TLSLOEWS
The Loew’s feature presentation bumper from 1968 can be found on YouTube. Go to the “FT Depot”channel and click “videos” at the top. Scroll down. Sorry I didn’t have luck uploading it.
dhroc
The Panorama opened on 8/17/66 with Khartoum in 70mm or what was then referred to as single lense Cinerama.
Green velvet-like drapery with green rocking chair seats. I don’t know the cap. Theatre was a stand alone in the Panorama Plaza. It was twinned in the 70’s.
Have photos of opening preview night and some older stuff from Rochester theatres. Opener for Pittsford was “The Train” on July 16 ‘65. Tony Randall and Allen & Rossi in person. It was released in March-talk about having to wait.
Hardly enough to pay the guy in the booth. Why would anyone open a movie complex? The indusrtry shot itself in the foot when they started opening megaplexes within miles of each other.
The Little Theatre in Rochester, NY did this. I’m conflicted about it. Preserving the theatres and presenting an “alternative” to the plexes is fine but I bet there are tons of other businesses (including theatres) that wish they could pull the same thing.
In the 1930 photo you can see the Unitarian Universalist church in the background. That church is on the same side of Clinton Ave. as Xerox. I’m wondering if it actually was Xerox that is now on the theatre site.
The Piccadilly was a Loew’s vaudeville theatre. I don’t know when the Martina gang (did I say that?) took it over but the place was very run down and somewhat unkempt. I saw Omega Man and a couple of others there.
Martina ran a bunch of old downtown theatres and were always in court suing the other chains for unfair booking practices. Thing was, Matina always seemed to get pretty good movies. All the Martinas became pretty run down in the late sixties and early seventies finally closing up in quick succession.
Candy? What were they thinking? Well, at least it got them some attention. Too bad Candy was such a crummy movie. But then, how could it miss. Wonder what Ewa Aulin is doing these days.
How ‘bout better movies and more choices. Dumb ass comedies and special effects are all that’s out there.
I suppose that’s what the MTVers are used to…fast paced and brainless.
The assembly line multi-screener usually sucks. I’ve been to a couple that were actually pretty nice and pretty empty too.
On the other hand one of our local art houses seems to be making it for the long haul. The reason: the owners couldn’t make it work so it became a ‘film society’ partially supported by public government money. “Owners” are on the board and presumably recieve pay. HMMM, not a bad gig. Patrons can even make charitable donations in the theatre. Nope. If you can’t make it, close the doors like any other business would have to do or find someone that can make it work.
I find myself pretty conflicted over it… I’m glad it provides an alternative but corp. welfare is wrong.
You have three choices: a mindless romantic comedy, the latest 3D gimmick movie, or an action flick chock full of computer generated special effects. Most likely a sequel.
You have more than enough generic mega-plexes with with outrageous concession prices and Jennifer Aniston on every other screen. Add the kids in the audience who never learned proper behavior and ten minutes of ads for everything from cars to indigestion medicine and it adds up to a pretty mediocre experience. It’s like an assembly line; get ‘em in, get 'em out.
Movies aren’t about people anymore. There are no interesting or imaginative stories except pehaps at the local art theatre.
Mediocre movies presented in dull often beat looking multi-screen theatres. Whatever made going to the movies special is long gone.
TLSLOEWS The Loew’s feature presentation bumper from 1968 can be found on YouTube. Go to the “FT Depot”channel and click “videos” at the top. Scroll down. Sorry I didn’t have luck uploading it. dhroc
Thanks for the upload. Great picture. A row of small stores and a restaurant were built along the east wall before the theatre opened in ‘65.
Empire is now the the site of AMC Webster 12-plex. Formally Loew’s Webster Multi.
Total re-do. Theatre now has luxury electronic controlled seats and new lobby.
Scheduled for demolition this Spring to make way for a new Rite-Aid drug store.
P.s. to last post. It was originally goint to be called the Cinerama Theatre but ended up the Panorama with “Cinerama” logo underneath its sig.
