Summer ‘84 couldn’t have been all bad – y'all had both Ghostbusters and Gremlins. And, um, Irreconcilable Differences. (Why I remember this I’ll never know.)
Ok, I drove by the theater today. Raymond was right – the footprints do overlap, at least from what I could tell. (Of course, the AMC is a LOT larger.) Whether or not the old Market Square theaters still exist inside, I don’t know – but it would be a little surprising, as I’d assume they’ve gone to all-stadium seating. I have added a picture of what used to be the box office onto the Market Square page.
Fairly confident 1987 was the opening date – the first movies I saw there were Can’t Buy Me Love, Dirty Dancing, Throw Momma from the Train, Back to the Beach, The Monster Squad (I was 11, come on). I went to a lot of movies in those days and remember where in most cases, and I don’t see any 1986 releases I associate with that theater. It closed up shop in 1993 at the earliest, but might have squeaked into 1994.
I think there was a pretty decent gap between the Storey’s and this theater; possibly three years (the last movie I remember seeing there was A Christmas Story in ‘83, but for some reason I remember Gary Busey’s The Bear on a marquee in '84).
Actually, the Cineplex Odeon at Market Square (four theaters) was not in the existing theater’s footprint. It was at the far back corner of the mall, in a space I now believe is just a blank wall on the outside. (I may drive by later to confirm). I’m pretty confident the opening was in 1987, based on what I remember seeing there. The last movies I remember seeing there were in 1993 (True Romance, Falling Down), and I’d be surprised if it lasted to the end of that year. AMC Phipps (1992 opening) may have been the nail in its coffin.
The mall cinemas, both inside and outside, were still there in 1996. But they were both in pretty dire shape. When the brand new Colonial opened, with its better sound and stadium seating, it became worth the 45-minute drive.
Heck, as the movie critic for The Red & Black, I could go to the mall theaters for free and still chose to make the drive.
Slight correction: AMC Northlake opened in 1984. I specifically remember seeing “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Neverending Story” there.
Sadly, it looks like the Toco Hills theater is turning into a bagel shop. I took this picture a couple of weeks ago, and the construction guys were hard at work. I didn’t go in, so I’m not sure the extent they’re renovating the actual theater (the lobby was being gutted, though).
Yep, I was at UGA in ‘96 and it immediately became a destination for Athens moviegoers despite being 40 minutes away. Athens theaters stunk at the time, though there are a few good ones now.
AMC North DeKalb Mall 16 opened in 1996. The first movie I saw there was “Scream,” but it had been up and running for a few months by then. But actually, the theater I’m referring to was in the same mall, but a different location. It was a four-house Cineplex Odeon theater called Market Square 4.
The first movies I remember seeing there were “La Bamba,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Throw Momma From the Train,” so it must have opened in 1987. If I had to take a stab at a closing date, I’d guess 1994.
Is this the same theater that was in the mall, next to the food court? I only went a few times in the early ‘90s, and by then any previous charm was long gone. It was an awful location, made worse when the then-state-of-the-art AMC Phipps Plaza opened up across the street.
I was an early ‘90s employee, and can verify there was a group that worked there for years. I was there from 10th grade until I left for college ('92-'94), and then one more summer after my freshman year at UGA. There were people there long before me who lasted for years after I left.
To correct some stuff from up above: AMC Northlake opened in 1984. The first movies I saw there (at 8 years old) were “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Dune.” And Northlake 2 hung on until 1992. I specifically remember seeing some ‘92 releases over there (“Lethal Weapon 3” pops to mind).
I think AMC Northlake closed around ‘99. I know that’s when the Regal Hollywood 24 opened its doors, and the competition was obviously crushing.
Yeah, it was definitely around until the late ‘80s. I don’t think I saw anything there past '85 or so. “E.T.,” “Song of the South,” “Bambi,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Top Gun” are the titles I definitely remember seeing.
Summer ‘84 couldn’t have been all bad – y'all had both Ghostbusters and Gremlins. And, um, Irreconcilable Differences. (Why I remember this I’ll never know.)
