A different site states the theatre closed a month earlier:
“…Cinema X [closed] on February 3, 1982 after hosting the double feature ‘Sex Boat’ and ‘Hot Channels.’ The theater closed as part of a negotiated agreement with the commonwealth of Kentucky taking over the building in exchange for fines against the cinema. Later that year, the state gave the building to the city of Newport so that it could be demolished for a parking lot. Demolition began on March 1, 1983 and a sign now designates the spot as the Historic Taylor’s Landing public parking lot.”
At the beginning of Willis Vance’s management, this theatre was called the Eden, no doubt due to its proximity to lovely Eden Park. Vance also managed the State in Newport, KY, before it became Cinema X, and the Ohio in Norwood.
I believe the Laemmle family that operates this theatre chain were cousins to the Carl Laemmle family, with no direct ties or financial interest in Universal Studios.
Also, for those who saw the recent CBS News “48 HOURS” episode about murdered starlet Christa Helm, her ill-fated debut film LET’S GO FOR BROKE had it’s world premiere (and only public) engagement at the 20th Century in 1974.
I could have sworn they had a ground-floor crying room as well – my father pointed it out to me when I was in middle school and we went to movies there. Although, that could have been the nearby Ambassador theatre instead.
I want to say that for a brief time, this drive-in reopened in the early ‘80’s as the “Captain Kidd” or “Captain Blood,” maybe for only a summer. If it wasn’t this location, it had to be nearby.
The plans have changed. The property will not be a Crobar-branded venue like the ones in Chicago and Miami, but will still be a multi-purpose live performance venue. This article provides links to other related ones.
a sampling of some of the offerings at the Vista when Landmark was booking the theatre:
1 9 8 3 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
Wolf Gremm’s FABIAN
Marc Huestis’ WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SUSAN JANE
Ed Pincus’ DIARIES
Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
Jean-Luc Godard’s MADE IN U.S.A.
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
“Dial M for Mysteryâ€
Contemporary Gay Cinema
“Screen Dreamsâ€
“Buried Treasures†â€" featuring premieres of
John Huston’s PHOBIA
Fritz Lang’s TIGRESS OF BENGAL
Ettore Scola’s ROCCO IN CHICAGO
Claude Whatham’s SWEET WILLIAM
Ivan Passer’s CRIME AND PASSION
Ingmar Bergman
Bette Davis
Wim Wenders
Dance Festival
Tennessee Williams
Preston Sturges
SPECIAL EVENTS
Robert Israel accompanies Albert Parker’s THE BLACK PIRATE and Erich von Stroheim’s BLIND HUSBANDS
Tribute to Vivian Blaine
1 9 8 4 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
Victor Schonfeld’s THE ANIMALS FILM
Philo Bregstein’s WHOEVER SAYS THE TRUTH SHALL DIE
King Hu’s A TOUCH OF ZEN
David Cronenberg’s STEREO
David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
David Cronenberg’s ITALIAN MACHINE
Eldar Ryazanov’s BEWARE OF CARS
Eldar Ryazanov’s IRONY OF FATE
Eloi de la Iglesia’s EL DIPUTADO
Tom Huckabee & Kent Smith’s TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN
Mai Zetterling’s SCRUBBERS
Robert Epstein & Richard Schmiechen’s THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
Michael Raeburn’s THE GRASS IS SINGING a/k/a KILLING HEAT
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Federico Fellini
“Czech it Out!†â€" Czechoslovakian films, featuring premieres of
Jiri Menzel’s SHORTCUTS
Oldrich Lipsky’s THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS
Vaclav Vorlicek’s HOW TO DROWN DOCTOR MRACEK
Ladislav Smoljak’s RUN WAITER, RUN
Martin Holly’s SIGNUM LAUDIS
Zoro Zahon’s THE ASSISTANT
Christopher Isherwood
“A Tribute to L.A.†â€" 24 films salute the host city of the 1984 Olympics
“Summer Campâ€
Best of the 1984 New York Gay Film Festival â€" featuring premieres of
