Thanks Cineast for this great marquee photo. Now most movie theatres don’t use plastic letter marquees anymore. The ones that still have a nice neon marquee don’t bother to get up on a ladder to change what is playing inside each week. Just like gone movie ads in the newspapers change has taken place. Some movie theatres today now use flashing digital ones. The Liberty Theatre NYC had some great marquee displays. Thanks again
Will be so great when they re open with a new operator. They have two of the best large curved screens in California. The new mall owners also need to give them some advertising room both on Market ST and the street behind Mission ST. One of the problems before is that no one knew that a cinema was on the top floor of the mall. I wonder if the new theatre lease guys will be the former Century owners the Syufy family under Westwind Theatres like they moved into the long closed former Regal 9 Santa Cruz. SF needs more downtown movie theatres as there is only one complex now. All the visiting tourists will visit the new re opened cinemas If they can find It with some sort of name and marquee on what is playing inside on the outside of the mall building.
I wonder if the 70mm screen here at the ST James was flat or curved. After Mike Todd died the company was not so picky on having a curved screen for movies shot in 70mm Todd-AO. Many just advertised IN TODD-AO but It was not the way Mike wanted them to be shown when he was alive.
Depends on the outdoor screen coating used. I remember seeing many classic 3D films as a kid at a big outdoor drive in and things did pop off the screen in our car and had depth. The outdoor 3D sync projectors needed allot of projection light and a good dark screen lot area for the best 3D effect. No stereo sound at the drive in but a company did make 3 channel Eprad stereo speakers that very few outdoor theatres used.
Thanks Rives for the Cinerama ad. This theatre also showed Todd-AO. I wonder if they just used the Cinerama curved screen. It was not that big To bad there are no photos of the curved screen with curtains from this time period.
Former Encina DI. The whole place is still in place today except the large Cinemascope screen was taken down when the next door hospital bought the Skyview and are just using for parking. A waste as the candy counter, projection booth and box office are ready to open again. The hospital could still use the lot for parking during the day and run movies at least on the weekends. Just put up a big scope screen again. Don’t show first run movies but old classics.
Great DI located in the Santa Cruz CA mountains. Torn down in the mid 1950’s. I don’t think they ever put in a wide Cinemascope screen. Located near the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek. That building is still in town but is a pizza place now with a second floor added. I remember as a small kid seeing ‘Scared Stiff’ with Jerry & Dean at the Skyview. Across from the golf course with a few homes built on the DI lot now. Thanks Rainbow for the calendar. I had collected many of these movie theatre listing and my dad tossed them all out one day when I was on vacation. A sad day for my collection.
Thanks (film) great photo. I was lucky to hear Sensurround on a few films the best was ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox West Coast Chinese Hollywood Theatre. I am sure the UA in Chicago sounded great. These Cervin Vega base speakers really shook the theatres some had structural damage.
Thanks Riv for all these classic San Jose area ads. The Syufy family got money hungry and split many of their Cinerama curved screen dome theatres down the middle to make two cinemas under the same dome. The screens were not that large or curved plus the curtains were never used again. You could hear the sound from the theatre next door and mostly the seats were facing the wrong way. At least they did not do this to the flagship dome Century 21 that still sits empty today.
Thanks Riv such a great D-150 curved screen with curtains. UA needed the money and the place sat empty then torn down. At least the Cinerama Theatre under a new name has been re opened a few block away.
Thanks Ken I like the multi color lights in the ceiling. Another example of what you won’t find in any inside auditorium theatre these days in the USA. They have boring bright white lights.
Now mention of STEREO sound on Fantasia. I wonder If they played in stereo or Mono? Disney and the theatre owner needed to put what type of sound this film print had.
How often as a kid I waited on Saturday mornings in front of this box office for the Fairfax Theatre to open. They would turn on the side florescent tube lights in the poster cases just before the lady entered the ticket booth with her change for the day. The coins came down a machine with a bowl at the end and the Globe tickets came out of a metal flat dispenser. The main doors would open with a real ticket taker. You could smell the hot dogs and popcorn aroma when the deco glass doors opened. Those were the days long gone. Today they would probably get robbed in the first hour after opening.
