Finally after all these years of bad used small box no volume surround speakers on the side walls from the Blumenfeld Alhambra Theatre in SF the Castro Theatre will be getting a new kick ass stereo surround system we hear to go also along with their new electronic/pipe organ.
Thanks Rives what a great find. The Fairfax was my local theatre in Oakland when I was in school. Still stands today but a church. Golden State Theatres had great Sat kiddie shows I remember. Many years before It closed United CA Theatres the second name for GS Theatres covered everything near the stage with drapes. I remember going the first weekend after the curtain cover up the walls remodel and they gave free donuts out to all the kids and adults in the audience.
The whole ceiling in side the former Hollywood Paramount Theatre now Disney’s El Capitain was wrecked with the install of metal railings to hold the new Dolby Atmos® speakers. Just don’t look up and don’t be in the place when the big quake hits. Still a nice place to see a movie with many sets of curtains and drapes.
Hope Tarantino films inside M Franks next door. Too bad they did not edit out the old tree in front of the Vogue marquee. It must have been small in the late 1960’s or not even planted on Hollywood Blvd.
Thanks David and Julia. Love the signage under the marquee. Must be for the new Sharon Tate/Manson film being shot now by Tarantino.I wonder If he will do a 70mm version?
So sad these Cinemark multi’s can’t even put up what is playing outside the building. To have the Luxury Loungers and XD signs so big shows, no style. I wonder if these large spaces had at one time what was playing and they got lazy to change the plastic letters each week? Thanks WT for the photo.
This nice Santa Cruz cinema after 48 years has closed this past week. I am not surprised that Regal/UA did not to renew the lease as the main problem over the years was that the marquee was set way in the back River ST area near the main entrance. Most of the foot and car traffic is on the Front ST side of the theatre. Regal only played their not so hot first run films here and It did not even advertise what was playing. Lets hope this solid clean building with two semi large seating areas will not become a rock music club. You won’t hear sound leakage here like the newer Regal 9 down the street. Time for Drafthouse Cinemas or another movie company to take It over and show movies or live events that Regal and Landmark won’t play to this rich college/tourist area. No need to put in boring recliners and loose seating, keep it large. Bring in Dolby Atmos® or another hi end sound system with curved screen and curtains. No Imax yet in Santa Cruz. Time for showmanship to return to this surf city Santa Cruz CA. Move the marquee so people can see It and offer entertainment events with movies for this hot movie starved college town.
Yes there was a Caspers to the left of the Fairfax Theatre. Went by the former cinema yesterday and It was a mess out front, windows dirty nothing in the poster cases and the Is It even open as a church on Sunday any more. The back parking lot outside on the street is full of garbage and junk. I wonder if the huge iron neon Fairfax sign that was taken down off the stage house roof still sits laying up on the roof? Time to bring this former huge cinema back for entertainment for the East Oakland neighborhood with a complete remodel and paint job. Church on Sundays and other forms of movies and local music stage entertainment the rest of the week.
Thanks for the photo. Must have been taken after 1953 as they did not have stereo surround speakers on the side walls in 1950. This Fox Theatre was one of the first cinemas in the area to put in 4 track mag sound and a CinemaScope® wide screen. Must have looked great with all the drapes. Thanks again CC for the image.
Thanks William. I believe they ran this in 70mm blow up roadshow but you won’t find any mention of this on the marquee. You would think the Moss Theatre ownersg would have plugged 70mm at the Criterion Theatre NYC.
Such a shame they took the Fox name and marquee down. This happens all the time, someone comes along with major money for the remodel and the original name large marquee comes down. Needed to be called The Alberta Bair Fox. They all want their name on the buildings some way. Its still the FOX to most people in Billings.
Thanks CC for the photo. Later on they put in a twin upstairs with 70mm also roadshow. Later a giant curved Super 70mm Cinerama screen was put in downstairs on the old stage. Tjis made our second Cinerama screen for SF. The RKO Golden Gate Cinerama screen was way smaller then the one that came off the stage at the Orpheum Theatre down the street. The Golden Gate still stands today but needs a complete makeover outside to bring back the neon blade marquee neon color and tubes. Time for the bad old brown paint to go.
Thanks CC. You would think some brave theatre circuit would put in a deluxe huge curved screen with curtains that work today. They have no showmanship.
Thanks M1944 for the ad. We were lucky to have one of these ABC Plitt UltraVision screens near San Francisco in Daly City. Such a nice curved screen with great focus. Torn down for a boring parking lot.
Was up in Healdsburg for the first time this past Friday afternoon and visited this former movie theatre now open for live events. A nice lady let me come in to check out the place. Still in good shape and they kept a great art deco light fixture on the ceiling of the lobby. This light would look so hot with Blue LED’s inside in place of white lights. I think It had color lights when It ran as a movie theatre. Time for them to get a fund going to put some color deco side lights on the side walls in as the original ones are long gone. Hope they can show some classic movies also. Check the theatre out If you are in town and see a event.
Finally after all these years of bad used small box no volume surround speakers on the side walls from the Blumenfeld Alhambra Theatre in SF the Castro Theatre will be getting a new kick ass stereo surround system we hear to go also along with their new electronic/pipe organ.
Thanks Rives what a great find. The Fairfax was my local theatre in Oakland when I was in school. Still stands today but a church. Golden State Theatres had great Sat kiddie shows I remember. Many years before It closed United CA Theatres the second name for GS Theatres covered everything near the stage with drapes. I remember going the first weekend after the curtain cover up the walls remodel and they gave free donuts out to all the kids and adults in the audience.
