Going to the movies

[Dan McCosh]

For much of my life, going to the movies was a pastime embraced by my parents, adolescent dating, evenings with SWMBO early in our marriage, taking the kids to the show, etc. About a decade ago, the local movie theaters began to disappear. First the local houses, then the multi-screen chains. About 20 theaters have shut down around here in the last decade, and now it is a 20-mile round trip to find an open movie theatre. There is, however a movie house on the west side of Detroit (still some 10 miles away), that is still open after 95 years in operation. It originally was built for silent movies, which meant a pipe organ that emerges from the stage, to play accompaniment for the show. A local group has managed to restore and maintain the place. Staffed with volunteers, it features a range of older movies. These include some actual silent movies, old musicals, and other classic films. The organ player is a show on to itself. Mainly, you get the nostalgic experience of buying a ticket at the booth in front, popcorn at the refreshment counter, and finding a seat in the dark. It's a great antidote to today's digital entertainment. I'm thinking there is a trend towards similar entertainment alternatives today, not the least of which seems to be more local live music in bars and restaurants. Curious as to how many others have had similar experiences.

[JayInOz]

[JayInOz]

HISTORY


[COLOR=rgb(var(--color_15))]In 1923 a young man named Allan Tom realised his dream when he 'took to the road' with a 'Travelling Picture Show'. Screening in marques and halls in all kinds of weather, bringing entertainment to people in remote outback areas. Firstly Allan screened 'silent movies', then with the advent of 'talkies' the 'AMUSU Touring Talkies' was born. A few years later Allan established Theatres in Manildra, Cudal, Millthorpe, Tullamore and Peak Hill. For 72 years through drought, flood, depression, the advent of clubs, television and video, Mr Tom screened films for the small towns. He showed his last film in 1995 just a week before his death at age 93. He was one of the pioneers of the Australian Motion Picture Industry and his efforts were rewarded in 1993 when he was awarded the 'Order of Australia' Medal for his contribution to the entertainment industry. Allan Tom was on the road in the Goldfields and Western NSW until the 1940's with silent movies. The AMUSU Theatre was built in Manildra in 1936 alongside his garage. With its purpose built building, continuous use and heritage collection, the AMUSU is unique in NSW. Its significance to the state was recognised in October 1996 when it was listed on the State Heritage Register of NSW. The AMUSU in Manildra was the 18th theatre to be built in NSW. It has been operating continuously since the 1930s and now attracts people from all over the country and the world to Manildra to visit the theatre. The AMUSU Theatre is very evocative and visitors can appreciate the architecture and experience what it was like to go to the movies in a bygone era.

This one was built by my great uncle. His daughters took it over after his death and kept going until they got too old. His garage next door is now a theatre museum. The theatre is now run by a group of volunteers and still screens movies once a month. JayInOz


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[bamamick]

We went to see ‘a man named Otto’ at the theatre yesterday. We enjoy going to the movies.

Mickey Lake

[CWSmith]

JayInOz, years ago I went to a meeting in Melbourne. On my day off I took a train along the coast (southish if I remember correctly) and stopped in a few of the small towns along the way. That picture brings back a flood of memories. I was so very captivated by the towns and the people. It is one of the best memories of my life.

Now, please don't tell me that photograph was taken in Arizona...

[Dan McCosh]

We went to see ‘a man named Otto’ at the theatre yesterday. We enjoy going to the movies.

Mickey Lake

How many movie theaters near you?

[bamamick]

Near? The closest is about 40 minutes away at the beach. With all the streaming going on I don’t know how healthy the industry is? This one was closed for two years by Covid.

Mickey Lake

[stromborg]

We went to see ‘a man named Otto’ at the theatre yesterday. We enjoy going to the movies.

Mickey Lake

I read the book and watched the Swedish(?) film last year, "A Man Called Ove" I think it was on Netflix. I thought the film was a decent rendition of a good book.

[Jim Bow]

1969, Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan. In July big top tent was erected a projector set up and Zeffarelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” was shown. It was a small city based on fishing and lumber exports. The folks loved it. The crying and sobbing as they left the tent was astonishing.

After a week, the tent packed up and no more movies for a year.

