GCC Greenspoint Mall 5

The General Cinemas Greenspoint Mall 5 closed October 27, 1996 at they expiry of its 20-year leasing agreement with “D3,” “Extreme Measures,” “The Rich Man’s Wife,” “First Kid,” and “Bulletproof.” Ads for the next week read, “Closed: Thank you for your patronage.” The theater was sealed off and remained in a time capsule until the Greenspoint Mall’s closure (June of 2024( demolition (schedule for 2025).

This one closed in February of 1998. I worked in this mall at this Casa Ole and frequented this theater 4-5 times a week. It was in the south section of the mall across from a Piccadilly’s cafeteria for years. I’m sure of the date because the last film I saw there was Dark City the day it came out (2/27/98) and the next morning, some of the theater employees came to my restaurant in uniform and over lunch explained that it was closed without warning.

Why remove the marquee photo? Anyway, of the five titles featured on the marquee in the infamous photo — “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Pete’s Dragon,” “The Gauntlet,” “Semi Tough” and “The Goodbye Girl” — only “Pete’s Dragon” and “The Gauntlet” played there simultaneously during the 1977/78 holiday season. No evidence could be found “Close Encounters” and “Semi Tough” ever played there, and “The Goodbye Girl” played there months later by which time “Pete’s Dragon” and “The Gauntlet” were gone.

Only Close Encounters is incorrect. The others did play there. Close Encounters played at the Deauville Twin for a week.

The opening day ad from the Houston Chronicle was added to the photos.

I remember visiting this theater a few times when I was kids. I remember seeing movies such as Rookie of the Year and Ferngully here. I remember that there was a report that someone brought a snake and let it loose in the theater back in the early 90’s. That seems to stick out more than seeing movies there.

Seen this picture all over the internet — glad somebody knew to which theatre it belongs.

very cool photo