Movie Theatres in Toronto - Old and New

[Cast_Member]

From what I read on the website called Cinema Treasures, the Humber Cinemas has been closed recently and I don't know why.

 

[Marcanadian]

Somebody actually posted their encounter with the General Manager of the Humber on the UT article that was published a few months back here.


Basically, the customer complained about the lack of ventilation and the price of the tickets. The manager advised the customer go elsewhere. I'd imagine part of the problem was indeed the lack of ventilation plus the tickets are about the same price as Cineplex charges. Looks like the Humber is dead again.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Somebody actually posted their encounter with the General Manager of the Humber on the UT article that was published a few months back here.


Basically, the customer complained about the lack of ventilation and the price of the tickets. The manager advised the customer go elsewhere. I'd imagine part of the problem was indeed the lack of ventilation plus the tickets are about the same price as Cineplex charges. Looks like the Humber is dead again.

This guy sounds like a real winner, see "Terror on the Kingsway" - http://kingswaytheatre.com/

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

BUILDING RENOVATIONS HELMED BY HARIRI PONTARINI ARCHITECTS NOW UNDERWAY

September 21, 2011 - Hot Docs is also pleased to announce that cinema renovations are now underway, with a construction crew onsite at 506 Bloor Street West to bring to fruition the plans laid out by Toronto-based architectural practice Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA), with feedback from Bloor Cinema patrons and the Annex and Harbord Village communities.

One of Canada's most acclaimed architectural films, HPA is helmed by partners Siamak Hariri and David Pontarini, and is the recipient of one of the world's top architecture awards – the Progressive Architecture Award – for the winning international entry for the Bahá’í Temple for South America, as well as the Governor General's Medal for the Schulich School of Business at York University and a 2009 Award of Excellence from the Toronto Urban Design Awards for the Pape/Danforth Public Library.

Bloor Cinema renovations and improvements include the installation of a larger screen, a larger and revitalized lobby and concession area, improvements to the seating and building façade, a wheelchair accessible washroom facility on the main floor and improvements to the second floor washroom facilities, as well as a refresh of the interior design that aims to draw attention to the building's celebrated history as an over 100-year-old cinema. Additional details around the re-opening of the cinema will be announced in the coming months.

 

[Cast_Member]

The Humber Cinemas is back from the dead again when I checked the Kingsway website.

 

[Northern Light]

Found a web post on this subject here:

http://www.skonmovies.com/2011/11/humber-cinema-back-in-business-tomorrow.html

Over on the cinema\s Facebook page (linked in the article as well)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Humber-Cinema/128069700602451

There is a post saying the Humber will have 4 screens? That sounds quite odd, The original cinema was a 1-screener w/the version most people grew up with having the original balcony section off as a second screen. I can live w/that, I think it would rather miss the point if the they subdivided the auditoriums once more.

More info invited.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The 700 seat Roxy Cinema (no balcony) on the Danforth was somehow split into three crap cinemas. Looked how that worked out.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

A great story on the Yonge Street grindhouse cinemas, and Yonge Street culture in the 1970's

 

[Long Island Mike]

DTG: Interesting article on older Toronto X-rated Theatres and a good overview of the Yonge Street Strip
mainly in the 70s era...A major change was the availability of video tapes during the 80s evolving to DVDs
today putting most of those places out of business concerning the sex trade...

I also posted a message about the Yonge Street Strip in the just-moved topic about Toronto strip clubs
concerning similar thoughts...

LI MIKE

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

DTG: Interesting article on older Toronto X-rated Theatres and a good overview of the Yonge Street Strip
mainly in the 70s era...A major change was the availability of video tapes during the 80s evolving to DVDs
today putting most of those places out of business concerning the sex trade...

I also posted a message about the Yonge Street Strip in the just-moved topic about Toronto strip clubs
concerning similar thoughts...

LI MIKE

Just to be clear, the grindhouses weren't all adult cinemas. There were peep booths at the back of adult bookstores, the Coronet played adult films (it went grindhouse around 1977-78 after Odeon sold the cinema or leased it out) and then there was the cinema 2000 (where HMV sits today) but it wasn't really a cinema, it was three small rooms downstairs below the adult bookstore. The Rio, Biltmore & Yonge/Elgin were grindhouses though they usually had one softcore adult film thrown in as one of the pictures on the bill, except the Yonge/Elgin - it was rare when they played softcore. The Imperial Six and Downtown cinemas were more legit action houses than grindhouses. The Coronet was converted to the Coronet jewelery exchange in the early 80's, the Biltmore lasted until the mid-80's and then was converted to the Yonge Street Mall and The Rio was the last to go in 1990 and was converted to an AOV adult novelty shop and still is today.

 

[Cast_Member]

The 700 seat Roxy Cinema (no balcony) on the Danforth was somehow split into three crap cinemas. Looked how that worked out.

Good luck on whoever owns the Roxy for going against Cineplex.

 

[Northern Light]

AMC Canada in trouble/for sale?

The linked article from December 2011 suggests that AMC's Canadian operations are money-losers and up for sale.

I have no great affinity for the Yonge/Dundas complex as architecture (including the cinemas) but would hate to lose 24 screens downtown. I can't imagine Cineplex buying it.

Thoughts on this store or any other AMC venue?

If I had to pick a doomed to close one, I would bet on Interchange, since at 30 screens its obscenely large and right across from Colossus at what, another 18 or so screens?

http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/amc...nadian-theaters-as-backers-scramble-for-cash/

 

[Cast_Member]

The linked article from December 2011 suggests that AMC's Canadian operations are money-losers and up for sale.

I have no great affinity for the Yonge/Dundas complex as architecture (including the cinemas) but would hate to lose 24 screens downtown. I can't imagine Cineplex buying it.



Thoughts on this store or any other AMC venue?

If I had to pick a doomed to close one, I would bet on Interchange, since at 30 screens its obscenely large and right across from Colossus at what, another 18 or so screens?

http://www.deadline.com/2011/12/amc...nadian-theaters-as-backers-scramble-for-cash/

I highly doubt any American or foreign chains would want to expand to Canada since Cineplex owns 70% of the marketplace. I think those theatres would ideal for Empire Theatres or Landmark Theatres of Canada to expand in Ontario.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Good luck on whoever owns the Roxy for going against Cineplex.

You mean the Humber right? The Roxy auditorium was demolished 3 or 4 years ago and the front of the building, which is designated, was restored.



Re: AMC, they have been looking to get out of Canada for a while. Some of their locations do well, some don't i.e. AMC Yonge & Dundas due to the limited amount of films it can get being in the same zone as Scotiabank.

 

[Cast_Member]

You mean the Humber right? The Roxy auditorium was demolished 3 or 4 years ago and the front of the building, which is designated, was restored.

LOL @ myself. Sorry I got mixed up.