A similar “price war” is going on in far-north Columbus Ohio. A Rave 16 and a Marcus 17 have a $6 evening rate. This has been going on for some time. Both are well run operations with excellent presentations.
In the Columbus, OH area, two far-north theatres have been running $6 evening shows every day for some time. The Marcus Crosswoods began this, and it was followed by the Rave 18. These theatres are within 5 miles of each other. Both show only first-run films. The Rave now has 12 DLP units, including one with 3-D capability.
The theatre a few blocks east of the Main was the Eastern, not Eastside. It was a very nice place in its day. I remember some type of statuary located down near the screen.
I teach at Eastmoor Academy (High School) and most of our students go to Easton or the 16-screen Cinemark in Gahanna. It is easy to get to Easton from the east side, either using 670, 270 or right up James/Steltzer road.
Cinema City was put up by the same dollar chain that built a place just south of Westerville. I think it was called SuperSaver. Super Saver had cheap admission, but some of the highest concession prices around.
Most development in the Columbus area is moving north. East side until you get to Reynoldsburg/Pickerington is pretty dead.
Westland 8 was a basic 80’s style General Cinema building, with 2 wings holding 4 screens each coming off of a common lobby. 2 of the theatres in each wing were equipped for Dolby Stereo. Theatre added Dolby EX in the largest room for THE HAUNTING. Nice, but nothing exceptional.
The Linden-Air may still be there, but that is in an area that has been in decline for some time. I would NOT recommend anyone reopening it.
As for other closed theatres in the area, there is a 14=plex originally Regal, then Marquee on the far east side near Reynoldsburg. Again, not a growing area. The Marcus in Pickerington takes all the business.
I heard that the owners of Studio 35 (www.studio35.com) were interested in selling. That would require a very hands-on owner. A very interesting place to see a fil.
jbels, I very much LIKE the Gateway, as I really dislike the Arena Grand. I don’t like the extremely wide rooms and short auditoriums. There are fewer “prime” seats on the center line, and, if one has to sit close, one of the WORST screen views I’ve ever had. I sat through RETURN OF THE KING in the front row (no option…house full), and came out with severe neck pain from the almost 60 degree angle. I also find the sound there to be very dry and lifeless.
I like the Gateway, and I will go back. Jeff and Kathy Frank are ideal for this location as they understand the Columbus market and have long and successful experiences with the distributors. The fact that they landed the exclusive opening of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN over the AMC monster-plexes shows they know how to get the films.
Now, Drexel guys, if you see this, PLEASE check that projector in #2. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN looked like it was having an earthquake. Some of the worst vertical instabillity I’ve ever seen. This in not acceptable in a new location.
This theatre is located very close to an extremely busy AMC 24-plex that is available to Ohio State Students via free bus, so booking will be very tricky.
This theater definitely has 17 screens. 8 on the left side, 8 on the right side and 1 in the middle where the IMAX equipment used to be. The Marcus website is not correct.
I think you are mixing up the ARENA GRAND downtown with the DREXEL GRANDVIEW. The OSU games and other attractions are shown at the ARENA GRAND next to Nationwide Arena. To my knowledge, Grandview has never shown an OSU game.
A very nice theatre. One of first 2 theatres in Columbus with Dolby Stereo (w/Cinema East for original STAR WARS). Used corner rear speakers instead of along sides. One of the first theatres with stadium style seating in the Columbus area.
That is one of the funniest ads I’ve ever seen. If 50' is “half a city block”, then they have some mighty small blocks! And I’m sure the note of using Zeiss Favorit projectors just packed them in!!!
The theatre opened on September 1, 1965. A radio broadcast was made of the premiere (I remember listening to that on WBNS radio!). The first picture was LORD JIM. On 10/13/65, the theatre opened THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES.
The theatre was built and owned by Charles Sugarman from its opening to approximately November 1, 1980, when it was sold to Chakeres Theatres.
The final screenings were on January 8, 1990 with the film HARLEM NIGHTS.
The reconstruction of the Northland theatre by Vaud-Villities refers to the parking lot 8-plex, not the one in the mall. Aside from the old Lazarus store, the mall was demolished.
Just remembered the managers name in the early ‘80’s…Jeff Montgomery. Nice guy. He worked for the Drexel for awhile, and then I lost track of him.
One of his great moments was running films for the cast of BRUBAKER, which was filmed east of Columbus. Much of the cast stayed in hotels around the theatre. He told me he ran a 70mm print of ALIEN for the cast and crew because Yaphet Kotto was in the cast of both films.
One of the reasons to look at microfilm is that much of the information one might be looking for is in ad copy, not articles.
