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Commentary
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July 15, 2015
Pittsburgh’s Cultural Trust at Thirty Years
Here’s a great perspective on Pittsburgh’s Cultural Trust – a successful cultural and heritage tourism project. “Although he scoffs at the suggestion that he’s an arts czar, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust President and CEO J. Kevin McMahon presides over an empire that embraces cultural events, finance, and real estate. With the Cultural District encompassing a 14-square-block swath of the southern Allegheny River bank, Liberty Avenue to Allegheny Riverfront Park, Stanwix to Tenth Streets, beneath its wide wings the Cultural Trust manages more than a million square feet of property, including galleries, parking, restaurants, and residences. Then there are the theaters—historic Heinz Hall, Benedum, Byham, Harris. And their newer siblings—the O’Reilly, Cabaret, even the lovely little Backstage Bar.”
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January 18, 2015
“OC Teen Leads Crusade to Ban Drinking at Cinema” From Aliso Viejo, CA.
A teenager is leading a crusade to prevent alcohol from being served at an Orange County cinema.
Warren Davis of Aliso Viejo has started a petition with his friends, and they have already obtained 786 signatures in their bid to stop drink being served at the Edwards Theater in their hometown.
The 16-year-old said he would not be comfortable attending the venue if the company’s drive to obtain a drinking license is successful.
“I felt that I wasn’t going to be comfortable in a dark theater with a man drinking alcohol next to me, Davis said, "So I decided to inform my friends about it and they felt the same way.”
Read the entire article online at nbclosangeles.com
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December 19, 2014
“Changing Skyline: iPic didn’t come, so now what for the Boyd?” From Philadelphia, PA.
All anyone had to do was say the word multiplex and the Boyd Theatre’s fair-weather friends abandoned the grand dame of Philadelphia movie palaces as if the place was on fire. Demolition of the art deco auditorium was sanctioned by the Historical Commission in March, and within days, wrecking crews were on the scene, supposedly for the Florida chain iPic.
Now we know it was all magical thinking.
Neil Rodin, the developer who said he was bringing iPic to Philadelphia, never followed through on his much-ballyhooed plan to buy the Boyd from its longtime owner, Live Nation. Meanwhile, iPic has problems of its own and lost its financing for the project, according to a source involved with the company. In late October, Live Nation quietly sold the theater at 19th and Chestnut to Jim Pearlstein and Reed Slogoff of Pearl Properties for $4.5 million.
Read the entire article at philly.com
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December 11, 2014
“Long-simmering rivalry keeps Bala Theatre screens dark” From Bala Cynwyd, PA.
In a twist that has Lower Merion on the edge of its seat, the historic Bala Theatre has been closed – not for lack of money or customers, but because of a bitter personal feud.
The two men at the center of the controversy both say they love the 1926 movie house and want to see it succeed – but they loathe each other, and have come to an impasse over who is responsible for repairs and upgrades.
The landlords “were hostile from the minute we took over,” said Gregory Wax, who bought the Bala Theatre lease in 2013.
“I call him Wacko, even though I know what his name is,” said Isaak Sotolidis, who owns the theater, a neighboring pizza shop, and several other storefronts on the block…
Read the entire article at philly.com.
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September 24, 2014
50 Years of Pop
In honor of it being 50 years since its second premiere engagement at Radio City Music Hall, Cinema Treasures is celebrating the Golden Anniversary of “Mary Poppins.” With an interview featuring film historians from around the world and the always detailed account of its presentation history, Michael Coate’s two-page feature at the Digital Bits is one any film fan won’t want to miss. Check it out now!
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February 19, 2014
Digital Bits cebebrates “Sweet Charity” at 45
Michael Coate has written another great piece over at the Digital Bits for the 45th Anniversary of “Sweet Charity.” He provides a detailed account of all its roadshow engagements as well as an interview with a number of film historians on that almost forgotten distribution format.
Check out the whole story at the Digital Bits.
(Thanks to Tinseltoes for providing the photo of the Cutler Majestic(nee Saxon) in Boston, host of the World Premiere of “Sweet Charity”.)
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December 31, 2013
Superman turns 35 and more
Here’s one more roundup of the meticulously researched anniversary pieces from Michael Coate over at The Digital Bits:
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December 24, 2013
Film Anniversaries celebrated at The Digital Bits
Longtime Cinema Treasures contributor, Michael Coate, has been writing some wonderful pieces for The Digital Bits lately that we thought would be of interest to readers. As 2013 winds down, here are some of the significant anniversaries from the past year.
RETURN OF THE JEDI (30th anniversary)
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December 5, 2013
Comments and Behavior On This Site
To the CT Community, I feel compelled to post a notice about the recent run of behavior in the comments section. I’m not going to go on and on about it but those who frequent the site may be able to cite some of the offending examples. Instead, I’ll simply make this brief. One or both of these things will happen: 1) Violators of the user policy may be immediately suspended from the site. (No more pleasant warnings in advance.) 2) The ability to comment on theater pages may be suspended indefinitely. If you care about this site and about these theaters, please keep your comments on point and not about one another. We’ve been online for thirteen years and I’m deeply dismayed by what’s going on over the past two weeks. It ends today, one way or another.
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August 6, 2013
“American Graffiti” Anniversary article at The Digital Bits
Longtime Cinema Treausres contributor Michael Coate, who most recently wrote about the Anniversary of “2001” has put together another thorough look back at a classic with his story on “American Graffiti” at the Digital Bits. Check out his list of engagements along with fun facts and review quotes in this conclusive piece on a moment in movie history 40 years ago.