Too bad Drafthouse Cinemas is for sale. They built too many small screen theatres and expensive food and drinks. Got rid of the union projectionists. We will miss the pre show entertainment and 35mm/70mm films shown in select markets. The bank people that took It over want their cash now. At least they were different then AMC, Regal & Cinemark Theatres. Lets see if Landmark Theatres makes a bid to buy the Drafthouse chain. They can get into the food and drink movie business.
Thanks FILM for the ad. Inferno was the first 3D film I ever watched by 2Oth Century Fox and had great surround stereophonic sound. Saw at the United California Fruitvale Theatre in Oakland CA long torn down. We have a restored Blu Ray 3D copy now in stereo for our 3D TV. The best is the snake coming off the screen and the surround sound used with the rock echoes. The cheap one projector converted 3D movies they make now are worthless. A few distance shots and nothing coming out at you.
Greg & Film*** We saw many years ago a 70mm film print of ‘House Of Wax’ in stereophonic surround sound and dual 3D at the Fox Grauman’s Chinese Hollywood Theatre. Both left and right images were on the same single 70mm film frame I think It was the great StereoVision system.
Just like the Cinerama projection booth days many prime seats lost in the center. Hope they put drapes or dark paint on the wood siding. The surround sound will get screwed up If you buy a seat near the new projection booth on the side back. Many center back prime rows won’t be so hot anymore. The Chinese Theatre Hollywood \will not use the old 70mm film IMAX system much It may be a portable take out thing?
I wonder If they covered up the cheap plywood with curtains. The sound of the projector must have leaked? Almost just like the old Cinerama center booth days. Many of those projection booths were made of cement blocks. Thanks Kino
Thanks Cineast for this great marquee photo. Now most movie theatres don’t use plastic letter marquees anymore. The ones that still have a nice neon marquee don’t bother to get up on a ladder to change what is playing inside each week. Just like gone movie ads in the newspapers change has taken place. Some movie theatres today now use flashing digital ones. The Liberty Theatre NYC had some great marquee displays. Thanks again
Rainbow DI you must have MILLIONS of DI images. Thanks for sharing them. You could almost start your own forum with just Drive Inn Theatres.
Will be so great when they re open with a new operator. They have two of the best large curved screens in California. The new mall owners also need to give them some advertising room both on Market ST and the street behind Mission ST. One of the problems before is that no one knew that a cinema was on the top floor of the mall. I wonder if the new theatre lease guys will be the former Century owners the Syufy family under Westwind Theatres like they moved into the long closed former Regal 9 Santa Cruz. SF needs more downtown movie theatres as there is only one complex now. All the visiting tourists will visit the new re opened cinemas If they can find It with some sort of name and marquee on what is playing inside on the outside of the mall building.
I wonder if the 70mm screen here at the ST James was flat or curved. After Mike Todd died the company was not so picky on having a curved screen for movies shot in 70mm Todd-AO. Many just advertised IN TODD-AO but It was not the way Mike wanted them to be shown when he was alive.
Depends on the outdoor screen coating used. I remember seeing many classic 3D films as a kid at a big outdoor drive in and things did pop off the screen in our car and had depth. The outdoor 3D sync projectors needed allot of projection light and a good dark screen lot area for the best 3D effect. No stereo sound at the drive in but a company did make 3 channel Eprad stereo speakers that very few outdoor theatres used.
Thanks Rainbow for the image. Looks like the Winner DI had a huge curved Cinemascope screen.
Great ad Dallas they need to bring a live stage show back like this again at some of the large downtown movie theatres for Oct 2024.
Thanks Rives for the Cinerama ad. This theatre also showed Todd-AO. I wonder if they just used the Cinerama curved screen. It was not that big To bad there are no photos of the curved screen with curtains from this time period.
Former Encina DI. The whole place is still in place today except the large Cinemascope screen was taken down when the next door hospital bought the Skyview and are just using for parking. A waste as the candy counter, projection booth and box office are ready to open again. The hospital could still use the lot for parking during the day and run movies at least on the weekends. Just put up a big scope screen again. Don’t show first run movies but old classics.
