AMC Classic Woodbridge 5

I remember those movies coming out thar weekend at the Edwards Woodbridge because I was the General Manager of that theater

The 1983 romantic adventure “High Road to China” opened at the Woodbridge 40 years ago this weekend (March 18, 1983).

Starring Tom Selleck (in his first headlining feature film), Bess Armstrong & Wilford Brimley, the film debuted at number one on over 1,500 screens, knocking “Tootsie” out of the top spot after 13 weeks, and remained in the top ten until mid-April, finishing its domestic run with a take just north of $28 million.

Not a big hit, but an entertaining film with a wonderful score by John Barry.

The 1982 comedies “The Toy” starring Richard Pryor & Jackie Gleason & “Airplane II: The Sequel” starring Robert Hays & Julie Hagerty both opened at the Woodbridge 40 years ago today (Dec. 10, 1982).

Each film debuted on over 1,000 screens with high hopes for the holiday season but “The Toy” proved a bigger hit with audiences, finishing with a total domestic take of $47 million compared to $25 million for “Airplane II,” a far cry from the success of the 1980 original.

It appears the Woodbridge is once again “temporarily closed” as of today. Disconcerting at best since they just re-opened a month ago after a six-week renovation.

“House II: The Second Story” opened at the Woodbridge 35 years ago today (August 28, 1987).

Starring Arye Gross, Royal Dano & John Ratzenberger, the stand-alone sequel opened on over 1,000 screens but wasn’t exactly the sleeper hit its predecessor was the year before.

I saw it at the Woodbridge opening weekend and have always found it an amusing 90-minute diversion with a memorable performance by Dano as Gramps.

As the initial post regarding the Woodbridge’s summer renovation project has been deleted for some reason, I’ll provide an update: the Woodbridge has been closed since late July as AMC is installing reclining seats, updating restrooms and refreshing its concession stand to include a small bar.

According to the Woodbridge Village Assocation, the repairs were scheduled to be completed by August 25. However when I dropped by yesterday (Aug 25), the lobby was still full of workers & materials & the process appeared far from over.

Regal, Cinemark and AMC here in Asheville NC did that when they were installing the recliners. It was summer and Christmas time.

Disney’s groundbreaking sci-fi cult classic “Tron” opened at the Woodbridge 40 years ago this weekend (July 9, 1982).

Starring Jeff Bridges, David Warner & Bruce Boxleitner as the titular hero, the film debuted at number two (again behind “E.T.”) on 1,091 screens and was considered Disney’s event film for the year, complete with storybooks, action figures and its own arcade game.

Unfortunately, like most films that summer that didn’t feature a stranded space alien, it failed to find a foothold, dropping out of the top ten after just three weeks & seeing its theater count slashed in half within a month. It ended its run with a gross of $26 million, against a $17 million budget, finishing the year as the 26th highest-grossing film of 1982.

Like “Blade Runner & "The Thing,” “Tron” developed a cult following on home video where its unique, groundbreaking cinematic contributions (it was basically the first film to use extensive CGI) were studied & extolled by new generations of cinephiles over the years. A successful sequel was eventually made in 2010 (“Tron: Legacy”) with another film in development.

I saw “Tron” as an 11-year-old opening weekend at the Woodbridge, the same theater where that eponymous arcade game would rob me of so many quarters the next two years of my life.

Looks like the Woodbridge has ceased weekend matinees again as the schedule for April 23-24 shows only two screenings of each film per day with none starting before 4PM.

Looks like the Woodbridge continues to operate with just two screenings a day per movie, with none starting before 4pm, even on weekends.

Kind of sad neighborhood kids really don’t get to experience Saturday matiness like I did at the Woodridge growing up. Can’t imagine not having a noon or 1pm show to ride my bike to with friends, as it remains a very fond memory of my youth. Glad I grew up when I did.

David S. Ward’s barely seen 1982 dramedy “Cannery Row” opened at the Woodbridge 40 years ago this weekend (Feb. 12, 1982).

Adapted from the John Steinbeck novel, the film starred Nick Nolte & Debra Winger & was Ward’s directorial debut, nearly 10 years after winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for 1973’s “The Sting.”

Ward would later score a hit writing & directing 1989’s “Major League.”

I hate AMC’s website, by the way.

Back when AMC bought Starplex, we were told they planned on eventually conducting a remodel (similar to what they ended up doing with the former Starplex sites in Bakersfield and La Mirada). After taking over the site a full facility survey was conducted and some preliminary plans were created. I remember questioning the awkward positioning of the freestyle soda unit and was told that they wanted to leave room for installing a bar later on (the area currently occupied by video games). I suspect the delay in starting anything was merely the result of timing; the company’s unstable finances, followed by the pandemic, forced them to place such plans on hold and keep the theatre operating as more or less of a placeholder.

Of course, I’ve been out of the AMC Woodbridge loop for a few years now and their plans may have changed. However, being that they signed a new lease recently, I’d assume the original plans are back on the books. The site’s track record, area’s demographics, and the Irvine Company’s willingness to reinvest/share in construction expenses hold too much potential for them to walk away from (someone else would likely step in if they did).