River Oaks Theatre
130 River Oaks Center Drive,
Calumet City,
IL
60409
130 River Oaks Center Drive,
Calumet City,
IL
60409
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 243 comments
What is River Oaks, both theater #1 and the rest of the mall look like these days? My sister was there a few years ago and said it was a battlefield. Does anyone know where there might be some photos posted? How about the K&B bookstore. True story—I put in applications at a couple of stores in the mall and on the same day I got an offer from Plitt and from the bookstore to be manager. I still wonder if I made the right choice by picking the theater.
Pokemon: The First Movie (it was Pokemon mania at the time), The Messenger and Dogma would all have been better choices than Light It Up. But maybe the theatre felt that Usher would draw better than Pikachu.
CineMark – No the big theater never really had the huge crowds it once had in the last years of its life. Even seeing each of the new STAR WARS films on opening night and I would say it was half full for each at best. The last really big crowd I can remember seeing there was the 1997 re-release of STAR WARS. SPIDERMAN had a fairly good crowd too.
Other suggestions:
5/29/2009 UP (In REAL-D 3D)
You’re lucky to be alive, PopcornFan, and to have had so little contact with Cos. Just thinking about the man gives me a tummy ache.
And there would be no need to mistrust theater folk if they were paid a fair wage from the getgo.
Fred Schiller – You made me laugh with your comment about Cosmo. When he was my DM I very rarely saw him, and when I did he was very nice to me. In fact in 1980 when Emprie Strikes Back came out I worked from Memorial Day to Labor Day without a full day off. Cosmo came in the day after Labor Day and I was walking around coughing my head off, he insisted that I leave and go see a doctor. Turned out I had pneumonia and I ended up in the hospital for 10 days. I don’t remember the name Phil Grant…we did have security come and polygraph everyone once, but I don’t remember that guy’s name.
And if I were running it now…
3/6/09 – WATCHMEN
3/20/09 – KNOWING
3/27/09 – MONSTERS VS. ALIENS
4/17/09 – STATE OF PLAY
4/24/09 – OBSESSED
5/1 to 5/3/09 – 70MM FILM FESTIVAL
5/8/09 – STAR TREK
Next film to open on this screen would be “Taking of Pelham 1,2,3”.
I remember when “Three Kings” came out. I didn’t list it because i didn’t get the microfilm ad. It came out on 10/1/99. My dad went to see it here, but I had to see it at the Chatham 14. I remember that weekend very well. It’s just hard to believe it’s been almost 10 years.
I do remember that “Fight Club” opened here on 10/15, followed by “The Best Man” the next week. In fact, from my memory of that fall, here’s what played here (aka the week-to week era)
10/1/99 – THREE KINGS
10/15/99 – FIGHT CLUB
10/22/99 – THE BEST MAN
11/5/99 – THE BONE COLLECTOR
11/10/99 – LIGHT IT UP (who the fudge made this decision?)
11/19/99 – SLEEPY HOLLOW
12/10/99 – THE GREEN MILE
I also wanted to ask, did this place ever get really huge crowds towards the end of the Loews-Cineplex regime? By end, I mean during the period of 2002-2006.
Cinemark I think that is an awesome idea. I really do. ANY film lover who loves that theater would enjoy that. Also, for some unexplained reason, I remember another movie I saw in #1 and I don’t see it listed anywhere in your lists above but I could be wrong. The reason I remember is a friend came to visit and didn’t believe we had such a big, beautiful theater as this one so I took him and the movie was THREE KINGS and the date would have been around September of 1999.
I would give “Wolverine” to River Run aka Lansing 8. But “Star Trek” would be opening in 9-10 (including 7pm-10:15pm thursday night shows) for sure.
JRS40, I have another idea for #9. What do you think about a stonewall near the auditorium entrance with the listing of past movies 1969-2006, that were shown in that auditorium? It could be an attraction for film buffs/historians.
These could be some good summer titles for Cinemark’s resurrected River Oaks:
5/1/2009 Wolverine
5/8/2009 Star Trek
5/21/2009 Terminator Salvation
6/5/2009 Land Of The Lost
6/12/2009 The Taking Of Pelham 123
6/24/2009 Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
7/1/2009 Public Enemies
7/15/2009 Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
8/7/2009 G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra
8/21/2009 Inglorious Basterds
8/28/2009 H2
9/4/2009 Pandorum
COSMO RULI????
I thought I’d be dead and buried before hearing that name again. What a total slug of a human being (IMHO) along with this security lapdog Phil Grant. Blech. I feel unclean just thinking about the two of them.
PopcornFan – I just double checked my booking list for #4 and you are correct (not that I doubted you since you worked there) that both COMIN AT YA and HOUSE OF WAX played that screen. But I am positive I saw the two I listed across the street in the back at 5-6. So maybe 5-6 had both screens 3-D capable and #4 was made that way in preparation of COMIN AT YA. There was no real reason to make it 3-D capable when it opened in 1978 as 3-D movies were long in the past.
PopcornFan – I am pretty sure the 3-D was in 5-6 in the back. I saw “Dial M For Murder” and “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” in 3-D both in that building.
Lawrence
I was one of the managers at 1 & 4 (9 & 10) From 1980 â€" 1983…I loved your story. I had a similar situation years after in 1990 when I went to see Ghost at River Oaks, a few days after my Mom died. I cried like a baby sitting in that theatre.
Audio
What is your Grandfather’s name? Chances are I worked with him so I am curious.
JRS40
I am fairly sure that theatre #4 had 3D. I remember having to go in early when they installed the screen. I think first 3D movie we had was “Coming At Ya†then we also had “House of Waxâ€.