Amos Guttman’s DRIFTING
George Katakouzinos’ ANGEL
Rosa von Praunheim’s CITY OF LOST SOULS
Phillipe Vallois’ RAINBOW SERPENT
Edward Fleming’s MIRROR, MIRROR
Tuija-Maija Niskanen’s THE FAREWELL
“A World of Danceâ€
Alfred Hitchcock
“Japanese Cinema†â€" featuring premieres of
Yoichi Takabayahsi’s IREZUMI â€" SPIRIT OF THE TATTOO
Nagisa Oshima’s CRUEL STORY OF YOUTH
The San Francisco Gay Erotic Film Festival
Jean Cocteau
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Michael Todd’s AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS â€" original roadshow version, technicolor print
Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST â€" original uncut version
SPECIAL EVENTS
“The Hollywood Hall of Shame†â€" Harry and Michael Medved in person to introduce infamous films
1 9 8 5 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
David Stevens’ THE CLINIC
Ji-Shun Duan & Junya Sato’s THE GO MASTERS
Patrice Chereau’s L’HOMME BLESSE
Nikita Mikhalkov’s WITHOUT WITNESS
Renato Castellani’s LIFE OF VERDI
Wim Wenders’ TOKYO
Daniel Schmid’s TOSCA’S KISS
Francois Bei & Gerard Vienne’s THE CLAW & THE TOOTH
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Joan Crawford
Derek Jarman
“Nagisa Oshima Rediscoveriesâ€
Opera Festival
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Tennessee Williams
“Australian Film Festival†â€" featuring premieres of
Michael Pattinson’s MOVING OUT
Scott Hicks’ FREEDOM
Bruce Beresford’s BARRY MACKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN
Kevin James Dobson’s SQUIZZY TAYLOR
Michael Thornhill’s BETWEEN WARS
“Ozu/Mizoguchiâ€
“Heroes and Legendsâ€
“Great Ladies of the Silver Screenâ€
USC student films
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Hideo Goyoshin’s GOYOKIN
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s OEDIPUS REX
For some historical interest, here are some of the initial offerings when Landmark took over booking the theatre in 1992:
PREMIERES
Lol Creme’s THE LUNATIC
Monika Treut’s MY FATHER IS COMING
Peter Cohen’s THE ARCHITECTURE OF DOOM
Abbe Wool’s ROADSIDE PROPHETS
Sam Fuller’s WHITE DOG
Jon Jost’s ALL THE VERMEERS IN NEW YORK
Randy Thompson’s THE MONTANA RUN
Suzie Baer’s WARRIOR: THE LIFE OF LEONARD PELTIER
Murray Lerner’s JIMI HENDRIX AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT
David Byrne’s ILE AIYE: THE HOUSE OF LIFE
Philip Haas’ GIANT WOMAN AND THE LAUGHING MAN
Declan Lowney’s BOB MARLEY: TIME WILL TELL
Hutt/Elgear/Meleran’s VOICES FROM THE FRONT
Katherine Gilday’s THE FAMINE WITHIN
Norman Loftis’ SMALL TIME
Barbara Trent’s THE PANAMA DECEPTION
Francis Girod’s L’ELEGANT CRIMINEL
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Humphrey Bogart
“Japanese Animation†â€" featuring premieres of
Toyoo Ashida’s VAMPIRE HUNTER D
Mamoru Shinzaki’s BAREFOOT GEN
“Film Threat Presents†â€" series of premieres and revivals including
Leonard Kastle’s THE HONEYMOON KILLERS
Craig Baldwin’s TRIBULATION 99: ALIEN ANOMALIES UNDER AMERICA
David Van Taylor’s DREAM DECEIVERS
Shinya Tsukamoto’s TETSUO: THE IRON MAN
Henri Xhonneux’s MARQUIS
“Reemergence: Jewish Life in Eastern Europeâ€
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL â€" original European version
F.W. Murnau’s TABU new print of restored version
Merian C. Cooper and Ernest P. Schoedsack’s CHANG new print of restored version
Frank Capra’s BROADWAY BILL new print
Yves Allegret’s THE PROUD ONES new print of uncut restored edition
SPECIAL EVENTS
William Osco’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND plays midnights
“Film Threat Presents†â€" series of midnight movies including premieres of
Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK
Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK 2
Jorg Buttgereit’s THE DEATH KING
While I do not have any clearer details, what the above poster said is true: Landmark does not want to leave, but it has been effectively given the heave by the property owner.
