Anyway, I just want movie theaters to get back to the simple days of moviegoing, and being at a former M&R or CO (mainly RO 1-6) give me that feeling. You know, the kind of place with a lobby that doesn’t look like the mothership. And that’s probably why I like the new Golf Mill so much. That is one place that’s not too big, not too small. And the interior is the best Kerasotes has done so far. And if the Kerasotes Roosevelt Collection is designed like that, then that place will be dynamite.
Anyway, my hat goes off to the people at Kerasotes who decided to renovate Webster Place, a former M&R. I hope to get down there to see how it’s coming along. Now maybe Kerasotes or Classic Cinemas could pick up the Norridge and remodel it. I’ve heard that auditorium 1 at the Norridge is really big.
Oh, the part where I said two years was directed towards Ron Rooding, head of Village Theatres.
I just like the history behind some of those CO’s. For me, Cineplex Odeon 1988-1990 signifies a time in which it was much more easier to see a movie. (lower ticket prices, just movie trailers instead of 7 minutes of ads before trailers) And those designs weren’t bad ether. Granted, some of them were like you said, standardized. But it really looked good on some of them like McClurg Ct, River Oaks 1-6, Lincoln Village etc… Nowadays, the retro feel of some CO’s (or late 80s M&R’s) are lost. Now I can tell you some new theaters that bring back that retro feeling for me, Showplace @ Golf Mill( Kerasotes’s best!), Lansing Cinema 8, Cinemark @ Melrose or Seven Bridges. Even River East has that kind of atmosphere (altough expensive).
“Rooding said that during the three years that Rooding has owned the movie theater, rent for the theater and car wash almost doubled.”
Mr. Rooding, your corporation has operated LV for almost TWO years, not three.
Paul, I wish some of these CO’s from 1988-1990 could be saved. Pretty soon, the history of it will vanish. After this bites the dust, only the Bloomingdale Ct, Rivertree, North Riverside, and River Oaks 1-6 will remain.
“The Evil That Men Do” in RO 1? Wow. I wish I was around when that was released. I guess they showed some interesting fare on a screen like that. I really can’t wait to get back to the library now.
JRS40, I went to the Library yesterday, and I found more movies that played in RO 1 (later known as 9)
9/30/83-BRAINSTORM-70MM
3/22/85-MASK
10/11/85-JAGGED EDGE(note, it may have opened on this screen the week before)
4/18/86-AT CLOSE RANGE
7/17/87-ROBOCOP
7/31/87-THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
Now while “Jagged Edge” played in #1, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie “Commando” was playing next door in #4.
The original River Oaks is still sitting there. The seats and stuff might be intact too. I wish I could buy it and re-vamp it ala The Continental in Denver, CO. Come to think of it, RO 7-8 is still standing too.
I remember that 11-12 closed in 1998. One of the last films to play there was “Lethal Weapon 4” I belive. And that was also in 9-10. 7-8 closed in October 05.
Say, are there any movies you can recall seeing in 9-10 aka 1-4? I’m curious to know. Some of mine are “True Lies”, “Die Hard With a Vengence”, and “Independence Day” in screen 10. Movies I saw in screen 9 aka 1 are “The Jackal”, “Titanic”, and “Blade” to name a few.
If this place got a good makeover, (but keep some of the CO decor) it would do well as a 2nd run, but it could still bring in business as a 1st run. I belive the only real competition is the Kerasotes Village Crossing 18 in Skokie. And I was also wondering why Classic Cinemas doesn’t step in and come to the city? Now looking at the structure, it’s possible to add stadium seating, and maybe a few screens to it. But that’s what I would do.
As far as my project is going, I’m still trying. It’s a hard business to get in to, but I’m not giving up. When I finally make it, my goal will be to bring back the old school flavor to theaters today.
It was remodeled into it’s current interior appearance in 2003-2004. My mom loves this theater. I hope they add an UltraScreen, because most of the screens are kinda small.
Man, looking at those photos, I am reminded of how much I miss Cineplex Odeon. I wonder if they would’ve used their zig-zag design if they opened a new theater today.
The only differences is the seats & curtains. Burnham’s seats were blue/grey, and LV’s seats are red like McClurg Court. And LV has waterfall curtains, Burnham had the regular ones in theaters 4-5. And that’s something I would like to do with screens when I finally own theaters. Thank you for posting those BWChicago, I look foward to see what you post next.