[Stiletto]

I cant remember the last time I went to a cinema, and that's not just my failing memory.

[Jimmy W]

History of the Theatre

Canton Theatre, Canton, Georgia
As early as 1911, the Historic Canton Theatre was used to show slides and silent movies. Later, in the early 1920s, the Theatre changed owners and was renamed “The Bonita,” which held movie showings on Fridays and Saturdays.

During this era, the popularity of the Theatre grew rapidly. The Theatre was soon renovated, expanded, and renamed “The Haven.” It presented the people of Canton first line shows, including their first talking motion picture, the 1928 film “Singing Fool,” starring famous singing star Al Jolson.

The “Haven” continued to be a movie house for several more years until the late 1930s, when the Theatre was sold to the Martin-Thompson Theatre Company. The newly named “Canton Theatre” was then remodeled to reflect the Art Deco design so popular during that time.

The spectacular new Theatre had improvements that were truly unique, such as a steel skeleton for improved stability and safety. The fireproof walls and sprinkler system ensured that no fire would last long. New air conditioning and heating systems were installed in the Theatre to make it more comfortable for larger audiences. New restrooms and dressing rooms had a modernistic design. Red and blue uniformed employees at the “Candy Bar” sold candy and popcorn from the new popper, while an array of bright neon lights surrounded the Theatre, bathing it in colorful beauty. The size of the stage was expanded to make it larger than ever before. The new Canton Theatre was indeed a splendid site at the Grand Opening, which took place on September 30, 1940.

The Canton Theatre played the best motion pictures of the time. It was described as a “thoroughly modern sound and movie palace, with all the comfort, light, and cheer that denotes a first class picture theatre housed in the "larger cities.”

The Theatre continued to show movies for 30 more years, but by the mid 1970s, the popularity of the Theatre declined dramatically. Many guests felt that it had become too out of date. They wanted to see movies with the convenience of drive-ins and with many more choices. As a result, the Theatre sat idle for many years and subsequently went into disrepair.

In 1994, the Theatre was purchased by an individual for restoration. The City of Canton then acquired the property in a land swap in 1997. It was later deeded to the Downtown Development Authority in order to secure financing for restoration, which soon began. The Canton Theatre was restored to the Art Deco style of the 1930s and was reopened in a Dedication Ceremony, taking place on May 26, 2000.

Since that time, the Canton Theatre has become a community fixture, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy live theatre from both local and traveling productions, as well as entertainment from musicians, comedians and film screening events.

[stromborg]

A friend owns the Vashon Island movie theater, one of the last truly independent screens around. He reminds me that they make very little money on ticket sales, food and beverage sales keep the doors open. They got a beer and wine license a bit before COVID hit which along with converting their parking lot to more of an event center will keep them going for a while but streaming has had a pretty detrimental effect on their bottom line.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

We have our own independent

https://www.theriverside.co.uk/cinema/

in a town of 10,500.

We rather like it.

[Dan McCosh]

Near? The closest is about 40 minutes away at the beach. With all the streaming going on I don’t know how healthy the industry is? This one was closed for two years by Covid.

Mickey Lake

Healthy? As I noted, a dozen theaters close by closed in a dozen or so years--including three with some 20 screens. First a couple of corporations consolidated into shopping centers, which then closed their doors. Virtually none are left, and streaming makes it unlikely they will rebound. Our community actually built a couple of theaters, which are subsidized by some donors, where you can sit and watch a big screen. Otherwise, it has all gone to streaming services. More and more of less and less.

[JayInOz]

The last drive in theatre in my part of the world was packed up and sold off a few months ago. There was a lot of talk over a couple of years about trying to save it but the noise stopped when the big crane took the screen down.

[Breakaway]

Many of the old movie "palaces" of 100 year or more around here have been rehabbed, and turned into music venues.

Your theatre sounds like a nice " re-use" as well.

Kevin

[L.W. Baxter]

i have not been to the cinema for several years.

believe the last i saw was mission impossible: fallout, with the kids.

so, 4+ years. definitely my longest spell without since childhood.

have not felt even the slightest impulse to see anything since. maybe the movies are over? or maybe just over for moi...

