Trying to Save a Cinerama "Dome" Movie Theater

[Old Quad Guy]

Dear Friends, I wanted to let you know, I'm alive and well and doing better than ever. I had a stubborn flu that kept on, end of last year, but I've always been here watching and posting occasionally. Well, now there is an interesting battle that is going on in our city. As a concerned citizen and one who has gone to this Cinerama "Dome" theater since when I was a kid, I've been trying to do what little I can to stop the wrecking ball. This is the last large single screen theater for miles around and until recently showed independent and foreign films. The theater was built in around 1966 and opened February 21st, 1967 in the Apollo space flight era. From the freeway, when one drives by it, it looks like a flying saucer, very cool and iconic. I first saw "The Sound of Music" there when I was in the 3rd grade in 70mm and surround sound as it was at the time.

Now someone wants to bash in the Dome and put a "Dick's" sporting goods store in there. Never heard of them before, until I saw it on the news. So I wanted to turn you onto news links and articles if you're interested in learning about the "SaveTheDome.org" website. No One In Pleasant Hill or the surrounding communities wants this theater gone at all. Anyway, there are some interesting articles in the History section about the Dome theater. Although the website asks for money, and they could use it, that's not what is necessarily asked for now. Just that you be aware of the situation and that we might help them with our Cinerama/Surround Sound knowledge or there might be someone in the "Surround / Entertainment community" able to help in some small way. The addresses are on the site. Thank you.

http://www.savethedome.org/

 

[sukothai]

My wife and I went on our first date in that theater to see E. T. in 1982. I remember the theater was feeling its age back then. While it is a bit outdated for movies, I can see it being a great venue for live theater.

Thanks for the great memory.

 

[leevitalone1]

not many remember "Cinerama" a quick google request will tell you about a wonderful idea from long ago. Worth a look! It sucks they want to tear it down. If so, years from now it will be regretted.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

In L. A. and Seattle they saved their Dome theaters and have refitted them for Cinerama. This could put our city on the map as well. Starting last year, TCM had a whole week of resorted Cinerama films as part of their yearly film festival including "How The West Was Won."

http://filmfestival.tcm.com/venues/cinerama-dome.php

Our Dome Theater in Pleasant Hill, (we're just 20 minutes east of Berkeley and San Francisco) is in perfect shape in 2013. In the following years they have redone the seats and have kept it in perfect shape. It closed on April 21st, about a week ago, and on Friday, Saturday and Sandy, they showed one movie each of those days, Jaws, The Sound of Music and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Theater is in perfect shape. And like those who do not get Surround sound or Quadraphonic, with all due respect to the folks who ran the theater, I don't believe they understand media as we do. As sukothai so wisely mentioned - and I knew everyone here would get this - it would be a great place for live theater as well as movies. It could also be restored to show Cinerama or original 70mm films. I would not be involved in some small way here if there was not a very good "logical" reason that it should be saved. Whatever happens, I would have felt bad had I not said or done anything.

So, what happened here, as I understand it now, is that the developer just plopped this project onto the city last December. There has been talk about doing something with the space, but the talk was all over the map. Nothing definite, as what folks here understood. Many, if not most folks here have only just heard of this project. This feels like it's just being jammed through without due process IMHO. Yesterday, a chain link fence was put up around the Theater, not a good sign. Anyway, the folks of Pleasant Hill have appealed the decision of the City to go forward with the project and there will be a dramatic meeting where each citizen has 3 minutes each to voice concerns. So, we'll see what happens. I just wanted to let everyone know about this and I'll keep you posted.

Below is the fence that went up in front of the Theater yesterday and the other is from the last showing there last week of "2001" on Sunday, April 21, 2013.

 

[leevitalone1]

progress, WTF! In NYC they took down Penn station for the new MSG. What a blow to the history of NY! In EU they save old buildings, thats why EU has so much charm. After ww 2 they rebuilt old buildings where possible to save the heritage and charm. Here, we do to the world what we do to ourselves in the name of progress-tear it all down! I have never seen cinerama. It was religated to big cites. How ever, you are correct about the sound systems.I'll bet every member here can do better job. nice to see you back OQG!
For those unaware-cinerama was to films wwwhat surround is to music and films. It surrounded you on 3 sides. 3 proj. in sync, with a enormous screen. That mad,m,m, m, world was a movie star fest, with many of the "older" now gone stars of the day. All older it was the biggest thing to hit the era. The 1st 70mm film. I remember seeing it as a kid-in a big theater.