The recourse that film lovers may have is that in order for the owner to get anything done with the building, such as put in his underground parking or redo the interior, he must get approval from Santa Monica city council. He owns a retirement home nearby that he has repeatedly attempted to raze for luxury apartments, but the residents have mobilized each time his application comes up in front of council and vigorously protested, thus keeping him from kicking them out. So if enough people go to protest his plans when he tries to get them past council, he may have to give up. It won’t be easy, it will require effort, but there is some degree of hope.
The Westwood Regent is safe for now: a long-term lease is in effect.
Damien, Black Abba screenings are NOT public knowledge, NOT open to the public, are NOT free, and are PRIVATE, INVITE-ONLY shows. I would really appreciate it if you removed all posts pertaining to this matter, lest I have to cancel the entire series.
The property is dormant right now. I wonder what it would take to do any sort of temporary film screening there, like a Last Remaining Seats for Hipsters?
As fun as it would be to see classic movies at the National, it does butt up against the nearby Landmark Nuart and their longstanding Friday midnight movie series. Thus, the National should do something more unique if they want to have midnight shows, such as
a) only run 70MM prints. That’s something the Nuart definitely can’t do;
b) add midnight shows to their regular features. I was shocked and amazed that when the National opened HOSTEL PART II that they did not schedule either an advance Thursday 12:01 show or have weekend midnights. That would have seemed a no-brainer.
c) find a new movie that could easily become a cult film, plug it in at midnight, stick with it for a few weeks or months, and let people find it. After all, classics like PINK FLAMINGOS and ERASERHEAD took years to build an audience. There’s gotta be plenty of weird, crazy new movies that could benefit from a residency at a great theatre like the National. And that would be the thing to get attention for the place…“Hey, what’s that movie that only shows at the National at midnight?”
All of those things would be original enough to offer something different. Otherwise, to just do the same ol' midnight movies that Nuart is doing would ultimately dilute an already finite audience.
Also, the initial first-run engagement of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW was here (in its UA Westwood days), back when it was treated as a “normal” movie and not a cult curiosity. Supposedly, this was one of the few theatres where the movie was successful, and there was already a sort of recurring clientele that attended which suggested to Fox executive Ashley Boone that the movie could have a second life as a midnight movie.
At the recent memorial service for cinematographer Gary Graver, a photograph was shown, likely of ‘70’s or '80’s vintage, of him standing outside the theatre. It was credited to a recent TCM documentary EDGE OF OUTSIDE. It made me sad for losing both a talented guy and a classic theatre.
The Carousel was on Reading Road, across the street from a similarly named (but not co-owned) motel, the Carrousel Inn. It had a beautiful big room capable of running 70mm – I saw STAR TREK IV and other movies in there. I believe in the ‘70’s they built a second screen adjacent to the big room, making the complex a twin. In the smaller room I saw the '80’s revivals of VERTIGO and THE RESCUERS: there was a pretty girl named Wendy I had a crush on who worked there during that time. Alas, no romance blossomed. :(
Not too far from this location was another theatre that I have yet to see get a page at this site: the Valley. I only went there a few times as a child and have a hazy memory of it’s layout, but I suspect it was a single screen that was doubled in the ‘70’s. Any former Roselawn residents out there who can update?
For years the extended Heuck family have entertained pipe dreams of somehow reviving the space as a theatre, especially during the “brewery” revival in the ‘90’s. From what I understand, they were thwarted by a now-deceased community activist who insisted that the apartments in the complex were needed for the poor in the area. I don’t know all the details though of what exactly the evolution of the land has been – what I get is often sifted through myth, old age, and hype.
