the Boston-area engagement of the 1987 nomadic vampire film Near Dark in it’s area theatres, despite the fact that a couple of General Cinemas outside of Showcase’s booking jurisdictions also played the movie.
Going by memory here, so please bear with me. Any corrections or additions are most welcome.
The General Cinema “Projector” trailers of the 1970’s and early 80’s (which David talks about) were retired in 1986 and replaced by new trailers. The font of the letters GCC were changed to a more contemporary one (although strangely, the positioning of the letters remain unchanged from their “projector” days) and the letters were set up against a dark blue circle. This particular logo would serve as the company logo right up until AMC bought out the chain in 2002, but I think the 1986 trailers were retired long before then. These new trailers pitched the new logo against either a starry nighttime backdrop (for the Coming Attractions/Also Playing bumper) or a blue sky with scattered clouds (for the Feature Presentation bumper). I believe these are the trailers to which Forrest136 is replying about, not the 1970’s trailers (which were set against a background of trippy “multi-colored” ripples).
David, you might want to try and reach member “dwodeyla” about this. He worked as a manager for General Cinema for a number of years (in fact I worked under him for a short time in the 1980s, so be sure to say hello for me). He’s mentioned this fact in other posts so I am not dropping any trade secrets here. Now I don’t know if he can procure the materials you are looking for, but he at least should be a great reference point.
Br91975, the theatre you are referring to was the Old Sack Cinema Brockton (a.k.a. Sony Theatres Brockton, Loews Theatres Brockton, and Entertainment Cinemas West Brockton). It closed in 1996 I believe. To the best of my knowledge, the building was demolished and it made way for The Foxy Lady, a gentleman’s nightclub. Hope this helps and if anyone can add/correct anything, please do.