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The latest movie theater news and updates
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July 13, 2007
‘Blobfest’ at Phoenixville’s Colonial Theatre
PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Nearly fifty years ago, the Blob literally appeared at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville (on-screen, at least), causing panic and terror as the gelatinous creature seeped into the movie house. The sci-fi classic was filmed in and around this Chester county town in 1957, bringing a little bit of Hollywood for a time to the Phoenixville area, including the film’s star Steve McQueen. The Colonial, which opened in 1903 as a legitimate and vaudeville house, later turned to movies, but declined in more recent decades. It was acquired by the Phoenixville Area Economic Development Corp. in 1995 and for the next several years, was closed for renovation and restoration. It was reopened in 1999, and today features independent and classic films as well as live entertainment. It has also, since reopening, been host to “Blobfest”, a yearly event honoring the film that made the Colonial and Phoenixville famous.
This year’s “Blobfest” is today and tomorrow, July 13th and 14th, and will include a scream contest, costume contest, street fair, live music, a “running out of the theater” reenactment, and of course, screenings of “The Blob” and other sci-fi films. Further information on “Blobfest” and other events at the theater can be found at the Colonial Theatre’s website.
See the related story in yesterday’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Possible Hollywood strike
The deadline is quickly approaching for writers in the entertainment to reach new contract agreements. The major dispute is over residuals writers receive from DVD sales.
As screenwriters near the start of pivotal labor talks with film studios and TV networks next week, concerns about a possible strike are running high in Hollywood.
Negotiations will begin next Monday on a new three-year contract between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writers Guild of America.
The idea of essentially deferring a battle over the greatest potential stumbling blocks in lieu of a major study of those issues was floated on Wednesday by several industry chiefs during a briefing.
Read the full story at Reuters.
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TRANSFORMERS at the Orpheum!
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July 12, 2007
Academy Theater book release
INGLEWOOD, CA — The official release date of the highly anticipated coffee table book, “The Incredible History of The Academy Theater”, will be released on November 9, 2007. The invitation only and VIP book signing and reception will be held in the lobby of the Academy.
BEM Books, the publishers, have launched this official website as the official “pre-order” website for this incredible piece of history.
The book will retail for $49.95, however, if you order online between July 11, 2007 and August 1, 2007 you can purchase the book for only $40, plus shipping and handling. This will guarantee you admission to the VIP book signing and reception. To order your copy, log in to the site. Your order is guaranteed and your information secured. For questions call Mr. Thomas at 310-357-5462
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AMC vs. Clearview in Morris County
ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP, NJ — Here’s a link to a story that I read in the Daily Record about the tough movie theater competition between two chains in Morris County, AMC Entertainment and Clearview. It’s a well written article by a young 30-ish guy, Matt Manochio, and I told him why I chose AMC over Clearview due to its close proximity to my hometown in Rockaway, where the chain returned to its roots after a five year absence.
He included some of the people’s opinion about Clearview (which owns most of the theaters in the coutny) and AMC (which owns only two, one of which used to be a Loews/Sony) and put it into today’s article, which is on the front page.
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July 11, 2007
Garden Theatre signs theatre company
WINTER GARDEN, FL — The Garden Theatre proudly welcomes
Jester Theater as a programming partner for the 2008 season and into the future. The critically acclaimed professional theatre company will produce all of its shows to Garden Theatre audiences, and is set to perform two shows in the inaugural season and three to four shows each year in the following seasons.Founded in August 2004, by husband and wife team Jay and Diana Hopkins, Jester Theater Company is an all-comedy group that has been producing full-length family-friendly comedies to sold-out crowds in downtown Orlando and, most recently, Germany. Their top quality original works and world premieres make this an ideal match for the Garden Theatre to open its inaugural programming schedule. The Garden Theatre is proud to announce its first live theatrical run, “The Musical of Musicals: The Musical!" playing February 1-17, 2008.
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City aims to oust Capitol trustee
WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA — The city of Windsor, embroiled in a dispute with bankruptcy trustee Stephen Funtig, is seeking his removal as trustee of the closed Capitol Theatre. The city also wishes to remove former city clerk Tom Lynd as one of the creditors directing Funtig claiming conflict of interest.
The theatre closed last March and the city is accusing Funtig of failing to negotiate an agreement on the theatre’s fate in a timely fashion.
It is the latest salvo fired in the ongoing saga of the bankrupt theatre which has has remained closed since March, mired in a dispute over its debts and its fate.
City authorities maintain $1.8 million loaned to the theatre in the mid-1990s gives the city rights to the building following the recent bankruptcy.
More details are available from the Windsor Star.
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July 10, 2007
Changing face of L.A. moviegoing
The changing face of moviegoing in Los Angeles is profiled in this L.A. Times article including how difficult it is for single screen Crest in Westwood to continue to book movies and how appreciated the new Landmark is.
Some guys daydream about playing center field for the Dodgers. Others wish they had as much luck with women as Antonio Villaraigosa. But when I’m in my car, trapped in the Westside’s endless rush hour traffic, all I can fantasize about is how good life would be if there were more great movie theaters on my side of town.
There have been many nights when I could fly and see a movie in San Francisco faster than plowing through the Westside’s snarled traffic to where the ArcLight sits in the distant reaches of Hollywood.
Luckily, I now have two beloved neighborhood theaters: the sleek new 12-screen Landmark complex alongside the Westside Pavilion and the handsome old Westwood Crest Theater, a 1940-era movie house on Westwood Boulevard. As different as they may appear on the surface, they are fascinating examples of the brave new world of high-quality movie exhibition, a world full of movies aimed at — gasp — people who aren’t dying to see “Transformers.”
A slide show has wonderful photos including beautiful interior photos of the Crest, Los Angeles and Orpheum.
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A night at the Parkway
CHICAGO, IL — Scott Marks shares some memories of his days working at the Parkway Theatre.
The Parkway was a grind house in the purest sense of the term. Located at Clark & Diversey in Chicago, the theatre never took an intermission break going from Feature 1 to trailers to Feature 2 to trailers, etc.
For years, the Parkway wallowed in Grade Z material, but late in 1979, the Landmark chain purchased the joint and turned it into a revival house. I managed the place for a couple years in the early 80s, just before home video made its debut.
Read the full post along with an image of a schedule from the theatre on Empulsion Compulsion.
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Port Theatre up for absolute auction August 2nd
PORT ST. JOE, FL — A historic Florida movie theatre is going up for Auction August 2nd at 11:00 am EDT, selling Absolute!
The wonderful Port Theatre located in Port St. Joe opened in 1938 and showed its last film in 1967. For the past 12 years, it has been an auction hall. The brick and steel building was designed with incredible acoustics! It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in June of 2003.
Current owners have not accepted any federal funds for restoration so opportunity is wide open for a new buyer and there are no restrictions on use related to its historic designation.