I remember seeing photos of lines of ppl waiting to see “Psycho” in the 1960 at the Crest, & saw “Silence of the Lambs” there in ‘90 or so. I went to Seton CCHS on the West Side, & we were bussed to the Crest during the day to see “Ghandi,” which was a big deal. Otr fun movies there were “Scanners” and “Halloween 2,” which “everyone” apparently saw on its opening wknd. Good grief! I saw “The People Under the Stairs” there w/a friend during the wk in the '90s, & something about the theater’s deeply creviced architecture thoroughly creeped me out! I was about to ask for my $ back, but some more ppl came in & I calmed down. Weird, hunh? Going to see a scary movie to be scared but backing out b/c the movie theater looks creepy if you look at the walls too closely? HA HA! I visited the West Side a few years ago & went out of my way to drive by the Crest for old time’s sake & couldn’t “find it.” (It was right by the Dunkin’ Donuts!) It took me a while to realize they’d torn it down & put up a parking lot (just like the song). A part of my childhood died when I saw that…. /Glenn
I remember when “The Shining” played there in the summer of 1980, and “Friday the 13th” was “held over” there for 5 weeks, a record of some kind (“5th & Final Wk!” the Press ad ran). Could someone explain how something was “held over,” etc.? I’ve always wondered about the movie business….
Things were different in the ‘80s as there were not 500+ TV channels, no cell phones, etc., & movie theaters provided the fun. The Cameo had “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” & would later book movies that really were not that good as movies declined and VHS came out. I drove by The Cameo over the summer & it was all boarded up w/peeling paint and I just wanted to cry as I remembered its marque lights all lit up on summer nights….but now ppl think nothing of driving elsewhere to see a movie or else stay home or watch it on their phones. Technology isn’t always progress…./Glenn
Is this theater doing well business-wise? Was here once when “Orphan” came out a few years ago (it did not thrill me). Saw it on a Fri. night & the theater had maybe 10-15 ppl in it. Is it possible to halve the concession prices to increase sales? Movie theater popcorn is the best, but $8 for a paper-bag size makes me swoon. Perhaps you could start a trend w/cheaper concession prices…? I want you guys to do well, btw. Oh, Dad, Sis, & I did see “Lord of the Rings” here & it was awesome on the big screen! I forget which one it was, but the theater really did make a difference, putting us right into the action! I am trying to help you guys do well & stay in business, hence my questions…. /Glenn
I wrote for the BCC student paper & did an article about The Art’s revival, & saw a slew of movies there (inc. Rocky Horror). I forget the new owner’s name, but he also owned The Ritz & seemed like a nice guy. I went to school at St. John’s Catholic School blocks away, & at the time no one thought anything of the titles when The Art Cinema listed them on its marque! Today they’d be banned out of existence! The then-owner offered a friend who delivered newspapers there to come see an X movie, &, of all the dumb things I’ve ever done, I thought this was scandalous. (I was in jr. high, & I guess the Cath. school thing worked then! HA!) I was always intrigued by the “continuous showings from noon.” I never did understand how someone could not see a movie from the beginning. And, um, when did the showings end? Since Bing. showed “Deep Throat” (at The Strand first, I know) at this theater in the ‘80s (w/“Miss Jones”), what was that like? Any controversy? Big crowds? I’m curious about this history. Many thanks./Glenn