[JayInOz]

Wouldn't mind seeing the new Avatar movie in 3D- theatre for that about ninety minutes away but I think we'd have to book. Too much organising and coordinating involved

[Breakaway]

Wouldn't mind seeing the new Avatar movie in 3D- theatre for that about ninety minutes away but I think we'd have to book. Too much organising and coordinating involved

I want to do that, as well, Jay. It was recommended to me.

Plus, I have never been to an Imax theatre. The closest is about 45 minutes from me.

Kevin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Nicholas Carey]

A friend owns the Vashon Island movie theater, one of the last truly independent screens around. He reminds me that they make very little money on ticket sales, food and beverage sales keep the doors open. They got a beer and wine license a bit before COVID hit which along with converting their parking lot to more of an event center will keep them going for a while but streaming has had a pretty detrimental effect on their bottom line.

A lot of first-run movies these days — not that there's much in the way of second-run flicks these days, given the state of the industry — when distributed to a theatre, demand 100% of the gate or nearly so. Some, the big, big blockbuster films, so I'm told, even demand a share of the concession sales.

The modern film industry is as much to blame for the demise of movie theatres as does streaming.

[stromborg]

One of the things the industry does that drives Gordon nuts is demanding he show movies for 3 weeks. He has owned the theater since the mid-oughts, he knows the audience out there. With a population of about 10,000 a first-run movie is good for two weeks of good attendance, after that the numbers drop off a cliff but the distributors care more about keeping the screen locked up with their movie than actual ticket sales.

I went to a movie for the first time in since the pandemic started, it was a fundraising screening of the R2AK movie produced by the Northwest Maritime Center. The place they held it in has a 100 person capacity, at about 2/3 full it felt weird to be in such close quarters

[Dan McCosh]

Many of the old movie "palaces" of 100 year or more around here have been rehabbed, and turned into music venues.

Your theatre sounds like a nice " re-use" as well.

Kevin

The 1930s-vintage theatre in the neighborhood I grew up in did become a punk-rock emporium that still does well today. Aside from seeing movies on the big screen, there has been a noticeable collapse of all kinds of local entertainment: playhouses with live actors; bars with local musicians, dance halls, etc. One of the few kinds of entertainment thriving seems to be professional sports, mainly football, where stadiums continue to proliferate. FWIW, the theatre with the onstage pipe organ seats 1,300. Built in 1925, when the metro population was about two million. Then you even had two large amusement park with roller coaster, ferris wheels, etc., accessible by a medium-size passenger ferry. The boats had bars, restaurants, and dance bands that played on the return trip, across the lake or up the river. Hard to think that today's digital world of entertainment is an improvement.

[Breakaway]

The 1930s-vintage theatre in the neighborhood I grew up in did become a punk-rock emporium that still does well today. Aside from seeing movies on the big screen, there has been a noticeable collapse of all kinds of local entertainment: playhouses with live actors; bars with local musicians, dance halls, etc. One of the few kinds of entertainment thriving seems to be professional sports, mainly football, where stadiums continue to proliferate. FWIW, the theatre with the onstage pipe organ seats 1,300. Built in 1925, when the metro population was about two million. Then you even had two large amusement park with roller coaster, ferris wheels, etc., accessible by a medium-size passenger ferry. The boats had bars, restaurants, and dance bands that played on the return trip, across the lake or up the river. Hard to think that today's digital world of entertainment is an improvement.

Live music used to thrive here. Every small town had live music going in a variety of places from gin mills and pubs to nice restaurants and dedicated venues. And not just weekends, either.
Now, it is much less prevalent,
That whole scene began dying when the drinking age went up to 21, killing a lot of the audience.

Kevin

[C. Ross]

All within a few miles of me

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The Parkview has movies and live music. The others are all movies.

I could add a bunch more if I extend to 5 miles, plus an IMAX at the science museum.

[Todd D]

It has been about 40 years since I last went to a movie. There is a theater in Bar Harbor, but I don't go over there at night since I don't enjoy driving after dark. I am totally out of touch with the movies. The last movie I watched was Casablanca. My wife and I have it on DVD and watch it on our anniversary. I don't stream movies and we don't watch TV.

