Indian Hills Theatre
8601 W. Dodge Road,
Omaha,
NE
68114
8601 W. Dodge Road,
Omaha,
NE
68114
22 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 55 of 55 comments
This theater is a treasure to the Omaha Community and Film History. Many memories are kept at that theater. I’d hoped that one day, I too could wait in line with my children for the New Star Wars movie. That could have happened with Lucas revisiting his trilogy. But now, a Money Driven Monstrosity of a Hospital wants to tear down the theater where so many memories and future hopes lay.
I can’t believe they closed it.. As a former employee, I’d hate to see it torn down; not only is it a piece of our city’s cinematic history, it’s one of only 12 (? I think 12) cinemascope screens in the world. Between the huge events Mr. Crawford sponsored and the unique build of the theater… FYI, the screen is currently new and in one piece, but it was originally in strips. There are two “dead” projection houses in the wings of the main theater, on either side of the mezzanine (it has a spectacular mezzanine) because it used to require three projectors to run cinemascope. Today, it runs just like the theaters in the cam (house 1, added in the 70’s) and houses 3 & 4 (added in the 80’s), but can take both 35mm and 70m film (the projector has switching gates and rollers) in both scope and flat print (it has a normal aperture plate, just like the other projectors). It also contains a lot of antiqued equipment – next to the normal building and tearing tables are old fashioned tables with hand-cranks. It’s really an amazingly place, and deserves to be preserved.
For those who are interested, go to my web site www.omahafilmevent.com and check out the 10 film events I have produced in Omaha that have attained international recognition. Six of these events have been held at the Indian Hills theater. Go to the “past events” page to see…the events I’ve held at the Indian Hills ..BEN HUR, THE LONGEST DAY, THE SEARCHERS, KING KONG, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and a Ray Harryhausen festival with MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. These events have helped tremendously in keeping the theater in the publics' eye, regardless of Carmike Cinemas bankruptcy.
Four other events were held at the Cinema Center theater, which also has a large screen and 800 seat auditorium… If efforts to reopen the theater are successful, I would continue the film tributes at the Indian Hills theater.
Actually, the main auditorium is almost “new” Shortly before they terminated their lease, Carmike nearly completed a total restoration of the big house. New seats. drapery and a sound system capable of SDDS and DTS was installed. Carmike left before installing new carpet. That and some minor cosmetic repairs are all that are needed to bring it back to original glory. Several years ago the louvered screen was removed due to age and replaced with a solid sheet screen. The new screen matches the dimensions and curve of the original but of course would be replaced in the event that our efforts to reopen the theater for Cinerama are successful.
It is incorrect to say that the Indian Hills was “carved into four screens.” The original Cinerama auditorium is still intact. Three screens were added to the building. The first was added by the original circuit, Cooper Theaters, and was called the “Cameo.” Later, two more screens were added by Commonwealth Theaters. So, this is a 4-plex consisting of the original Cinerama auditorium and 3 smaller houses.