UA 8 Movies

362 W. El Norte Parkway,
Escondido, CA 92026

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Functions: Gymnasium

Previous Names: UA Del Norte Plaza 8, Del Norte Plaza Movies

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Former UA 8 movie theater (now L.A. Fitness)

The UA Del Norte Plaza 8 was opened on July 12, 1985. It was later taken over by an independent operator who closed it in April 2001. The theatre building still exists in the Del Norte Plaza, but has been heavily modified to be a L.A. Fitness.

Contributed by Chris Flora

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

LebowskiT1000
LebowskiT1000 on April 10, 2012 at 1:32 pm

It was more than 1 screen, probably 8 or 10 or something like that.

LebowskiT1000
LebowskiT1000 on June 26, 2012 at 6:10 pm

Here’s an article with a mention of the Del Norte Plaza Movies 8 (UA 8 Movies).

http://retailtrafficmag.com/development/trends/retail_screen_gems/

“Edwards, a Newport Beach, Calif., company that merged into Regal Entertainment Group following bankruptcy, closed the Vineyard Twin Cinemas and six-screen Nordahl Road Cinema in Escondido, Calif., in 1998 after opening an 18-screener in nearby San Marcos. The San Marcos opening also prompted closure of the 15-year-old, independently run Del Norte Plaza Movies 8 cinema; when Del Norte management failed to find a new operator for the theater, it rented the gutted space to LA Fitness Clubs.”

MightyBedbug
MightyBedbug on May 2, 2018 at 9:16 pm

Hi there, I worked at the UA8 in 1985 and was a high school friend of projectionist Dan Barron (he always promised to teach me how to run the projector, but never did!). I worked primarily as an usher and at concessions. I spent many hours learning “how to stand” and playing “Popcorn hockey” trying to see how far many tiles we could “shoot” a piece of popcorn on the floor. It took me years before I could tolerate the smell of popcorn again. I remember the following movies played at the UA8: Commando, Day of the Dead, Better Off Dead, Flesh + Blood, St. Elmo’s Fire, Teen Wolf, Fright Night, Weird Science and Re-Animator. I remember one midnight screening of Return of the Living Dead where about half the customers left in horror at the film. I must have watched each of those movies dozens of times (all in five-minute increments!) I remember playing the heck out of the arcade games in the lobby, especially Yie-Ar Karate, Kung Fu Master and Karate Champ. (Karate must have been big in 1985!) I haven’t been back to Escondido in years, and I’m sad to hear it’s long gone.

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