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The latest movie theater news and updates
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February 14, 2007
Larry King (of the blurbs)
Ever notice how many movies Larry King seems to like? (His quotes have been appearing on a ton of movie trailers and posters.)
Well, the Los Angeles Times has a funny piece about CNN host Larry King’s prolific movie reviews.
King sees movies every week, often catching a noon flick before heading over to CNN to do his show. It must keep him young. At 73, he’s slim and trim, almost boyishly petite. His hair, once gray, is now a dry brown, like the trunk of a palm tree, with gray at the temples. He seems to see everything, describing the movies in blurb-like bursts, from “Letters From Iwo Jima” (“Loved every minute of it!”) to a film about Turkish genocide called “Screamers” (“Very well done!”).
“I know they’re only looking for a catchphrase,” he explained the other day, ensconced at his favorite table at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, where he orders a spartan salad for lunch (“Don’t give me any eggs!”). “If I like the movie, I give ‘em a quote. If I don’t like something, I’m not gonna rap it. Sometimes they don’t even use it. I gave Clint a big rave for his movie and they didn’t even need it.”
While King could probably take a break from reviewing movies for a while, the article mentions that the CNN anchor oftens sees a film before heading into the studio each day.
And there’s a nice story about why movies mean so much to him.
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All types of cinema equipment wanted
WANTED: Old amplifiers, speakers, pressure units, microphones, audio valves, crossovers, gaumont kaylee, western electric, westrix, both, etc. Clocks and lights also collected. Anything from 1930’s onwards. Good prices paid. Please .
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Mystery Theaters
Dear Cinema Treasures,
I own and operate the classic film blog, Central Theater, and I’ve got a couple of mystery theaters I’m wondering if your readers can identify for me, as I added them in last week’s article.
The images come from a 1949 trade magazine ad for the Wagner Sign Company of Chicago, IL. All of the photos were taken in 1948 (see: http://www.thephotoplayer.com/blog/neon_ad.jpg)
I’ve positively identified all of the theaters save for two: a picture of the Olympic, which I suspect is what is now the Washington Center for the Performing arts.
The other is an un-named theater where the vertical has been clipped from the photo.
Do any Cinema Treasures readers have any idea what these theaters are positively?
Best,
Jack Theakston
Central Theater Blog -
February 13, 2007
New Owner for Pomona Fox Theater
POMONA, CA — A 1931 Clifford Balch-designed art deco palace, the Pomona Fox Theater, has been sold by the City of Pomona to a partnership of local developers who have renovated other buildings in the city’s old downtown. The city council voted unanimously to sell the theatre to Gerald Investments Incorporated for $1.6 million.
Company representative Jerry Tessier says that work on the theater will begin within three months, and will take about nine months to complete. He hopes to have the theater opened by the end of January, 2008, so it can host the Smogdance Film Festival, a local event which left Pomona for nearby Claremont last year.
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Looking for a venue for theatre company
Premier Performing Arts, Inc. is a nonprofit theatre company who is currently looking for a home. We are interested in producing musical theatre. The ideal venue will have an orchestra pit, sufficent stage space, fly loft and wing space. Purchase or lease. We are open to any options. Please contact us .
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Paramount Theatre, Lynn, MA - 1950 event info
In 1950, the U.S. Marine Corp hosted a Bond Drive at the Paramount Theatre in Lynn, MA. I am looking for any and all information on that particular event.
Richard Blodgett, USMCR
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February 12, 2007
Information on an Art Deco Piece
I am trying to find out how to identify a piece my wife was given about ten years ago. It is a large round metal sign of some kind. It is three pieces but it bolts together. Assembled it is approx. seven and a half foot in diameter and around three inches deep. It is painted with an art deco style woman sitting with a knee up and a ball or sphere in her up-stretched hand. It looks like it is baked on enamel similar to an automobile paint job and has four colors.
I suspect it is from the 30’s judging from the other pieces of furniture she was given at that time. The furniture pieces I am having better luck identifying. As you can see, it has a commercial art appearance. I have had several opinions that it could have been installed in a theater of the era.
I was wondering if you have seen anything like it before?
Thank you for any help you could give me.
All the best,
Sean Howard -
Theater equipment for sale
For Sale-
Three 35mm Projectors:
CF Ashcroft Super Power Type S85 52volt Lamphouses
Simplex XL #PR1003 35mm Projectors
RCA MI9010 Sound Heads
Simplex BasesOne RCA Photophone LMI Sound Attachment
One Fairchild 315660 Sound Integrator
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Robert Morton 4/14 for sale
CASTRO VALLEY, CA — The Neighborhood Church which has owned and maintained a 1928 4/14 Robert Morton with many percussions and a 2M 2nd consoul since 1949 (no major rebuilds) is looking for a buyer of this fine piece of history. It was played untill a year ago. It came from the California Theater in Pittsburg, CA.
Buyers, please contact Patrick Brandon.
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February 9, 2007
Long Nights with Movie Trailers
In his book of comedy, “Seinlanguage”, Jerry Seinfeld mused about the joy of driving to the movie theater. He said that the excitement of what the movie could be exceeded the movie itself. I don’t exactly remember how this concept fit into his routine, but I do recall that idea hitting home with me personally. Especially when I’m on the way to one of those films I’ve been anxiously awaiting for months, the prelude to the moment of consummation is definitely superior, most of the time.
With movies though, there’s one extra forum for anticipation, the trailer. Call it a cruel joke or a slice of heaven. To me, there’s nothing better than those few minutes of bliss. At that point, it’s a clean slate. Anything can happen. Minus whatever you might have heard or read on the internet, these few scenes could be your only connection before it hits theaters.
Of course in most cases, the product never lives up to the previews. What you see are the best jokes or even worse, scenes with information key to the story’s plot that you probably wouldn’t have wanted to know beforehand. One director, Robert Zemeckis, actually encourages providing crucial plot details in trailers because he believes that people want to know the whole story beforehand or they won’t pay to see it. Bob, I love your movies but come on. Why do you do this to me?
