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Topic: Las Vegas Theatres

Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 06-07-2001 01:14 AM

I'm goin on a trip to Las Vegas next week -- of course I'll end up drunk and poor (like a good theatre employee

) and I'll most likely be uninterested in renting a car or taking a cab to look around -- BUT -- my question is:

Other than the Century, Regal and UA Multi-plexes -- are there any OLD theatres in Las Vegas, dead or alive? Or were they all raised to make room for casinos?

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Scott D. Neff
"Biding My Time"

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Christopher Duvall
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-07-2001 02:21 AM

Funny, you should ask...I have lived in Vegas for almost a year and yet to find any old theatres. The oldest one that I know of is The Paradise 6 on the corner of Pecos and Tropicana. It is a second run dollar house now. Last October, I had the chance to see Rocky Horror there. Other than that, all of the theatres are newer multi's now. My theatre is on South Eastern Ave. and Pebble near the 215 exit which is on the south east side of town (very close to Henderson). 3 of the 5 Regals are in Station Casinos and the other 2 are stand alones(Like mine). Century has a couple in casinos and their newest ones are at Sam's Town and SunCoast casinos. There is a UA on the strip and I know of another on Sunset Road. You should try Hollywood.com or Fandango. They might give a more complete listing than I can.

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Chris Duvall
General Manager
Regal Cinemas Colonnade14
Las Vegas, NV

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 06-07-2001 03:18 AM

Odly enough I'm planning a trip there myself and was about to post the same question!

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-07-2001 12:22 PM

The Huntridge Theatre was designed by S. Charles Lee and opened in 1944. It is now a Performing Arts Center.
www.huntridgetheatre.com

That's really the only one I have found so far. The spreading of Las Vegas seems to have consumed all of the good ones. A few others may still be operating as night clubs, though I doubt that they still resemble theatres.

Let us know what you find!

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-07-2001 12:56 PM

I'm thinking that Vegas didn't get going before the dam was built at Boulder. There could still be the building from an old theatre there? It wouldn't be a palace, but I'd bet there must have been at least one to entertain the worker's families.

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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 06-07-2001 11:23 PM

It's been a few years since I lived there; as far as I know the Huntridge is the only original theater still operating as a theater of sorts (the previously mentioned Performing Arts Center). It was the place where I got to run my first (and only) four-track mag show (Funny Girl)... well, other than the Liberace and Ann Margret clips in the showroom at the LV Hilton...

I don't know if the Redrock is still operating (about a half-mile west of the corner of Charleston and Decatur). It started in the late '50s as a single and under Horst Schmidt's ownership gradually expanded to 11 screens with the original screen left intact. Eventually Horst sold out to Syufy (Century). Last I heard Century had closed the place.

The only other original theater buildings I can think of that are still standing in the Las Vegas metro area are the Bookstar book store on Maryland Parkway--it used to be the Boulevard (single, later twined), Four Star downtown (may still be operating as a porn house) and the Cinema 123 (still standing but closed?). The rest of 'em have been bulldozed (Fremont, El Cortez, Fox Charleston Plaza Mall, Cinerama Dome, Parkway, The Flick, The Guild...). Same with the drive-ins (Stardust, Sunset, Nellis, Skyway...) all gone except for the Century Las Vegas 5.

Boulder City has grown slowly over the years (they have had an active slow-growth policy) so I don't know if they have a multiplex now. There were two single screens, one run by the Bureau of Reclamation showing the Hoover Dam construction film, and the Boulder Theater. Don't know if either are still there. In the '80s I helped out at the Boulder when it was run by Art Schruhl, my mentor. At that time we added a 16mm booth downstairs to augment the 35mm upstairs--it was easier to get some titles on 16 in those days (30-day delay house that ran classics on the weekends, hence the 16).

Actually Dave Huskinson would know the current situation. Yo! Davie!

Paul
As of yesterday an ex-PanAmSat software engineer
Member SMPTE Hollywood Section
Long Beach, CA USA
New email address in a few days...

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 06-08-2001 07:07 AM

Check out "Race for Atlantis" at Caesars Palace. A two-strip 3D IMAX ride film (motion control seats) presented on a dome theatre screen. Very effective use of 3D, where the CGI image "surrounds" you on a dome screen:
http://www.imax.com/raceforatlantis/

The pre-show "film" is 3D video, which although well done, pales in comparison.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 06-10-2001 12:54 PM

Thanks for the info on everything. I doubt I'll even get a chance to go lookin around downtown or TRACES of theatres, but I do have 9 hours without my friends there -- so who knows -- if I still have $$$ left I'll go rent a car and do a little exploring.

I'm trying to remember now -- I know that Century owned the Boulevard (the Cine Boulevard as they called it...) I think that they might've even had another one the Buena Vista and the Parkway. They were either in Vegas or Reno - I forget.

Either way -- if anybody here runs a theatre in Vegas - don't be surprised if there's some 'geeky lookin guy' asking to see the projection booth on Thursday evening.

Sometimes it can be so embarassing gettin a manager to let you look around, especially at UA. Most managers are "Why on EARTH would you WANT to?"

Anyway -- thanks for the help.

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Christopher Duvall
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-10-2001 08:32 PM

You are more than welcome to stop my place...

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Chris Duvall
General Manager
Regal Cinemas Colonnade14
Las Vegas, NV

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 06-15-2001 03:17 PM

I managed to make it to almost EVERY theatre in Las Vegas except yours. I probably spent a little too much time trying to figure out where the Cinedome Las Vegas was/is (I know it's closed - but I wanted to see it with my own two eyes!!)

Of course then it takes so much time to PARK the car - get out and walk inside every flippin casino just to take a peek at the theatres inside. What is with that anyway? Do local residents really want to go inside a casino to see a movie? Or are they just numb to the whole casino thing by now?

Anyway -- next time I'm in the area I'll get down to your corner of Vegas and have a gander. But thanks for the invite.

I didn't get any booth shots anywhere - but I got plenty of pics for Adam over at Cinematour.com ---

I'm gonna go find out what happened to my money now -- damn blackjack...

-Scott

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Christopher Duvall
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 500
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-15-2001 05:08 PM

From what I understand, there is 2 Cinedomes here. One is still open in the Henderson area. The closed one was on Boulder highway. I have heard rumors that it has been leveled already. Gotta build more casinos...

As for the theatres in casinos, the locals don't even pay mind to them. You are right..numb is the right word. Anyhoo, most of them do have a side entrance for those that are not old enough to walk in casinos. I know most locals actually use the side entrances as well now that I think of it.

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Chris Duvall
General Manager
Regal Cinemas Colonnade14
Las Vegas, NV

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-15-2001 05:52 PM

Sweet ...

Is it just me, or was that a really short vacation? Or did you just not sleep and double your time?!

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 06-16-2001 07:33 PM

Eh - 4 days was plenty for Las Vegas ---

I still had a few days to loiter about the house.

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Rory Burke
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 181
From: Burbank, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 06-19-2001 02:03 AM

Scott!!

Did you make it to the new all THX theater at Sam's Town Casino on east of the strip? If you didn't you missed some great screens!!!

Rory

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 06-20-2001 07:31 PM

I made it to Sam's Town -- but I didn't feel like making the staff there feel uncomfortable -- and since the GM wasn't in that night -- I decided to settle for the lobby. I assume the screens there are similar to all of the new ones that Century is building -- which are quite nice.

I however -- am going to miss the Cinedomes -- those puppies are IMPRESSIVE. I've got some pics waiting for development -- and then I'll post them -- so people can see these things -- they're HUGE.

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