Hutton Center 8 Cinemas
9 Hutton Center Drive,
Santa Ana,
CA
92707
9 Hutton Center Drive,
Santa Ana,
CA
92707
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Edwards Cinemas, Regal Entertainment Group
Architects: Ken Hyosaka
Nearby Theaters
Edwards Hutton Center 8 Cinemas, designed by Ken Hyosaka, opened on June 10, 1988. Prior to its opening the Los Angeles Times said the $6 million cinema, built by Hutton Development Co., would seat 2,482. The Orange County Register described a very formal opening where the employees, wearing tuxedos and white gloves, greeted the moviegoers. A black and white uniform with bow ties for the employees, which added another touch of class to the luxurious cinema, became the norm after the grand opening. Even though the opening attractions were mainstream Hollywood such as Tom Hanks in “Big” and Sean Connery in “The Presidio", a foreign picture was tested in one auditorium. After the run of “Babette’s Feast", an art house favorite, it appears the Hutton Center 8 showed just the mainstream films.
By 1995 Edwards was on to larger and better projects such as the Irvine Spectrum and Hutton Center became rather neglected. After Edwards 2001 bankruptcy the theater became part of Regal Entertainment Group. On July 24, 2003 it was missing from Regal’s display advertisement in the OC Register and was presumed closed. It was later demolished but the parking structure, which fitted neatly to the back of the theater, still exists.
Contributed by
Ron Pierce
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Another great late 80’s/early 90’s OC venue.
This was one of the better OC multiplexes, until Edwards lost interest in keeping it up and a less desirable element began frequenting the theatre. I recall the two large auditoriums having impressive screen sizes (for the time) and waterfall curtains (quite a rarity for the multiplex era). The entire theatre was a notch above most multiplexes of the day. Unfortunately, the Hutton Center’s glory days were relatively brief and the site went downhill fast, after Edwards moved on to megaplexes. The last time I went there (circa 96')it had already turned in to the kind of theatre one had second thoughts about going to.
The Hutton Center 8 was one of the few, if the only Edwards location, to play midnight movies weekly on Fridays and Saturdays which were always packed. They had THX sound systems as well. This was one of the better Edwards locations because the screen size didn’t cut off any of the scope image like some of the earlier Edwards theatres did.
Higher quality grand opening ad posted.
I frequented Hutton Center quite a bit in the late ‘80s & throughout the ‘90s. I can remember seeing “The Dead Pool” with Clint Eastwood, “Back to the Future II & III,” “Lock Up,” “Jennifer Eight,” “Dave,” “Star Trek Generations,” “Goldeneye” and “There’s Something About Mary” there. Was sorry to see it close.
Harold Ramis' beloved 1993 romantic comedy “Groundhog Day” opened at Hutton Center 30 years ago today (Feb. 12, 1993).
Starring Bill Murray & Andie MacDowell, the film debuted at number one on 1,640 screens and remained in the top ten for the next two months, finishing its initial domestic run with a take just shy of $70 million.