Memories

  • December 12, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part 15: Northern New Jersey)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part 15: Northern New Jersey

    The following is Part Fifteen in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

    Part 1: New York
    Part 2: Chicago
    Part 3: San Francisco
    Part 4: Houston
    Part 5: Washington, D.C.
    Part 6: Los Angeles
    Part 7: Atlanta
    Part 8: San Diego
    Part 9: Dallas
    Part 10: Oklahoma City
    Part 11: Syracuse
    Part 12: Toronto
    Part 13: Columbus
    Part 14: Montreal

    And now…Part 15: Cinerama Presentations in Northern New Jersey (Montclair and Upper Montclair)!

    18 comments
  • Memories

    Remembering “Scarface”, “Sudden Impact”, and Chestnut Station

    What do “Say hello to my little friend!” and “Go ahead, make my day” have in common?

    They’re from the movies “Scarface” and “Sudden Impact”, which were released 25 years ago today. It may have been cold that day, but those movies made you forget about weather. And we movie theater buffs from Chicago will remember that day, because it was the day when Essaness Theatres opened the Chestnut Station, a five screen theater which was located in a former united states post office from the 1930’s. It was the near north side’s second ‘modern multiplex’. Water Tower 1-4 being the first. And for the Essaness corp, it was their next to last theater they would build. Golf Glen in Niles being the last.

    According to people who went there around that time, it was a nice place to see movies. However, it had the misfortune of being located about one mile from the infamous Cabrini Green public housing complex (torn town in ‘02. Good riddence), a then haven for gangbangers and other criminal activity. From it’s opening in 1983, it was known to show first run blockbusters and art house fare. Most notable was the exclusive 70MM engagement of “Amadeus” in 1984. When Cineplex Odeon took over in 1986, management started showing a plethora of violent action, horror, and hood movies aimed at the CB crowd. This turned bad in 1992, when a young woman was gunned down after a late showing of “Juice”. From then on, the quality of films really went down. It became a dollar house in 1996, and was put out it’s misery in 1998. It was torn down not too long after. Me personally, I never went there. My family did once, in 1987 to see “Predator”.

    8 comments
  • Memories

    Roadshows in Chicago

    I’m sure we’re all enjoying the Cinerama series that has been running weekly for several weeks now, but it got me wondering about other “roadshow” engagements, particularly in Chicago. I’m wondering if anyone there can remember where the following reserved seat movies played, how long, etc…“Ben-Hur”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Mutiny on the Bounty”, “Cleopatra”, “My Fair Lady”, “Doctor Zhivago”, “Hawaii”, “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, “Camelot”, “Doctor Doolittle”, “Funny Girl”, “Oliver!”, “The Lion in Winter”,“Finians Rainbow”, “Star!” “Sweet Charity”, “Paint Your Wagon” “Goodbye Mr Chips” and of course “Hello Dolly!”

    Just wondering if anyone in the Chicago area can remember these engagements.

    30 comments
  • December 5, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part 14: Montreal)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part 14: Montreal

    The following is Part Fourteen in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

    Part 1: New York
    Part 2: Chicago
    Part 3: San Francisco
    Part 4: Houston
    Part 5: Washington, D.C.
    Part 6: Los Angeles
    Part 7: Atlanta
    Part 8: San Diego
    Part 9: Dallas
    Part 10: Oklahoma City
    Part 11: Syracuse
    Part 12: Toronto
    Part 13: Columbus

    And now…Part 14: Cinerama Presentations in Montreal!

    5 comments
  • November 26, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part 13: Columbus)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part 13: Columbus

    The following is Part Thirteen in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

    Part 1: New York
    Part 2: Chicago
    Part 3: San Francisco
    Part 4: Houston
    Part 5: Washington, D.C.
    Part 6: Los Angeles
    Part 7: Atlanta
    Part 8: San Diego
    Part 9: Dallas
    Part 10: Oklahoma City
    Part 11: Syracuse
    Part 12: Toronto

    And now…Part 13: Cinerama Presentations in Columbus, Ohio!

    5 comments
  • November 19, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part 12: Toronto)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part 12: Toronto

    The following is Part Twelve in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film breakdown of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

    Part 1: New York
    Part 2: Chicago
    Part 3: San Francisco
    Part 4: Houston
    Part 5: Washington, D.C.
    Part 6: Los Angeles
    Part 7: Atlanta
    Part 8: San Diego
    Part 9: Dallas
    Part 10: Oklahoma City
    Part 11: Syracuse

    And now…Part 12: Cinerama Presentations in Toronto!

    12 comments
  • November 14, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part XI: Syracuse)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part XI: Syracuse

    The following is Part Eleven in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film breakdown of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

    Part I: New York
    Part II: Chicago
    Part III: San Francisco
    Part IV: Houston
    Part V: Washington, D.C.
    Part VI: Los Angeles
    Part VII: Atlanta
    Part VIII: San Diego
    Part IX: Dallas
    Part X: Oklahoma City

    And now…Part XI: Cinerama Presentations in Syracuse!

    3 comments
  • November 11, 2008
    Memories

    Remembering Cinerama (Part X: Oklahoma City)

    REMEMBERING CINERAMA
    Part X: Oklahoma City

    The following is Part Ten in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film breakdown of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place. (The series will not describe the particulars of what Cinerama was or how it worked, as extensive coverage of such is accessible in numerous books and websites.)

    Part I: New York
    Part II: Chicago
    Part III: San Francisco
    Part IV: Houston
    Part V: Washington, D.C.
    Part VI: Los Angeles
    Part VII: Atlanta
    Part VIII: San Diego
    Part IX: Dallas

    And now…Part X: Cinerama Presentations in Oklahoma City!

    17 comments
  • November 6, 2008
    Memories

    The status of ushers

    I’m curious about the status of ushers (and usherettes) in the golden age of movie palaces.

    I think I read in Ben Hall that only the best-looking, most pimple-free boys were sought for ushering jobs. But I don’t recall that he said anything else about it.

    Was this a high-status, sought-after job? Or was it more like working for McDonalds today?

    27 comments
  • November 3, 2008
    Memories

    Non-Digital marquees in NYC

    I write the blog “vanishing new york” and have posted a couple of stories with photos and information about old cinemas in New York City. Here are two on St. Marks Cinema:

    Vanishing NY #1
    Vanishing NY #2

    I’m hoping readers can help me with a question. Do you know how many non-digital marquees are left in NYC? And where are they located? I’m trying to track them all down. Thanks!

    11 comments