Ya know….Even though I don’t live in the Los Angeles area, it’s disheartening to hear/read about the demolitions of precious movie theatres, because every single time that happens, no matter where it is, it’s an attack on movie theatres and the movie business, generally. It makes me wonder if any of the venerable areas in our neck of the woods might be next on the chopping block, if one gets the drift.
I can see one being scared of something like that when they’re between the age of 7 and 10 years of age, because that’s still quite a vulnerable, tender and impressionable age. However, in the events of a real nuclear fall-out, there wouldn’t be people running around taking care of the sick.
Thank you, Moviemac. It’s good to see that there are other people who advocate going to a real movie theatre and seeing movies as they’re really meant to be viewed, with a large audience, and on a great big, wide screen, with the lights down low. The only problem, however, is that nowadays, movies go on DVD and Blu-Ray about six to nine months after they’ve had a run in the movie theatres, which seem to be used as a form of advertising for the industry to push the American and world population into DVD and Blu-Ray.
Since I live alone and don’t have a family to tie me down, I go to movies quite a bit and hold memberships to the two independent movie theatres left in our area.
Moviemac, it sounds like you’ve got a great idea when you and your friends/family go to a good, affordable old theatre where the kids don’t run around in packs and rudely interrupt people with their cellphone use, talking, etc. More and more theatres these days, however, are advocate no cellphone use. The great old classics are a real treasure, and I wish more of them would be restored. Most of what hollywood is putting out nowadays isn’t great, so I hang onto wonderful old classics.
With many adults with families working long hours, it’s more convenient for them to stick a movie in their DVD or Blu-Ray player and have the whole family, with or without friends and/or relatives watch a movie at home. Not as intimate or exciting for them as a movie theatre, but for many people, it passes.
Too bad it couldn’t be saved due to being structurally unsound and unsafe, and too bad that it was taken due to the owner not being able or willing to pay taxes on the building. I still remember the time when almost every city, town and neighborhood here in the Commonwealth had a movie theatre to go to. Growing up in one of the few towns that didn’t have a movie theatre, my siblings, friends and I generally had to go the theatres in towns that did have them, or downtown Boston, or Cambridge, relying on adults to drive us, due to poor public transportation in our town. Oh, well..that’s history, since I’ve long since moved out of that town.
There are good and bad movies in every era, but the past two or three decades seem to have been the worst, regarding the turn-out of cheesy films, or films that had the potential for being among the all-time greats, but have fallen woefully short of that potential for a number of reasons.
Okay, points taken, terrysmith, KramSacul, KingBiscuits and bob1007. Thanks. It’s an interesting concept, and might be a model for the building of more real movie theatres, maybe.
Midnight movies can be lots of fun! I’ve watched midnight showings of “The Warriors” , “The Goonies”, and afew other movies at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, in Brookline, MA, and I once watched an all-night Japanese Animation Marathon, which was lots of fun, even though I was only able to hold out until 1:00 a. m., when I drove back home again. It was well worth the $20.00 that it cost for admission, however.
The idea of a movie theatre with a dine-and-view concept is an idea whose time has come. The Strand Theatre, an independent movie theatre out in Clinton, MA, is one such theatre, and here’s hoping that more movie theatres will follow suit in the future. Since many more movie theatres already do serve beer and wine, maybe that’s a step forward. Who knows??
That’s too bad. I guess they don’t want people to go out, have fun and mingle among each other, but to remain isolated and alienated from each other at home. Movie theatres are one place that act at least as a temporary community, where people, whether they know each other or not, can come together to share the experience of seeing a good movie on the great big, wide screen, in a real movie theatre with the lights down low, as they’re really meant to be viewed.
You’ve got a point, CWalzcak, but that’s how it is these days, unfortunately, because most movies these days are so trashy that of course the Oscars are going to award Best Picture and other Academy Awards to trashy pictures. The Oscars Night has gotten to be a rather tawdry joke because most of today’s movies are tawdry.
Hey Bill! I agree with you! I hope it plays there again, too. The only trouble is, however, that the classics play at 11:30 in the morning, and that would be tough to make the six or seven hour drive.
Thanks for the info, JodarMovieFan. I knew about the 70mm print of West Side Story with the restored original 6-track sound, at our AFI Silver, in Silver Spring, MD. However, I live much too far away from that area to go that far, plus I don’t know anybody that I could’ve stayed with after the film. I’d love to see the restored 70mm screening of West Side Story, but I have a feeling that it won’t play at all in Boston, since no theatre in our area has the equipment for that particular print. If if were to make NYC, however, I’d be game, since NYC is only a four or five hour drive from Boston.
Very true, Mike Rogers. Either that, or they’ve passed over into the Other World.
How cool!!
Ya know….Even though I don’t live in the Los Angeles area, it’s disheartening to hear/read about the demolitions of precious movie theatres, because every single time that happens, no matter where it is, it’s an attack on movie theatres and the movie business, generally. It makes me wonder if any of the venerable areas in our neck of the woods might be next on the chopping block, if one gets the drift.
I can see one being scared of something like that when they’re between the age of 7 and 10 years of age, because that’s still quite a vulnerable, tender and impressionable age. However, in the events of a real nuclear fall-out, there wouldn’t be people running around taking care of the sick.
