Movieville | News
- Regular Updates
- Sites Updates - 26 Feb 99
- Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman at Book Soup Saturday - 19 Feb 99
- Columbia Pictures 75th Anniversary Film Festival at the Cinerama Dome - 12 Feb 99
- American Cinematheque presents "Belles du Jour: French Actresses - The New Generation" - 12 Feb 99
- Site Updates - 12 Feb 99
- More Site Updates - 5 Feb 99
- More Blade Runner/Dome news - 5 Feb 99
- Site Updates - 5 Feb 99
- AOL buys Moviephone - 5 Feb 99
- Mann Theatres for sale - 5 Feb 99
- Sherman Oaks Galleria closing for 18 months - 5 Feb 99
- James Cameron Films at the Cinematheque - 29 Jan 99
- Laemmle to open 7 screen arthouse in Pasadena next Friday (2/5) - 29 Jan 99
- Final Tales Cinema Cafe Screenings - 22 Jan 99
- Oodles of Updates - 15 Jan 99
- Older News
Regular Updates
- Most Fridays I list my "Write This Down" picks on the directory page;
I don't bother to note that here. - Max takes care of When Reviews Attack! on his own, so sometimes he's got reviews newer than my listed update date. Drop by his site and check!
Sites Updates - 26 Feb 99
- Hey, look, I finally updated the first run movietimes page. It's not perfect and I didn't touch the paper listings part, but it's still a billion times better. If you ask for it I may be able to link to individual theaters through showtimes.com. But you have to ask.
- Updated the events and revival listings too.
- I added a link to more information about the Chinese Theater to its review. Of course, if someone buy's Mann's, the link will be no good anymore. Sigh.
- Going to www.movieville.com will now bring you to my main account directory and not just for movieville. However, www.movieville.com/movieville now works flawlessly, as does the old www.wafflelight.com/movieville. Joy. All links should work forever, now.
- If for some reason you had links to old news pages, they're bad now. Check the site map to see where they've gone.
- The outside links page is still a disaster; I'll fix it this coming week sometime.
Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman at Book Soup Saturday - 19 Feb 99
Thanks Blake:
From: "Middleton, Blake" Subject: Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 17:14:11 -0800 Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman, authors of "Shakespeare In Love" will be appearing at Book Soup Bookstore on Sat, Feb 20 at 5:30pm. Book Soup is located at 8818 Sunset Blvd (near Tower Records, across the street), West Hollywood. Phone: (800) 764-BOOK.
Columbia Pictures 75th Anniversary Film Festival at the Cinerama Dome - 12 Feb 99
- February 12-25 - films include all new prints of Lawrence of Arabia (in 70mm), The Bridge on the River Kwai, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Definitive Director's Cut), and Taxi Driver, among others. See the Movieville events page for more details.
American Cinematheque presents "Belles du Jour: French Actresses - The New Generation" - 12 Feb 99
- February 12-25 - see the Movieville events page or the American Cinematheque site at www.americancinematheque.com for more details.
Site Updates - 12 Feb 99
- Messed with the directory page; how's that?
More Site Updates - 5 Feb 99
- Rare mid-day update; I've both added the Blade Runner/Dome details below, and HTMLized this news page a bit better. I also moved the older items to their own page.
More Blade Runner/Dome news - 5 Feb 99
This just in. I'll add the screening info to the proper pages mid-week. Thanks Blake!