Some of the highlights in Cinema East history include:
a sneak preview showing the THE STUNT MAN with Richard Rush, Steve Railsback and Barbara Hershey in attendance. (This was a couple of years before the film was released.)
ALIEN in 70mm…first 70mm film in years. Mr. Sugarman was very proud to be selected for that one.
THE CAR in magnetic stereo (just joking about that one…a bad but fun film..bad hiss in the surround system on that one)
Dolby Stereo engagement of STAR WARS…second Dolby install in the city. Process wasn’t very stable at that point…took me five times to finally hear it correctly.
ONE FROM THE HEART in 70mm. One of the few 70mm engagements of that film. Ran for about 1 week. Film was framed at 1.33 (or 37, whatever), but the sound was exquisite. Film ran there because a local theatre had one of the best runs in the country of that film.
OKLAHOMA in 70mm, 30fps. They even got the curtains working for that one. A wonderful experience. 30fps DOES make a difference.
Some not so nice moments include a very weak surround system (this was before surrounds became standard, remember…even in 70mm films the surrounds were rarely used) and the mis-splicing on a sneak preview on the last INDIANA JONES film with 2 reels spliced in tail first…900 VERY angry people on that one.
Off topic, there are a number of large screens in Columbus, including the UltraScreen at Marcus, the large rooms at AMC Lennox and Easton and the large rooms at ARENA GRAND. I don’t know the largest, possibly the Ultrascreen. The new RAVE theatre has some very large screens, also, but I haven’t seen an entire film there.
I’m taking a guess, here, but I think the move to Chakeres came around the release of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
900 is correct…it wasn’t as big as it seemed. It wasn’t fan shaped like some of the other larger places…the walls came straight back from the screen. DAYTON MALL I was 1100 seats, and it was MUCH bigger in size than Cinema East.
The balcony was rather small…only 6-7 rows. I was able to sit there one time, and the view was outstanding.
Saw JAWS there from row 7…scared me half to death!!!
Oh, and Mr. Coate is correct: I have delved into the microfilm room at the Columbus Library for research. Reminds me I need to go down and check out why RETURN OF THE JEDI did not play in 70mm in Columbus!!! Let me know if there is anything specific you are looking for. I’ll try to fix my e-mail address.
There WAS and still IS a Southland Mall. It is located on South High Street opposite Great Southern Shopping Center. I’m not surprised you have never heard of it…it’s pretty small.
Southland was a small enclosed mall with a grocery store on one end and a Gold Circle (a now-defunct discount store) on the other. The theatre sat in the middle. 3 screens, one fairly large and the other 2 smaller, with mono sound and basic amenities.
I don’t believe Loew’s ever installed a Dolby stereo unit in any of its theaters.
The mall is now the home of an online charter school and a flea market.
Charlie Sugarman sold the theatre to Chakeres probably around the early 80’s. They maintained the theatre fairly well, eventually installing a 70mm Dolby unit. Until then, special non-Dolby 70mm prints had to be sounded for Cinema East and 1 or 2 other older theatres in the country.
Columbus Public Library has a full set of Columbus Dispatch on Microfilm back to the 1800’s!
Lawrence of Arabia was one of the last things there. The presentation quality dropped substantially in the last couple of years.
Cinema East, located in the eastside Columbus suburb of Whitehall, was opened by Charles Sugarman, a local exhibitor (He also had a 2 Screen CINEMA NORTH and, for a short time, a 3 screen in Grove City.)
In its opening years, Cinema East played roadshow engagements, such as Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines. It installed Dolby Stereo for the first STAR WARS film (35mm only), and played 70mm prints of most major 70mm releases beginning with ALIEN. It also played some of the more obscure 70mm releases, including a short run of ONE FROM THE HEART. The theatre also ran the 30fps print of OKLAHOMA for 1 week.
The theater featured 2 Norelco AA-II projectors and a basic 6-channel sound system. Presentation was normally outstanding.
The lobby was quite small with one of the smallest concession stands I’ve ever seen. There was a balcony, but it was rarely open.
The theatre was demolished and the Social Security office is in a new building.
A similar “price war” is going on in far-north Columbus Ohio. A Rave 16 and a Marcus 17 have a $6 evening rate. This has been going on for some time. Both are well run operations with excellent presentations.
In the Columbus, OH area, two far-north theatres have been running $6 evening shows every day for some time. The Marcus Crosswoods began this, and it was followed by the Rave 18. These theatres are within 5 miles of each other. Both show only first-run films. The Rave now has 12 DLP units, including one with 3-D capability.
The theatre a few blocks east of the Main was the Eastern, not Eastside. It was a very nice place in its day. I remember some type of statuary located down near the screen.