 

[dr8track]

It's tragic that these old theaters are being lost to the wrecking ball and strip mall sprawl. Here in Seattle we had the advantage of having Paul Allen, a man with very deep pockets, who also has a love of these old theaters. I hate to see these types of theaters go. There are a lot of vintage theaters in danger of extinction. Another movie relic of the past that is struggling to survive is the drive-in. I have very fond memories of the drive-in theatre in my home town, which of course, is now gone. Here in Washington state I believe there are only 5 still remaining. They are facing a crisis because digital projection has taken over and next year film prints will no longer be available. If the drive-in theater operators don't have the funds to convert to digital, then the few remaining drive-ins will be lost. One of the theaters up here is attempting to raise the needed money via KickStarter. So, it's good to see that people are fighting to save these old theaters from being lost forever. I hope somthing happens that can allow that great domed theater to operate again as a movie theater.

 

[leevitalone1]

It's tragic that these old theaters are being lost to the wrecking ball and strip mall sprawl. Here in Seattle we had the advantage of having Paul Allen, a man with very deep pockets, who also has a love of these old theaters. I hate to see these types of theaters go. There are a lot of vintage theaters in danger of extinction. Another movie relic of the past that is struggling to survive is the drive-in. I have very fond memories of the drive-in theatre in my home town, which of course, is now gone. Here in Washington state I believe there are only 5 still remaining. They are facing a crisis because digital projection has taken over and next year film prints will no longer be available. If the drive-in theater operators don't have the funds to convert to digital, then the few remaining drive-ins will be lost. One of the theaters up here is attempting to raise the needed money via KickStarter. So, it's good to see that people are fighting to save these old theaters from being lost forever. I hope somthing happens that can allow that great domed theater to operate again as a movie theater.

The sadest part is everyone loves the thing! But, even if you speak out, money talks. We had a magnificent theater they saved. It is something.
http://www.thestanley.org/facility ( clic the arcitecture link for pics)
when we were kids we used to explore it, marble floors thick red carpets, and those little boxes on the sides. The balcony is enormous, and was great place as a kid. It still is.It's a living museum of art. BUt you have to experience it!

 

[quadsearcher]

We have a beautiful theater built in the vaudeville days that was saved. It took money. A Save The Coronado foundation raised money to renovate it, the city tried to run it as a venue, and this past year went to an outside service to book it. I was somewhat disappointed that it may never be used for movies again, and no surround sound. It is still a crown jewel in the middle of an aging downtown.

I recently spec'd/installed a sound system for a University theater that is primarily used for spoken word. Without giving too much information for committees to talk about, I pushed surround sound through. Luckily there was already budget for a custom control system, so there is a touch panel with a choice of three buttons to turn the whole thing on. Movie Mode is full surround (7.1 capable but patched for 5.1 for now). Presentation Mode goes to mono with the far back speakers off to avoid delay, Music Mode uses all speakers in stereo (for an iPod when they have dance or fashion shows). It can still be used as a live music venue with a 24 ch. Presonus that can send all channels through firewire to a DAW. As you might tell, I'm pretty proud of it. I just hope word gets around and it gets used.

I really hope they find a better place for a Dick's sporting goods than to tear down a classic theater. Going digital is expensive. I'm sure the local government is thinking about sales tax revenue making their administration look good, and that's too bad. There's more to life than money. If I was there I would be at that meeting, write letters to the paper, try to get the word out through any local media available. I'll visit the site tonight.

 

[JonUrban]

I remember seeing movies in the local Cinerama theater, which is now some sort of cafe or something. Of course, the one I remember most was "2001", but I also recall some forgotten films like "The Hallelujah Trail", mostly because at that age, my parents had to take us, and that was semi-unusual for them!

It's a shame that these things get relegated to demolition for a big box store. If they had not been allowed to get run down in the first place, things might be different. It's very encouraging to think that people like Jim can get involved and try to preserve history.

It's all we have.