This was one of the few screens that General Cinema operated in Cincinnati. In the ‘70’s, there were three chains in the city: Mid-States Theatres (which went through multiple acquisitions by USA Cinemas and then Loews), National Amusements (who eventually bought out all the Loews screens in the '90’s), and General Cinema. GC had only two locations I can recall from childhood: the Gold Circle Twin, and the Western Woods Plaza in Western Hills. The Western Hills location closed by the '80’s, and I don’t know if in its final days the Gold Circle was still operated by GC.
The Heuck’s also claimed to have one of the first revolving doors in the country, but that patrons did not understand the concept and it had to replaced with a conventional entrance.
Was the Lyric initially known as Peoples' Theatre? That’s how it was always referred to in my family…being that I am a Heuck. ;)
The dirty and unconfirmed word on the street is that the landlord was unwilling to make certain physical improvements to the building, so Laemmle chose not to renew their lease.
I would like to see someone else take over the place, but I doubt anyone will be able to operate it as well as Laemmle did.
I live in L.A. myself, I’m a Columbus native. I suppose a call to the Chamber of Commerce would yield the current landowner. Sorry that I don’t have more info to make it easier for you.
If you were feeling really ambitious, I would strongly suggest rehabbing one of the many dormant theatres in downtown L.A. The neighborhood is going through a big gentrification influx with lots of young types with disposable income, but there’s few entertainment options close by right now. There’s talk of building “entertainment developments” with multiplexes and stuff, but even those are probably decades away from happening, so this would be a chance to plant a marker down first. And of course, get lots of community goodwill.
The Linden-Air drive-in in Columbus, Ohio, has been long closed but at last check the stand, screen, and marquee are still intact. The land is overgrown and needs clean-up, and there may be a little environmental inspection necessary, but there would be a lot of grateful car folk to have that place back in action.
A different site states the theatre closed a month earlier:
“…Cinema X [closed] on February 3, 1982 after hosting the double feature ‘Sex Boat’ and ‘Hot Channels.’ The theater closed as part of a negotiated agreement with the commonwealth of Kentucky taking over the building in exchange for fines against the cinema. Later that year, the state gave the building to the city of Newport so that it could be demolished for a parking lot. Demolition began on March 1, 1983 and a sign now designates the spot as the Historic Taylor’s Landing public parking lot.”
View link
At the beginning of Willis Vance’s management, this theatre was called the Eden, no doubt due to its proximity to lovely Eden Park. Vance also managed the State in Newport, KY, before it became Cinema X, and the Ohio in Norwood.
I believe the Laemmle family that operates this theatre chain were cousins to the Carl Laemmle family, with no direct ties or financial interest in Universal Studios.
Also, for those who saw the recent CBS News “48 HOURS” episode about murdered starlet Christa Helm, her ill-fated debut film LET’S GO FOR BROKE had it’s world premiere (and only public) engagement at the 20th Century in 1974.
I could have sworn they had a ground-floor crying room as well – my father pointed it out to me when I was in middle school and we went to movies there. Although, that could have been the nearby Ambassador theatre instead.
In fairness to Landmark, they did not drop the NuWilshire – they were evicted by the landlord who wanted the space for retail development.
I want to say that for a brief time, this drive-in reopened in the early ‘80’s as the “Captain Kidd” or “Captain Blood,” maybe for only a summer. If it wasn’t this location, it had to be nearby.
The plans have changed. The property will not be a Crobar-branded venue like the ones in Chicago and Miami, but will still be a multi-purpose live performance venue. This article provides links to other related ones.
View link
It’s expected to open in the fall.
I think a prankster just managed to rearrange some of the letters left behind on the marquee.
a sampling of some of the offerings at the Vista when Landmark was booking the theatre:
1 9 8 3 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
Wolf Gremm’s FABIAN
Marc Huestis’ WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SUSAN JANE
Ed Pincus’ DIARIES
Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
Jean-Luc Godard’s MADE IN U.S.A.
