News   Apr 16, 2024
The Whitfield's Podium Takes Shape in the St Lawrence Neighbourhood
 213     2 
News   Apr 16, 2024
News Roundup for April 16, 2024
 350     1 
News   Apr 16, 2024
Windbreak Work
 707     0 

Movie Theatres in Toronto - Old and New

That was a super quick hand over to Empire. Cineplex is also planning to retrain A.M.C. employees to it the "Cineplex" way. I have asked an employee at Yonge & Dunads and she said this week is the hand over to Cineplex.
 
Last edited:
Anybody know the deal with the AMC 30 in Vaughan? Obviously Cineplex didn't buy it because of the proximity to Colossus. I hardly go there but I was there in the winter at some point and the entire north half was closed off. I don't know if they were renovating (e.g. installing digital) or if it was shifted down to 15 screens long-term....
 
TJ O'Pootertoot said:
Anybody know the deal with the AMC 30 in Vaughan? Obviously Cineplex didn't buy it because of the proximity to Colossus. I hardly go there but I was there in the winter at some point and the entire north half was closed off. I don't know if they were renovating (e.g. installing digital) or if it was shifted down to 15 screens long-term....
Click to expand...

Well, it seems the Interchange is not the only location that has reduced screens. A.M.C. also reduced a number of screens at a location in Covina, California.

www.yelp.ca/biz/amc-covina-30-covina
 
I knew Rui many years ago when he was an usher at Famous Players. I admire his determination to try and resurrect two old west-end cinemas but from a few things I've read he's not big in the customer service area (to say the least!). The Humber is indeed closed, the Kingsway (the better of the two cinemas) continues to operate for now. In the end this is only extending the inevitable, once everything goes all digital early next year (no more 35MM film) a substantial investment has to be made in a digital projection and the sound system which I can't see that he'll be able to afford. Sadly, the same goes for the Toronto Underground cinema which is a really cool retro '70's cinema on Spadina north of Queen with great programming. All other independent cinemas in Toronto that I can think of now have digital projection capabilities, except the Mount Pleasant cinema. Oh, and the forever struggling Metro cinema on Bloor W. that still runs adult features.
 
The problem is not unique to Rui or to the Toronto Underground cinema. Across the U.S., small business owners were pressured to convert their theatres into digital projection by Hollywood studios but refuses to help finance them. Some small towns have its theatres closed down since they can't afford digital projectors.
 
Last edited:
Cast_Member said:
The problem is not unique to Rui or to the Toronto Underground cinema. Across the U.S., small business owners were pressured to convert their theatres into digital projection by Hollywood studios but refuses to help finance them. Some small towns have its theatres closed down since they can't afford digital projectors.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I cycled by the Polson Pier drive-in tonight which is sadly, almost sure to be in it's last summer. The Carlton and Market Square cinemas also came to mind. I can't see the Carlton surviving, Market Square may possibly pull through, through unlikely given the cost of each digital projector & smaller cinemas there along with competing against the new downtown powerhouse of Cineplex's Scotiabank, Varsity and Yonge-Dundas cinemas.
A good and timely story on this very topic from CBC's The National - http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV+Shows/The+National/Canada/ID/2256318259/
 
So I'm glancing at a National Post article on the new condos up at Shops at Don Mills when I stumble across this in the article.....

and, just recently, news broke that a five-theatre cinema complex will open catering to adults with wine and gourmet food served.

First I've heard of this.........anyone else got news on this? I tried googling w/o luck.

Original article here....... http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/0...welcomes-yet-more-pedestrian-friendly-condos/
 
dt_toronto_geek said:
And the Humber cinema re-opens... again. This is starting to look like a p*ssing match between Rui & Claude - http://www.blogto.com/deadpool/2012/07/humber_cinema_likely_back_in_the_deadpool/
Click to expand...

Well it seems everything that Rui touches goes dysfunctional.



Northern Light said:
So I'm glancing at a National Post article on the new condos up at Shops at Don Mills when I stumble across this in the article.....

and, just recently, news broke that a five-theatre cinema complex will open catering to adults with wine and gourmet food served.

First I've heard of this.........anyone else got news on this? I tried googling w/o luck.

Original article here....... http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/0...welcomes-yet-more-pedestrian-friendly-condos/
Click to expand...

Canadian wealthy neighbourhoods is probably under served by international cinema chains such as Alamo Drafthouse. I can't find any info on this too. Hopefully it is not a Cineplex theatre but I would not be surprise if it is one since they have their own V.I.P. cinemas also.
 
Last edited:
There was the Odeon Don Mills cinema in the Don Mills Centre, it was a free standing building in the parking lot as I recall. Odeon added another auditorium and it became a dual in the 70's but it closed in the early to mid 80's and I heard it was demolished shortly afterward.
 
Very good, I had forgot about that. They closed the old twin cinemas in the basement at Fairview (originally a single that they split in half) and built the new, larger complex at the other part of the mall.
 
I'm upset that I never once saw a movie at the Cumberland Theatres before they closed earlier this year. Were they any good?
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top