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Author Topic: Currently operating Ex-GCC locations.... Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 12-02-2015 09:02 PM                     Howdy. I tried doing a search and trying to piece information together from the search results to no avail. I'm looking for a list of theater locations that were built and opened by General Cinema that are still operating as a movie theater. Even if they've been remodeled, I would like to try and visit as many of these locations as possible. Especially any old locations from the '60's and '70's. (I know that's a long shot...) I know of a few locations so I will start the list: Silverdale, WA - AMC Kitsap Mall 8 Federal Way, WA - Gateway 8 Seattle, WA - AMC Pacific Place 11 Bedford, TX - Movie Tavern Central Park Irving, TX - AMC Irving Mall 14 Where else? Thanks in advance....  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 12-02-2015 09:53 PM                        Theatres at Mall of America, Bloomington, MN. Opened with the mall in 1992, later AMC, now operated independently by the mall. Supposedly GCC's most profitable theatre by a wide margin.  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-02-2015 11:55 PM                        In Atlanta... AMC Parkway Pointe 15 Lefont Sandy Springs 8  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-03-2015 12:39 AM                     Don't bother with Irving, TX. It was not a classic GCC build. AMC already had their hands in it well before they opened. We even installed the "AMC package" of Simplex/Strong gear.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Garman Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: Toledo, OH USA Registered: Mar 2003 posted 12-03-2015 02:17 AM                     Cinemark Movies 6, Mishawaka, IN Movie Tavern Ridgmar, Fort Worth, TX AMC Yorktown 18, Lombard, IL I think there are a handful also in Florida but I don't know them off the top of my head. AJG  |  IP: Logged Jason McMillan Film Handler Posts: 68 From: Houston, TX, USA Registered: Dec 2009 posted 12-03-2015 09:45 AM                     Movie Tavern Deerbrook Commons - Houston, TX  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 12-03-2015 10:29 AM                     AMC Clifton Commons 16 - Clifton NJ On This List of GCC locations from 1983, only the Hudson Mall Cinemas and Menlo Park are still open as movie theatres. I tried copying the list into this post, but something in the list was upsetting the forum's inappropriate word filter.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 12-04-2015 08:33 AM                     Brad, thanks for the heads up on Irving Mall. Aaron, thanks for the heads up on the Ridgmar Movie Tavern. I went there yesterday and it's almost still intact!  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-04-2015 08:39 AM                        In Mass.: AMC Burlington 10 AMC Braintree 10 AMC F ramingham 16 AMC North Dartmouth Mall 11 AMC Tyngsboro 12 Regal (nee AMC) Fenway 13 Apple Cinemas Fresh Pond (which was, at various times, run by GCC, Loews, Entertainment Cinemas, and now Apple Cinemas) The Chestnut Hill Cinema closed in 2013, but the building still stands. Some of these (definitely Burlington and Braintree) have recently had their movie seats replaced with reclining lounge chairs on some or all screens.  |  IP: Logged Paul H. Rayton Expert Film Handler Posts: 210 From: Los Angeles, CA , USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 12-05-2015 07:56 PM                    The former GCC AVCO Center Cinemas (a purpose-built triplex from 1972, on Wilshire Blvd. out near Westwood and UCLA) is in business these days as one of the "iPic" branded locations. (iPic web page ) For those who may recall the AVCO, it was the location of the first THX installation in L.A., and was noted for 70mm performances of all the original "Star Wars" movies when they first opened. The main house, on the ground floor, was quite large, IIRC around 1100 seats, and a grand place to watch a movie. During the time I worked there (1984-1991), GCC kind of woke up to improving the presentation there and did some things like getting new projection lenses, and painting the white ceiling tiles to black (to minimize the light reflections back on to the screen). We played "Edward Scissorhands" there in the ill-fated CDS system, keeping a log of the error reporting on every show. Some selected other big 70mm shows I recall during that time were "Alien" and "Aliens", "Die Hard", "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", and "Out Of Africa". Sadly, GCC eventually succumbed to the mantra of "more is better" and in 1993 split the main screen auditorium in half, to make the place a complex of 4 screens. A lot of good that did, because, soon after that, everything went bust and the next thing we knew, AMC was running it (1999). That (AMC) lasted for a few years and they closed the AVCO toward the end of 2011. (Some photos from around 2008 are here ) Next thing we knew, it was sold again and remodeled to the current iPic operation with 6 screens. Have not been in there now for years myself, but iPic seems to get mostly decent marks on Yelp from the younger folks who go there for food + beverages + movies.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-05-2015 08:33 PM                     In South Florida: Cinépolis Deerfield Beach (GCC Deerfield Mall 8) Frank Coral Square Stadium 8 (No Stadium with GCC) iPic North Miami Beach Intracoastal (GCC Intracoastal 8)  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 12-08-2015 09:18 AM                     Thank you for the replies so far. Any other locations in any other parts of the country still operating? I am mainly looking for locations that might not have been "reclinered" or remodeled yet, that still have their GCC feel on some level...  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-08-2015 12:23 PM                    In the Chicago area, the current AMC Randhurst 12 is not the same as the former Randhurst 16, opened by GCC in 1996, razed in 2011. The 16 had replaced an older theatre, that had been twinned and augmented but that was before I ever went there. The 1996 plex was modern enough to have been built stadium and was just a few hundred feet from the current one. I'm sure theatres close all the time but I'd bet it's unusual for one to be replaced by another at essentially the same location, by the same operator, as young as 15. And not a huge size difference either.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-08-2015 03:45 PM                     In Oklahoma City AMC currently operates the Penn Square Mall 10 theater. Dickinson Theaters had it before AMC and Hollywood Theaters took it after GCC went bust. I visited that theater several times when General Cinemas was operating it. Back then it had one THX certified screen that was pretty good. The THX house was equipped for 70mm Dolby mag and DTS. I watched movies like True Lies and Carlito's Way in that house. They added Dolby Digital to another house in 1996 (watched Mars Attacks in that room). When Hollywood Theaters took over the Penn Square Mall 10 they maintained the THX certification for a short time, but then dropped THX chain-wide. My guess is some of Hollywood's newer theaters did a pretty crappy job with THX, like their Spotlight 14 location in Norman and all-THX Promenade Palace 12 in Tulsa. They had the logos and what not, but sure didn't sound like any real THX theater should. The THX people must have given them a pass the first go-round and then refused to re-certify later.  |  IP: Logged Mark Campbell Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Seattle, WA USA Registered: Jul 2007 posted 12-08-2015 03:54 PM                     Sherman Oaks (LA) CA: Pacific Sherman Oaks 5 (used to be GCC 3-7). Still 35mm West Hills (LA) CA: AMC Fallbrook Terrace 7 (was GCC 10, then an AMC, then Laemmle 7, now AMC again with recliners.  |  IP: Logged

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