[Dan McCosh]

All within a few miles of me

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The Parkview has movies and live music. The others are all movies.

I could add a bunch more if I extend to 5 miles, plus an IMAX at the science museum.

Those are the kinds of local theaters we had until about 15 years ago, when they started to disappear. Last one closed about two years ago.

[Vince Brennan]

Last time I went to theater for movies was first week of "LOTR: The two Towers". Havent been since.
Last time for legitimate theater was in Philadelphia for the opening of "The Lion King" at the Walnut Street Theater.
First row mezzanine.
Needed a shoehorn to get into the seat, seriously.
How the hell did ladies with bustles do it?

No way these days I could sit thru a decent length movie and still be able to walk after.


Ah, well.

[JayInOz]

We once went to see a movie at "The Regent Theatre" in Mudgee, about twenty five minutes from here, mid afternoon on a hot summers day. After sitting in the dark for two hours we came out into blazing sunshine and glare on the western facing building, and everyone was walking away with their hands covering their eyes, looking like they wanted to remain incognito The building is still there but hasn't been a theatre for years-

[skuthorp]

Beautiful Art Deco building Jay. Is it used at all now for anything?

[The Q]

Most of my life it's been a considerable journey to a cinema,
For some years is was about 7 or 10 hours by ferry and car.
Or when in Saudi.... There just weren't any.
Now it's a 40 mile round trip, by the time you've added traveling costs, parking tickets , plus the price of a ticket to the cinema you won't get change out of £20..
So I've not been to a cinema for around 35 years.

[Andrew2]

OK, bit different here. In St. Savinien, there is a small cine that does OK, but it is supported by the commune, who, I think own the building. They show lots of english language films, as a nod to the % of the local pop.
Then, in Saintes, there is a very good theatre that has two sections. Very well supported. Every summer, they do a 'God Save the Screen' couple of weeks, with english language films. We go and it is noticable that most of the audiance is French.
In Rochefort, a multiscreen complex was opened about 6 yrs ago. Virtually any film is put on there, just keep your eye open with the listings.
These are all in 20 mins of us.
Then, St Jean d'Angeley, a rather nice old movie theatre with a deco front had fallen into bad times. Squatters and finally a fire, but, that got some locals energised and it has now been renovated by them and showing some films.
May be that the French like their movie heiratage and are prepared to support it?

Where Q lives, I went to a small theatre in Fakenham (?). It was family run . Mother on the tickets, son on the projector, father organising things.
Anyway we went to see some slightly riské movie. The Father comes on to introduce things. Says that 'We often get asked why we show so many X rated movies.
Very simple, it is because you come to see them. Enjoy the show'.
Must be long gone, as that was in the 70s.

[Andrew2]

Just to add, one of our all time movie favs, is Cinema Paridiso.
The short version, that won prizes, is better than the longer version, even if it resolves some of the bits missing from the short.

I happened to be in a fishermans bar in Albufeira, in the 80s, it was on the TV and they were all glued.. The subtitles were far off what was going on, but, no matter...

[bamamick]

Downtown Mobile does have an independent small theatre (the Crescent Theatre). He's had to do stuff like 'go fund me's' to keep the doors open, but he keeps trucking along.

The location was originally one of Mobile's many downtown cinemas, but turned to showing porn films back in the 70's, I guess? That was about the lowpoint of our downtown area, but with revitalization and all the condos and things being put in down there a movie theatre is a good thing to have. Everything else within 50-60 miles of us is of the cineplex type.

Mickey Lake

[Dan McCosh]

For some perspective, the Fox theatre in downtown Detroit has been restored, but is a music venue today, rather than the movie palace originally built by Fox studios. It was one of about five such movie palaces surrounding a park in downtown Detroit in the 1950s. One ended up as a parking garage, another remains open. The same area also had a Cinerama screen, plus an opera house. A real Imax screen (With a domed roof and projector) was the only one in the US when it was opened.


The Fox today: http://foxtheatredetroit.net

[JayInOz]

Beautiful Art Deco building Jay. Is it used at all now for anything?

I don't think so mate. Heritage listing limits what can be done do accommodate new ventures. Any movies shown in town now are upstairs in the old Town Hall building- down stairs is the library-
JayInOz