I am pretty sure this was a Roth’s in the 80’s – and I kind of think it was up to 4 theaters… maybe only 2… I remember seeing Blue Thunder here in 1983 and I think one of the Star Trek Movies. I lived in silver spring, so this was kind of a haul but a good joint – with a record store (Kemp Mill’s) just a few doors down.
If I am correct, these were popular for their weekend late night shows of Dawn of the Dead and Rocky horror picture show in the 80’s. I think this was the place – they would start the pictures around midnight and usually there were pretty many people in the audience, at least when I saw Dawn in like 1983.
What a dump this was. Went there mostly when it was a cheapie theater… rats running around… the screen in one theater was literally cut in half by expanding to 4 screens. One theater was the size of a bathroom. At least the movies were cheap and I remember the food to be inexpensive.
The Cinema & Drafthouse was a great place to hang.. saw many movies there in the late 80’s, early 90’s… On Sundays they showed Redskins games and once I remember the Greaseman doing a live show – I was pretty drunk that night, so dont remember much.. there were a ton of creepy dudes there that night.
A good place to watch a cheap movie and have a few drafts. The pizza was pretty crappy but edible after a few pulls on the glass.
This was turned into a Dollar theater in the mid-80’s until it closed in early 90’s (not sure on close date). My buddies and I referred to it as the “Cheapies.."
There was a bar right next store that featured Metal bands and we would hang there after seeing flicks.
The $1 movies were awesome, especially when dating.
I am pretty sure this was in the same plaza as Tower Records… I remember seeing movies here and then going to Tower, which was always open late and then going to eat at the pizza joint.
My father took my brothers and I to see Star Wars on a Sunday in May of 1977. We waited in line for 2 hours and missed the first 5 minutes and sat in the balcony. It was awesome! One of the best days of my life.
This is the best theater to see a movie, bar none, in DC. You have to go at least once and make it a specatacle movie, so you can appreciate the size of the screen. I also saw both Die Hards here and I think, Return of the Jedi.
Beautiful place.
This place went from being the best, in the late 90’s to being a big dump, by 2007. I went there regularly but it just went down hill. Very unclean and on Fridays it’s crazy with high school kids. I guess its for the younger crowd now.
I havent been there since 2007, so maybe they have cleaned it up a bit.
Starting to show its age.. kind of dirty and not well maintained. Seems like everytime I go, the seat I get is wobbly… prices are very reasonable, though.
I saw many movies here – a nice enough place with good sized screens but they began to let it go after a bit…. I was there to see “The Sixth Sense” in 1999 and a panel fell from the ceiling into a batch of empty seats.
They closed this in April 2008 in anticipation of the DeLux Cinema that was being built just down the road at the Florence Mall.
There is no theaters on Donaldson, so they were never built.
Saw Many movies here as a kid… great stuff! Batman (1989) and if I remember Sylvester Stallone had the premiere here for Rocky 4 in like 1985 or 1985. I worked at the East for a short time in 1985…
It was so great to live in Silver Spring in the 70’s and 80’s…
I passed this theater every day on my way to school… I remember seeing Star Wars there and maybe one or two others. At one point all they showed was Kung Fu movies… I remember the marquee saying: how now… The “S” in show fell off and they never replaced it.
This is one of the best theaters in the world. I saw so many movies here: Sasquatch on a snow day in the 70’s, Superman 2, Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek 3, Terminator and dozens of others…
In 1985 I drank approx. 18 beers and whiskey shots and we went to see Missing in Action 2. I saw maybe 5 minutes of the movie and then spent the rest of the time hurling into the toilet. As my buddies dragged me out the whole toilet came loose from the wall and fell on its side, water flooding the bathroom.
I didnt go there for a few months, just in case.
I saw Raiders there too…. also, Jaws 2, Close Encounters, Star Wars and dozens of others… I also worked at the East in 1985 for a few months in the summer and fall. I believe that Ghostbusters was still playing there and then I think, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
I got to see Mad Max3 free and a few others… I made a whole $2.85 per hour… I wanted to turn the West into the Silver Spring Cinema and Drafthouse.
I am pretty sure this was a Roth’s in the 80’s – and I kind of think it was up to 4 theaters… maybe only 2… I remember seeing Blue Thunder here in 1983 and I think one of the Star Trek Movies. I lived in silver spring, so this was kind of a haul but a good joint – with a record store (Kemp Mill’s) just a few doors down.
