I’m fairly certain I saw a couple of showings there in the later years as a teen before it shut down
Beverly Hills Cop (1984). This would have been in the summer of 1985. Can’t remember what else was on the bill or if we even caught anything else.
Throw Momma From the Train (1987). As above, this also would have been in the following summer, 1988. Apparently we got this one just in under the wire.
For that show, one of my buddies insisted on riding in the trunk to recreate tales from our parents of the golden years of the Drive-In, even though at that point they just charged per car.
I may have seen other showings there, but most the rest of my drive-in movie memories involve childhood stuff in the 1970s when I had no idea where I was beside in my parents' car.
Still, let’s not forget the immortal words of Joe Bob Briggs:
Hey kids, I’ve been looking at the map and I have some clarification. The former site of JLC, 995 Carter, is currently occupied by Aratari Auto Color & Detail / Baer’s Paint and detail, while the adjoining 997 Carter is Frank’s Auto Service. It looks like Frank’s may have even preserved the lobby front/marquee awning (at least the basic structure). I suspect that JLC occupied the whole building. I’m certain that the orientation, facing East toward Carter, is what I remember.
AutoZone Auto Parts, meanwhile, is a touch North, closer to, and facing Ridge Road. It’s got a Ridge Road address. I’m sure the theater wasn’t built into the slight hill the AZ is.
Hope this helps.
I’m getting all my map details from google in 2026.
I have some cool memories of going to the Panorama Theatre in the 1980s as a teen. I can recall seeing Doctor Detroit, Class (both 1983), Platoon (1986), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), and Colors (1988). I’m probably forgetting more.
Of course the Midnight Movies were the coolest of them all - I went to some over and over again - the standouts being
Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains the Same
Heavy Metal
AC/DC: Let There Be Rock
Pink Floyd: The Wall
They played The Rocky Horror Picture show a lot too but I never got round to it. My sister went a bunch of times though.
Looks like it’s a Planet Fitness now. The gas station/convenience store (Quicklee’s? Marathon?) on the Penfield Road side used to be a Hess Mart.
I worked at Present Company for about a year while attending Penfield High - it was on the Southeast end of the plaza, close to Panorama Trail. Looks like it eventually transformed into something called Tuesday Morning, which is now closed.
I also fondly remember the indie record shop HOT LIX, which was situated about midpoint in the plaza. I bought many LPs there that I treasure to this day.
I used to clip movie ads from the newspaper and have some stuff from the late 1970s & early 80s, including a few for Panorama showings. Some survived the years, I’ll post some copies.
I’m not sure I saw a lot of movies at the ol' JLC, but one screening sure is burned in my brain. I saw THE EXORCIST there during a re-release in the fall of 1979. I was 11 years old. I thought I could handle it. I was wrong.
Believe it or not, the whole thing is a fond memory now.
The Loews brand brings back a lot for me too. I saw loads of cool movies there back in the 1980s. My mother lives nearby nowadays, maybe I’ll check out the refit next time I visit. Cheers.
I lived a few blocks away from the Riviera in the second half of the 1970s, from about age 7-12. I frequented the weekend matinees – various Godzilla flicks, Laserblast, Yog: Monster from Space, at least one Lassie movie, many others lost in the decades – all presented with various preview material including cartoons and serials – I remember a run of the 1941 Captain Marvel serial at one point.
Pretty sure it was a buck – or maybe 99 cents – for a kid to get a matinee ticket.
I was aware of the porn fare being shown the rest of the time, but it didn’t really seem to matter.
I don’t live in Rochester anymore but I still have family there. When I visit I miss seeing it there on Lake Ave – and that it was torn down & replaced with a cookie-cutter drugstore is a bummer.
I wasn’t aware, thanks.
So now I say they ALL have the best name for a cinema bar.
Cheers
I saw at least a couple of films there in my early Vegas days of the late 1990s - Rushmore and American Beauty - both in 1999.
In retrospect I miss this place like I miss a lot of others that were separate from casinos. There aren’t many left.
