I see that the Plaza Cinema is listed as closed but I should point out that it has also been demolished. The corner of the shopping center where it was located is empty now.
I love to pass by this theater. I never went there since I lived across the river in Suffolk but I love the design and the fact they have kept it up in appearance.
I remember this mall well and only saw a handful of films here. Octopussy, Ghostbusters and Back to the Future II are the ones I definitely remember. Tower Mall was a Friday night treat for me as a kid. Dinner at Shoneys and my Dad would drop my mom off at the Giant Open Air grocery store down the street. We would kill an hour or so at the mall and then pick my mom up. I spent many hours browsing the records at Record Bar. Spent my 11 or 12th birthday at the ChuckECheese there.
I grew up in Suffolk and still live there. The original location is just down the road from where I now live. I grew up in the 1300 block of Holland Road but this drive in was way before my time. I was born in 1971.
I do remember being able to see the remnants of the Plantation Drive in on rt. 460. I went to Nansemond Suffolk Academy so I would see it through the trees on my way to school every day.
My hometown. My home theater. First movie I ever saw was at this location. It was a re release of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I saw so many great movies here growing up. I remember the line to get into Empire Strikes Back was all the way up to the front doors of the Montgomery Wards that is now a Schewel’s. I truly miss this theater.
I saw many a movie at the Churchland Plaza 3 that bufffilmbuff mentioned. My family used to frequent the steak house there. I swear at one time the restaurant was called “The Purple Possum”. There was a drug store or something that shared the same space. I would browse through the magazine area for Fangoria and other horror/sci fi mags waiting for my parents to come get me to go into the theater.
I remember seeing The Rescuers there because Star Wars was sold out. Also went to see some movie with my parents and American Werewolf in London was playing in one of the other auditoriums. I peaked through the small glass window and witnessed part of the transformation scenes.
The last movie I saw there was Leprechaun…..and I walked out on it. HA HA!
I never saw a movie at this location but I do remember towards the end of it’s run, in the mid to late 90’s, they screened on of the Faces of Death films and the Italian zombie film Dellamorte, Dellamore. The only theater I know of in the area that had to cajones to show those films!
In 1989 I saw Phantom of the Opera (Robert Englund) at one of the newer screens. I remember the oval shaped theater and the HUGE screen. I was very impressed with how big the movie looked.
I saw Jaws 2 there and Godzilla vs. Megalon. It was my favorite theater even though I hardly ever got to go there. The downtown area in the late 70’s and early 80’s just wasn’t a place to go at night. Well at least my parents thought so. Plus by this time it was starting to show adult films so it was definitely a theater my parents were not going to spend money at. I miss that bijou sign. In it’s place now stands a show store and it boasts a bijou as an apparent homage.
It was several years ago I must have stumbled across this site looking for info on the old Chadwick/Magic Lantern Theater. I provided the info on Friday the 13th Part 3 being the last movie screened. I believe I am correct on that. I am a huge horror fan and always wanted to see that film when it came to the Magic Lantern. However I was only 11 years old when it hit theaters.
I see that the Plaza Cinema is listed as closed but I should point out that it has also been demolished. The corner of the shopping center where it was located is empty now.
sliwi, yes it does have a balcony. It’s usually not open these days however. I’m not too sure why.
I love to pass by this theater. I never went there since I lived across the river in Suffolk but I love the design and the fact they have kept it up in appearance.
Being a Suffolk native I had never heard of this theater. I might have to ask around. The building in this postcard looks familiar.
I remember this mall well and only saw a handful of films here. Octopussy, Ghostbusters and Back to the Future II are the ones I definitely remember. Tower Mall was a Friday night treat for me as a kid. Dinner at Shoneys and my Dad would drop my mom off at the Giant Open Air grocery store down the street. We would kill an hour or so at the mall and then pick my mom up. I spent many hours browsing the records at Record Bar. Spent my 11 or 12th birthday at the ChuckECheese there.
I grew up in Suffolk and still live there. The original location is just down the road from where I now live. I grew up in the 1300 block of Holland Road but this drive in was way before my time. I was born in 1971.
I do remember being able to see the remnants of the Plantation Drive in on rt. 460. I went to Nansemond Suffolk Academy so I would see it through the trees on my way to school every day.
Looks like the building is still standing. When were these pictures taken? The inside is HUGE! So sad to see it like this.
My hometown. My home theater. First movie I ever saw was at this location. It was a re release of The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. I saw so many great movies here growing up. I remember the line to get into Empire Strikes Back was all the way up to the front doors of the Montgomery Wards that is now a Schewel’s. I truly miss this theater.
The last film to screen there was Major Payne.
I saw many a movie at the Churchland Plaza 3 that bufffilmbuff mentioned. My family used to frequent the steak house there. I swear at one time the restaurant was called “The Purple Possum”. There was a drug store or something that shared the same space. I would browse through the magazine area for Fangoria and other horror/sci fi mags waiting for my parents to come get me to go into the theater.
I remember seeing The Rescuers there because Star Wars was sold out. Also went to see some movie with my parents and American Werewolf in London was playing in one of the other auditoriums. I peaked through the small glass window and witnessed part of the transformation scenes.
The last movie I saw there was Leprechaun…..and I walked out on it. HA HA!
I never saw a movie at this location but I do remember towards the end of it’s run, in the mid to late 90’s, they screened on of the Faces of Death films and the Italian zombie film Dellamorte, Dellamore. The only theater I know of in the area that had to cajones to show those films!
In 1989 I saw Phantom of the Opera (Robert Englund) at one of the newer screens. I remember the oval shaped theater and the HUGE screen. I was very impressed with how big the movie looked.
I saw Jaws 2 there and Godzilla vs. Megalon. It was my favorite theater even though I hardly ever got to go there. The downtown area in the late 70’s and early 80’s just wasn’t a place to go at night. Well at least my parents thought so. Plus by this time it was starting to show adult films so it was definitely a theater my parents were not going to spend money at. I miss that bijou sign. In it’s place now stands a show store and it boasts a bijou as an apparent homage.
It was several years ago I must have stumbled across this site looking for info on the old Chadwick/Magic Lantern Theater. I provided the info on Friday the 13th Part 3 being the last movie screened. I believe I am correct on that. I am a huge horror fan and always wanted to see that film when it came to the Magic Lantern. However I was only 11 years old when it hit theaters.
I remember driving by this as a kid. It was on the way home from my grandmothers that we stopped and saw Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977).