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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: Theaters on the Big Island of Hawaii
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Chris Markiewicz
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 209
From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 03-06-2003 09:37 PM
This is a reply mainly to Claude, but might interest others too.
Big Island of Hawaii where the volcanoes are. About 4000 square miles, maybe 125,000 people. There are two main towns, Hilo on the east side, seat of county government, and Kona on the west side, where the tourist industry is centered. Hilo currently has 13 first-run screens, all run by Wallace; the Prince Kuhio Stadium Cinemas (9 screens) in the Prince Kuhio Plaza shopping mall, and the Kress Cinemas (4) in the old S.H. Kress store in downtown Hilo. Wallace recently closed the 3 screen discount Waiakea Theatres which were directly under the approach path to Hilo Airport. There is an independent 1-screen in the 1925 Palace Theatre around the corner from the Kress.
Kona itself has a 10-screen Wallace called the Makalapua Cinemas next to Kmart. 6 miles south in the Keauhou Shopping Center is the 7-screen Keauhou Cinemas, operated by Consolidated (Pacific) Theatres. I opened and projected here for several years. Another 5 or so miles south of Keauhou in Kainaliu is the Aloha Theatre which does a mixture of film and live events. About halfway between Hilo and Kona in Kamuela, aka Waimea is Kahilu Theatre where I presently am technical director. Also a mixture of live events and film. There are several other small closed plantation-era theatres still standing, most of which have been closed for some time.
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Claude S. Ayakawa
Film God
Posts: 2738
From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 03-07-2003 02:28 PM
Bill
I am back!
First of all I do know what happened to the Hilo Theatre on the big island of Hawaii. The theatre was demolished after being heavily damaged by the 1960 Tsunami (tidal wave). The site where the Hilo was is now a part of a Tsunami zone where no building and homes are permitted.
All of the theatres with the exception of the Wailua Drive In which did not exist were all operated by Consolidated Amusement Company, a locally owned chain of theatres at the time until Los Angeles based Pacific Theatres bought the company in the sixties. For your information, there was a Consolidated theatre in Wailua but it was very much like the old Ewa Theatre you mentioned in your list that was nothing but a corrugated aluminum sugar plantation warehouse converted into a theatre. The drive in theatre you are thinking about was the Waialae Drive In and was located in east Honolulu and operated by the now defunct and also locally owned Royal Theatre chain. I was wrong when I said the only surviving theatre was the Varsity. THe Hawaii Theatre was almost demolished until it was saved and renovated into a performing arts centre several years ago. The theatre has a website and you can find it by using Net Search on your computer.
By the way the AAla and the Toyo were the same theatre. The theatre was known as the Toyo until Deember 7, 1941 and after the attack at Pearl Harbor, the name was changed to the Aala due to anti Japanese sentiments. The Toyo used to show Japanese films before the attack but began showing only American films when the theatre's name was changed. Many years later, the theatre's original name was restored and the Toyo Theatre was the first run venue in Honolulu for films from Japan's Toei Studio. It was closed and demolished in the mid seventies. The Pawaaa Theatre on your list had everthing torn out except it's foundation and it's four walls and converted into a three strip Cinerama theatre in 1962 and became known as the "Cinerama". The old Princess Theatre also on your list became Honolulu's first Cinerama theatre and I just commented about this house just the other day on the "Cinerama in Seattle thread. The 'Honolulu' was a independent 2nd run theatre along with the Victory in Wahiawa, the two Aiea theatres, Koga in Waialua, the Haleiwa on the north shore, a few others on the Waianae coast and elsewhere. All of the theatre buildings on you your list that closed were all demolished except the Pawaa (Cinerama), Palama, and the Kiwalo. The Kuhio theatre building is long gone and the original Waikiki and the other two newer theatres, the Twins are still standing and would eventaully be demolished. ![[Frown]](frown.gif) By the way why was my home town theatre, the Waipahu not on your list because in my opinion it was one of Consolidated's finest neighborhood theatre with the latest in sound including four track mag that almost all of the other suburban theatres in the chain lacked?
-Claude
[ 03-07-2003, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Claude S. Ayakawa ]
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Chris Markiewicz
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 209
From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 03-07-2003 03:25 PM
Wow, Claude!
I forgot some other older theaters here. Many of the small plantation camps had theaters up to the 1960s. One that survives is the Honokaa People's Theater about 16 miles toward Hilo from me. A doctor in Honokaa bought it a few years ago from the family that owned it and singlehandedly (is that a word?) renovated it. It has DTS sound and a Strong or Potts platter. I think the projector head is a Century but I'm not sure of the lamphouse. They run about 5 nights a week and also host some live musical events on their stage apron. Until the platter went in, there were 2 Simplexes and Magnarcs in there with RCA soundheads and tube amps, running off the original motor/generator.
The Hawi Theater operated until about 2 years ago, when Sidney the owner/operator/projectionist passed away. Unfortunately his family has no interest in opening it again.
South of Hilo in Pahoa is or was the Akebono Theater, which until recently was running some films and doing community theatre. I believe they no longer run films. At the south end of this island, in Naalehu is the Southern Star, actually the southernmost theater in the 50 states. I'm not certain of their status, but I think that community events still take place there.
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Chris Markiewicz
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 209
From: Glenaviegh, County Tipperary, Ireland
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 03-08-2003 12:16 AM
Claude,
The Kona Wallace Theatres live up to the same high standards as all Wallace Theatres. I went to see "O Brother" there because we didn't get it at Keauhou. Ads, policy and trailers ran with house lights full on, then there was a ten minute pause, then the feature started out of frame and out of focus and the house lights went to half bright. Twenty minutes later the houselights went to low. Naturally the war movie next door was louder than "O Brother". Sound was also bad analog although Dolby Digital is featured in all houses, with CP650s.
Keauhou Cinemas, the Consolidated operation, is OK if you like green decor. The houses are smallish; the 4 large houses are about 230 each, the 3 small ones about 130. Here's the outside: 
If I can get permission I will do a Picture Warehouse upload. I took lots of pics.
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