love how the Suffolk University web page on the Modern Theatre conviently leaves out any documentation of the interior of the building before it was demolished by the university.
cross posted from a discussion on the Modern Theater page:
Funny that both the Paramount and the Modern get gutted/ knocked down and then one becomes a student dormitory with a small black box theater and the other becomes a reconstructed idea of the past. The effort put into re-creating the art deco cinema of the Paramount would have better been served saving the modern. Of the two theaters I find the spacial volumes to be vastly different. The Paramount, before and after demolition/construcition is/ was an ulgy box shape with some paintings on the walls. THe Modern was a simple yet beautiful carnivorous space that led the eye to wander more never quite comprehending the lofty angles. I was inside both before demolition, and now the results are shocking. Also, the Paramount was never a movie palace, it was a depression era cinema house.
Funny that both the Paramount and the Modern get gutted/ knocked down and then one becomes a student dormitory with a small black box theater and the other becomes a reconstructed idea of the past. The effort put into re-creating the art deco cinema of the Paramount would have better been served saving the modern. Of the two theaters I find the spacial volumes to be vastly different. The Paramount, before and after demolition/construcition is/ was an ulgy box shape with some paintings on the walls. THe Modern was a simple yet beautiful carnivorous space that led the eye to wander more never quite comprehending the lofty angles. I was inside both before demolition, and now the results are shocking. Also, the Paramount was never a movie palace, it was a depression era cinema house.
Very strange, I do not understand why the auditorium has been decorated to look like a 1930’s art deco theater. Aside from the balcony and the façade, the Paramont building is new contsruction, NOT a restauration project. Why not give the space an uncanny post modern twist such as a vintage balcony restored juxtaposed with a contemporary stage and auditorium? Yes, it is important to preserve historical buildings and architecture, but when its gone its gone, time to move on and not be living in a reconstructed idea of the past. Like in Disney World, historical monumental archetypes are evoked but on a smaller scale with a shiny coat of plastic. Another lie for future generations!
Of course I think the building should have been saved! It is true that there was extensive water damage, and the ceiling of the auditorium was gone, but the stage and details of the balcony were worthy of being saved! Additionally the layout and use of space was very creative. Similar to the Gaiety Theater (designed by the same architect), the floor plans had a distinct harmony and singularity, especially the corridors and rooms around the stage house.
Also when thinking of ways to save an old theater, especially one that has damaged or missing ornimentation work, I feel that it is unfortunate that preservation tends towards an all or nothing approach that requires a gigantic budget. Why not preserve what is there in a sort of romantic partially damaged space. I think about the Parthenon in Athens. Could you image if the Greek government decided to restore the Parthenon to what it looked like when it was newly built? The Parthenon functions sucessfully as a historical monument in its partially ruined and collapsed state. I feel that the Modern could have easily lived on as a preserved ruin.
Aditionally the space, while it would be ideal to continue to use it as a cinema or theater, it could have easily been adapted to other cultural uses without subdivision of the auditorium.
Finally, I am very upset that the demolition of the moden is being called by many a “renovation”. I must emphasize that the architectual space that was designed by Clarance Blackall is totally gone. It is a sick joke that the façade was preserved and that people will be fooled into thinking that this is a good way to approach perservation of historical buildings.
There was a lack of sufficient light to get good pictures, but at least here you can see some of the details of the auditorium. Some superficial water damage, but everything seems to be intact.
please contact me if you would like more information:
nvargelis [at] yahoo . fr
if you have problems with the link, do a search for my user profile “nvargelis” on flickr.com and go to the set “Modern Theater"
please contact me if you would like more information:
Ron, you posted above about a neighborhood meeting over a year ago. Any news as to the outcome of the meeting? Anyone know what shape the inside of the theater is like?
Thanks
love how the Suffolk University web page on the Modern Theatre conviently leaves out any documentation of the interior of the building before it was demolished by the university.
