Bill thanks for posting the photos of opening day at the Loews Kings. I have a question for any lighting people. Do you think the Purple LED lights on either side of the Kings stage can change color? Or will they always be that same color? I sent some of these photos to the owners of Castro Theatre in San Francisco CA to show them what needs to be done with color lights on either side of the Castro’s screen, as usual I will never hear from them. They like their boring white flood lights. Someone that did the new lighting at the Kings knows what they are doing.
Make a visit SOON!!! As this single screen large theatre is about to be torn down soon!!!! When It opened they had a large semi curved 70mm screen but when Pacific took It over they made the screen a little smaller. Now Century/Cinemark runs It before the wreckers come in. This is the best theatre in Marin to see a film. Come say goodbye before It is turned into a pile of dust. G Lucas ran all his films here with the best of sound and picture.
This was such a nice to visit when I was a kid. They closed in the mid 50’s and never put in a wide CinemaScope® screen. Same owners I think as the old Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek, that building is still around but no longer a movie theatre.
Thanks Dallas for the fine photo. The UA D-150 curved screen was one of the greatest things to see in action with all the different masking settings. I was so glad to visit some of the D-150 theatres that we had at one time in California.
Went by the Grand today and It is looking great. The new Green curtains inside show some deco class to the old theatre. With the New Mission Theatre do to open for movies down the street soon the long closed theatres of Mission St in San Francisco are making a big comeback for a area of SF that has been lacking entertainment places for many years. This area will be soon be a gold mine and is changing fast. Now lets see If someone buys the old closed Tower Theatre also. Good luck to the Grand Theatre people. Thanks for saving this nice movie theatre in SF for a new generation to enjoy.
The Tower Theatre is still for sale in 2015. Some smart entertainment or movie theatre company needs to grab It fast as the area is changing with the soon to open New Mission Theatre 2 blocks away and the newly remodled Grand Theatre also soon to re open. The area is prime for a entertainment theatre for movies, music or comedy. Time to remodel the Tower Theatre in San Francisco’s up and coming Mission district.
Bring back the curved D-150 screen. The little flat screen today with no curtains is a sad place to watch a film. No color lights inside during a film. The fountains ran dry because of leaks many years ago in the for court. No marquee out front to tell all the tourists what is going on inside. Time for a new management team to come in and bring back some showmanship and customers. Take a cue on what the El Capitan Theatre does up the street,they have lines outside while the Eqyptian only has a few good nights a month.
The Forman/Pacific owners are getting money hungry again. They want to unload this former Pacific Cinerama theatre that has sat dead for many years. The wrecking ball is coming soon for a new hotel on Hollywood Blvd on the spot this old Warner Hollywood Theatre stands empty today. Time to re open for something before the jack hammers come in.
I think Dolby has put in a demo of their new Dolby Cinema Vision® Theatre inside the old Vine Theatre. How long the demo will last for theatre owners to check out is hard to find out. Maybe It will show movies again, B movies for the tourist crowd.
Thanks Joseph for the photo. Wow CinemaScope 55® and a stage show in 1956 in NYC. I liked the little marquee stars. You won’t find any of these around at today’s multi jungle cinemas. Most don’t even bother having marquee letters on what is playing.
To bad they did not have a better name Dolby® Cinema, how creative can they be? To do this hi end cinema how about Dolby® having a giant deep curved screen with curtains that open and close, not just a big non masked floating white sheet to greet the people paying extra $$$.
Was this the original screen before CinemaScope®? What do they do when they run wide screen, just have a band aid type image. Time to add some plywood on the sides and expand.
Thanks for the photo Raul. I had no idea that the Tower was the Newsreel in 1953. Great marquee then now just a cheap plastic one. I wonder If they ever ran CinemaScope® or 3-D in 1953. A few newsreels were made in CinemaScope® and a few in 3-D 35mm.
Bill thanks for posting the photos of opening day at the Loews Kings. I have a question for any lighting people. Do you think the Purple LED lights on either side of the Kings stage can change color? Or will they always be that same color? I sent some of these photos to the owners of Castro Theatre in San Francisco CA to show them what needs to be done with color lights on either side of the Castro’s screen, as usual I will never hear from them. They like their boring white flood lights. Someone that did the new lighting at the Kings knows what they are doing.
Make a visit SOON!!! As this single screen large theatre is about to be torn down soon!!!! When It opened they had a large semi curved 70mm screen but when Pacific took It over they made the screen a little smaller. Now Century/Cinemark runs It before the wreckers come in. This is the best theatre in Marin to see a film. Come say goodbye before It is turned into a pile of dust. G Lucas ran all his films here with the best of sound and picture.