I teach at Eastmoor Academy (High School) and most of our students go to Easton or the 16-screen Cinemark in Gahanna. It is easy to get to Easton from the east side, either using 670, 270 or right up James/Steltzer road.
Cinema City was put up by the same dollar chain that built a place just south of Westerville. I think it was called SuperSaver. Super Saver had cheap admission, but some of the highest concession prices around.
Most development in the Columbus area is moving north. East side until you get to Reynoldsburg/Pickerington is pretty dead.
Westland 8 was a basic 80’s style General Cinema building, with 2 wings holding 4 screens each coming off of a common lobby. 2 of the theatres in each wing were equipped for Dolby Stereo. Theatre added Dolby EX in the largest room for THE HAUNTING. Nice, but nothing exceptional.
Regarding screens in the Columbus Ohio area:
The Linden-Air may still be there, but that is in an area that has been in decline for some time. I would NOT recommend anyone reopening it.
As for other closed theatres in the area, there is a 14=plex originally Regal, then Marquee on the far east side near Reynoldsburg. Again, not a growing area. The Marcus in Pickerington takes all the business.
I heard that the owners of Studio 35 (www.studio35.com) were interested in selling. That would require a very hands-on owner. A very interesting place to see a fil.
jbels, I very much LIKE the Gateway, as I really dislike the Arena Grand. I don’t like the extremely wide rooms and short auditoriums. There are fewer “prime” seats on the center line, and, if one has to sit close, one of the WORST screen views I’ve ever had. I sat through RETURN OF THE KING in the front row (no option…house full), and came out with severe neck pain from the almost 60 degree angle. I also find the sound there to be very dry and lifeless.
I like the Gateway, and I will go back. Jeff and Kathy Frank are ideal for this location as they understand the Columbus market and have long and successful experiences with the distributors. The fact that they landed the exclusive opening of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN over the AMC monster-plexes shows they know how to get the films.
Now, Drexel guys, if you see this, PLEASE check that projector in #2. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN looked like it was having an earthquake. Some of the worst vertical instabillity I’ve ever seen. This in not acceptable in a new location.
This theatre is located very close to an extremely busy AMC 24-plex that is available to Ohio State Students via free bus, so booking will be very tricky.
Building was torn down and a tile store was built in its place.
This theater definitely has 17 screens. 8 on the left side, 8 on the right side and 1 in the middle where the IMAX equipment used to be. The Marcus website is not correct.
Here’s a real oddity about this theatre:
In the fifties, this theatre was unable to show 3-D films because the projection booth ceiling was too low to allow for the larger reels.
My source for this is a former manager, Charles Van Fossen.
HDTV267,
I think you are mixing up the ARENA GRAND downtown with the DREXEL GRANDVIEW. The OSU games and other attractions are shown at the ARENA GRAND next to Nationwide Arena. To my knowledge, Grandview has never shown an OSU game.
Palace is still operating as a live venue. Information on current shows can be seen at www.capa.com
Organ was removed many years ago and is now located in Worthington High School. Worthington is a suburb on the far north side of the city.
A very nice theatre. One of first 2 theatres in Columbus with Dolby Stereo (w/Cinema East for original STAR WARS). Used corner rear speakers instead of along sides. One of the first theatres with stadium style seating in the Columbus area.
That is one of the funniest ads I’ve ever seen. If 50' is “half a city block”, then they have some mighty small blocks! And I’m sure the note of using Zeiss Favorit projectors just packed them in!!!
Here is some additional data on Cinema East.
The theatre opened on September 1, 1965. A radio broadcast was made of the premiere (I remember listening to that on WBNS radio!). The first picture was LORD JIM. On 10/13/65, the theatre opened THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES.
The theatre was built and owned by Charles Sugarman from its opening to approximately November 1, 1980, when it was sold to Chakeres Theatres.
The final screenings were on January 8, 1990 with the film HARLEM NIGHTS.
The reconstruction of the Northland theatre by Vaud-Villities refers to the parking lot 8-plex, not the one in the mall. Aside from the old Lazarus store, the mall was demolished.
Just remembered the managers name in the early ‘80’s…Jeff Montgomery. Nice guy. He worked for the Drexel for awhile, and then I lost track of him.
One of his great moments was running films for the cast of BRUBAKER, which was filmed east of Columbus. Much of the cast stayed in hotels around the theatre. He told me he ran a 70mm print of ALIEN for the cast and crew because Yaphet Kotto was in the cast of both films.
OK…the e-mail link works now.
One of the reasons to look at microfilm is that much of the information one might be looking for is in ad copy, not articles.