Strange, the ‘Save the Wollaston Theater’ website has gone off-line. I wonder what is happening with the plans to clean up and re-open the theater?
http://www.wollastontheater.com/
cross posted from a discussion on the Modern Theater page:
Funny that both the Paramount and the Modern get gutted/ knocked down and then one becomes a student dormitory with a small black box theater and the other becomes a reconstructed idea of the past. The effort put into re-creating the art deco cinema of the Paramount would have better been served saving the modern. Of the two theaters I find the spacial volumes to be vastly different. The Paramount, before and after demolition/construcition is/ was an ulgy box shape with some paintings on the walls. THe Modern was a simple yet beautiful carnivorous space that led the eye to wander more never quite comprehending the lofty angles. I was inside both before demolition, and now the results are shocking. Also, the Paramount was never a movie palace, it was a depression era cinema house.
Funny that both the Paramount and the Modern get gutted/ knocked down and then one becomes a student dormitory with a small black box theater and the other becomes a reconstructed idea of the past. The effort put into re-creating the art deco cinema of the Paramount would have better been served saving the modern. Of the two theaters I find the spacial volumes to be vastly different. The Paramount, before and after demolition/construcition is/ was an ulgy box shape with some paintings on the walls. THe Modern was a simple yet beautiful carnivorous space that led the eye to wander more never quite comprehending the lofty angles. I was inside both before demolition, and now the results are shocking. Also, the Paramount was never a movie palace, it was a depression era cinema house.
Very strange, I do not understand why the auditorium has been decorated to look like a 1930’s art deco theater. Aside from the balcony and the façade, the Paramont building is new contsruction, NOT a restauration project. Why not give the space an uncanny post modern twist such as a vintage balcony restored juxtaposed with a contemporary stage and auditorium? Yes, it is important to preserve historical buildings and architecture, but when its gone its gone, time to move on and not be living in a reconstructed idea of the past. Like in Disney World, historical monumental archetypes are evoked but on a smaller scale with a shiny coat of plastic. Another lie for future generations!
Of course I think the building should have been saved! It is true that there was extensive water damage, and the ceiling of the auditorium was gone, but the stage and details of the balcony were worthy of being saved! Additionally the layout and use of space was very creative. Similar to the Gaiety Theater (designed by the same architect), the floor plans had a distinct harmony and singularity, especially the corridors and rooms around the stage house.
Also when thinking of ways to save an old theater, especially one that has damaged or missing ornimentation work, I feel that it is unfortunate that preservation tends towards an all or nothing approach that requires a gigantic budget. Why not preserve what is there in a sort of romantic partially damaged space. I think about the Parthenon in Athens. Could you image if the Greek government decided to restore the Parthenon to what it looked like when it was newly built? The Parthenon functions sucessfully as a historical monument in its partially ruined and collapsed state. I feel that the Modern could have easily lived on as a preserved ruin.
Aditionally the space, while it would be ideal to continue to use it as a cinema or theater, it could have easily been adapted to other cultural uses without subdivision of the auditorium.
Finally, I am very upset that the demolition of the moden is being called by many a “renovation”. I must emphasize that the architectual space that was designed by Clarance Blackall is totally gone. It is a sick joke that the façade was preserved and that people will be fooled into thinking that this is a good way to approach perservation of historical buildings.
CORRECTION! I made a mistake in the above post, the URL for the Flickr set of the interior of the Paris Cinema is:
View link
enjoy
recent interior photos of the Paris Cinema:
View link
There was a lack of sufficient light to get good pictures, but at least here you can see some of the details of the auditorium. Some superficial water damage, but everything seems to be intact.
interior photographs of the Wallaston Theater taken a few years ago:
View link
for more info contact:
nvargelis [at] yahoo.fr
interior photographs of the Wallaston Theater taken a few years ago:
View link
for more info contact:
nvargelis [at] yahoo.fr
Photographs taken inside the Modern Theater (Mayflower Theatre) in 2005 and 2007:
View link
please contact me if you would like more information:
nvargelis [at] yahoo . fr
if you have problems with the link, do a search for my user profile “nvargelis” on flickr.com and go to the set “Modern Theater"
please contact me if you would like more information:
Photographs taken inside the Gaiety Theater (Publix Theatre) just before and during demolition:
View link
please contact me if you would like more information:
nvargelis [at] yahoo . fr
if you have problems with the link, do a search for my user profile “nvargelis” on flickr.com and go to the set “Gaiety Theater”
Ron, you posted above about a neighborhood meeting over a year ago. Any news as to the outcome of the meeting? Anyone know what shape the inside of the theater is like?
Thanks