Nevermore

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Along with the almost-complete disappearance of palace-sized movie theatres with balconies over the last 30 years is the abandonment of super-sized, building-mounted promotional art. We still have the huge billboard posters along L.A.'s Sunset Strip and along 42nd Street between Eighth Avenue and Times Square, but it's really a shame that today's moviegoers will never know the visceral thrill of standing before flamboyantly large movie promotions attached to big marquees (or building walls above marquees) that were common in Times Square until the mid '60s. They had a real Collossus of Rhodes-type aura. What's life without a little grandeur?

Wall art for the 1943 Kismet atop the Astor in Times Square.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 1, 2009 at 11:50 AM

comment #1

corey3rd says ...

I always enjoy a DVD bonus feature that shows a theater made over for the movie.

Posted by corey3rd at May 1, 2009 12:25 PM

comment #2

televisiontears says ...

I imagine a revival of that kind of grandiose promo art would only encourage more B.O. It makes it seem like such an event, as if it screams "You'd be a fool to miss this movie."

As for the elegant movie palaces, there's still a few of them around. Cinema 21 in Portland - while unassuming on the outside - is a beautiful 30's-era theater with a huge balcony and a sound system that's nothing to sneeze at. I saw Inland Empire there when it was only on seven screens nationwide, and the place was sold out. It was one of the best movie-going experiences I've had.

Posted by televisiontears at May 1, 2009 1:08 PM

comment #3

Wrecktem says ...

This post, naturally, comes several weeks after Disney put up an enormous, building-sized Wyland whale banner advertising the release of Earth at the El Capitan.

Nice timing.

Posted by Wrecktem at May 1, 2009 2:17 PM

comment #4

Howlingman says ...

Jeff, the Loew's Jersey City is right down the road from you and definitely worth checking out:

http://www.loewsjersey.org/

On May 16th they're screening THE GENERAL with live organ accompaniment, and they just hosted Anthony Harvey for a special screening of THE LION IN WINTER (and Arlene Dahl was their guest for JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH).

And the theater itself is just beautiful.

Posted by Howlingman at May 1, 2009 5:55 PM

comment #5

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

Sunset hasn't had the kind of movie billboards you are thinking about for almost 10 years.

Back in the day, the studios permanently rented the same ones. You knew that going East just past La Cienega was the Universal one. I can still remember seeing JURASSIC PARK up there. Now, it's just a few left.

Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie at May 1, 2009 6:12 PM

comment #6

MarkVH says ...

Right on Howlingman. The Loews Jersey kicks ass. Haven't gotten there enough myself this year, but I did manage to make it over for The Innocents when it showed back in March (?), and the noir series where they showed The Killing and Niagara on a double bill. Great stuff.

Posted by MarkVH at May 2, 2009 7:31 AM

comment #7

vp19 says ...

Here are two shots of Marilyn Monroe as a billboard colossus.

The first is from 1952, at an Oklahoma theatre showing "Niagara." Note that the giant Marilyn is at street level.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/VP19/miscellaneous/marilynmonroeniagaracriterionoklaho.jpg

Flash forward to 1955, and here the mammoth Monroe is in Manhattan, promoting "The Seven-Year Itch":

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c149/VP19/miscellaneous/marilynmonroetheseven-yearitchlarge.jpg

One wonders where those oversized things went after the engagement -- especially since any collector would need a room the size of an armory to host them.

Posted by vp19 at May 2, 2009 7:48 AM

comment #8

Howlingman says ...

I was at those shows too MarkVH.

And boxes of fresh popcorn for a buck!

Posted by Howlingman at May 2, 2009 8:30 AM

comment #9

vp19 says ...

Also note the two teenage girls in the first Monroe photo, each posing ankle-high to the massive Marilyn for a photographer across the street.

Posted by vp19 at May 2, 2009 8:56 PM

comment #10

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comment #11