UPDATE* BOUGHT IT -So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

[BIKERFETT]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Forget the AMerican Pickers they live couple hours from me and arent all they are cracked up to be. Don't forget your friend the auctioneer here when it comes to going through all those boxes I would love to do the auction! I think this is a great idea. We have an old theatre here that has all the decor and has been stripped of all its seats by the city as they were going to fix it up. That was 7 years ago. They got a grant for a sign out front. It is a sign like you would see on the strip about 50k. So the outside looks awesome and the inside looks like a bomb went off. I would love to have it. Good luck and can't wait for the pics.

Chris

 

[Jet Beetle]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Hey Jet, you could offer a place for indie filmmakers to showcase their stuff.

Would love to see pics. There are a couple of abandoned theaters here in Ft. Wayne. Would love to get a hold of one.

Good luck and have fun.

Absolutely! I plan on showcasing as many Indy films as i can get. Letting the Artists have a Q and A and provide them with an arena much like what Sundance used to me - or what it was supposed to be when it started. Forget screening artists on their Union or non-union credentials. Those will be some fun nights.

And Mic - please don't tempt me - you know that Jupiter is already the star of my dreams - i can totally see that baby hanging over the refreshment stand. I plan on decking out the entire place with as many props and replicas I can fit in there. It should almost be like a treasure hunt. i have a 5 ft long Jet Vtol in storage i scored from an Ultraman theme park in Japan - and i was lucky enough to score a 6ft Space Battleship Yamato (one of 100) that were made for the new movie. I can't think of a better home for it.

And yes - if all goes well I plan on throwing a party where everyone here will be invited, but step by step --

 

[darthgordon]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

If you're not living there, I wouldn't worry about any ghosts.

I think it sounds great... Saving this old treasure and restoring is better than letting someone buy it and take a wrecking ball to it.

My only concern is that you don't plan on charging for movies. You can pay for the rights to show older movies. There's a theater down the street from me that always plays older movies.

I mean, it's going to cost you a lot of money to buy it, fix it up and then taxes. You might as well turn it into a money maker.

 

[Amish Trooper]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Could feature a Monty Python night or do the Rocky Horror Picture show etc etc..

 

[bleyd]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Sounds like a good place to play old films to me. Read Land of a Thousand Balconies. It's mostly about Cult movie films but some good bits on differant theatres with ALOT of character and the love people have for both film AND theatres.

I say make the purchase.

 

[Soundwave]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

I love how you've already pictured where everything is going to go in your mind!

That Jet Vtol and Space Battleship Yamato model sound very interesting too, only God knows how you got hold of them...sounds like you've found a deserving place where you can finally display them!!

 

[Jet Beetle]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

If you're not living there, I wouldn't worry about any ghosts.

I think it sounds great... Saving this old treasure and restoring is better than letting someone buy it and take a wrecking ball to it.

My only concern is that you don't plan on charging for movies. You can pay for the rights to show older movies. There's a theater down the street from me that always plays older movies.

I mean, it's going to cost you a lot of money to buy it, fix it up and then taxes. You might as well turn it into a money maker.

Charging for seeing the films is a very tricky thing to do if you
A. Call the place a residence
B. Do not plan on keeping the theatre running as a business all year.

These screenings will only happen when the urge hits me to go all out - and many of the screenings I have will be friends only. I don't want people getting the wrong idea about this place being open for business all year or that I'm skimming money is some way. The prints to be shown are either going to be owned by me or borrowed from friends (I have one buddy who has all of the original Looney tune and Tom and Jerry cartoons on film - now how great would that be). The screenings should be looked at like going over to your friend's house to watch something - believe me, it's going to save me the headache of having to deal with lots of paperwork and proving I'm not a money making establishment - I will have to pay for all kinds of extra stuff then. Codes, codes and more codes - I'm not saying the popcorn machine will be in the ladies room - but you'd be surprised with how much you get hit with once you start calling yourself a business. I'm way better off showing stuff for free and only taking bucks for food and drink.