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
“Dial M for Mysteryâ€
Contemporary Gay Cinema
“Screen Dreamsâ€
“Buried Treasures†â€" featuring premieres of
John Huston’s PHOBIA
Fritz Lang’s TIGRESS OF BENGAL
Ettore Scola’s ROCCO IN CHICAGO
Claude Whatham’s SWEET WILLIAM
Ivan Passer’s CRIME AND PASSION
Ingmar Bergman
Bette Davis
Wim Wenders
Dance Festival
Tennessee Williams
Preston Sturges
SPECIAL EVENTS
Robert Israel accompanies Albert Parker’s THE BLACK PIRATE and Erich von Stroheim’s BLIND HUSBANDS
Tribute to Vivian Blaine
1 9 8 4 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
Victor Schonfeld’s THE ANIMALS FILM
Philo Bregstein’s WHOEVER SAYS THE TRUTH SHALL DIE
King Hu’s A TOUCH OF ZEN
David Cronenberg’s STEREO
David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
David Cronenberg’s ITALIAN MACHINE
Eldar Ryazanov’s BEWARE OF CARS
Eldar Ryazanov’s IRONY OF FATE
Eloi de la Iglesia’s EL DIPUTADO
Tom Huckabee & Kent Smith’s TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN
Mai Zetterling’s SCRUBBERS
Robert Epstein & Richard Schmiechen’s THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK
Michael Raeburn’s THE GRASS IS SINGING a/k/a KILLING HEAT
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Federico Fellini
“Czech it Out!†â€" Czechoslovakian films, featuring premieres of
Jiri Menzel’s SHORTCUTS
Oldrich Lipsky’s THE MYSTERIOUS CASTLE IN THE CARPATHIANS
Vaclav Vorlicek’s HOW TO DROWN DOCTOR MRACEK
Ladislav Smoljak’s RUN WAITER, RUN
Martin Holly’s SIGNUM LAUDIS
Zoro Zahon’s THE ASSISTANT
Christopher Isherwood
“A Tribute to L.A.†â€" 24 films salute the host city of the 1984 Olympics
“Summer Campâ€
Best of the 1984 New York Gay Film Festival â€" featuring premieres of
Amos Guttman’s DRIFTING
George Katakouzinos’ ANGEL
Rosa von Praunheim’s CITY OF LOST SOULS
Phillipe Vallois’ RAINBOW SERPENT
Edward Fleming’s MIRROR, MIRROR
Tuija-Maija Niskanen’s THE FAREWELL
“A World of Danceâ€
Alfred Hitchcock
“Japanese Cinema†â€" featuring premieres of
Yoichi Takabayahsi’s IREZUMI â€" SPIRIT OF THE TATTOO
Nagisa Oshima’s CRUEL STORY OF YOUTH
The San Francisco Gay Erotic Film Festival
Jean Cocteau
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Michael Todd’s AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS â€" original roadshow version, technicolor print
Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST â€" original uncut version
SPECIAL EVENTS
“The Hollywood Hall of Shame†â€" Harry and Michael Medved in person to introduce infamous films
1 9 8 5 (incomplete)
PREMIERES
David Stevens’ THE CLINIC
Ji-Shun Duan & Junya Sato’s THE GO MASTERS
Patrice Chereau’s L’HOMME BLESSE
Nikita Mikhalkov’s WITHOUT WITNESS
Renato Castellani’s LIFE OF VERDI
Wim Wenders’ TOKYO
Daniel Schmid’s TOSCA’S KISS
Francois Bei & Gerard Vienne’s THE CLAW & THE TOOTH
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Joan Crawford
Derek Jarman
“Nagisa Oshima Rediscoveriesâ€
Opera Festival
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Tennessee Williams
“Australian Film Festival†â€" featuring premieres of
Michael Pattinson’s MOVING OUT
Scott Hicks’ FREEDOM
Bruce Beresford’s BARRY MACKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN
Kevin James Dobson’s SQUIZZY TAYLOR
Michael Thornhill’s BETWEEN WARS
“Ozu/Mizoguchiâ€
“Heroes and Legendsâ€
“Great Ladies of the Silver Screenâ€
USC student films
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Hideo Goyoshin’s GOYOKIN
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s OEDIPUS REX
For some historical interest, here are some of the initial offerings when Landmark took over booking the theatre in 1992:
PREMIERES
Lol Creme’s THE LUNATIC
Monika Treut’s MY FATHER IS COMING
Peter Cohen’s THE ARCHITECTURE OF DOOM
Abbe Wool’s ROADSIDE PROPHETS
Sam Fuller’s WHITE DOG
Jon Jost’s ALL THE VERMEERS IN NEW YORK
Randy Thompson’s THE MONTANA RUN
Suzie Baer’s WARRIOR: THE LIFE OF LEONARD PELTIER
