A.O. Scott of the New York Times looks at how our viewing patterns of films has changed and what the future may hold.

A short time ago, in honor of the impending holiday season and the looming depression, I settled in for a viewing of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I watched it on the same laptop on which I’m writing these words, with headphones plugged in to filter out distraction, though from time to time I did shrink the image so I could check my e-mail or my favorite blogs.

Did this compromise my experience of the movie? Maybe, but then again, compared to what? Hadn’t there always been commercial breaks and scenes interrupted by a trip to the bathroom or the refrigerator? As I watched Jimmy Stewart discover Zuzu’s petals in his pocket for at least the 20th time, I realized that “It’s a Wonderful Life” — like “Casablanca” and “Ben-Hur” and most of Ingmar Bergman and James Bond, among countless others — was a film I had never seen as a film. I’d never seen it projected through a dark room full of strangers onto a big screen.

Read the full story in the New York Times.

The public may think digital cinema is perfect but that’s not the case. Quite frequently things go wrong such as during an advance screening of the new Brad Pitt movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” when the picture was green and no amount of tweaking could change that. The screening was canceled.

Other recent snafus include a screening of Steven Soderbergh’s Spanish-language “Che” where it played without subtitles for 15 minutes before the showing was canceled. A few weeks later, subtitles from “Che” played during a screening of “Doubt.” In that case, the problem was quickly fixed.

However, digital projection did provide an advantage when a woman became ill during a screening of “Revolutionary Road.” After an ambulance took the woman away, the projectionist was able to rewind the film a few minutes to the audience could get the full impact of the film. If it was film, it would have had to be done in real time, delaying the picture even more.

Read more in Variety.

EXETER, NH — The historic Ioka Theater, which has operated since 1915 when it showed “Birth of a Nation,” will close its doors on Dec. 24th. The main reason is the high cost of installing a sprinkler system, with high energy costs and insurance costs as contributing factors.

The theater has 500 seats in the main auditorium with a smaller second screen in the basement which formerly served as the area’s YMCA.

Read more…

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REMEMBERING CINERAMA
Part 13: Columbus

The following is Part Thirteen in a series of retrospectives on Cinerama, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market, film-by-film, historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. The easy-to-reference articles also serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to highlight the movie palaces in which the memorable events took place.

Part 1: New York
Part 2: Chicago
Part 3: San Francisco
Part 4: Houston
Part 5: Washington, D.C.
Part 6: Los Angeles
Part 7: Atlanta
Part 8: San Diego
Part 9: Dallas
Part 10: Oklahoma City
Part 11: Syracuse
Part 12: Toronto

And now...Part 13: Cinerama Presentations in Columbus, Ohio!

Read more…

PARK RIDGE, IL — The Pickwick Theatre will celebrate its 80th anniversary by playing the same silent film it played when it opened: “Lilac Time” with Gary Cooper and Colleen Moore.

The theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is distinctive for its 100-foot art deco tower.  It has been in continuous operation since 1928 without any modification to the original auditorium and has been owned by the same family since 1967.

Read more about the history of the theater in the Norridge-Harwood Heights News.

A new magazine for enthusiasts wishing to learn more about Britain’s OLD THEATRES has just been launched at the Coliseum theatre, Aberystwyth. The publication has the backing of Britain’s maestro of mirth, Ken Dodd, O.B.E., and Mr. Nick Thomas, the world’s most prolific pantomime producer.

Packed with information for preservation groups, it will create an open forum on all that’s good about British theatre--some of which were converted into cinemas during their life time.
For more information and if you would like to join in, please contact Terry Kirtland direct by E Mail: tezza@hawthorn48.freeserve.co.uk He will be very pleased to hear from you.
tezza@hawthorn48.freeserve.co.uk

CONNEAUT, OH — The Conneaut Plaza Theatres reopened under new management last weekend after closing last September. Ironically, the recent closing of the nearby Ashtabula Plaza Theatre laid the foundation for reopening the Plaza.

The new owners of the two-screen mall cinema, a married couple, have installed new carpeting and given the place a new coast of paint. They also put in a new concession stand that offers an extended menu that includes hot dogs, nachos and pizza to be baked on the premises by Pizzi Cafe. They hope that will help them compete with the bigger multiplexes.

The couple has been learning how to run the projectors and other equipment from the former manager.

Read more in the Star Beacon.

BELLEVILLE, KS — The Blair Theatre reopened on November 7, 2008 showing “Madagascar 2”.

The movie “Bolt” in 3D is being shown November 21st- December 4th.  

I thought it would be a fun idea if we had a forum to post and chat, etc. so I’ve made one up and I hope you all join in :)

http://thepalladium.21.forumer.com/index.php

Just copy and paste into your browser.