Showcase Cinemas East Hartford
936 Silver Lane,
East Hartford,
CT
06118
936 Silver Lane,
East Hartford,
CT
06118
1 person
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They need to do the same thing to the National Amusements Amboys Multiplex in New Jersey, where I worked as a projectionist for 21 years and closed in May 2005.
Memories article
Showcase Cinemas East Hartford (Redstone) alias National Amusements, it’s all the one and only Sumner Redstones' theatres. It could not be a victim of the Buckland Hills. A redstome is a redstone is a redstone. Most of his theatre empire is now stone cold demolished. He will join them soon enough.
Change status to demolished – picture attached.
I remember one night the cars were backed up to the entrance and an employee telling us which shows were sold out. Very popular theatre in the 70s.
was supposed to be demolished for a new state casino. i don’t think the casino was built but it was demolished. please update
I was one of the original management team that opened the 4 Plex. It was a gem on silver lane. The entire operation was top notch for the time. As floor manager, I interacted with thousands of pleased patrons who received a grand entertainment experience. Popcorn was popped on site and land o lakes butter was the topping. I was saddened to read that the cinema closed.
This opened on June 27th, 1973 with four screens. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
article:
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Sadly, it is still sitting there all boarded up.
Anything going on with my old escape from a rough day of school? I loved this place. It was the first theater we visited when we went to look at where I went to undergrad (UHa) and I frequented it often on late weekday nights where I’d have one of those giant 400 seat auditriums to myself. I made the mistake of taking a girl on a first date here to see Queen Latifia in Beauty Shop, she said to me “this is amazing, how could a theater this big have no one in here” – it’s no wonder they closed – all my favorite theaters where I see awesome movies alone like Cineplaza and The Screening Zone in NJ are gone.
The place is/was still in good repair and kept spotless by the staff – only ever had one strange complaint about it – they jumbled the last two reels on a Bollywood film. I remember thinking “gee, that movie just ended – what happened to the other guy” and then I stayed after the final musical number and then – there was another 20 minutes that explained it all. National sent me 4 free passes for bringing it to their attention.
I’m willing to bet if someone could/were to reopen this as a discount house (could probably never happen, I think the property was sold with the condition it could be a theater) it could do some solid business.
I seem to recall, in the spring of 1982 while the film “Arthur” was playing here,seeing an article in the New Britain Herald
mentioning the actor Dudley Moore, who starred in the film, was in town accompanying his then girlfriend actress, singer Susan Anton who was performing in Hartford. While in town, Moore actually attended a showing of the film here, reportedly to watch audience reaction to the film.
Saw “Tommy” there in 1975 for $5.50 (outrageous for the time) when it was UA Theaters East!
The Courant has an article saying the property has been bought by a developer and the cinema will be demolished.
You can read it here.
Was going to venture around the old property, (and possibly take pictures) but every time I drive by a cop is there. Wonder if any bad activity is happening on the property to have a cop there every time I drive by.
You got that right nub. National closed the Amboys Multiplex here in central N.J. in May 2005, and it still sits there boarded up. Every couple of months someone comes and paints over all the graffiti on the building.
I wonder what they’re going to do with the property. It’s probably just gonna sit there for years.
Cinema City allegedly is getting a remodel by its new owners who are (shockingly) keeping it open for art films. Criterion’s programing mirrors that of the Palace, with a few exceptions (No County for Old Men, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead). I’m just glad to see Bow Tie isn’t veering into Real Art Ways territory. I suppose with 14-screens gone here and 8 in Bloomfield shut down for a few years now they figure the area can support 8 additional screens (2 additional ones at Buckland and 6 at Criterion). East Hartford was great, when the show was sold out at Buckland or the Palace, this was the place to go, and it was well maintained right up to its closing for the most part. I used to go here just for the retro feel of the place, it was like going to the movies in the 70’s/80’s, reminded me of going to General Cinema when I was growing up.
Back to Tom’s point, National upgrade a similar style of theater in Seekonk, MA (Seekonk 1-10) with stadium seating, its a little odd give the lack of riser’s height (think of the smaller theaters at Buckland) and the long narrow style of the theaters (or at least the one I was in in Seekonk), they also upgraded the color scheme to the blue and teal of Showcase/Mulitplex sites circa 1997-2002, it was like someone combined Buckland’s wall treatments, stadiums eating and lobby pre it’s Cinema De Lux upgrade with East Hartford’s lay out – with a much smaller square lobby).
Cinema City also opened in 1973, I am not sure which opened first, but if I had to bet which one would close first, I would have lost. There was a time when this was the only place to see movies, because it really was the only place, now there is such a glut of screens. If showcase had renovated the theater before buckland hills opened, with stadium seating etc, I think business would have been split and this theater would still be open today. -tom
Over a year later…still closed.
change status to closed
Anyone got any pics on what it used to look like before the renovations….
I remember this theater, I remember getting free passes from my boss at A.C. Petersens and my free Return of the Jedi Special Edition pass from Kiss 95.7. My father used to take us there a lot, now I’m sad to see it close.
Showcase East Hartford closed on September 4th, 2006.
Went to the last show tonight. The final show was the 1015 showing of Beerfest