BTW - So last night I met with some friends and was telling them about everything and one of the guys in the group offered me a slurpee machine he has in his warehouse that's only a year old. He fixed it for someone and they never came back to get it. Yeah!!!! I can get up at 3am and pour me a cherry mountain!!!

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Now, please post a few specs, i.e. screen size, number of seats, size of cherry mountains etc.

 

[dbalschi]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Well you have to buy it I mean after all you did get offered a Slurpee Machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds amazing it would be awesome to see some of my older favorite movies on the big screen!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SSRN Seaview]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

If you do buy................sounds like you could document (film) the process of rebuilding and get HGTV or other channel to do a show about your experiences!

 

[moffeaton]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

Buy it soon! You only have two years to get it ready for my 40th birthday party!

I'd love to build something for your display tableau, too!

 

[slave1pilot]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

I have one buddy who has all of the original Looney tune and Tom and Jerry cartoons on film - now how great would that be

I would drive to Texas to watch the Looney Tunes if they aren't the edited, watered down, "PC" versions of their former selves.

 

[mrbungle]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

sounds really cool. but i would charge something for the movies or an admission fee. if you display props and stuff you could do a museum/movie thing. do it 2 nights a week so your dream does not turn into a job. you are going to need a part time staff to deal with people just lik a modern movie theatre.


best of luck. i want pics!!!! sir!!!

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

If you do buy................sounds like you could document (film) the process of rebuilding and get HGTV or other channel to do a show about your experiences!

You´ve been Jedifyfed within this thread...

 

[TheStig]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

One day I want to own a theater. Somebody telling me it was haunted wouldn't stop me, mainly because I don't believe in the paranormal and the only ghosthunters I trust use Proton Packs.

I'd use it to my advantage, especially around Halloween. Show ghost movies and promote the place being "haunted". Watch Poltergeist with poltergeists! Make a replica proton pack and put it in a glass case with a "Break In Case of Haunting" sign.

 

[tripoli]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

In one of our local suburbs, the community chipped in together to restore the local theater:
Great Eastern Theatres - Maumee Indoor Theatre

IF you could get the local support, it is a great way to restore and build a customer base and have a super time doing so. It is an awesome place to go to, I would highly recommend trying to do such a business model if the opportunity presented itself.

 

[Nwerke]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

If it was me, I'd LEAP at it. Always fancied living in a converted church, cinema or old industrial building - a literal recurring dream of mine from an early age. And ghosts, please...they're as real as Santa Claus or fairies.

But as Kevin says, if you believe in them, this could be a problem for you. Old buildings creak and groan and slight drafts can close doors and generally mess with your mind even when you're not primed to assume everything is evidence of ghostly activity. It will take time to learn the building's quirks and during that process every little noise and oddity will set you on edge. If you're at all likely to let that build up into a feedback loop then don't do it.

That said, if you're inclined to own an Art Deco sort of building, or really anything that's had a previous owner, you're taking the chance that people died there. In fact, the older the building, the less likely it is that anyone *hasn't* died in it.

It's just that this owner seems kinda...oddly eager to tell you all about just how many people died there and how haunted the place is as a result. Even though he himself noted that a majority of possible buyers have backed out because of this.

I'd be wanting to know a bit more about his motives there!!

 

[Treadwell]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

It would be a shame to pass up a dream because of superstition.

 

[Treadwell]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

As for free exhibitions, I think just because you own a print you don't necessarily have the legal right to publicly exhibit it. Might want to run it by an entertainment atty, or ask Harry Knowles how he accomplishes his Butt Numb-a-thons.

 

[jcoffman99]

Re: So I've been offered an old movie theatre built in the late 30s

You need to read up on public performance rights. You're opening yourself to a world of hurt.
How Do I Find Out if a Movie Has Public Performance Rights? - Enoch Pratt Free Library

John