Comments from thegreev

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thegreev
thegreev commented about AMC Circle 4 on Sep 20, 2006 at 1:50 pm

I lived in Norfolk during the 70s.. and saw “Star Wars” at this theatre. It wasn’t a four; it opened as a six-screen multiplex, and was named the Circle 6. At the time, it did big business. It was one of the “old style” early AMC houses, really just 6 narrow shoeboxes. People who cared about such things (few as they were) hated seeing a movie there. The other 542,000 packed the place.I assume the Military Circle Mall ain’t what it used to be back then?

thegreev
thegreev commented about JANAF Cinemas on Sep 20, 2006 at 1:42 pm

I lived in the Tidewater area in the 70s, and went to this theatre occasionally when it was a single screen. It was owned by General Cinema, and was one of their earliest (and unusual) layout schemes: i.e., there was no masking on the screen. GCC at that time liked the effect of what they called “shadowboxing” the projected picture. The plaster walls simply curved into the screen on the left and back out on the right. Aperture edges were all you got. Seats were the old “push-back” 2 position type, and not very comfortable. Still it did boffo biz back then. That area, with Military Circle across the street, used to be the hottest of the retail areas… anybody care to update me on what happened in that part of Norfolk?

thegreev
thegreev commented about Palace Theater on Sep 17, 2006 at 8:46 pm

The Palace, in its glory days:

thegreev
thegreev commented about Empire Theatre on Sep 17, 2006 at 7:38 pm

For a picture of the Empire’s auditorium, click below:
View link

thegreev
thegreev commented about Empire Theatre on Sep 16, 2006 at 9:28 pm

A terrific picture of the Empire is here:

View link

thegreev
thegreev commented about Regal Riverdale Cinema 3 on Sep 16, 2006 at 9:17 pm

Here is a photo of the Riverdale, circa 1970s:

thegreev
thegreev commented about Pocahontas Theatre on Sep 16, 2006 at 8:38 pm

Here is a photo of the Pocahontas Marquee:

thegreev
thegreev commented about Empire Theatre on Sep 15, 2006 at 12:52 pm

I was the manager of the Empire in 1969-1970, and it remains one of the favorites of my 30 year theatre management career. Remodeled into its final configuration in 1956, (it re-opened with John Wayne in “The Conqueror”), it had no balcony… rare for theatres of that era; all seats (776 of them) were on a single floor. I assumed management duties when the theatre was sold to Martin Theatres, and arrived during the roadshow engagement of “Funny Girl,” which played a total of 12 weeks.

I’m saddened that it’s gone; while it certainly wasn’t the most ornate of the movie palaces, seeing a film there was pure joy.