Typically you would run print synced to the DLP projectors. Movies in digital play from a hard drive typically known as a Q-bit. The reason you would run print is because if the hard drive locked up it would automatically switch over to print. I for one still prefer print. #9 had DLP, my grandfather remembered running only a few films on it. The rental price for a digital copy was more in cost than print at that time. I remember when my grandfather first loaded up that thing the upload into the hard drive took forever depending on how long the movie was. Then once loaded you had to run the whole thing in its entirety to check for any digital crap like jumping, freezing, and to sync the print to it.
Management is part of the blame but most of it came from Cineplex Odeon. Even my grandfather admitted Cineplex was a bad company. They were cheap when came to labor hours. Just before Cineplex took over every theater had one projectionist (back when it was Plitt). Then when Cineplex took over they cut the number down to one man to each complex. one projectionist per two theaters. Then they went even cheaper and decided two projectionists would be enough on a eight hour shift. My grandfathers night went like this. Report to 9-10, turn on projectors, audio system, etc. then hop in car and go to 11-12 and to the same thing, The other guy covered 1-6, and 7-8. Take a little break, start movies in 9-10 then go to 11-12 start those. God forbid if you had 70MM. This would take longer because after the trailers played, you would the projector and change out then flat lens to scope. If movies had conflicting times then it was up to theater manager to start the movie. Which is a union no-no. Fortunately this way of working only lasted a short time, then Cineplex decided to back to stationing one projectionist per complex ( 1 for 1-6, 1 for 7-8, 1 for 9-10, and 1 for 11-12).
So you can see why Cineplex was bad. Remember the concession stands at 9-10. their was a point in time they stopped opening the one in front of old #4.
Good thing is Cineplex is no more in the states. They went back to Canada under a new name Cineplex Galaxy. AMC bought out the remaining Cineplex theaters and all of the Loews theaters in America. Unfortunately is was a little too late. I think AMC would’ve opened 9-10 along with the ones in the mall. But they closed when it was Loews-Cineplex.
Hey Cinemark. Didn’t Tinseltown open a complex in South Holland back in the mid-nineties? I seem to remember one opening around that old truck stop (maybe it wasn’t there). Yes River Run had a little affect on River Oaks. I thought kinda dumb to open those so close. But River Oaks had the advantage. You couldn’t show 70MM at River Run or listen to it in THX. And I seem to remember River Run closed before the remainder River Oaks did. I think River Oaks would’ve survived if it weren’t for those six they opened in the mall. There wasn’t a need for them. The original eight would’ve been enough even for today. Or if your gonna at least add to an existing complex. Lets see here when Cineplex Odeon took over they opened 1-6 in the mall, 7-8 by Field’s, 9-10 the original’s, 11-12 R.O West, 13-14 original 2/3. River Run had 8. That’s way too many theaters in one area even grandpa agreed.
The bathroom’s were small in 1-4. But mind you the original theatre was opened in the late sixties. People were much smaller back then (not trying to sound rude, but we’re all pretty big these days). And there wasn’t really a need for big bathrooms. There’s more kids going now then before. My grandfather told me when the theatre opened it was more couples then anything.
Correction from my grandfather’s memory. Original theatre #1 and Original #2 were both equipped for 70MM. Later on one of the new theatres in the mall was equipped for 70MM as well. Grandpa rarely dealt with the six in the mall.
Personally I think the demise for River Oaks came when Tinseltown moved in. They built their complex in South Holland on the site of the old 76 truck stop.
FYI- Original theatre #1 and the old #2 were both 70MM and the only ones equipped for it.
Theatre numbers as follows. 1-6 in the mall. 2-3 across the street. These actually closed around 1996. 7-8 near marshall fields. 9-10 the only good theatres, 11-12 on the back side River oaks east. 1-6, 7-8, 9-10 all closed pretty much the same time after Loews and AMC merged. My grandfather was a projectionist at River Oaks for 35 years.
It was sad to see this theatre in the state it was when I returned home. I practically grew up in that theatre. watching my grandfather run those projectors (back then two people ran them in one shift). All the way to the Christie system, to the introduction of DLP. Yes it had a DLP projector (1st generation) used once. My grandfather retired from River Oaks in 2000. Back then it was bad. Just before 1-4 or 9-10 closed for good, he went back to visit. He said the place was a disaster.
Everything about that theatre was destroyed in some fashion.
Cinemarkfan I wish you good luck and hope you can rebuild it. I warn ya though, you might want to bring Kleenex witgh you when you see the inside. Its bad.