The blond guy who ran this theater did run The Ritz as a 2nd-run show, and he was a meanie! If you came late and stayed to watch the beginning, he grilled you then begrudingly let you stay. The Bing. Plaza always played the horror movies (F13 Pt 2, Omen 2, Carrie, The Howling, etc.), and the midnight movies (Last House on the Left, Alien, etc.). Did anyone go to those, & what was it like? I’m 50 now, lived on the outskirts of Windsor (20 mins away), couldn’t see such R-rated fare, & feel like I missed out terribly! This continues to eat at me all these years later. Good grief! I finally saw “The Hunger” there when I was 17 (kinda EWWW, but at least I saw it). I used to call the theater to hear the recording of what was playing (I used to know the # cold, but have forgotten it), & the guy who left the msg seemed to have fun making them sound ominous. At least then you COULD call and get a msg that listed the showtimes. Now it’s a headache — IF you can find the #! I love your photos. Thank you for this site!/Glenn
Hi! I was a kid growing up in farm country on the outskirts of Windsor, NY, in the ‘70s-mid-'80s & was frustrated I couldn’t see all the horror movies that played here, incl. the dusk-to-dawn shows, or the triple feature of “Last House on the Left,” “The House that Vanished,” & “Don’t Look in the Basement,” which was advertised in the local paper as a big deal ev. summer, and which played well into the '80s. (As a kid I thought it was the title of one long movie! HA!) When I was finally 17 (1984?), both local drive-ins were showing A-grade movies, & it didn’t help when it closed around when the Walmart/mall went up. (I’m now 50, & it still bugs me!) I still feel like I missed something monumental, ya know? I don’t remember any crime, but I was younger & didn’t read the paper like I do today. It repeated the lst movie on Fri. & Sat., otrwise not. I remember it played “The Warriors” & “My Bloody Valentine” for 2 wks, & “Ruby” & “Legend of the Wolf Woman,” ag'n, for 2 wks, if I remember correctly. Finally saw “Wolf Woman” (it looks like Clint E.’s “Sudden Impact” ripped it off!), & it’s likely b/c it had lots o’ skin! This never did interest me. It killed me when “The Exorcist” was paired w/“LHOTL,” & the otr 2….could anyone tell me what it was like when any of these movies were playing & at the dusk-dawn shows? It still feels like I missed some big party (that prob'ly never existed, I know…!). Many thanks. Last I knew this D/I charged $6 a carload — don’t know if that ever went up tho. How’s that for a bargain? THANK YOU for this wonderful trip down memory lane!/Glenn
I remember seeing photos of lines of ppl waiting to see “Psycho” in the 1960 at the Crest, & saw “Silence of the Lambs” there in ‘90 or so. I went to Seton CCHS on the West Side, & we were bussed to the Crest during the day to see “Ghandi,” which was a big deal. Otr fun movies there were “Scanners” and “Halloween 2,” which “everyone” apparently saw on its opening wknd. Good grief! I saw “The People Under the Stairs” there w/a friend during the wk in the '90s, & something about the theater’s deeply creviced architecture thoroughly creeped me out! I was about to ask for my $ back, but some more ppl came in & I calmed down. Weird, hunh? Going to see a scary movie to be scared but backing out b/c the movie theater looks creepy if you look at the walls too closely? HA HA! I visited the West Side a few years ago & went out of my way to drive by the Crest for old time’s sake & couldn’t “find it.” (It was right by the Dunkin’ Donuts!) It took me a while to realize they’d torn it down & put up a parking lot (just like the song). A part of my childhood died when I saw that…. /Glenn
I remember when “The Shining” played there in the summer of 1980, and “Friday the 13th” was “held over” there for 5 weeks, a record of some kind (“5th & Final Wk!” the Press ad ran). Could someone explain how something was “held over,” etc.? I’ve always wondered about the movie business….