I know the feeling. I was surfing youtube last night, and when I typed in Cineplex Odeon and found that, I flipped out. I felt like I was five & seeing that before “GoldenEye” with my family at McClurg Court auditorium #1 again. I can also recall seeing that at River Oaks screen 10 when I saw “True Lies” with the bunch. I was four, and that was on my brother’s 19th b-day.
I have lots of moviegoing memories associated with that CO policy trailer.
Wow, pretty soon the only thing left from Village will be the Village North. Life’s Too Short was right, it won’t reach 20 years old. Which is a shame, all it needed was a good makeover, and the parking lot re-paved. Oh well, another Cineplex Odeon built around 1987-1990 bites the dust. Now that leaves just River Oaks 6, North Riverside, Rivertree Court, and Bloomingdale(who’s time will come).
Lincoln Village 1-6: June 30th 1989 – September 2007. RIP.
It wasen’t in 70MM. I have the ad from 5/27/77. In fact, there wasn’t a 70MM engagement of Star Wars in the Chicago area until 12/23/77 when Oakbrook played it 70MM.
Humm, I go to the Kerasotes @ Golf Mill at times, and I never had a problem with the theater. It’s always clean, popcorn is pretty good, projection is up there with AMC River East etc… There was only one thing I encountered there: When I saw Casino Royale there, about three seconds were upside down. But when I went back, the problem was fixed. So maybe the quality is poor depending on the theater & manager.
I tried going here when they were offering free movies, but we couldn’t get in because there was a block long line wrapping around the parking lot. But I’ll come back again soon.
Anyway, I just want movie theaters to get back to the simple days of moviegoing, and being at a former M&R or CO (mainly RO 1-6) give me that feeling. You know, the kind of place with a lobby that doesn’t look like the mothership. And that’s probably why I like the new Golf Mill so much. That is one place that’s not too big, not too small. And the interior is the best Kerasotes has done so far. And if the Kerasotes Roosevelt Collection is designed like that, then that place will be dynamite.
Anyway, my hat goes off to the people at Kerasotes who decided to renovate Webster Place, a former M&R. I hope to get down there to see how it’s coming along. Now maybe Kerasotes or Classic Cinemas could pick up the Norridge and remodel it. I’ve heard that auditorium 1 at the Norridge is really big.
Oh, the part where I said two years was directed towards Ron Rooding, head of Village Theatres.
I just like the history behind some of those CO’s. For me, Cineplex Odeon 1988-1990 signifies a time in which it was much more easier to see a movie. (lower ticket prices, just movie trailers instead of 7 minutes of ads before trailers) And those designs weren’t bad ether. Granted, some of them were like you said, standardized. But it really looked good on some of them like McClurg Ct, River Oaks 1-6, Lincoln Village etc… Nowadays, the retro feel of some CO’s (or late 80s M&R’s) are lost. Now I can tell you some new theaters that bring back that retro feeling for me, Showplace @ Golf Mill( Kerasotes’s best!), Lansing Cinema 8, Cinemark @ Melrose or Seven Bridges. Even River East has that kind of atmosphere (altough expensive).
I’ll post more in a few.
I’ll post mo
“Rooding said that during the three years that Rooding has owned the movie theater, rent for the theater and car wash almost doubled.”
Mr. Rooding, your corporation has operated LV for almost TWO years, not three.
Paul, I wish some of these CO’s from 1988-1990 could be saved. Pretty soon, the history of it will vanish. After this bites the dust, only the Bloomingdale Ct, Rivertree, North Riverside, and River Oaks 1-6 will remain.
“The Evil That Men Do” in RO 1? Wow. I wish I was around when that was released. I guess they showed some interesting fare on a screen like that. I really can’t wait to get back to the library now.
Say JRS40, are there any other movies you can recall seeing at River Oaks 1? I might not be able to get back to the library until sometime next month.
Goodbye 1988 look, hello with the Kerasotes design.
JRS40, I went to the Library yesterday, and I found more movies that played in RO 1 (later known as 9)
9/30/83-BRAINSTORM-70MM
3/22/85-MASK
10/11/85-JAGGED EDGE(note, it may have opened on this screen the week before)
4/18/86-AT CLOSE RANGE
7/17/87-ROBOCOP
7/31/87-THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS
Now while “Jagged Edge” played in #1, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie “Commando” was playing next door in #4.