Ok, I drove by the theater today. Raymond was right – the footprints do overlap, at least from what I could tell. (Of course, the AMC is a LOT larger.) Whether or not the old Market Square theaters still exist inside, I don’t know – but it would be a little surprising, as I’d assume they’ve gone to all-stadium seating. I have added a picture of what used to be the box office onto the Market Square page.
I love how they managed to misspell both “Reeve” and “Hamill.”
Can anybody identify those movies?
Fairly confident 1987 was the opening date – the first movies I saw there were Can’t Buy Me Love, Dirty Dancing, Throw Momma from the Train, Back to the Beach, The Monster Squad (I was 11, come on). I went to a lot of movies in those days and remember where in most cases, and I don’t see any 1986 releases I associate with that theater. It closed up shop in 1993 at the earliest, but might have squeaked into 1994.
I think there was a pretty decent gap between the Storey’s and this theater; possibly three years (the last movie I remember seeing there was A Christmas Story in ‘83, but for some reason I remember Gary Busey’s The Bear on a marquee in '84).
Actually, the Cineplex Odeon at Market Square (four theaters) was not in the existing theater’s footprint. It was at the far back corner of the mall, in a space I now believe is just a blank wall on the outside. (I may drive by later to confirm). I’m pretty confident the opening was in 1987, based on what I remember seeing there. The last movies I remember seeing there were in 1993 (True Romance, Falling Down), and I’d be surprised if it lasted to the end of that year. AMC Phipps (1992 opening) may have been the nail in its coffin.
The mall cinemas, both inside and outside, were still there in 1996. But they were both in pretty dire shape. When the brand new Colonial opened, with its better sound and stadium seating, it became worth the 45-minute drive.
Heck, as the movie critic for The Red & Black, I could go to the mall theaters for free and still chose to make the drive.
Slight correction: AMC Northlake opened in 1984. I specifically remember seeing “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Neverending Story” there.
Sadly, it looks like the Toco Hills theater is turning into a bagel shop. I took this picture a couple of weeks ago, and the construction guys were hard at work. I didn’t go in, so I’m not sure the extent they’re renovating the actual theater (the lobby was being gutted, though).
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Yep, I was at UGA in ‘96 and it immediately became a destination for Athens moviegoers despite being 40 minutes away. Athens theaters stunk at the time, though there are a few good ones now.
Wait a second, wasn’t the Alps Theater at the very end of the shopping center, closest to Baxter? Isn’t the Kroger at the other end?
AMC North DeKalb Mall 16 opened in 1996. The first movie I saw there was “Scream,” but it had been up and running for a few months by then. But actually, the theater I’m referring to was in the same mall, but a different location. It was a four-house Cineplex Odeon theater called Market Square 4.
The first movies I remember seeing there were “La Bamba,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Throw Momma From the Train,” so it must have opened in 1987. If I had to take a stab at a closing date, I’d guess 1994.
It’s now a Hispanic nightclub, I believe.
Has anybody created a page for the Cineplex Odeon Market Square theater that opened in North DeKalb Mall?
Is this the same theater that was in the mall, next to the food court? I only went a few times in the early ‘90s, and by then any previous charm was long gone. It was an awful location, made worse when the then-state-of-the-art AMC Phipps Plaza opened up across the street.
The shopping center has definitely not been demolished – it’s still thriving. From the outside, the theater remains unchanged. Not sure about inside.
Northlake 2 lasted until 1992, at least. I remember seeing “Lethal Weapon 3” there.
Now it’s a sporting goods store. C'est la vie.
I was an early ‘90s employee, and can verify there was a group that worked there for years. I was there from 10th grade until I left for college ('92-'94), and then one more summer after my freshman year at UGA. There were people there long before me who lasted for years after I left.
To correct some stuff from up above: AMC Northlake opened in 1984. The first movies I saw there (at 8 years old) were “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “Dune.” And Northlake 2 hung on until 1992. I specifically remember seeing some ‘92 releases over there (“Lethal Weapon 3” pops to mind).
I think AMC Northlake closed around ‘99. I know that’s when the Regal Hollywood 24 opened its doors, and the competition was obviously crushing.
Yeah, it was definitely around until the late ‘80s. I don’t think I saw anything there past '85 or so. “E.T.,” “Song of the South,” “Bambi,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Top Gun” are the titles I definitely remember seeing.
Yes, I was very young.