Somerville Theatre
55 Davis Square,
Somerville,
MA
02144
55 Davis Square,
Somerville,
MA
02144
27 people
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The Somerville is one of my favorite local theaters. Here’s a short write up with some of my photos. Somerville Theatre at After the Final Curtain.
The Somerville Theatre reopened on Friday, September 17 after 18 months of dormancy. The three opening films are “Last Night in Rozzie” (a local independent film), “Cry Macho”, and “Pig”.
The Crystal Ballroom, which replaces the former upstairs cinemas 4 and 5, will open on Friday, October 8.
The status of this theatre should be changed back to “Open”.
This theatre has not yet reopened after restrictions ended, because they have taken advantage of the pandemic closure to do major renovations. They are removing the upper two small cinemas and replacing them with a ballroom (returning the building to something like its original 1914 state). The theatre should reopen in mid to late summer.
Somerville’s recent 70mm screenings are noted in this new article on Boston’s large format and roadshow history.
A new addition to the schedule:
9/20 at 7:30 “Starman” (1984)
70mm titles now announced and booking has opened: 9/21 at 7:30 “Brainstorm” (1983) 9/21 at 10pm “Lifeforce” (1985)
9/22 at 2pm “Kong:Scull Island” (2017) 9/22 at 7pm “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” (1965)
9/23 at 2pm “El Cid” (1961) 9/23 at 7pm “Malcolm X” (1992)
9/25 at 7:15 “Spartacus” (1960)
9/26 at 7:30 “Khartoum” (1966) in 70mm Ultra Panovision
9/28 at 7:30 “The Witches of Eastwick” (1987) 9/28 at 10pm “The Thing” (1982)
9/29 at 2pm “70mm Odds & "Ends” Rare 70mm footage 9/29 at 7pm “Patton” (1970)
9/30 at 3pm “2001:A Space Odyssey” (1968)
^Are the titles in the 3rd Annual 70mm & Widescreen Film Festival known yet?
The 3rd Annual 70mm & Widescreen Film Festival will be held on September 20-30, 2018.
Along with the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, the Lexington Venue, the Coolidge Corner in Brookline, and the IMAX screens at the Aquarium and Jordan’s Furniture, this is one of the very few theatres that continue to advertise in the Boston Globe Movie Directory.
September 20 thru Oct 1, 2nd annual 70mm & Widescreen Festival http://somervilletheatre.com/70-mm-presentations/ including films that were filmed in 65mm & shown in 70mm: The Agony and the Ecstasy on 9-20, Lawrence of Arabia 9-21 & 9-23, Cleopatra 9-28. 2001: A Space Odyssey 10-1. Other films, too.
These days it’s first-run Hollywood with some foreign or art films, and various film festivals. And lots of concerts. Second-run doesn’t really exist around here anymore.
I worked here in the early 90s when we had lots of concerts and big Bollywood film events that filled all 900 seats on the weekends. This was around the time when the Somerville shifted from showing rep, foreign, and art films to showing second-run movies for $1. There was an all-staff walkout around 93 or 94, and it was sometime after that when the owners added the additional screens next door. I’ve seen Davis Square change a lot, but the Somerville Theatre was always a prominent fixture.
Anybody have any idea of the expected image size of the reported anamorphic 70mm presentation of “Hateful 8” beginning Christmas? I’m assuming the a.ratio will be spot on. Thanks
I attended the same showing of Wizard of Oz on May 11 mentioned by Ron Newman.Really a wonderful night of fun with people in costume, some in formal wear. Inside the theater they had vendors going up and down the aisles selling popcorn, candy and drinks between acts. Place was packed too, 600+ attendance. Looks better each time I go there as the restorations still go on. To show how diverse their booking policy is, besides Oz in the big house there were current blockbusters in the other houses and a special showing of the original Godzilla (Gojira, subtitled) also going on.
Last night’s celebration was wonderful — and had 6 acts of vaudeville, plus a live orchestra, plus 2 cartoons (one with Mickey Mouse) before the main feature.
The Boston Sunday Herald of April 20, 2014 has a long feature article by Jed Gottlieb “Classic Cinema” about the 100th birthday of the Somerville Theatre in May. There is a nice color photo of a vintage car passing the theater entrance while Manager Ian Judge changes letters on the marquee from a stepladder. There is a classic film festival going on there now. On the theater’s birthday, May 11, there will be a show consisting of “The Wizard of Oz”, plus classic short subjects, plus live music and 3 acts of vaudeville. (Where in this day and age does one book vaude acts?)
I was given a tour and demonstration of the main theater and was quite impressed. A pair of Todd-AO projectors restored back to factory specs. A chiller pump kept the gates cool to the touch. My host didn’t run any 70mm as the 70mm sound hadn’t been hooked up yet but the Todd-AO speed switch worked. The 35mm picture and optical sound from those projectors was the best I have seen in a long time. There was no question that the picture was bright enough and of course sharp. Sound was excellent. Of course they can run every aspect ratio known to cinema making this a prime venue to view a film presentation. Boston is fortunate to have this theater, I hope people appreciate it.
We have added digital projection to our screens; however we have retained 35mm film projection alongside the digital projectors in houses 3 and 4, and of course in the main theater as well, which can now present 35mm, 70mm, and now digital content. While we would have preferred to remain with film alone, it is clear that the film studios are not supporting that format. However we do intend to book film when available and certainly for classics series, etc.
This is a lovely, exceptionally well-run cinema. In addition to the lovely main auditorium it now (in July 2012) has five screens: Screen 2 – 129 seats, Screen 3 – 194 seats, Screen 4 – 120 seats, Screen 5 – 186 seats and a new screen, called the “Micro”, with 31 seats. In a nice, quirky touch, the ‘Museum of Bad Art’ is housed beneath the original circle!
Last night, the Somerville Theatre and much of surrounding Davis Square were closed to accommodate a Hollywood film crew. They shot a scene for the forthcoming Mark Wahlberg movie TED, in which Mark attends a May 19, 1999 midnight premiere of STAR WARS EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE at the Somerville Theatre.
The marquee and poster boards were changed to reflect this imaginary event. The red SOMERVILLE THEATRE sign over the marquee had its RVILL letters turned off during the shoot. Whether this was done on purpose, I don’t know.
In real life, a Star Wars premiere could never have happened here in 1999, as the Somerville was strictly a second-run house back then.
In the 1918 edition of the Boston Register and Business Directory, Issue 83, under “Theatrical Supply” there is an out-of-town firm listed: O.L. Story Scenic Company Inc., 21 Tufts St. in Somerville. It seems probable that the Somerville Theatre may have been a client of this company.
According to John Roderick, who provided the Facebook photo sets, the rail line through Davis occasionally saw passenger trains when the Fitchburg main line was closed due to flooding or construction.
Some small commercial buildings that used to be attached to the railroad side of the theatre were demolished for the Red Line. One of them contained a Mexican restaurant called La Pinata.
Thanks for your responses. I now know that the 1976 photo is facing east toward Boston. This rail line was used only for freight trains to and from the west; however, I rode over it on an excursion train many years ago. The train was behind schedule and it was getting dark; we raced down the line and Davis Square was just a blur!
If you can log in to Facebook, you will find more photos of old Davis Square (including the theatre and the railroad tracks) here and here.
Yes, Ron that has to be us. The tracks passed within a few yards of the side of the building, and you would indeed have seen the old signal tower in the middle of the square if you were facing that direction.