We had a gent named Gil (“Im from the east coast.” is all hes tell me) come by the Playhouse yesterday who said he was researching Kuster and the Monte Verde Golden Bough specifically.
He didnt seem far into it though. He was very curious about the police’s investigation into the 1949 “By Candlelight” fire. He didnt seem interested in the first Golden Bough and its “By Candlelight” fire. Im not even sure he was aware of the “By Candlelight” connection and didn’t know the Pine Cone from the Herald. And he was even surprised to learn the Filmarte/Circle Theater existed.
I gave him the very abbreviated tour as things we’re hopping in the office and…of course sent him here.
I hope the requirement includes the studios providing the material and the theaters providing the service, to place less pressure on the theaters. Certainly there must be a way to embed closed-captioning in the films they stream to the theaters with an on/off switch that would allow them to offer the cc edition for select screenings. I didnt know the tech was available to make the cc visible just to those who choose to use it. Surely the film would be better served if its creators/producers are the ones writing and recording the description and not the theater.
Live theaters (of the right size and budget) have offered select described performances for the hearing and visually impaired for quite sometime. Advertising those dates at the beginning of the season. Ive been told the requirement is that the customer give the theater 10 days notice so that an interpreter can be secured. A friend of mine has made a small business of providing audio description for live venues.
From the article itself.
“Under the rules, captions would be delivered directly to the seat in a manner only visible to only a requesting patron. Audio description, transmitted via a wireless headset, allows individuals who are blind or have low vision “a spoken narration of important visual elements of a movie, such as actions, settings, facial expressions, costumes and scene changes.”
“The Justice Department stressed that the regulations would not require theaters to add captioning or audio description to movies that come without those features and exempts theaters that “would cause an undue burden or fundamental alteration” to comply.”
Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/213330-doj-pushes-new-movie-theater-rules-for-blind-and-deaf#ixzz39dpxyW3U
Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
The new owner/managers are the folks now running the Fox in Redwood City (http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/462) along with several other venues. They have already launched a full ‘season'of screenings and concerts.
A campaign by the new managers to put the finishing touches in place after two years of just cleaning her up. Performances have happened since they took over and more are planned.
The Colusa is having a “Digital or Die” campaign on Kickstarter. Without an upgrade to digital projection the Colusa could close.Donate Today!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/174769538/digital-projector-for-the-colusa-theatre?ref=category
I adore the “sunsets” in the Golden State. I make people look up as the movie/concert was starts to see the sunset over the walls of the Moorish castle
Love the detail your flash brings out, usually it whites things out so much on my camera I opt for the “candlelight” setting. Yep, I pick “pretty”
over detailed.
Even for the period this place is just…insane! So rococo and over the top, gothic and renaissance with some deco sprinkled on top. I love it. Its like William Randolph Hearst took a break from the Castle and decided to build a theater.
I cant imagine how anyone was supposed to keep that much maintained short of Hearst’s money and staffing. I doubt the concert venue owners can do more with that clock than just take the broken pieces out and cover where the faces were. Assuming that even the 1971 remodel brings it up to today’s seismic requirements.
Does anyone have pics of the Indian headdress fixtures and the director/actress statues? Its what telephoto lenses were made for if they havent been covered.
The Galaxy was built a few hundred feet from where the Cinema 70 stood,beneath the video game arcade if I remember right. Same mall, different buildings so Im not sure how that effects the address.
I remember loving the Galaxy’s flashing neon (that fell into disrepair within a year) and art deco lettering.Only the Dream theater at that time had any good looking signage.
The Cinema 70 used to scare me as a kid cause it was an industrial, not very glam Carlsbad sized dark cavern by the time I was seeing movies there in the late 70s early 80s. But, see the right film there and it was totally immersive. Seeing the Michael Keaton Batman was intense. I went to Hunt For Red October there twice because the screen was so HUGE that you felt like you were under water watching the sub chases. I instinctively looked up when one of the subs when swooping “overhead”.
I think it was the mid 90s when the Cinema 70 closed and it wasnt long before I missed having a screen that size anywhere.
I suppose its obvious from the name but; was the Cinema 70 a 70 mm or CinemaScope house? I can only imagine how cool seeing “the Master” there wouldve been.
The Priest is in fact still showing films along with serving as a cultural center for the town. Like so many other independent cinemas they are under the gun to convert from 35 mm. Not to worry platter fans: fortunately they are one of the theaters that can keep one of the 35 mm projectors along side the new rig.
They have begun a “Digital or Dark” campaign on Kickstarter to save their business. Any overage will go to refurbishing their historic building. I myself am crossing my fingers that they do so well they restore the knife blade marquee!
