The company that re-opened Pleasant Valley as a discount house was called Entertainment Film Works (EFW). They signed leases and opened up a handful of closed theaters around the same time as Pleasant Valley. They didn’t pay their rent or bills at most of their locations. Some of landlords threw them out, and in some locations (like Pleasant Valley) they just suddenly closed and very quickly moved out, in some cases owing thousands. They closed Pleasant Valley with almost no notice. They actually opened the theater for the day that day. After the first set of films was started, the staff was informed that they were closing effective immediately. They actually did OK there, and it seemed to be getting better all the time. I am convinced that if it was run properly it could have thrived as a discount house. For some more info on EFW, search “EFW” on the website film-tech.com in the “film-yak” forum.
The largest auditorium at Mission Valley has a seating capacity of 490 (previously 500 until handicap spaces were added). Screen 2 is 260, down from the original 300 for the same reason as above. Screens 3, 4 and 5 were all added at the same time in 1983, and they each seat 288. JEDI was shown in 70mm in Raleigh, though I cannot remember if it was at the Cardinal or Mission Valley.
Just a couple of clarifications: While the Cardinal was certainly equipped with 70mm projectors (Century JJ-2’s, I think), it was never a Cinerama equipped theater. Also, the original auditorium there seated over 700 people. The second screen was added as an addition to the right of the original screen in the 1970’s. The old original auditorium was not altered, except that it was now called “Cardinal 1.” The added screen (Cardinal 2) was just demolished a couple of years ago when Blockbuster moved out of the space.
(Lewis Tew was the longtime manager of Cardinal. He was later the City Manager for Carmike Cinemas)
The company that re-opened Pleasant Valley as a discount house was called Entertainment Film Works (EFW). They signed leases and opened up a handful of closed theaters around the same time as Pleasant Valley. They didn’t pay their rent or bills at most of their locations. Some of landlords threw them out, and in some locations (like Pleasant Valley) they just suddenly closed and very quickly moved out, in some cases owing thousands. They closed Pleasant Valley with almost no notice. They actually opened the theater for the day that day. After the first set of films was started, the staff was informed that they were closing effective immediately. They actually did OK there, and it seemed to be getting better all the time. I am convinced that if it was run properly it could have thrived as a discount house. For some more info on EFW, search “EFW” on the website film-tech.com in the “film-yak” forum.
The largest auditorium at Mission Valley has a seating capacity of 490 (previously 500 until handicap spaces were added). Screen 2 is 260, down from the original 300 for the same reason as above. Screens 3, 4 and 5 were all added at the same time in 1983, and they each seat 288. JEDI was shown in 70mm in Raleigh, though I cannot remember if it was at the Cardinal or Mission Valley.
Just a couple of clarifications: While the Cardinal was certainly equipped with 70mm projectors (Century JJ-2’s, I think), it was never a Cinerama equipped theater. Also, the original auditorium there seated over 700 people. The second screen was added as an addition to the right of the original screen in the 1970’s. The old original auditorium was not altered, except that it was now called “Cardinal 1.” The added screen (Cardinal 2) was just demolished a couple of years ago when Blockbuster moved out of the space.