AMC Philadelphia Mills 14
1149 Franklin Mills Circle,
Philadelphia,
PA
19154
1149 Franklin Mills Circle,
Philadelphia,
PA
19154
9 people
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As many faults that AMC has I am glad they still use masking.
Had not been to this theater in many years. Just saw The Bikeriders here in one of the medium sized auditoriums this past Saturday. Unfortunately the place has not aged well. I can forgive the lack of recliner seating and aging worn decor given the current financial crunch of surviving the pandemic and the other financial woes of the movie theater business but some things are inexcusable like broken seats, dirty sticky theater floors, and filthy bathrooms with broken toilet seats are a disgrace. On a positive note, the staff were polite and the screen (at least in Aud #10) appeared to be in very good condition, the projection was bright, sharp, and clear and drum roll…….the screen still retained its side masking which was retracted for the feature which was in ‘scope.
This theatre’s opening films include For Richer or Poorer, Titanic (on three screens), Home Alone 3 (on two screens), Anastasia, Mouse Hunt (on two screens), Flubber, Tomorrow Never Dies (on three screens), and The Rainmaker.
December 19th, 1997 grand opening ad in photo section.
Seating for AMC Philadelphia Mills (GCC/AMC Franklin Mills) 14:
Theatres #1 & 14: 268 Seats
Theatres #2 & 13: 218 Seats
Theatres #3 & 12: 134 Seats
Theatres #4 & 11: 185 Seats Theatres #5 & 10: 278 Seats (Double Door Entrance)
Theatre #6: 338 Seats (Double Door Entrance)
Theatre #7: 391 Seats (Double Door Entrance)
Theatre #8 (IMAX Theatre): 339 Seats (Double Door Entrance)
Theatre #9: 336 Seats (Double Door Entrance)
since Mid october, this theatre is now known as AMC Philadelphia Mills 14. The mall itself since late September has been known as Philadelphia Mills Mall
I remember the old Franklin Mills building was purchased instead of leased by one of the Smith kids from General Cinema. The corporation lost their shirt on that purchase.
This theater used to show Hong Kong and Indian movies after midnight on Saturdays. I went to see a number of Hong Kong movies here back in the 90s. Usually people wouldn’t know what was showing until a couple days ahead of time when a poster would suddenly show up on a particular wall in Chinatown…
IMAX Corp. has retrofitting existing screens for the Digital IMAX. They mostr likely will never build a 70mm IMAX setup again. Franklin mills, along with Neshaminy, Hamilton, cherry Hill, and New Brunswick 18 will be getting Sanctum: An IMAX 3D Experience this Friday. King of Prussia will be keeping Tron Legacy IMAX 3D.
Since the end of 2010, the AMC Franlin Mills 14 Theatre has had a IMAX screen installed, joining AMC Neshaminy 24, AMC Hamilton 24, AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24, The Franklin Institude, and REG King of Prussia Stadium 16 as the only IMAX screens in the Philadelphia area
Ken MC, with HDTV267’s help, it appears we’ve just solved the mystery of the phantom Northeast Philadelphia theater of old called the “Plaza.” The photo that ministry uses at its website isn’t located in Northeast Philadelphia at all but rather is at 1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue NE, in Atlanta, Georgia. The CT webpage for it is /theaters/4226/
And from what I can determine, it’s still in operation and appears to be doing well and still has that great marquee.
Meantime, it should be clarified the Northeast Philly theater the ministry took over isn’t the AMC Franklin Mills 14 that remains in fullscale operation today but is the former GCC Franklin Mills 10 that had been on the mall’s outskirts.
OK, thanks.
Hmmm, just came back from visiting that link you provided — which by rights I should’ve done first before posting — and have no knowledge of any theater of old in Northeast Philadelphia called the Plaza, in the Franklin Mills area or otherwise. So now you’ve got me curious, too! I grew up here in NE Philly, but never remember ever seeing any movie listings for a Plaza theater other than the link I gave you. So if you find out anything please let me know as well. Thanks!
You don’t mean “was” but is, while meantime here’s the CT link for it: /theaters/17221_0_2_0_C/
If you’re planning to go there, when you get to Roosevelt Boulevard and Grant Avenue veer west on Grant, Grant Plaza Shopping Center will immediately appear on your right, and you’ll see the United Artists Grant Plaza Cinema 9 to the far other side of it across its large parking area. Be forewarned there’s no marquee, so if you want to know what’s showing you’ll have to check the newspaper listings. It isn’t cheap, but at least it’s tidily maintained, unlike how it was with the AMC Orleans.
Any idea where the Plaza Theater was in NE Philadelphia? I can’t find it on CT, but I think I’m looking under the wrong name. Any help would be great.
http://tinyurl.com/6ytpqh
The June 1999 Philadelphia Magazine rated this theater (then a GCC) a 3.8 on a 1 to 5 scale. The highest possible rating was achieved for Seating, and very high ratings for Screen & Sound and Cleanliness. Comment was “Big hair and big attitudes, but not the worst place to see a movie in the Northeast”
By Northeast, the magazine means in Northeast Philadelphia.
Two photos of the exterior:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrambojr/153393987/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrambojr/145428630/
It is rather far from downtown. There are more convenient movie theaters to get to from downtown. If on the other hand, you’d like a shopping expedition at Franklin Mills, it is perfectly doable.
How far is Franklin Mills from downtown?
12-21-1997 Philadelphia Inquirer article stated that on 12-19-97 the GCC Franklin Mills theater “moved” to the mall, with THX, digital sound, stadium seats (the 1st in Philadelphia, love seats, for total of 3636 seats.
That’s what I assumed, too, Mike. But with this current state of PA government we have (2006), if the Donald says he’s open to building one of his big casinos at the Franklin Mills site, why do I get a sense that the existing regulations can get changed in a Staten Island minute? I could just see it now; they’d say technically Philadelphia Park is a racino not a casino, giving Trump the full green light to plow ahead if he so wishes and decides he does like that site. But other than you I haven’t heard anything to the rumor since, so I don’t know. But if by chance you hear anything let us all know. Thanks!
The state of Pa won’t let and casino be built of the Franklin Mills site, since Philadelphia Park will have a casino site only a mile away.
I liked it better when it was the stand-alone theater right next to the mall. Either way, it’s a passable ‘plex, although I gotta wonder if AMC needs this one and the Woodhaven, especially when they’re so darn close to each other.
Does anyone have anything to substantiate the currently circulating rumor that Franklin Mills Mall is going to be shutting down in full soon, and that Donald Trump is eyeing the site for the possibility of building one of his largescale casino complexes there?