This was such a nice to visit when I was a kid. They closed in the mid 50’s and never put in a wide CinemaScope® screen. Same owners I think as the old Burl Theatre in Boulder Creek, that building is still around but no longer a movie theatre.
Thanks Dallas for the fine photo. The UA D-150 curved screen was one of the greatest things to see in action with all the different masking settings. I was so glad to visit some of the D-150 theatres that we had at one time in California.
Went by the Grand today and It is looking great. The new Green curtains inside show some deco class to the old theatre. With the New Mission Theatre do to open for movies down the street soon the long closed theatres of Mission St in San Francisco are making a big comeback for a area of SF that has been lacking entertainment places for many years. This area will be soon be a gold mine and is changing fast. Now lets see If someone buys the old closed Tower Theatre also. Good luck to the Grand Theatre people. Thanks for saving this nice movie theatre in SF for a new generation to enjoy.
The Tower Theatre is still for sale in 2015. Some smart entertainment or movie theatre company needs to grab It fast as the area is changing with the soon to open New Mission Theatre 2 blocks away and the newly remodled Grand Theatre also soon to re open. The area is prime for a entertainment theatre for movies, music or comedy. Time to remodel the Tower Theatre in San Francisco’s up and coming Mission district.
Bring back the curved D-150 screen. The little flat screen today with no curtains is a sad place to watch a film. No color lights inside during a film. The fountains ran dry because of leaks many years ago in the for court. No marquee out front to tell all the tourists what is going on inside. Time for a new management team to come in and bring back some showmanship and customers. Take a cue on what the El Capitan Theatre does up the street,they have lines outside while the Eqyptian only has a few good nights a month.
The Forman/Pacific owners are getting money hungry again. They want to unload this former Pacific Cinerama theatre that has sat dead for many years. The wrecking ball is coming soon for a new hotel on Hollywood Blvd on the spot this old Warner Hollywood Theatre stands empty today. Time to re open for something before the jack hammers come in.
I think Dolby has put in a demo of their new Dolby Cinema Vision® Theatre inside the old Vine Theatre. How long the demo will last for theatre owners to check out is hard to find out. Maybe It will show movies again, B movies for the tourist crowd.
Thanks Richie for the photo, must look nice to see a film on the big curved screen. Is this a current photo? Or have they twined the place?
Thanks so much Chris for the photo, great neon boxofice.
Thanks Norman for the cold sad photo. Looks like another DI is about to close or be sold off for the land. Just when many are being re opened up.
Thanks Schneb, looks great. Love the neon color work. Is the theatre still around these days?
Thanks Joseph for the photo. Wow CinemaScope 55® and a stage show in 1956 in NYC. I liked the little marquee stars. You won’t find any of these around at today’s multi jungle cinemas. Most don’t even bother having marquee letters on what is playing.
Looks like they copied the old Cinerama® type logos and color letters at this Drive In. Is the screen semi curved?
This great now torn down SF theatre was the first Todd-AO theatre in SF. Had a nice curved screen in the mid 50’s. Thanks Eric for the photo.
To bad they did not have a better name Dolby® Cinema, how creative can they be? To do this hi end cinema how about Dolby® having a giant deep curved screen with curtains that open and close, not just a big non masked floating white sheet to greet the people paying extra $$$.
A great marriage for everyone who is interested in movie theatres. Thanks Ross and THS for the great news.
This theatre was the home for Cinerama for many years in Kansas City. We hope they kept at least one large cinema before they did the chop?
Was this the original screen before CinemaScope®? What do they do when they run wide screen, just have a band aid type image. Time to add some plywood on the sides and expand.
The Regency 2 had a nice semi curved screen. Looked great on the times they ran 70mm. Thanks Steve for the classic ad.
Thanks so much Coate for the photo ad. Now the Dome just sits closed waiting to be demolished or saved?
A BIG THANK YOU MIKE for all your work on this great movie theatre site. You will be missed.
Thanks David for this post, just one more year when CinemaScope® arrived at the Roxy NYC for the first time.
Thanks for the photo Raul. I had no idea that the Tower was the Newsreel in 1953. Great marquee then now just a cheap plastic one. I wonder If they ever ran CinemaScope® or 3-D in 1953. A few newsreels were made in CinemaScope® and a few in 3-D 35mm.