Great DI located in the Santa Cruz CA mountains. Torn down in the mid 1950’s. I don’t think they ever put in a wide Cinemascope screen. Located near the Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek. That building is still in town but is a pizza place now with a second floor added. I remember as a small kid seeing ‘Scared Stiff’ with Jerry & Dean at the Skyview. Across from the golf course with a few homes built on the DI lot now. Thanks Rainbow for the calendar. I had collected many of these movie theatre listing and my dad tossed them all out one day when I was on vacation. A sad day for my collection.
Thanks (film) great photo. I was lucky to hear Sensurround on a few films the best was ‘Earthquake’ at the Fox West Coast Chinese Hollywood Theatre. I am sure the UA in Chicago sounded great. These Cervin Vega base speakers really shook the theatres some had structural damage.
Thanks Riv for all these classic San Jose area ads. The Syufy family got money hungry and split many of their Cinerama curved screen dome theatres down the middle to make two cinemas under the same dome. The screens were not that large or curved plus the curtains were never used again. You could hear the sound from the theatre next door and mostly the seats were facing the wrong way. At least they did not do this to the flagship dome Century 21 that still sits empty today.
Thanks MK always nice to see how they added a Cinemascope extension to the square flat screen on the sides probably around 1954?
Thanks Riv such a great D-150 curved screen with curtains. UA needed the money and the place sat empty then torn down. At least the Cinerama Theatre under a new name has been re opened a few block away.
Thanks Ken I like the multi color lights in the ceiling. Another example of what you won’t find in any inside auditorium theatre these days in the USA. They have boring bright white lights.
Too bad someone did not safe the color neon. It’s smash and grab now. Thanks BT for the closed up destruction sad image.
Now mention of STEREO sound on Fantasia. I wonder If they played in stereo or Mono? Disney and the theatre owner needed to put what type of sound this film print had.
How often as a kid I waited on Saturday mornings in front of this box office for the Fairfax Theatre to open. They would turn on the side florescent tube lights in the poster cases just before the lady entered the ticket booth with her change for the day. The coins came down a machine with a bowl at the end and the Globe tickets came out of a metal flat dispenser. The main doors would open with a real ticket taker. You could smell the hot dogs and popcorn aroma when the deco glass doors opened. Those were the days long gone. Today they would probably get robbed in the first hour after opening.
MOGAMBO just missed 3D Cinemascope and Stereo 4 Track Mag Surround Sound coming out in 1953. Thanks Film for the nice ad.
Too bad Drafthouse Cinemas is for sale. They built too many small screen theatres and expensive food and drinks. Got rid of the union projectionists. We will miss the pre show entertainment and 35mm/70mm films shown in select markets. The bank people that took It over want their cash now. At least they were different then AMC, Regal & Cinemark Theatres. Lets see if Landmark Theatres makes a bid to buy the Drafthouse chain. They can get into the food and drink movie business.
Thanks FILM for the ad. Inferno was the first 3D film I ever watched by 2Oth Century Fox and had great surround stereophonic sound. Saw at the United California Fruitvale Theatre in Oakland CA long torn down. We have a restored Blu Ray 3D copy now in stereo for our 3D TV. The best is the snake coming off the screen and the surround sound used with the rock echoes. The cheap one projector converted 3D movies they make now are worthless. A few distance shots and nothing coming out at you.
Greg & Film*** We saw many years ago a 70mm film print of ‘House Of Wax’ in stereophonic surround sound and dual 3D at the Fox Grauman’s Chinese Hollywood Theatre. Both left and right images were on the same single 70mm film frame I think It was the great StereoVision system.
Just like the Cinerama projection booth days many prime seats lost in the center. Hope they put drapes or dark paint on the wood siding. The surround sound will get screwed up If you buy a seat near the new projection booth on the side back. Many center back prime rows won’t be so hot anymore. The Chinese Theatre Hollywood \will not use the old 70mm film IMAX system much It may be a portable take out thing?
I wonder If they covered up the cheap plywood with curtains. The sound of the projector must have leaked? Almost just like the old Cinerama center booth days. Many of those projection booths were made of cement blocks. Thanks Kino
Thanks Film for the ad. Hope they release soon in Blu Ray 3D. The Bubble had some of the best off the screen 3D of any movie.