Things were different in the ‘80s as there were not 500+ TV channels, no cell phones, etc., & movie theaters provided the fun. The Cameo had “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” & would later book movies that really were not that good as movies declined and VHS came out. I drove by The Cameo over the summer & it was all boarded up w/peeling paint and I just wanted to cry as I remembered its marque lights all lit up on summer nights….but now ppl think nothing of driving elsewhere to see a movie or else stay home or watch it on their phones. Technology isn’t always progress…./Glenn
Is this theater doing well business-wise? Was here once when “Orphan” came out a few years ago (it did not thrill me). Saw it on a Fri. night & the theater had maybe 10-15 ppl in it. Is it possible to halve the concession prices to increase sales? Movie theater popcorn is the best, but $8 for a paper-bag size makes me swoon. Perhaps you could start a trend w/cheaper concession prices…? I want you guys to do well, btw. Oh, Dad, Sis, & I did see “Lord of the Rings” here & it was awesome on the big screen! I forget which one it was, but the theater really did make a difference, putting us right into the action! I am trying to help you guys do well & stay in business, hence my questions…. /Glenn
I wrote for the BCC student paper & did an article about The Art’s revival, & saw a slew of movies there (inc. Rocky Horror). I forget the new owner’s name, but he also owned The Ritz & seemed like a nice guy. I went to school at St. John’s Catholic School blocks away, & at the time no one thought anything of the titles when The Art Cinema listed them on its marque! Today they’d be banned out of existence! The then-owner offered a friend who delivered newspapers there to come see an X movie, &, of all the dumb things I’ve ever done, I thought this was scandalous. (I was in jr. high, & I guess the Cath. school thing worked then! HA!) I was always intrigued by the “continuous showings from noon.” I never did understand how someone could not see a movie from the beginning. And, um, when did the showings end? Since Bing. showed “Deep Throat” (at The Strand first, I know) at this theater in the ‘80s (w/“Miss Jones”), what was that like? Any controversy? Big crowds? I’m curious about this history. Many thanks./Glenn
The blond guy who ran this theater did run The Ritz as a 2nd-run show, and he was a meanie! If you came late and stayed to watch the beginning, he grilled you then begrudingly let you stay. The Bing. Plaza always played the horror movies (F13 Pt 2, Omen 2, Carrie, The Howling, etc.), and the midnight movies (Last House on the Left, Alien, etc.). Did anyone go to those, & what was it like? I’m 50 now, lived on the outskirts of Windsor (20 mins away), couldn’t see such R-rated fare, & feel like I missed out terribly! This continues to eat at me all these years later. Good grief! I finally saw “The Hunger” there when I was 17 (kinda EWWW, but at least I saw it). I used to call the theater to hear the recording of what was playing (I used to know the # cold, but have forgotten it), & the guy who left the msg seemed to have fun making them sound ominous. At least then you COULD call and get a msg that listed the showtimes. Now it’s a headache — IF you can find the #! I love your photos. Thank you for this site!/Glenn
Hi! I was a kid growing up in farm country on the outskirts of Windsor, NY, in the ‘70s-mid-'80s & was frustrated I couldn’t see all the horror movies that played here, incl. the dusk-to-dawn shows, or the triple feature of “Last House on the Left,” “The House that Vanished,” & “Don’t Look in the Basement,” which was advertised in the local paper as a big deal ev. summer, and which played well into the '80s. (As a kid I thought it was the title of one long movie! HA!) When I was finally 17 (1984?), both local drive-ins were showing A-grade movies, & it didn’t help when it closed around when the Walmart/mall went up. (I’m now 50, & it still bugs me!) I still feel like I missed something monumental, ya know? I don’t remember any crime, but I was younger & didn’t read the paper like I do today. It repeated the lst movie on Fri. & Sat., otrwise not. I remember it played “The Warriors” & “My Bloody Valentine” for 2 wks, & “Ruby” & “Legend of the Wolf Woman,” ag'n, for 2 wks, if I remember correctly. Finally saw “Wolf Woman” (it looks like Clint E.’s “Sudden Impact” ripped it off!), & it’s likely b/c it had lots o’ skin! This never did interest me. It killed me when “The Exorcist” was paired w/“LHOTL,” & the otr 2….could anyone tell me what it was like when any of these movies were playing & at the dusk-dawn shows? It still feels like I missed some big party (that prob'ly never existed, I know…!). Many thanks. Last I knew this D/I charged $6 a carload — don’t know if that ever went up tho. How’s that for a bargain? THANK YOU for this wonderful trip down memory lane!/Glenn