Donate and spread the word!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/909996519/save-the-priest
Thanks to the local groups spurring on the sign restoration and preservation of the Rialto. But, Jebbia Family Trust and Landmark Cinema shouldnt it be you taking the lead to make sure this fantastic facility can once again be a growing concern for the both of you?
Lets hope the new sign lights the way to these two entities giving the Rialto the attention it needs to bring them income they need. Why spend the next 12 years just sitting on it?
Im not thrilled that Monterey Church brings in a bigger crowd than the movie showings did. But, if theyre not at fault for the accident I hope they can maintain a presence at the State and keep supporting these new businesses that have brought life back to Alvarado.
Better to have her thrilling Any audience as she should be than closed and folorn looking.This could be a blessing in disguise if the eletrical upgrade makes her more appealing to buyers, as certainly Warren Dewey should make back on the time and money hes put into the old girl.
I dont care What movie they show upon reopening: I’ll be there! I might even attend a church service…if they dont mind me taking pictures of the fixtures.
Oh wow! Thanks for posting this John. I had heard the legends of the 812 but never thought I’d see the interior. In this age of “living Room Cinema” (since couches are cheaper than installing theater seats) the 812 was truly ahead of its time.
I spent a summer working at the Dream (I thought itd be longer but after “Jungle Book” closed I was let go, devastating to a 16 year old LOL)so I can only imagine the funky fabulousness of the 812 interior.
Great shots Chuck. Ack this just kills me. I assumed from the state of things outside that the place was derelict and falling apart. And the only things in truly bad shape seem to be from water getting in SINCE the last closure! Those leaks arent repaired and teh place will just rot away when it seems to be so utterly restorable!
Only time I ever went in teh place was when it was an antique store. It was like Carlsbad Cavern, huge dark cold and scary. I bought a locket from the candy counter where the jewelry was displayed.
As of 2023 the sun faded 3 year old posters were removed. I dont think theres been any activity since.
Does Landmark own the building? Or is time for a community funded Neon restoration? Because the marquee is looking a bit sad.
We had a gent named Gil (“Im from the east coast.” is all hes tell me) come by the Playhouse yesterday who said he was researching Kuster and the Monte Verde Golden Bough specifically. He didnt seem far into it though. He was very curious about the police’s investigation into the 1949 “By Candlelight” fire. He didnt seem interested in the first Golden Bough and its “By Candlelight” fire. Im not even sure he was aware of the “By Candlelight” connection and didn’t know the Pine Cone from the Herald. And he was even surprised to learn the Filmarte/Circle Theater existed. I gave him the very abbreviated tour as things we’re hopping in the office and…of course sent him here.
I hope the requirement includes the studios providing the material and the theaters providing the service, to place less pressure on the theaters. Certainly there must be a way to embed closed-captioning in the films they stream to the theaters with an on/off switch that would allow them to offer the cc edition for select screenings. I didnt know the tech was available to make the cc visible just to those who choose to use it. Surely the film would be better served if its creators/producers are the ones writing and recording the description and not the theater.
Live theaters (of the right size and budget) have offered select described performances for the hearing and visually impaired for quite sometime. Advertising those dates at the beginning of the season. Ive been told the requirement is that the customer give the theater 10 days notice so that an interpreter can be secured. A friend of mine has made a small business of providing audio description for live venues.
From the article itself.
“Under the rules, captions would be delivered directly to the seat in a manner only visible to only a requesting patron. Audio description, transmitted via a wireless headset, allows individuals who are blind or have low vision “a spoken narration of important visual elements of a movie, such as actions, settings, facial expressions, costumes and scene changes.”
“The Justice Department stressed that the regulations would not require theaters to add captioning or audio description to movies that come without those features and exempts theaters that “would cause an undue burden or fundamental alteration” to comply.”
Read more: http://thehill.com/regulation/213330-doj-pushes-new-movie-theater-rules-for-blind-and-deaf#ixzz39dpxyW3U Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
The new owner/managers are the folks now running the Fox in Redwood City (http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/462) along with several other venues. They have already launched a full ‘season'of screenings and concerts.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1927498591/great-star-theater
A campaign by the new managers to put the finishing touches in place after two years of just cleaning her up. Performances have happened since they took over and more are planned.
The Colusa is having a “Digital or Die” campaign on Kickstarter. Without an upgrade to digital projection the Colusa could close.Donate Today! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/174769538/digital-projector-for-the-colusa-theatre?ref=category
I adore the “sunsets” in the Golden State. I make people look up as the movie/concert was starts to see the sunset over the walls of the Moorish castle
Love the detail your flash brings out, usually it whites things out so much on my camera I opt for the “candlelight” setting. Yep, I pick “pretty” over detailed.