From: "Middleton, Blake" Subject: Blade Runner in 70mm! Date: Fri, 5 Feb 1999 12:29:24 -0800 Blade Runner is showing at the Cinerama Dome for one week (starting today) in 70mm. It's supposed to be the "Original Director's Cut". I talked to a manager at the theatre today, and she said that it's a 70mm mag print and looks pretty old. Based on that, I'd say that this is that strange 70mm work print which turned up a few years back, and prompted the restoration and release of the true director's cut in 1992 (which actually wasn't a complete restoration, either). For anyone who hasn't seen this print, it's al alternate version of Blade Runner with a huge number of differences from any of the versions you know. There is no voice-over narration, no unicorn scene, some shots are different, and the music cues are a bit different. (The last couple of reels aren't even finished, and have temp music from Jerry Goldsmith's "Planet of the Apes".) "Blade Runner" is, in my opinion, one of the finest films ever made. (It ranks in my top five.) If you want to see it from a whole new perspective, come see this print. And if you've never seen "Blade Runner" before, watching this 70mm print at the Dome is an ideal way to start. After that, the Dome is doing a two-week film festival of Columbia classics. Here's the schedule: 2/12-2/25 Fri/Sat Lawrence of Arabia (in 70mm) Sun/Mon Doctor Strangelove / Easy Rider Tue It Happened One Night / Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Wed The Bridge on the River Kwai Thu Guess Who's Coming to Dinner / Tootsie Fri-Sun Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Definitive Director's Cut) Mon/Tue From Here to Eternity / On the Waterfront Wed/Thu Taxi Driver I've already seen this new cut of "Close Encounters", and it really is worth catching. And everything I said about "Blade Runner" goes double for "Lawrence of Arabia". That one ranks #1 on my list of the greatest films ever made.
Site Updates - 5 Feb 99
- Added the Laemmle Pasadena Playhouse 7 to the LA, Art and Revival theaters pages. The press release on the theater is below; I hope to visit and review it next week.
- The Egyptian has a Moviephone code - #082 - meaning you can buy advance tickets with a $1 per ticket fee. I've added it to all of the Egyptian's listings.
- I don't right now have details beyond that, really; I doubt it'll make much of an operational difference (can it have more advertising than it has now?). Look for my frustrating moviephone experience to be added to movies next week.
- According to press reports last week, Mann Theatres is for sale again, just a year after being bought out by some cheap guys. The chain has been slow opening new theaters and is losing money. While I doubt the Chinese and Village are in any trouble, it'll be interesting to see what happens with yet another ownership change so quickly -- assuming they find a buyer.
The Daily News story also mentions that there will be five auditoriums added at the Chinese as part of the site redevelopment, the first number I've heard. (The original Chinese will not be touched.)
- The few tenants of the Sherman Oaks Galleria mall (at Sepulveda and Ventura) that haven't left on their own must vacate by April 1 so the mall can get a 18 month facelift. Fans of Pacific's little fourplex and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", now's the time to pay your respects.
James Cameron Films at the Cinematheque - 29 Jan 99
The American Cinematheque (http://www.americancinematheque.com) (or, if you can't spell that, http://www.egyptiantheatre.com works too) is starting its regular programming at its new home with a big bang - six James Cameron films in four days, several in 70mm and most with guests in attendance, from Cameron himself to Gloria Stuart for Titanic. Check their web site for details, but don't try to head down to the box office for tickets - until the 3rd it's not open. Try by fax or Moviephone or www.movielink.com.
Laemmle to open 7 screen arthouse in Pasadena next Friday (2/5) - 29 Jan 99
From the Laemmle Email Newsletter:
"LAEMMLE'S PASADENA PLAYHOUSE 7 CINEMAS will open February 5th!
The latest addition to our theatre chain features stadium-style seating with plush high backed chairs. The auditoriums feature Dolby SR or Dolby Digital sound formats and we are pleased to announce the first films that will play: Rushmore, Affliction, The General, Little Voice and Playing by Heart"
Try their website at www.laemmle.com for more details.
Final Tales Cinema Cafe Screenings - 22 Jan 99
- The final screenings for Tales Cinema Cafe are this weekend, through Monday - White Fire (1953) and The Lady Confesses (1945). Call 323-933-2640 for more info.
Oodles of Updates - 15 Jan 99
- Updated Theaters (added the Egyptian and the Mann Van Nuys Plant 16)
- Updated Art Theaters
- Updated Revival Theaters
- Updated Special Venues / Elsewhere
- Updated The Best Theaters
- Updated State Theater (Pasadena) Review (slightly)
- Updated Chinese Theater Review (slightly - removed info about the now-closed twin theaters next door)
- Updated all Feedback pages
- Updated the still stupid FAQ
- Updated the site map
- Removed a lot of dead stuff
- top of commentcard@movieville.comm on film strip) now goes to the directory - whoopie
- changed standard email link to comment card at movieville dot com - and now I'll stop, really.
- It's near 3am so that's it tonight. Next week, expect updates to the events, revival calendar, and outside links pages.
Click for older news.