Life’s too short
The original River Oaks is still sitting there. The seats and stuff might be intact too. I wish I could buy it and re-vamp it ala The Continental in Denver, CO. Come to think of it, RO 7-8 is still standing too.
I remember that 11-12 closed in 1998. One of the last films to play there was “Lethal Weapon 4” I belive. And that was also in 9-10. 7-8 closed in October 05.
Say, are there any movies you can recall seeing in 9-10 aka 1-4? I’m curious to know. Some of mine are “True Lies”, “Die Hard With a Vengence”, and “Independence Day” in screen 10. Movies I saw in screen 9 aka 1 are “The Jackal”, “Titanic”, and “Blade” to name a few.
If this place got a good makeover, (but keep some of the CO decor) it would do well as a 2nd run, but it could still bring in business as a 1st run. I belive the only real competition is the Kerasotes Village Crossing 18 in Skokie. And I was also wondering why Classic Cinemas doesn’t step in and come to the city? Now looking at the structure, it’s possible to add stadium seating, and maybe a few screens to it. But that’s what I would do.
As far as my project is going, I’m still trying. It’s a hard business to get in to, but I’m not giving up. When I finally make it, my goal will be to bring back the old school flavor to theaters today.
It’s still open. Tomorrow they’re opening “Dragon Wars”, while they still have “3:10 to Yuma” & “Halloween” to name a few.
It was remodeled into it’s current interior appearance in 2003-2004. My mom loves this theater. I hope they add an UltraScreen, because most of the screens are kinda small.
I belive Kerasotes might be remodeling it right now. For the past few weeks, only seven of the eleven screens have been open.
Man, looking at those photos, I am reminded of how much I miss Cineplex Odeon. I wonder if they would’ve used their zig-zag design if they opened a new theater today.
The only differences is the seats & curtains. Burnham’s seats were blue/grey, and LV’s seats are red like McClurg Court. And LV has waterfall curtains, Burnham had the regular ones in theaters 4-5. And that’s something I would like to do with screens when I finally own theaters. Thank you for posting those BWChicago, I look foward to see what you post next.
No, I don’t think that ever fell through. It was probably because of the Esquire being built nearby.
Looking at the area(rush near Walton) now, it would be ripe for an art-house theater.
Heh heh, my brother told me that my mom took them all to see “Rain” at Evergreen. That was six years before I was born.
I know the feeling. I was surfing youtube last night, and when I typed in Cineplex Odeon and found that, I flipped out. I felt like I was five & seeing that before “GoldenEye” with my family at McClurg Court auditorium #1 again. I can also recall seeing that at River Oaks screen 10 when I saw “True Lies” with the bunch. I was four, and that was on my brother’s 19th b-day.
I have lots of moviegoing memories associated with that CO policy trailer.
Wow, pretty soon the only thing left from Village will be the Village North. Life’s Too Short was right, it won’t reach 20 years old. Which is a shame, all it needed was a good makeover, and the parking lot re-paved. Oh well, another Cineplex Odeon built around 1987-1990 bites the dust. Now that leaves just River Oaks 6, North Riverside, Rivertree Court, and Bloomingdale(who’s time will come).
Lincoln Village 1-6: June 30th 1989 – September 2007. RIP.
PS: As a nod to LV and CO, I found this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GFL3iwLHkI
No, it was expanded to 12 screens in 1987 by General Cinema.
I believe so, but I can’t be sure.
It wasen’t in 70MM. I have the ad from 5/27/77. In fact, there wasn’t a 70MM engagement of Star Wars in the Chicago area until 12/23/77 when Oakbrook played it 70MM.
Good grief. Damn, I love the current Randhurst. Looks like I better get down there and take some pictures.
I can only imagine that AMC will be the owners of the 18 screener.
Humm, I go to the Kerasotes @ Golf Mill at times, and I never had a problem with the theater. It’s always clean, popcorn is pretty good, projection is up there with AMC River East etc… There was only one thing I encountered there: When I saw Casino Royale there, about three seconds were upside down. But when I went back, the problem was fixed. So maybe the quality is poor depending on the theater & manager.
I tried going here when they were offering free movies, but we couldn’t get in because there was a block long line wrapping around the parking lot. But I’ll come back again soon.