Even for the period this place is just…insane! So rococo and over the top, gothic and renaissance with some deco sprinkled on top. I love it. Its like William Randolph Hearst took a break from the Castle and decided to build a theater.
I cant imagine how anyone was supposed to keep that much maintained short of Hearst’s money and staffing. I doubt the concert venue owners can do more with that clock than just take the broken pieces out and cover where the faces were. Assuming that even the 1971 remodel brings it up to today’s seismic requirements.
Does anyone have pics of the Indian headdress fixtures and the director/actress statues? Its what telephoto lenses were made for if they havent been covered.
Slight correction: audience right ceiling from the balcony.
Heres a few photos of the interior, bits and pieces from the balcony.
http://s227.photobucket.com/user/Dramatrauma/library/Pasadena%20Rialto%202008/Stanford%20Theater?sort=3&page=1
The Galaxy was built a few hundred feet from where the Cinema 70 stood,beneath the video game arcade if I remember right. Same mall, different buildings so Im not sure how that effects the address.
I remember loving the Galaxy’s flashing neon (that fell into disrepair within a year) and art deco lettering.Only the Dream theater at that time had any good looking signage.
The Cinema 70 used to scare me as a kid cause it was an industrial, not very glam Carlsbad sized dark cavern by the time I was seeing movies there in the late 70s early 80s. But, see the right film there and it was totally immersive. Seeing the Michael Keaton Batman was intense. I went to Hunt For Red October there twice because the screen was so HUGE that you felt like you were under water watching the sub chases. I instinctively looked up when one of the subs when swooping “overhead”.
I think it was the mid 90s when the Cinema 70 closed and it wasnt long before I missed having a screen that size anywhere.
I suppose its obvious from the name but; was the Cinema 70 a 70 mm or CinemaScope house? I can only imagine how cool seeing “the Master” there wouldve been.
Oh thats just sad.
The Priest is in fact still showing films along with serving as a cultural center for the town. Like so many other independent cinemas they are under the gun to convert from 35 mm. Not to worry platter fans: fortunately they are one of the theaters that can keep one of the 35 mm projectors along side the new rig.
They have begun a “Digital or Dark” campaign on Kickstarter to save their business. Any overage will go to refurbishing their historic building. I myself am crossing my fingers that they do so well they restore the knife blade marquee!
Donate and spread the word! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/909996519/save-the-priest
Anyone have photos to post since Streetview isnt hacking it?
Great pic of the demon (?)on the proscenium!
Thanks to the local groups spurring on the sign restoration and preservation of the Rialto. But, Jebbia Family Trust and Landmark Cinema shouldnt it be you taking the lead to make sure this fantastic facility can once again be a growing concern for the both of you? Lets hope the new sign lights the way to these two entities giving the Rialto the attention it needs to bring them income they need. Why spend the next 12 years just sitting on it?
Any chance of a scan and post of the artist’s renderings of the Grove?
Im not thrilled that Monterey Church brings in a bigger crowd than the movie showings did. But, if theyre not at fault for the accident I hope they can maintain a presence at the State and keep supporting these new businesses that have brought life back to Alvarado. Better to have her thrilling Any audience as she should be than closed and folorn looking.This could be a blessing in disguise if the eletrical upgrade makes her more appealing to buyers, as certainly Warren Dewey should make back on the time and money hes put into the old girl.
I dont care What movie they show upon reopening: I’ll be there! I might even attend a church service…if they dont mind me taking pictures of the fixtures.
Oh wow! Thanks for posting this John. I had heard the legends of the 812 but never thought I’d see the interior. In this age of “living Room Cinema” (since couches are cheaper than installing theater seats) the 812 was truly ahead of its time. I spent a summer working at the Dream (I thought itd be longer but after “Jungle Book” closed I was let go, devastating to a 16 year old LOL)so I can only imagine the funky fabulousness of the 812 interior.
Great shots Chuck. Ack this just kills me. I assumed from the state of things outside that the place was derelict and falling apart. And the only things in truly bad shape seem to be from water getting in SINCE the last closure! Those leaks arent repaired and teh place will just rot away when it seems to be so utterly restorable!
A sample picture of the DelRey from the Pat Hathaway collection. In Color!
http://www.printroom.com/ViewFoundPhoto.asp?userid=caviews&group_id=0&stype=0&sword=theater&tcount=40&scount=2
Only time I ever went in teh place was when it was an antique store. It was like Carlsbad Cavern, huge dark cold and scary. I bought a locket from the candy counter where the jewelry was displayed.
Congrats Balboa! Wish I coulda been at the party.
Nice to see Regency putting effort into 2nd run houses.