Thanks DB for the classic ad. I remember as a small kid seeing this movie in CinemaScope at the Golden State Theatre Delmar in Santa Cruz CA. Our family sat up in the balconey and I loved listening to all the airplane surround sound coming out of the side wall little RCA speakers they had put for 4ch magnetic sound. The curtains worked with dark blue/red lights on them.The Delmar is still open today. Must have been great to see this film in Hollywood CA at the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood CA just before they put in the Todd-AO big curved screen for ‘Oklahoma’. At least the Egyptian is still open but with a smaller flat screen with curtians they seldom use even after the big Netflik remodel.
CM nice photo but not a good screen to see a movie in wide screen scope. They probably have no masking orcurtains and you will see a white screen on the top and bottom. The Super Screen signs on the right and left are a big distraction. These need to be outside the theatre so people can see from the stree. A good big screen if you watch a flat 1.85 movie these days. I hope they dont keep the ugly signs on when the movie is on.
Sony Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas has remodled and taken over the lease they plan to open June 14 2025 in Mountain View CA. ‘Alamo’ spent all this money and they forgot to put in what their local competition in the SF Bay Area at AMC Regal & Century Theatres offers. No ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX or Dolby Cinema installed in the fixed up theatre. They did keep some of the ‘Dolby Atmos’ equipent the old ICON place had in a few auditoriums. Space #1 #2 and #3 I hear will have large curved screens. No 35mm or 70mm projectors or moving stage curtains like many of the Alamo theatres have. Sony Alamo did not bother putting in any moving maskings. You will have to see a white screen on the top or sides on certain movies. I will have to go down soon and take some photos to see the up grades at this site. Maybe they will give me a free pizza. Seems like the new ‘Alamo’ people are only interested in the food and drink money they make and skimp on the special new movie gimmicks their competion have. It will cost them way more money to install these new special features later on If they can keep the place open. The ICON Theatres did not stay open very long.
One of the only IMAX movie theatres with slow moving thick curtains that move in front of the giant semi curved IMAX screen Chinese Hollywood Theatre screen.. Check them out If you are visiting Hollywood CA.
The new nice seats with food trays for the first time are almost finished in all 9 auditoriums as of May 26 2025. New bathrooms almost ready. New rugs will be going in next. The red neon on the lobby ceiling has been replaced with a flamingo orange type color LED. You can kiss the boxoffice out front on Pacific Ave goodbye soon, going to be torn out. They never have anyone inside anymore selling tickets. Machines will be put outside and in the lobby. I noticed more hot food being sold at the refreshmsnt counter these days. Probably the same things the Syufy family sells at their ‘West Wind’ Drive Ins. I hear they may install the ScreenX system in the cinema #3 or #4 space. This will be a first for the college town of Santa Cruz CA. Maybe If It goes over at the extra price of admission they will also do a 4DX install in space #1 or #2? I had thought they would put in a digital marquee outside on the former covered up plastic letter neon sign marquee. Has been covered up from a big wind storm many years ago when Regal leased the former Signature Cinema. They miss advertising space outside to let people on the street see what is playing inside. It will be so great when It is finished as the Syufy family under ‘West Wind’ Drive Ins does not have many indoor theatres still around so they can spend that money they rake in from all the malls they own on former drive in lots here at the Santa Cruz 9 Theatre.
Still closed for the big remodel will not open till late winter 2025 or even later? They wont’s show movies much anymore just expensive touring stage shows. Seats have been removed downtairs for stand up music events and many bars addeed. Bring plenty of cash when they re open It will cost you to see a event at the former Castro movie theatre. Portable seats will be put in for film/movie events or festivals.
Nice small SF neighborhood movie theatre but they twined It down the middle and you can hear the sound from the other auditorium. Time to turn It back into one theatre. Put in curtains and a better sound system. I think they only have one 35mm projector in the small projection booth no platter. They do show some 16mm films from time to time.
