Village Cinema
S. Perkins Road and Knight Arnold Road,
Memphis,
TN
38118
S. Perkins Road and Knight Arnold Road,
Memphis,
TN
38118
2 people
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The Village Cinema was in the Parkway Village Shopping Center, at S. Perkins Road and Knight Arnold Road. It was built when two smaller strip plazas were merged into one in 1970, opening on May 27, 1970 with Glen Campbell in “Norwood”. It lasted until 1980.
Contributed by
Jack Coursey, Vincent Astor
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
The Village was located in a strip mall on South Perkins in the heart of suburbia. Like the Balmoral (q.v.), it was built for a market that never materialized, and lasted only a few years. One theory is that increasing availability of Cable TV and VCR tapes did this type of theater in.
Sorry I can’t provide a descrition, but I went there only once—to see Tyne Daly, Richard Jaeckel, Lana Wood, and Joe Don Baker in “Speedtrap” (1977) where they smashed up about three years worth of surplus California (or maybe Arizona) Highway Patrol cars in a very few minutes of screen time. You can tell I haven’t wasted MY life….
The Village Theatre was located at 4676 Knight Arnold Rd and was part of the Sky-Vue Amusements circuit. A karate school is currently listed at this address.
I saw “An Officer and a Gentleman” at the Village. It was a second-run showing, and I’m pretty sure it was in 1983. There was an Army surplus store nearby.
Actually, the Village Cinema was in the Parkway Village Shopping Center, at Perkins and Knight Arnold. It was built when they connected the two smaller strip plazas into one, along with the construction of the bigger TG&Y store. This was in the early 70’s, I’d say around 1971 or 72. This theater definitely had a market at that time, as it was packed on the weekend evenings and Saturday matinees, and usually did a pretty good business on the weeknights as well. It was still going strong when I left the area in 1976.
I would guess that when the Mall of Memphis was built, with a multi-plex theater, that would have relegated the Village Cinema to second run or discount status. The decline of the neighborhood probably made it unprofitable to run a theater, or any other business there, for several years.
It had 3 screens and showed every lame disney movie ever made
I believe I saw a few Disney flicks at this place as a kid like Rescuers Down Under, Lady and the Tramp, and Herbie Goes Bananas or Rides Again. Seems odd that this place was a theater, looks kind of small. I believe today’s flat screen TV’s may be bigger than those screens. lol Also, they had a Chinese Restaurant next door called North China. I remember this because my mom was a waitress there and the friggin sign is still on the East side parking lot marquee after all these years. It closed like over 20 yrs ago. No joke!
The Village Cinema opened in 1970. I don’t think it ever had more than a single screen.
@Iceberg, that’s correct. There just wasn’t enough room to fit another screen. Hard to believe the poster display case outside is still hanging on the brick wall.
I remember seeing “The Little Prince” here on a field trip in 1st grade.
The Village Cinema opened on May 27th, 1970, with “Norwood”. Grand opening ad posted.