Holiday Ciné

In the early-1970’s, hotels were convinced that starting up automated cinemas within or adjoining their facilities was a good idea. When the Holiday Inn opened in downtown Rochester during urban renewal in 1970, it opened a concept call “Street of Stores” which were retail establishments associated with the Holiday Inn.

One venue was the Holiday Ciné, launching December 25, 1970 as a 325-seat facility and the movie, “The Great White Hope”. The Holiday Ciné operated with minimal staff and showed five showings a day of most films. It struggled mightily downtown quickly devolving into a grind house showing exploitation films, including Blaxploitation and martial arts double features.

Under new management in 1976, the operators decided to go with edgier horror and more adult themed films. It played the double feature of “Blood on the Sun” and the X-rated “Snuff”. Four female protesters protested “Snuff” because of its portrayal of women before being arrested for smashing the poster frame and destroying the poster.

In 1977, a return engagement of “Snuff” found 20 protesters on the scene. The Holiday Inn was none to pleased with the coverage. The theatre returned to its martial arts double features finally closing June 29, 1978 with “Chinese Pork Chopper” and “Friday Foster” starting at 2pm and ending around 1am. The hotel reclaimed the space and Rochester lost one of its best grind houses.

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