Looks like the city and the developer voted to tear the 1932 UA Theatre down at last nights board meeting. For a college city now there are no movie theatres left in downtown Berkeley. The new condo people say they will keep the front and some of the art deco lobby. What a shame they need to look at cities like NYC and others that keep buildings and build above to roof. This could happen at the strong steel cement UA Theatre. Just add some extra steel and go up on top for the 17 floor new building. The extra large cinema can be used for so many stage events and even movies for a new generation to enjoy. The city rushed this deal just for the extra tax money they will get with all the condos and apartments. The original 1932 art deco decor is hidden behind all the twin cut up space that was done by UA Theatres many years ago to make more money. Just down the street another cinema the Shattuck Theatre is gone and a empty lot just sits there. The new condo or rental people will just have to sit in their new spaces on the former UA Theatre property and watch streaming TV. Not much movie or stage entertainment around anymore downtown once the wrecking ball hits the UA.
Thanks DB54 —Disney never seemed to advertise STEREO In their few early stereo 4 track mag movies at all. I wonder If the Disney press ad sheets for Mary had stereo on some of the ads? ‘Mary Poppins’ had a great stereo track and was shown in a few theatres in stereo surround. Some cinemas put in the ad in ‘4 TRACK MAGNETIC STEREO SURROUND SOUND’. Disney did not use wide screen or CinemaScope much either in the early 50’s just a few titles in wide screen. ‘Mary Poppins’ was flat too bad, but at least I got to see it as a kid while working at the Fox Oakland Theatre a block away on the small flat screen at the Roxie Theatre in Oakland in stereo sound owned by the Blumenfeld family. Most of the Blumenfeld theatres never put in CinemaScope wide screens they just lowered the masking down from a square screen. The Roxie is still up but now turned into offices. They always take off the nice neon marquees like the Lux Theatre on Broadway in Oakland now a Goodwill store.
This new Screen X system looks great when It Is used as a segment of a movie but only in a big auditorium not so hot in a small screen venue. It’s no Cinerama. If the film is in scope It won’t light up all the front screen or sides top to bottom like a 1.85 movie will. If the surround speakers on the white screen side walls have not been moved up to the ceiling tilting down you will have them show on the side screen walls when the special effects come on. Thanks Ridethetrain for the image.
Thanks for the classic photo. The RKO Golden Gate was SF’s second Cinerama house for a time when they went 70mm, Did a bad job putting a smaller curved screen on the back of the stage with flat curtains. Twined the upstairs loge area and ran 70mm roadshow on top on a flat screen with a bad keystone.
Thanks Darren great photo by Fred. Must have looked great on the semi curved CinemaScope screen and all the side wall stereo speakers the SF Fox had. A sad time for all the people of San Francisco when they tore the Fox Theatre down. Many of the other large Fox Theatres are still standing like in Atlanta, St Louis and Detroit making money with live stage events.
Like so many cinemas they put the white lights so close to the front they leak onto the screen during the pre show ads or trailers. Do the light people even care?
Very few theatres had a CinemaScope 55 projector, I think the Roxy NYC had one along with the Fox West Coast Hollywood Chinese? Most ‘King And I’ prints were just regular CinemaScope 35mm film taken from the 55 negative. Thanks Cineast for the photo
I liked the UltraVision Theaters. We had a Plitt ABC one near San Francisco in Daly City. Torn down for a parking lot. This photo in this ad makes It look like the screen was not that curved but It was.
Todd-AO was a great 70mm curved screen system. But after Mike Todd died they let theatres show the system in any 70mm screen flat or curved. This took away the exclusive nice curve It had at first. They brought in the 70mm print of ‘South Pacific’ to the UA Alexandria Theatre in San Francisco and ran It on a almost flat screen and advertised It as Todd-AO. UA was running out of roadshow 70mm cinemas in SF as just up the street on Geary ST The UA Coronet Theatre had a true deluxe original curved Todd-AO screen used for ‘Oklahoma’ and other Todd-AO productions. The Coronet was torn down many years ago when UA was money hungry. The old UA Alexandria still stands in very bad shape.
Thanks DB for the classic ad. I remember as a small kid seeing this movie in CinemaScope at the Golden State Theatre Delmar in Santa Cruz CA. Our family sat up in the balconey and I loved listening to all the airplane surround sound coming out of the side wall little RCA speakers they had put for 4ch magnetic sound. The curtains worked with dark blue/red lights on them.The Delmar is still open today. Must have been great to see this film in Hollywood CA at the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood CA just before they put in the Todd-AO big curved screen for ‘Oklahoma’. At least the Egyptian is still open but with a smaller flat screen with curtians they seldom use even after the big Netflik remodel.