Fred
Looking at some of your posts, it looks like you were at 1 & 4 right before I was. For the life of me I am trying to remember the name of the manager that hired me…Ben sounds right…but it was 29 years ago, so I could be wrong. I do remember my DM was Cosmo Ruli. I was one of many that stood outside that theatre in long lines for Superman and Star Wars
CinemarkFan
Even though I don’t live in the suburbs anymore, I would love to see the theatre re-opened. There were tons of great times in that building when I was a patron, a manager, and later when I got to take my daughter there. Actually I have many memories of Theatres in the area, the screening room, premieres and the like..Plitt, Cineplex, Meridian, Loews…all of them. I’ve been lucky too, I haven’t had to pay to see a movie since 1979!
Great list guys. In fact, in my alternate universe, “Sunshine Cleaning” would be opening Friday in #7.
These would be good choices for recent art titles to play:
Che (roadshow version)
Waltz With Bashir
12 (it’s in Russian but it’s a remake of 12 Angry Men and it’s sort of an epic)
The Class (seems rather accessible to American audiences)
Happy-Go-Lucky
Fanboys
Sunshine Cleaning
Man On Wire
Sounds great Cinemark. I am keeping my fingers crossed every day for you. I hate seeing that beautiful building just sitting there. I think it would be great if you could get films like THE VISITOR and FROZEN RIVER, neither of which came to NW Indiana.
FYI – Back in the eary 80’s the only theater that was equipped to show 3-D was #5-6. I saw HOUSE OF WAX with Vincent Price there as well as DIAL M FOR MURDER.
Very touching story indeed Mr. Parsons. It sounds like your father was a great man.
KingBiscuits,
If I were running the theaters now, the 3-D films would probably be in the mall, seeing that those screens are perfect for it. #9 would be difficult seeing that the screen is 40 by 85ft wide, and a digital projector doesn’t have the power (or light) to fill such a mammoth screen, or at least for the time being. Now it’s possible that #10 could get away with one, seeing that it’s about 60ft wide or so.
JRS40, Audiodude, in my marketing plan, I will advertise the fact that these screens are the largest in the Chicago area (outside of IMAX). And I will show art films, the kind that NW Indiana doesn’t get for a while. The business plan is coming along. Pretty soon I will take it a step further and seek out financial investors.
Very heartfelt and touching story, Mr. Parsons. Even in sadness, theatres can be magicial places.
And a nice list of scope films, Cinemark. Though in your situation I would have thrown in Madea Goes To Jail and the 3-D Coraline (both flat), that’s a great lineup.
As for upcoming releases in your game, I’d suggest Duplicity (filmed in Panavision I believe), the 3-D Monsters vs. Aliens (in scope), Observe and Report (possibly in scope) and Earth (not scope but would look breathtaking on a big screen).
It was difficult writing it too, this thread brought back alot of good memores though .
Lawrence- That was nice, and it brought tears to this old guys eyes!
Ahh the memories good times and sad times …. The earilest movie I remember seeing there was the bad news bears i was born in 1969, I remember opening day for star wars the line stretched all around the building are whole family went all 7 of us, i remember being scared from close encounters of the third kind, the most memorable movie was smokey and the bandit i loved that movie times were good care free the 70’s yellow converse canvas shoes short shorts, ugly socks and movies at river oaks 1-2, fast forward 1981 my dad had taken me to all the movies i saw there it was late summer before school started i was going into 7th grade a middle school leaving my elemtry school reavis in lansing. my dad took me too see raiders of the lost ark to me my dad was the greatest my best friend my dad he was burt renoylds, harrison ford he was my hero …
thanksgiving morning my dad died 1981 the saddest day of my life i remember that saturday after that day my moms friends husband took me to the theater , raiders of the lost ark was still running there, he dropped me off with 20$ after the 2nd showing the manager came over and asked why i was still in theater i was crying he thought there was a problem i explained my dad died and this was last movie we saw together he brought me some popcorn and coke and told me i could stay all day and he would call my mom for me when i was ready to go home that theater comforted me along with harrison ford .. thanks river oaks 1-2 9-10 for the memories and thx too that manager too help me mourn my dad in the only way that made sense too me.
the last movie i saw there was the matrix .. THX FOR THE GOOD TIMES OLD FRIEND.
…And if I were running it today
1/30/09 – TAKEN
2/13/09 – FRIDAY THE 13TH
2/27/09 – SLUMDOG MILLIONARE (why this isn’t playing at Lansing is beyond me)
3/6/09 – WATCHMEN
More movies that played in #1 (9)
3/14/86 – GUNG HO
11/13/87 – THE RUNNING MAN
12/11/87 – WALL STREET
5/25/88 – CROCODILE DUNDEE II
12/9/88 – TWINS
10/20/89 – HALLOWEEN 5 (moveover from #13 aka #2) of note: my father turned 47 that day
3/23/90 – THE FOURTH WAR
8/3/90 – MO' BETTER BLUES
8/24/90 – DELTA FORCE 2: OPERATION STRANGLEHOLD
11/16/90 – ROCKY V
12/25/90 – THE GODFATHER PART III
2/15/91 – THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
6/14/91 – ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THEIVES
3/6/92 – THE LAWNMOWER MAN (of note, this was my second b-day!)
9/11/92 – SNEAKERS
2/18/94 – BLUE CHIPS
5/19/95 – DIE HARD WITH A VENGENCE
10/13/95 – JADE
12/13/96 – THE PREACHER’S WIFE
12/19/97 – TITANIC
2/26/99 – 8MM