If I am correct, these were popular for their weekend late night shows of Dawn of the Dead and Rocky horror picture show in the 80’s. I think this was the place – they would start the pictures around midnight and usually there were pretty many people in the audience, at least when I saw Dawn in like 1983.
What a dump this was. Went there mostly when it was a cheapie theater… rats running around… the screen in one theater was literally cut in half by expanding to 4 screens. One theater was the size of a bathroom. At least the movies were cheap and I remember the food to be inexpensive.
The Cinema & Drafthouse was a great place to hang.. saw many movies there in the late 80’s, early 90’s… On Sundays they showed Redskins games and once I remember the Greaseman doing a live show – I was pretty drunk that night, so dont remember much.. there were a ton of creepy dudes there that night.
A good place to watch a cheap movie and have a few drafts. The pizza was pretty crappy but edible after a few pulls on the glass.
I cant believe these are still operating. So many theaters have closed down and I thought for sure they would go to… saw many a movie here.
I cant believe these are still operating. So many theaters have closed down and I thought for sure they would go to… saw many a movie here.
This was turned into a Dollar theater in the mid-80’s until it closed in early 90’s (not sure on close date). My buddies and I referred to it as the “Cheapies.."
There was a bar right next store that featured Metal bands and we would hang there after seeing flicks.
The $1 movies were awesome, especially when dating.
I am pretty sure this was in the same plaza as Tower Records… I remember seeing movies here and then going to Tower, which was always open late and then going to eat at the pizza joint.
My father took my brothers and I to see Star Wars on a Sunday in May of 1977. We waited in line for 2 hours and missed the first 5 minutes and sat in the balcony. It was awesome! One of the best days of my life.
This is the best theater to see a movie, bar none, in DC. You have to go at least once and make it a specatacle movie, so you can appreciate the size of the screen. I also saw both Die Hards here and I think, Return of the Jedi.
Beautiful place.
This place went from being the best, in the late 90’s to being a big dump, by 2007. I went there regularly but it just went down hill. Very unclean and on Fridays it’s crazy with high school kids. I guess its for the younger crowd now.
I havent been there since 2007, so maybe they have cleaned it up a bit.
Starting to show its age.. kind of dirty and not well maintained. Seems like everytime I go, the seat I get is wobbly… prices are very reasonable, though.
I saw many movies here – a nice enough place with good sized screens but they began to let it go after a bit…. I was there to see “The Sixth Sense” in 1999 and a panel fell from the ceiling into a batch of empty seats.
They closed this in April 2008 in anticipation of the DeLux Cinema that was being built just down the road at the Florence Mall.
There is no theaters on Donaldson, so they were never built.
Saw Many movies here as a kid… great stuff! Batman (1989) and if I remember Sylvester Stallone had the premiere here for Rocky 4 in like 1985 or 1985. I worked at the East for a short time in 1985…
It was so great to live in Silver Spring in the 70’s and 80’s…
I picked up a chick here in 1986 and banged her in the parking lot…. she was pretty heavy but had a great rack. Never saw her again.
I passed this theater every day on my way to school… I remember seeing Star Wars there and maybe one or two others. At one point all they showed was Kung Fu movies… I remember the marquee saying: how now… The “S” in show fell off and they never replaced it.
This is one of the best theaters in the world. I saw so many movies here: Sasquatch on a snow day in the 70’s, Superman 2, Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek 3, Terminator and dozens of others…
In 1985 I drank approx. 18 beers and whiskey shots and we went to see Missing in Action 2. I saw maybe 5 minutes of the movie and then spent the rest of the time hurling into the toilet. As my buddies dragged me out the whole toilet came loose from the wall and fell on its side, water flooding the bathroom.
I didnt go there for a few months, just in case.
I saw Raiders there too…. also, Jaws 2, Close Encounters, Star Wars and dozens of others… I also worked at the East in 1985 for a few months in the summer and fall. I believe that Ghostbusters was still playing there and then I think, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
I got to see Mad Max3 free and a few others… I made a whole $2.85 per hour… I wanted to turn the West into the Silver Spring Cinema and Drafthouse.