CM nice photo but not a good screen to see a movie in wide screen scope. They probably have no masking orcurtains and you will see a white screen on the top and bottom. The Super Screen signs on the right and left are a big distraction. These need to be outside the theatre so people can see from the stree. A good big screen if you watch a flat 1.85 movie these days. I hope they dont keep the ugly signs on when the movie is on.
Thanks NT for the photo image . Wish I could have seen a Cinerama film on this giant curved screen.
Sony Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas has remodled and taken over the lease they plan to open June 14 2025 in Mountain View CA. ‘Alamo’ spent all this money and they forgot to put in what their local competition in the SF Bay Area at AMC Regal & Century Theatres offers. No ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX or Dolby Cinema installed in the fixed up theatre. They did keep some of the ‘Dolby Atmos’ equipent the old ICON place had in a few auditoriums. Space #1 #2 and #3 I hear will have large curved screens. No 35mm or 70mm projectors or moving stage curtains like many of the Alamo theatres have. Sony Alamo did not bother putting in any moving maskings. You will have to see a white screen on the top or sides on certain movies. I will have to go down soon and take some photos to see the up grades at this site. Maybe they will give me a free pizza. Seems like the new ‘Alamo’ people are only interested in the food and drink money they make and skimp on the special new movie gimmicks their competion have. It will cost them way more money to install these new special features later on If they can keep the place open. The ICON Theatres did not stay open very long.
One of the only IMAX movie theatres with slow moving thick curtains that move in front of the giant semi curved IMAX screen Chinese Hollywood Theatre screen.. Check them out If you are visiting Hollywood CA.
The new nice seats with food trays for the first time are almost finished in all 9 auditoriums as of May 26 2025. New bathrooms almost ready. New rugs will be going in next. The red neon on the lobby ceiling has been replaced with a flamingo orange type color LED. You can kiss the boxoffice out front on Pacific Ave goodbye soon, going to be torn out. They never have anyone inside anymore selling tickets. Machines will be put outside and in the lobby. I noticed more hot food being sold at the refreshmsnt counter these days. Probably the same things the Syufy family sells at their ‘West Wind’ Drive Ins. I hear they may install the ScreenX system in the cinema #3 or #4 space. This will be a first for the college town of Santa Cruz CA. Maybe If It goes over at the extra price of admission they will also do a 4DX install in space #1 or #2? I had thought they would put in a digital marquee outside on the former covered up plastic letter neon sign marquee. Has been covered up from a big wind storm many years ago when Regal leased the former Signature Cinema. They miss advertising space outside to let people on the street see what is playing inside. It will be so great when It is finished as the Syufy family under ‘West Wind’ Drive Ins does not have many indoor theatres still around so they can spend that money they rake in from all the malls they own on former drive in lots here at the Santa Cruz 9 Theatre.
Still closed for the big remodel will not open till late winter 2025 or even later? They wont’s show movies much anymore just expensive touring stage shows. Seats have been removed downtairs for stand up music events and many bars addeed. Bring plenty of cash when they re open It will cost you to see a event at the former Castro movie theatre. Portable seats will be put in for film/movie events or festivals.
Nice small SF neighborhood movie theatre but they twined It down the middle and you can hear the sound from the other auditorium. Time to turn It back into one theatre. Put in curtains and a better sound system. I think they only have one 35mm projector in the small projection booth no platter. They do show some 16mm films from time to time.
First Todd-AO 70mm film. Must have looked great on the UA Rivoli deep curved screen in NYC. Now all torn down.
Looks like the city and the developer voted to tear the 1932 UA Theatre down at last nights board meeting. For a college city now there are no movie theatres left in downtown Berkeley. The new condo people say they will keep the front and some of the art deco lobby. What a shame they need to look at cities like NYC and others that keep buildings and build above to roof. This could happen at the strong steel cement UA Theatre. Just add some extra steel and go up on top for the 17 floor new building. The extra large cinema can be used for so many stage events and even movies for a new generation to enjoy. The city rushed this deal just for the extra tax money they will get with all the condos and apartments. The original 1932 art deco decor is hidden behind all the twin cut up space that was done by UA Theatres many years ago to make more money. Just down the street another cinema the Shattuck Theatre is gone and a empty lot just sits there. The new condo or rental people will just have to sit in their new spaces on the former UA Theatre property and watch streaming TV. Not much movie or stage entertainment around anymore downtown once the wrecking ball hits the UA.