Thank you, Moviemac. It’s good to see that there are other people who advocate going to a real movie theatre and seeing movies as they’re really meant to be viewed, with a large audience, and on a great big, wide screen, with the lights down low. The only problem, however, is that nowadays, movies go on DVD and Blu-Ray about six to nine months after they’ve had a run in the movie theatres, which seem to be used as a form of advertising for the industry to push the American and world population into DVD and Blu-Ray.
Since I live alone and don’t have a family to tie me down, I go to movies quite a bit and hold memberships to the two independent movie theatres left in our area.
Moviemac, it sounds like you’ve got a great idea when you and your friends/family go to a good, affordable old theatre where the kids don’t run around in packs and rudely interrupt people with their cellphone use, talking, etc. More and more theatres these days, however, are advocate no cellphone use. The great old classics are a real treasure, and I wish more of them would be restored. Most of what hollywood is putting out nowadays isn’t great, so I hang onto wonderful old classics.
With many adults with families working long hours, it’s more convenient for them to stick a movie in their DVD or Blu-Ray player and have the whole family, with or without friends and/or relatives watch a movie at home. Not as intimate or exciting for them as a movie theatre, but for many people, it passes.
Too bad it couldn’t be saved due to being structurally unsound and unsafe, and too bad that it was taken due to the owner not being able or willing to pay taxes on the building. I still remember the time when almost every city, town and neighborhood here in the Commonwealth had a movie theatre to go to. Growing up in one of the few towns that didn’t have a movie theatre, my siblings, friends and I generally had to go the theatres in towns that did have them, or downtown Boston, or Cambridge, relying on adults to drive us, due to poor public transportation in our town. Oh, well..that’s history, since I’ve long since moved out of that town.
It looks like it was once a really fantastic movie/performance theatre. Another one bites the dust. (sigh). Too bad.
There are good and bad movies in every era, but the past two or three decades seem to have been the worst, regarding the turn-out of cheesy films, or films that had the potential for being among the all-time greats, but have fallen woefully short of that potential for a number of reasons.
Okay, points taken, terrysmith, KramSacul, KingBiscuits and bob1007. Thanks. It’s an interesting concept, and might be a model for the building of more real movie theatres, maybe.
Midnight movies can be lots of fun! I’ve watched midnight showings of “The Warriors” , “The Goonies”, and afew other movies at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, in Brookline, MA, and I once watched an all-night Japanese Animation Marathon, which was lots of fun, even though I was only able to hold out until 1:00 a. m., when I drove back home again. It was well worth the $20.00 that it cost for admission, however.
The idea of a movie theatre with a dine-and-view concept is an idea whose time has come. The Strand Theatre, an independent movie theatre out in Clinton, MA, is one such theatre, and here’s hoping that more movie theatres will follow suit in the future. Since many more movie theatres already do serve beer and wine, maybe that’s a step forward. Who knows??
I saw the programs on the website for the Somerville Theatre’s Classic/repertory programming for this summer, Ron. Thanks.
How Cooool! There are some neat classics there. The July 14-15 TBA, however, drives me a little batty.
How I wish that the Orson Welles Cinema and most of the other Repertory Movie Houses were still in existence! (sigh).
I’m grateful for the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Brattle Theatre, both of which I hold yearly memberships to, but…
That’s too bad. I guess they don’t want people to go out, have fun and mingle among each other, but to remain isolated and alienated from each other at home. Movie theatres are one place that act at least as a temporary community, where people, whether they know each other or not, can come together to share the experience of seeing a good movie on the great big, wide screen, in a real movie theatre with the lights down low, as they’re really meant to be viewed.
What? When was the new 70mm print of West Side Story with the improved soundtrack shown at the Ziegfeld in New York? I’m just curious.
You’ve got a point, CWalzcak, but that’s how it is these days, unfortunately, because most movies these days are so trashy that of course the Oscars are going to award Best Picture and other Academy Awards to trashy pictures. The Oscars Night has gotten to be a rather tawdry joke because most of today’s movies are tawdry.
Thanks for the info, Jim Barg.
That’s a good question, Ron. Thanks for bringing it up.
wow! Did you also look into West Side Story? A curious, inquiring mind wants to know.
wow!! Love the color!
I’d be curious to hear what’s really and truly going to happen to the Islip Theatre, even though I don’t reside in the area.
Oh, wow!! I had no idea that there was an Orson Welles newsletter! How I miss that place, still!
Hey Bill! I agree with you! I hope it plays there again, too. The only trouble is, however, that the classics play at 11:30 in the morning, and that would be tough to make the six or seven hour drive.
Thanks for the info, JodarMovieFan. I knew about the 70mm print of West Side Story with the restored original 6-track sound, at our AFI Silver, in Silver Spring, MD. However, I live much too far away from that area to go that far, plus I don’t know anybody that I could’ve stayed with after the film. I’d love to see the restored 70mm screening of West Side Story, but I have a feeling that it won’t play at all in Boston, since no theatre in our area has the equipment for that particular print. If if were to make NYC, however, I’d be game, since NYC is only a four or five hour drive from Boston.