I’m fairly certain I saw a couple of showings there in the later years as a teen before it shut down
Beverly Hills Cop (1984). This would have been in the summer of 1985. Can’t remember what else was on the bill or if we even caught anything else.
Throw Momma From the Train (1987). As above, this also would have been in the following summer, 1988. Apparently we got this one just in under the wire.
For that show, one of my buddies insisted on riding in the trunk to recreate tales from our parents of the golden years of the Drive-In, even though at that point they just charged per car.
I may have seen other showings there, but most the rest of my drive-in movie memories involve childhood stuff in the 1970s when I had no idea where I was beside in my parents' car.
Still, let’s not forget the immortal words of Joe Bob Briggs:
“The Drive-In will never die.”
I only went to this place a couple of times when I was in Riverside on business for a week back in January 2016.
I caught a classic screening of The Warriors (1979) one night and then Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens (2015) another day.
Seemed like a nice enough place, I’d have gone back, given the opportunity. Bummer that it’s closed.
Hey kids, I’ve been looking at the map and I have some clarification. The former site of JLC, 995 Carter, is currently occupied by Aratari Auto Color & Detail / Baer’s Paint and detail, while the adjoining 997 Carter is Frank’s Auto Service. It looks like Frank’s may have even preserved the lobby front/marquee awning (at least the basic structure). I suspect that JLC occupied the whole building. I’m certain that the orientation, facing East toward Carter, is what I remember.
AutoZone Auto Parts, meanwhile, is a touch North, closer to, and facing Ridge Road. It’s got a Ridge Road address. I’m sure the theater wasn’t built into the slight hill the AZ is.
Hope this helps.
I’m getting all my map details from google in 2026.
Let’s see how long it is till someone reads this.
Cheers
I have some cool memories of going to the Panorama Theatre in the 1980s as a teen. I can recall seeing Doctor Detroit, Class (both 1983), Platoon (1986), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), and Colors (1988). I’m probably forgetting more.
Of course the Midnight Movies were the coolest of them all - I went to some over and over again - the standouts being
Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains the Same
Heavy Metal
AC/DC: Let There Be Rock
Pink Floyd: The Wall
They played The Rocky Horror Picture show a lot too but I never got round to it. My sister went a bunch of times though.
Looks like it’s a Planet Fitness now. The gas station/convenience store (Quicklee’s? Marathon?) on the Penfield Road side used to be a Hess Mart.
I worked at Present Company for about a year while attending Penfield High - it was on the Southeast end of the plaza, close to Panorama Trail. Looks like it eventually transformed into something called Tuesday Morning, which is now closed.
I also fondly remember the indie record shop HOT LIX, which was situated about midpoint in the plaza. I bought many LPs there that I treasure to this day.
I used to clip movie ads from the newspaper and have some stuff from the late 1970s & early 80s, including a few for Panorama showings. Some survived the years, I’ll post some copies.
Cheers
I’m not sure I saw a lot of movies at the ol' JLC, but one screening sure is burned in my brain. I saw THE EXORCIST there during a re-release in the fall of 1979. I was 11 years old. I thought I could handle it. I was wrong.
Believe it or not, the whole thing is a fond memory now.
Cheers
This place has the best named movie theater bar: MacGuffins.
The Loews brand brings back a lot for me too. I saw loads of cool movies there back in the 1980s. My mother lives nearby nowadays, maybe I’ll check out the refit next time I visit. Cheers.
I saw Pete’s Dragon (1977) there when I was a kid.
I lived a few blocks away from the Riviera in the second half of the 1970s, from about age 7-12. I frequented the weekend matinees – various Godzilla flicks, Laserblast, Yog: Monster from Space, at least one Lassie movie, many others lost in the decades – all presented with various preview material including cartoons and serials – I remember a run of the 1941 Captain Marvel serial at one point.
Pretty sure it was a buck – or maybe 99 cents – for a kid to get a matinee ticket.
I was aware of the porn fare being shown the rest of the time, but it didn’t really seem to matter.
I don’t live in Rochester anymore but I still have family there. When I visit I miss seeing it there on Lake Ave – and that it was torn down & replaced with a cookie-cutter drugstore is a bummer.
It’s still a favorite memory.