Typically you would run print synced to the DLP projectors. Movies in digital play from a hard drive typically known as a Q-bit. The reason you would run print is because if the hard drive locked up it would automatically switch over to print. I for one still prefer print. #9 had DLP, my grandfather remembered running only a few films on it. The rental price for a digital copy was more in cost than print at that time. I remember when my grandfather first loaded up that thing the upload into the hard drive took forever depending on how long the movie was. Then once loaded you had to run the whole thing in its entirety to check for any digital crap like jumping, freezing, and to sync the print to it.
Management is part of the blame but most of it came from Cineplex Odeon. Even my grandfather admitted Cineplex was a bad company. They were cheap when came to labor hours. Just before Cineplex took over every theater had one projectionist (back when it was Plitt). Then when Cineplex took over they cut the number down to one man to each complex. one projectionist per two theaters. Then they went even cheaper and decided two projectionists would be enough on a eight hour shift. My grandfathers night went like this. Report to 9-10, turn on projectors, audio system, etc. then hop in car and go to 11-12 and to the same thing, The other guy covered 1-6, and 7-8. Take a little break, start movies in 9-10 then go to 11-12 start those. God forbid if you had 70MM. This would take longer because after the trailers played, you would the projector and change out then flat lens to scope. If movies had conflicting times then it was up to theater manager to start the movie. Which is a union no-no. Fortunately this way of working only lasted a short time, then Cineplex decided to back to stationing one projectionist per complex ( 1 for 1-6, 1 for 7-8, 1 for 9-10, and 1 for 11-12).
So you can see why Cineplex was bad. Remember the concession stands at 9-10. their was a point in time they stopped opening the one in front of old #4.
Good thing is Cineplex is no more in the states. They went back to Canada under a new name Cineplex Galaxy. AMC bought out the remaining Cineplex theaters and all of the Loews theaters in America. Unfortunately is was a little too late. I think AMC would’ve opened 9-10 along with the ones in the mall. But they closed when it was Loews-Cineplex.
Hey Cinemark. Didn’t Tinseltown open a complex in South Holland back in the mid-nineties? I seem to remember one opening around that old truck stop (maybe it wasn’t there). Yes River Run had a little affect on River Oaks. I thought kinda dumb to open those so close. But River Oaks had the advantage. You couldn’t show 70MM at River Run or listen to it in THX. And I seem to remember River Run closed before the remainder River Oaks did. I think River Oaks would’ve survived if it weren’t for those six they opened in the mall. There wasn’t a need for them. The original eight would’ve been enough even for today. Or if your gonna at least add to an existing complex. Lets see here when Cineplex Odeon took over they opened 1-6 in the mall, 7-8 by Field’s, 9-10 the original’s, 11-12 R.O West, 13-14 original 2/3. River Run had 8. That’s way too many theaters in one area even grandpa agreed.
The bathroom’s were small in 1-4. But mind you the original theatre was opened in the late sixties. People were much smaller back then (not trying to sound rude, but we’re all pretty big these days). And there wasn’t really a need for big bathrooms. There’s more kids going now then before. My grandfather told me when the theatre opened it was more couples then anything.
I guess I was wrong with that year. It’s been way too long since I went to those theatres. Either way Cineplex Odeon can be blammed for that.
Correction from my grandfather’s memory. Original theatre #1 and Original #2 were both equipped for 70MM. Later on one of the new theatres in the mall was equipped for 70MM as well. Grandpa rarely dealt with the six in the mall.
Personally I think the demise for River Oaks came when Tinseltown moved in. They built their complex in South Holland on the site of the old 76 truck stop.
FYI- Original theatre #1 and the old #2 were both 70MM and the only ones equipped for it.
Theatre numbers as follows. 1-6 in the mall. 2-3 across the street. These actually closed around 1996. 7-8 near marshall fields. 9-10 the only good theatres, 11-12 on the back side River oaks east. 1-6, 7-8, 9-10 all closed pretty much the same time after Loews and AMC merged. My grandfather was a projectionist at River Oaks for 35 years.
It was sad to see this theatre in the state it was when I returned home. I practically grew up in that theatre. watching my grandfather run those projectors (back then two people ran them in one shift). All the way to the Christie system, to the introduction of DLP. Yes it had a DLP projector (1st generation) used once. My grandfather retired from River Oaks in 2000. Back then it was bad. Just before 1-4 or 9-10 closed for good, he went back to visit. He said the place was a disaster.
Everything about that theatre was destroyed in some fashion.
Cinemarkfan I wish you good luck and hope you can rebuild it. I warn ya though, you might want to bring Kleenex witgh you when you see the inside. Its bad.