The Panorama opened on 8/17/66 with Khartoum in 70mm or what was then referred to as single lense Cinerama. Green velvet-like drapery with green rocking chair seats. I don’t know the cap. Theatre was a stand alone in the Panorama Plaza. It was twinned in the 70’s.
Have photos of opening preview night and some older stuff from Rochester theatres. Opener for Pittsford was “The Train” on July 16 ‘65. Tony Randall and Allen & Rossi in person. It was released in March-talk about having to wait.
kjb2012 I goofed this up.
Hardly enough to pay the guy in the booth. Why would anyone open a movie complex? The indusrtry shot itself in the foot when they started opening megaplexes within miles of each other.
The Little Theatre in Rochester, NY did this. I’m conflicted about it. Preserving the theatres and presenting an “alternative” to the plexes is fine but I bet there are tons of other businesses (including theatres) that wish they could pull the same thing.
In some ways it just doesn’t seem right.
Not exactly deluxe, is it? Probably still better than the massive-plex down the road.
Correction: This theatre is closed.
In the 1930 photo you can see the Unitarian Universalist church in the background. That church is on the same side of Clinton Ave. as Xerox. I’m wondering if it actually was Xerox that is now on the theatre site.
Operated by the same outfit as the Empire Drive-In (now AMC 12) on Empire Blvd.
The Piccadilly was a Loew’s vaudeville theatre. I don’t know when the Martina gang (did I say that?) took it over but the place was very run down and somewhat unkempt. I saw Omega Man and a couple of others there.
Martina ran a bunch of old downtown theatres and were always in court suing the other chains for unfair booking practices. Thing was, Matina always seemed to get pretty good movies. All the Martinas became pretty run down in the late sixties and early seventies finally closing up in quick succession.
Candy? What were they thinking? Well, at least it got them some attention. Too bad Candy was such a crummy movie. But then, how could it miss. Wonder what Ewa Aulin is doing these days.
I snuck in dozens of times. You could just walk over the hill next to the theatre and sit on the hillside and watch and hear the movies perfectly.
Burger King doesn’t have popcorn and the floors aren’t as sticky.
Really great photos!
How ‘bout better movies and more choices. Dumb ass comedies and special effects are all that’s out there. I suppose that’s what the MTVers are used to…fast paced and brainless.
The assembly line multi-screener usually sucks. I’ve been to a couple that were actually pretty nice and pretty empty too. On the other hand one of our local art houses seems to be making it for the long haul. The reason: the owners couldn’t make it work so it became a ‘film society’ partially supported by public government money. “Owners” are on the board and presumably recieve pay. HMMM, not a bad gig. Patrons can even make charitable donations in the theatre. Nope. If you can’t make it, close the doors like any other business would have to do or find someone that can make it work. I find myself pretty conflicted over it… I’m glad it provides an alternative but corp. welfare is wrong.
You have three choices: a mindless romantic comedy, the latest 3D gimmick movie, or an action flick chock full of computer generated special effects. Most likely a sequel.
You have more than enough generic mega-plexes with with outrageous concession prices and Jennifer Aniston on every other screen. Add the kids in the audience who never learned proper behavior and ten minutes of ads for everything from cars to indigestion medicine and it adds up to a pretty mediocre experience. It’s like an assembly line; get ‘em in, get 'em out.
Movies aren’t about people anymore. There are no interesting or imaginative stories except pehaps at the local art theatre.
Mediocre movies presented in dull often beat looking multi-screen theatres. Whatever made going to the movies special is long gone.
I compare it to CarFax and Angie’s List. A cyber site can hold businesses hostage and force them to participate so the web service can make money.
Failing to sign and be a participating theatre up puts your business at a disadvantage. Theatres would be at Movie Pass' mercy.
Moviepass could lose money for theatres. If theatre chains want something like this they should do it individually. Unethical I think.
Photos were taken before the Tri-Star Coca Cola take over.