Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Old school cinemas

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-02-2004, 11:48 PM:

Is it me or are all the old school cinemas in your area dead?

I actually found this old school cinema near Toronto called the gateway6 cinemas. The cinema was built in the 1980's but continues to have the curtains cover the screen (no pre show adds) and has a small lobby as ticket holding lineups must wait outside and has a million little light bulbs under the front overhang just outside the box office. And the theater is owned by Famous Players.

I for one will avoid any gigiplex as much as I can as it does not feel as though you are going to the movies.

Anyone else out there like me?

The gateway has no stadium seating, has (Avalon, etc) as names for the theater, no tv screens, no pre show adds and no modern crap. I love it. It really feels like you at the movies instead of these new cinemas.

Bottom line. With all these theaters opening in my area the Gateway 6 has a personality.

Anyone else agree?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-03-2004, 12:54 AM:

It depends on the quality of the "old school" cinema.

I was really pretty let down when General Cinemas' Northpark Mall 1-2 in Dallas was closed. Even though it had no stadium seating, it was a top-flight operation with 70mm capability and one of the first professional THX sound systems. I would happily drive 200 miles to watch a movie there, and often did. Check out the Film-Tech "Pictures" section. There are some photos of the place there.

Lawton is home to a couple "old school" cinemas I would normally not ever visit. I have whined and bellyached about the Cache 8 theater, a site originally built in the 1980's by Litchfield. The place turned into a dump. The Carmike 8 is the one good theater in this area and it would lose more than half the big movies to this theater. I would not have been irritated by this so much if something had been done to improve the Cache 8. But the various owners (United Artists, Hollywood, Wallace) did almost nothing. Several months ago the theater finally converted to a 2nd run house, which was pretty nice. The Carmike 8 won't lose anymore of the big event movies. Now if only the quality of movies in general could improve (they really suck on average these days; I'm hardly buying any DVDs anymore).

So, really I guess it just has to depend on show quality. The standards bar for new megaplex builds has seemed to drop (or maybe its just that there is little effort to maintaing good standards at all after the place opens). With that situation, I would love to visit some good "retro" places. Old theaters that have been restored to former glory and show movies in the tradition of "film done right" are cool.

If only I could find the time to take some road trips. I still haven't visited the Washita Theater in Cordele, OK. That's about 100 miles from here in a town of only around 2,000 residents. Yet it is home to an old restored theater which even boasts having THX certification.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-03-2004, 01:26 AM:

Ours is REALLY old school -- built in 1930. We don't have a curtain anymore, wish we did. (Maybe someday...it's certainly on my wish list.) It is certainly not perfect, but very nice for a small town. If I could change anything, I'd make the building wider to enlarge the screen. Currently the screen is 15x30, but goes wall-to-wall so we're stuck with it.

There are actually quite a few old school theatres around Montana...there are two single screens within 80 miles of us, and there are others scattered around Montana. Some have been twinned, but some have not. Exhibitors in this state are pretty resilient.

Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 05-03-2004, 01:40 AM:

That Gateway6 sounds awful similar to Station Square 7 cinemas here.

Although these theaters are interesting place to watch a movie, they are often the less maintained of the two. Especially if there is a SilverCity nearby. Which really is a shame, because these building have histories. Alot of these theaters ran the 70mm summer blockbusters to sold out crowds, in lines that wrapped around street corners. Hell, these new builds won't even come close to ever running 70mm with the equipment they are choosing to install in them.

It's just a shame to see history get sold out to neon lights and stadium seating.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 05-03-2004, 04:38 AM:

Plenty round here.

In Edinburgh you've got the Cameov & the Filmhouse (both art house venues) and the Dominion. All are traditional places with curtains, nice lighting etc. Dominion is the largest and plushest, it has electrically operating leather reclining chairs, and very nice they are too. It also boasts what I reckon to be among the best customer service you'll find. The place is family run and more often than not you'll be greeted by one of the owning family, which is a vary nice touch. The Cameo has great atmosphere, it's a very old cinema having first opened showing films in 1914, not especially grand but has that certain something. Filmhouse is somewhat more modern but retains some old school charm and dignity.

Most of the indie theatres in Scotland are old school, there are the odd right fleapit, but on the whole pretty good. They have to be or the public will vote with their feet, or bums!

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 05-03-2004, 10:45 PM:

Since The (UA) Alexandria theatre here in SF closed, I have not been to the movies much, if at all. I can get the same experience the new box-style megaplexes offer on my home theatre at home. There's nothing special about them. The old school theatres are/were much more fun and interesting and intimate for an evening out. I truly miss the old school theatre feel.

Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 05-04-2004, 10:16 AM:

My company still does it "Old School" in many ways. We do have stadiums in new locations. Curtains are still at most of our theatres, but unfortunatley we do have screen ads now, so are rarely used. No TV screens in lobbys and we try to have the old theatre palace styling.

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 05-05-2004, 12:31 PM:

Our theater is still old school, opened as a film venue at Christmas 1925. It was previously a stage house with local talent and vaudeville. It's a single with an x-over booth, with 1938 Super Simplexes, and an older Altec-Lansing sound system.

When a new screen was hung some years ago the curtain was removed. Someday we just might put it back. We seat 520 (no balcony) and run sub-run features and all in all business is good. Our lobby once was an open tunnel-style of entrance, and years ago there were small businesses in the front corners of the building (REAL small!)

Originally it was called The Palace and Walter Reade and Arcadia among others ran it over the years. It is now called the Beach Cinema, 110 Main Street, Bradley Beach NJ. We are starting on a website so you folks can see it.

It has been owned and operated by John Esposito since 1979 and he is also the manager and keeps an eye on things. Kind of a family atmosphere to work there.

Popcorn is popped fresh before each show and we still use real butter.

If around the Jersey Shore give me a yell and I'll give you the deluxe 50c tour.

Gary

email: crawsat@juno.com