Thanks DB54 —Disney never seemed to advertise STEREO In their few early stereo 4 track mag movies at all. I wonder If the Disney press ad sheets for Mary had stereo on some of the ads? ‘Mary Poppins’ had a great stereo track and was shown in a few theatres in stereo surround. Some cinemas put in the ad in ‘4 TRACK MAGNETIC STEREO SURROUND SOUND’. Disney did not use wide screen or CinemaScope much either in the early 50’s just a few titles in wide screen. ‘Mary Poppins’ was flat too bad, but at least I got to see it as a kid while working at the Fox Oakland Theatre a block away on the small flat screen at the Roxie Theatre in Oakland in stereo sound owned by the Blumenfeld family. Most of the Blumenfeld theatres never put in CinemaScope wide screens they just lowered the masking down from a square screen. The Roxie is still up but now turned into offices. They always take off the nice neon marquees like the Lux Theatre on Broadway in Oakland now a Goodwill store.
Thanks JK I wonder If the giant curved Cinerama screen was still up when they showed Earthquake at the Warner?
Thanks JK I wonder If the giant curved Cinerama screen was still up when they showed Earthquake at the Warner?
Must have looked and sounded great on the giant curved Cinerama screen at the RKO Warner Cinerama Theatre in NYC. Thanks CC for the image ad.
This new Screen X system looks great when It Is used as a segment of a movie but only in a big auditorium not so hot in a small screen venue. It’s no Cinerama. If the film is in scope It won’t light up all the front screen or sides top to bottom like a 1.85 movie will. If the surround speakers on the white screen side walls have not been moved up to the ceiling tilting down you will have them show on the side screen walls when the special effects come on. Thanks Ridethetrain for the image.
Thanks for the classic photo. The RKO Golden Gate was SF’s second Cinerama house for a time when they went 70mm, Did a bad job putting a smaller curved screen on the back of the stage with flat curtains. Twined the upstairs loge area and ran 70mm roadshow on top on a flat screen with a bad keystone.
No mention about 70mm Todd-AO or 6 track stereophonic sound. Must have been just a mono 35mm scope showing?
Thanks Darren great photo by Fred. Must have looked great on the semi curved CinemaScope screen and all the side wall stereo speakers the SF Fox had. A sad time for all the people of San Francisco when they tore the Fox Theatre down. Many of the other large Fox Theatres are still standing like in Atlanta, St Louis and Detroit making money with live stage events.
Like so many cinemas they put the white lights so close to the front they leak onto the screen during the pre show ads or trailers. Do the light people even care?
Very few theatres had a CinemaScope 55 projector, I think the Roxy NYC had one along with the Fox West Coast Hollywood Chinese? Most ‘King And I’ prints were just regular CinemaScope 35mm film taken from the 55 negative. Thanks Cineast for the photo
I liked the UltraVision Theaters. We had a Plitt ABC one near San Francisco in Daly City. Torn down for a parking lot. This photo in this ad makes It look like the screen was not that curved but It was.
Thanks CC looks like they had black light glow wall art. Wish they used some today in new cinemas.
Todd-AO was a great 70mm curved screen system. But after Mike Todd died they let theatres show the system in any 70mm screen flat or curved. This took away the exclusive nice curve It had at first. They brought in the 70mm print of ‘South Pacific’ to the UA Alexandria Theatre in San Francisco and ran It on a almost flat screen and advertised It as Todd-AO. UA was running out of roadshow 70mm cinemas in SF as just up the street on Geary ST The UA Coronet Theatre had a true deluxe original curved Todd-AO screen used for ‘Oklahoma’ and other Todd-AO productions. The Coronet was torn down many years ago when UA was money hungry. The old UA Alexandria still stands in very bad shape.
Now a gym but could be turned back into a theatre very easy.
Now a gym but could be turned back into a theatre very easy.