Murray Lerner’s JIMI HENDRIX AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT
David Byrne’s ILE AIYE: THE HOUSE OF LIFE
Philip Haas’ GIANT WOMAN AND THE LAUGHING MAN
Declan Lowney’s BOB MARLEY: TIME WILL TELL
Hutt/Elgear/Meleran’s VOICES FROM THE FRONT
Katherine Gilday’s THE FAMINE WITHIN
Norman Loftis’ SMALL TIME
Barbara Trent’s THE PANAMA DECEPTION
Francis Girod’s L’ELEGANT CRIMINEL
FESTIVALS AND TRIBUTES
Humphrey Bogart
“Japanese Animation†â€" featuring premieres of
Toyoo Ashida’s VAMPIRE HUNTER D
Mamoru Shinzaki’s BAREFOOT GEN
“Film Threat Presents†â€" series of premieres and revivals including
Leonard Kastle’s THE HONEYMOON KILLERS
Craig Baldwin’s TRIBULATION 99: ALIEN ANOMALIES UNDER AMERICA
David Van Taylor’s DREAM DECEIVERS
Shinya Tsukamoto’s TETSUO: THE IRON MAN
Henri Xhonneux’s MARQUIS
“Reemergence: Jewish Life in Eastern Europeâ€
RESTORATIONS AND REVIVALS
Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL â€" original European version
F.W. Murnau’s TABU new print of restored version
Merian C. Cooper and Ernest P. Schoedsack’s CHANG new print of restored version
Frank Capra’s BROADWAY BILL new print
Yves Allegret’s THE PROUD ONES new print of uncut restored edition
SPECIAL EVENTS
William Osco’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND plays midnights
“Film Threat Presents†â€" series of midnight movies including premieres of
Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK
Jorg Buttgereit’s NEKROMANTIK 2
Jorg Buttgereit’s THE DEATH KING
While I do not have any clearer details, what the above poster said is true: Landmark does not want to leave, but it has been effectively given the heave by the property owner.
The recourse that film lovers may have is that in order for the owner to get anything done with the building, such as put in his underground parking or redo the interior, he must get approval from Santa Monica city council. He owns a retirement home nearby that he has repeatedly attempted to raze for luxury apartments, but the residents have mobilized each time his application comes up in front of council and vigorously protested, thus keeping him from kicking them out. So if enough people go to protest his plans when he tries to get them past council, he may have to give up. It won’t be easy, it will require effort, but there is some degree of hope.
The Westwood Regent is safe for now: a long-term lease is in effect.
Damien, Black Abba screenings are NOT public knowledge, NOT open to the public, are NOT free, and are PRIVATE, INVITE-ONLY shows. I would really appreciate it if you removed all posts pertaining to this matter, lest I have to cancel the entire series.
The property is dormant right now. I wonder what it would take to do any sort of temporary film screening there, like a Last Remaining Seats for Hipsters?
As fun as it would be to see classic movies at the National, it does butt up against the nearby Landmark Nuart and their longstanding Friday midnight movie series. Thus, the National should do something more unique if they want to have midnight shows, such as
a) only run 70MM prints. That’s something the Nuart definitely can’t do;
b) add midnight shows to their regular features. I was shocked and amazed that when the National opened HOSTEL PART II that they did not schedule either an advance Thursday 12:01 show or have weekend midnights. That would have seemed a no-brainer.
c) find a new movie that could easily become a cult film, plug it in at midnight, stick with it for a few weeks or months, and let people find it. After all, classics like PINK FLAMINGOS and ERASERHEAD took years to build an audience. There’s gotta be plenty of weird, crazy new movies that could benefit from a residency at a great theatre like the National. And that would be the thing to get attention for the place…“Hey, what’s that movie that only shows at the National at midnight?”