Some of the highlights in Cinema East history include:
a sneak preview showing the THE STUNT MAN with Richard Rush, Steve Railsback and Barbara Hershey in attendance. (This was a couple of years before the film was released.)
ALIEN in 70mm…first 70mm film in years. Mr. Sugarman was very proud to be selected for that one.
THE CAR in magnetic stereo (just joking about that one…a bad but fun film..bad hiss in the surround system on that one)
Dolby Stereo engagement of STAR WARS…second Dolby install in the city. Process wasn’t very stable at that point…took me five times to finally hear it correctly.
ONE FROM THE HEART in 70mm. One of the few 70mm engagements of that film. Ran for about 1 week. Film was framed at 1.33 (or 37, whatever), but the sound was exquisite. Film ran there because a local theatre had one of the best runs in the country of that film.
OKLAHOMA in 70mm, 30fps. They even got the curtains working for that one. A wonderful experience. 30fps DOES make a difference.
Some not so nice moments include a very weak surround system (this was before surrounds became standard, remember…even in 70mm films the surrounds were rarely used) and the mis-splicing on a sneak preview on the last INDIANA JONES film with 2 reels spliced in tail first…900 VERY angry people on that one.
Off topic, there are a number of large screens in Columbus, including the UltraScreen at Marcus, the large rooms at AMC Lennox and Easton and the large rooms at ARENA GRAND. I don’t know the largest, possibly the Ultrascreen. The new RAVE theatre has some very large screens, also, but I haven’t seen an entire film there.
I’m taking a guess, here, but I think the move to Chakeres came around the release of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
900 is correct…it wasn’t as big as it seemed. It wasn’t fan shaped like some of the other larger places…the walls came straight back from the screen. DAYTON MALL I was 1100 seats, and it was MUCH bigger in size than Cinema East.
The balcony was rather small…only 6-7 rows. I was able to sit there one time, and the view was outstanding.
Saw JAWS there from row 7…scared me half to death!!!
Oh, and Mr. Coate is correct: I have delved into the microfilm room at the Columbus Library for research. Reminds me I need to go down and check out why RETURN OF THE JEDI did not play in 70mm in Columbus!!! Let me know if there is anything specific you are looking for. I’ll try to fix my e-mail address.
The screen wasn’t much bigger than 50', which goes to show you how small the screens used to be at the “shoebox” theatres.
Opening was with LORD JIM, so it was probably 1965.
Glad you saw LOA in 70mm…that is the only way to see that film. One of the great movie experiences!
There WAS and still IS a Southland Mall. It is located on South High Street opposite Great Southern Shopping Center. I’m not surprised you have never heard of it…it’s pretty small.
Southland was a small enclosed mall with a grocery store on one end and a Gold Circle (a now-defunct discount store) on the other. The theatre sat in the middle. 3 screens, one fairly large and the other 2 smaller, with mono sound and basic amenities.
I don’t believe Loew’s ever installed a Dolby stereo unit in any of its theaters.
The mall is now the home of an online charter school and a flea market.
Ron,
Charlie Sugarman sold the theatre to Chakeres probably around the early 80’s. They maintained the theatre fairly well, eventually installing a 70mm Dolby unit. Until then, special non-Dolby 70mm prints had to be sounded for Cinema East and 1 or 2 other older theatres in the country.
Columbus Public Library has a full set of Columbus Dispatch on Microfilm back to the 1800’s!
Lawrence of Arabia was one of the last things there. The presentation quality dropped substantially in the last couple of years.
Cinema East, located in the eastside Columbus suburb of Whitehall, was opened by Charles Sugarman, a local exhibitor (He also had a 2 Screen CINEMA NORTH and, for a short time, a 3 screen in Grove City.)
In its opening years, Cinema East played roadshow engagements, such as Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines. It installed Dolby Stereo for the first STAR WARS film (35mm only), and played 70mm prints of most major 70mm releases beginning with ALIEN. It also played some of the more obscure 70mm releases, including a short run of ONE FROM THE HEART. The theatre also ran the 30fps print of OKLAHOMA for 1 week.
The theater featured 2 Norelco AA-II projectors and a basic 6-channel sound system. Presentation was normally outstanding.
The lobby was quite small with one of the smallest concession stands I’ve ever seen. There was a balcony, but it was rarely open.
The theatre was demolished and the Social Security office is in a new building.
Ron, I may be completely mistaken about this, but I think Eastland and Northland used that hexagonal logo as an interior decoration.
Northland Mall cinema was located at the East end of the mall toward Sears. It had a very small lobby area. Room was simply cut in half for twinning.
Northland was originally an open mall.