The whole ceiling in side the former Hollywood Paramount Theatre now Disney’s El Capitain was wrecked with the install of metal railings to hold the new Dolby Atmos® speakers. Just don’t look up and don’t be in the place when the big quake hits. Still a nice place to see a movie with many sets of curtains and drapes.
Love the sign NUDESCOPE AND BARECOLOR. Thanks David and Julia.
Hope Tarantino films inside M Franks next door. Too bad they did not edit out the old tree in front of the Vogue marquee. It must have been small in the late 1960’s or not even planted on Hollywood Blvd.
Thanks David and Julia. Love the signage under the marquee. Must be for the new Sharon Tate/Manson film being shot now by Tarantino.I wonder If he will do a 70mm version?
So sad these Cinemark multi’s can’t even put up what is playing outside the building. To have the Luxury Loungers and XD signs so big shows, no style. I wonder if these large spaces had at one time what was playing and they got lazy to change the plastic letters each week? Thanks WT for the photo.
This nice Santa Cruz cinema after 48 years has closed this past week. I am not surprised that Regal/UA did not to renew the lease as the main problem over the years was that the marquee was set way in the back River ST area near the main entrance. Most of the foot and car traffic is on the Front ST side of the theatre. Regal only played their not so hot first run films here and It did not even advertise what was playing. Lets hope this solid clean building with two semi large seating areas will not become a rock music club. You won’t hear sound leakage here like the newer Regal 9 down the street. Time for Drafthouse Cinemas or another movie company to take It over and show movies or live events that Regal and Landmark won’t play to this rich college/tourist area. No need to put in boring recliners and loose seating, keep it large. Bring in Dolby Atmos® or another hi end sound system with curved screen and curtains. No Imax yet in Santa Cruz. Time for showmanship to return to this surf city Santa Cruz CA. Move the marquee so people can see It and offer entertainment events with movies for this hot movie starved college town.
Yes there was a Caspers to the left of the Fairfax Theatre. Went by the former cinema yesterday and It was a mess out front, windows dirty nothing in the poster cases and the Is It even open as a church on Sunday any more. The back parking lot outside on the street is full of garbage and junk. I wonder if the huge iron neon Fairfax sign that was taken down off the stage house roof still sits laying up on the roof? Time to bring this former huge cinema back for entertainment for the East Oakland neighborhood with a complete remodel and paint job. Church on Sundays and other forms of movies and local music stage entertainment the rest of the week.
Thanks Jack. So cool neon in the glass blocks. You will never find something like this in your local Multi Cinema boxoffice.
Thanks looks like they have a big curved screen here. Must have been a 3D film showing?
Thanks for the photo. Must have been taken after 1953 as they did not have stereo surround speakers on the side walls in 1950. This Fox Theatre was one of the first cinemas in the area to put in 4 track mag sound and a CinemaScope® wide screen. Must have looked great with all the drapes. Thanks again CC for the image.
Thanks William. I believe they ran this in 70mm blow up roadshow but you won’t find any mention of this on the marquee. You would think the Moss Theatre ownersg would have plugged 70mm at the Criterion Theatre NYC.
Thanks for the ad. No mention of STEREOPHONIC SOUND OR FANTA SOUND. I wonder if they played in Mono?
Please this must have been left over with church white paint? Needs to be changed to a darker color. Looks like a nice theatre with a organ.
Thanks Texas for the ad. No sign of 70mm or stereo sound. Were they showing this in 35mm mono at reserved seat prices I wonder?
Such a shame they took the Fox name and marquee down. This happens all the time, someone comes along with major money for the remodel and the original name large marquee comes down. Needed to be called The Alberta Bair Fox. They all want their name on the buildings some way. Its still the FOX to most people in Billings.
Thanks CC for the photo. Later on they put in a twin upstairs with 70mm also roadshow. Later a giant curved Super 70mm Cinerama screen was put in downstairs on the old stage. Tjis made our second Cinerama screen for SF. The RKO Golden Gate Cinerama screen was way smaller then the one that came off the stage at the Orpheum Theatre down the street. The Golden Gate still stands today but needs a complete makeover outside to bring back the neon blade marquee neon color and tubes. Time for the bad old brown paint to go.
Thanks CC. You would think some brave theatre circuit would put in a deluxe huge curved screen with curtains that work today. They have no showmanship.
Thanks CC for the photo. Looks like they may have kept the black light murals?
Thanks CC, great color neon. You won’t find the movie circuits in the USA with this feature. They all have the worst side lights.
Thanks David great lost photo and to see what was playing on the giant curved Chinese Cinemiracle screen.
Thanks M1944 for the ad. We were lucky to have one of these ABC Plitt UltraVision screens near San Francisco in Daly City. Such a nice curved screen with great focus. Torn down for a boring parking lot.
Too bad they took off this great neon marquee. It’s now at the Neon Museum in Glendale. Thanks David for the photo.
Was up in Healdsburg for the first time this past Friday afternoon and visited this former movie theatre now open for live events. A nice lady let me come in to check out the place. Still in good shape and they kept a great art deco light fixture on the ceiling of the lobby. This light would look so hot with Blue LED’s inside in place of white lights. I think It had color lights when It ran as a movie theatre. Time for them to get a fund going to put some color deco side lights on the side walls in as the original ones are long gone. Hope they can show some classic movies also. Check the theatre out If you are in town and see a event.