All of those things would be original enough to offer something different. Otherwise, to just do the same ol' midnight movies that Nuart is doing would ultimately dilute an already finite audience.
Also, the initial first-run engagement of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW was here (in its UA Westwood days), back when it was treated as a “normal” movie and not a cult curiosity. Supposedly, this was one of the few theatres where the movie was successful, and there was already a sort of recurring clientele that attended which suggested to Fox executive Ashley Boone that the movie could have a second life as a midnight movie.
At the recent memorial service for cinematographer Gary Graver, a photograph was shown, likely of ‘70’s or '80’s vintage, of him standing outside the theatre. It was credited to a recent TCM documentary EDGE OF OUTSIDE. It made me sad for losing both a talented guy and a classic theatre.
The Carousel was on Reading Road, across the street from a similarly named (but not co-owned) motel, the Carrousel Inn. It had a beautiful big room capable of running 70mm – I saw STAR TREK IV and other movies in there. I believe in the ‘70’s they built a second screen adjacent to the big room, making the complex a twin. In the smaller room I saw the '80’s revivals of VERTIGO and THE RESCUERS: there was a pretty girl named Wendy I had a crush on who worked there during that time. Alas, no romance blossomed. :(
Not too far from this location was another theatre that I have yet to see get a page at this site: the Valley. I only went there a few times as a child and have a hazy memory of it’s layout, but I suspect it was a single screen that was doubled in the ‘70’s. Any former Roselawn residents out there who can update?
For years the extended Heuck family have entertained pipe dreams of somehow reviving the space as a theatre, especially during the “brewery” revival in the ‘90’s. From what I understand, they were thwarted by a now-deceased community activist who insisted that the apartments in the complex were needed for the poor in the area. I don’t know all the details though of what exactly the evolution of the land has been – what I get is often sifted through myth, old age, and hype.
This was one of the few screens that General Cinema operated in Cincinnati. In the ‘70’s, there were three chains in the city: Mid-States Theatres (which went through multiple acquisitions by USA Cinemas and then Loews), National Amusements (who eventually bought out all the Loews screens in the '90’s), and General Cinema. GC had only two locations I can recall from childhood: the Gold Circle Twin, and the Western Woods Plaza in Western Hills. The Western Hills location closed by the '80’s, and I don’t know if in its final days the Gold Circle was still operated by GC.
The Heuck’s also claimed to have one of the first revolving doors in the country, but that patrons did not understand the concept and it had to replaced with a conventional entrance.
Was the Lyric initially known as Peoples' Theatre? That’s how it was always referred to in my family…being that I am a Heuck. ;)
The dirty and unconfirmed word on the street is that the landlord was unwilling to make certain physical improvements to the building, so Laemmle chose not to renew their lease.
I would like to see someone else take over the place, but I doubt anyone will be able to operate it as well as Laemmle did.
I live in L.A. myself, I’m a Columbus native. I suppose a call to the Chamber of Commerce would yield the current landowner. Sorry that I don’t have more info to make it easier for you.
If you were feeling really ambitious, I would strongly suggest rehabbing one of the many dormant theatres in downtown L.A. The neighborhood is going through a big gentrification influx with lots of young types with disposable income, but there’s few entertainment options close by right now. There’s talk of building “entertainment developments” with multiplexes and stuff, but even those are probably decades away from happening, so this would be a chance to plant a marker down first. And of course, get lots of community goodwill.
The Linden-Air drive-in in Columbus, Ohio, has been long closed but at last check the stand, screen, and marquee are still intact. The land is overgrown and needs clean-up, and there may be a little environmental inspection necessary, but there would be a lot of grateful car folk to have that place back in action.
/theaters/10712/
I grew up in Clifton, and as much as I love the place, it’s a suburb, not a city: this theatre should be listed as located in Cincinnati.