Editing Timeline of the decline of Toronto movie theatres
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* The Theatorium, Toronto's first movie theatre, opened in 1906 <ref>https://www.torontojourney416.com/red-mill-theatre/#:~:text=In%20March%201906%2C%20The%20Theatorium,was%20covered%20in%20movie%20posters.</ref> | * The Theatorium, Toronto's first movie theatre, opened in 1906 <ref>https://www.torontojourney416.com/red-mill-theatre/#:~:text=In%20March%201906%2C%20The%20Theatorium,was%20covered%20in%20movie%20posters.</ref> | ||
− | * Starting in 1957, 3-Strip Cinerama came to Toronto's University Theatre. Cinerama introduced stereophonic sound and widescreen images to the movies and inspired other widescreen formats like Fox's CinemaScope and Paramount's VistaVision and can be seen as an | + | * Starting in 1957, 3-Strip Cinerama came to Toronto's University Theatre. Cinerama introduced stereophonic sound and widescreen images to the movies and inspired other widescreen formats like Fox's CinemaScope and Paramount's VistaVision and can be seen as an earlier precursor to IMAX. <ref>https://cinematreasures.org/blog/2008/11/19/remembering-cinerama-part-12-toronto</ref> |
− | * For decades, Toronto basked in a golden age of movie palaces. <ref>https://www.thestar.com/life/remembering-the-dreamy-and-palatial-downtown-movie-palaces/article_0ad36c6c-0c73-599d-a157-6accd73363ba.html</ref> Cineplex | + | * For decades, Toronto basked in a golden age of movie palaces. <ref>https://www.thestar.com/life/remembering-the-dreamy-and-palatial-downtown-movie-palaces/article_0ad36c6c-0c73-599d-a157-6accd73363ba.html</ref> Cineplex, which arrived in 1979, saw an end to that golden age. What follows is a timeline of the decline. |
== 1979 - [DEBUT] Cineplex Eaton Centre opens == | == 1979 - [DEBUT] Cineplex Eaton Centre opens == | ||
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* "18-screen complex was once cited in the Guinness Book of World Records" <ref>http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/850</ref> | * "18-screen complex was once cited in the Guinness Book of World Records" <ref>http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/850</ref> | ||
* smaller "shoebox-sized" theatres of 56 to 398 seats allowed more movies to be played in a compact space | * smaller "shoebox-sized" theatres of 56 to 398 seats allowed more movies to be played in a compact space | ||
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* some auditoriums used 16mm projection while others used 35mm projection | * some auditoriums used 16mm projection while others used 35mm projection | ||
* quantity of screens over quality of presentation | * quantity of screens over quality of presentation | ||
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== 1984 - [MERGER] Cineplex merges with Odeon (1941-1984) == | == 1984 - [MERGER] Cineplex merges with Odeon (1941-1984) == | ||
* "Odeon merged with Cineplex in 1984 to form Cineplex Odeon Corporation" <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cineplex_Entertainment </ref> | * "Odeon merged with Cineplex in 1984 to form Cineplex Odeon Corporation" <ref> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cineplex_Entertainment </ref> | ||
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== 1985 - [DEBUT] Cineplex introduces on-screen advertising == | == 1985 - [DEBUT] Cineplex introduces on-screen advertising == | ||
* From the Cineplex website: "revolutionizes an industry by introducing on-screen advertising to its Canadian theatres" <ref>https://corp.cineplex.com/about/history</ref> | * From the Cineplex website: "revolutionizes an industry by introducing on-screen advertising to its Canadian theatres" <ref>https://corp.cineplex.com/about/history</ref> | ||
* On November 15, 1985, Cineplex got advance word that the Toronto Star was including a column in their Saturday Entertainment edition that was critical of Cineplex's recent roll-out of (shoe) ads in select cities (including Toronto), so in response Cineplex issued a court order to prevent the Star from publishing it. Toronto Star lawyers rushed to Osgoode Hall and managed to get the order set aside by 11:05pm the night before the already printed newspapers were due for distribution. <ref>[https://www.proquest.com/hnptorontostar/docview/1403476863/E22BDC63AD2849ADPQ/3?accountid=14369 'One-sided' injunctions risk being unfair (Toronto Star, 18 Nov 1985) ] </ref> | * On November 15, 1985, Cineplex got advance word that the Toronto Star was including a column in their Saturday Entertainment edition that was critical of Cineplex's recent roll-out of (shoe) ads in select cities (including Toronto), so in response Cineplex issued a court order to prevent the Star from publishing it. Toronto Star lawyers rushed to Osgoode Hall and managed to get the order set aside by 11:05pm the night before the already printed newspapers were due for distribution. <ref>[https://www.proquest.com/hnptorontostar/docview/1403476863/E22BDC63AD2849ADPQ/3?accountid=14369 'One-sided' injunctions risk being unfair (Toronto Star, 18 Nov 1985) ] </ref> | ||
− | ** In the Nov 16 1985 column ("On Your Behalf: Cineplex ad adds insult to injury") Douglas Marshall opined | + | ** In the Nov 16 1985 column ("On Your Behalf: Cineplex ad adds insult to injury") Douglas Marshall opined "Movie patrons don't pay $5.50 to become a captive audience for sales pitches." A quote from Cineplex vice-president Lynda Friendly was included: "We think this is a matter that patrons will vote on by their attendance." <ref>[https://www.proquest.com/hnptorontostar/pagelevelimagepdf/1411939497/pagelevelImagePDF/62BC55A96EF0410APQ/1?t:lb=t&accountid=14369 "On Your Behalf: Cineplex ad adds insult to injury" by Douglas Marshall (Toronto Star, 16 Nov 1985)]</ref> |
== 1986 - [CLOSED] University Theatre (1949-1986) demolished == | == 1986 - [CLOSED] University Theatre (1949-1986) demolished == | ||
+ | * projected 3-Strip Cinerama films from 1957-1962 such as "This is Cinerama" to "How the West Was Won" | ||
+ | * showcased large format (65mm) engagements of the following: | ||
+ | ** Ben-Hur (77 weeks): Dec. 23, 1959 to May 4, 1961 | ||
+ | ** Doctor Zhivago (28 weeks): 1965 | ||
+ | ** My Fair Lady (60 weeks): Oct. 28, 1964 to Dec. 21, 1965 | ||
+ | ** Fiddler on the Roof (57 weeks): Nov. 10, 1971 until Dec. 12, 1972 <ref>https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3090/comments</ref> | ||
+ | * projected 70mm six-track Dolby surround titles such as "Star Wars", "Apocalypse Now", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Top Gun" and "Aliens" | ||
* "a single screen theatre that sat some 1300 people"<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Theatre_(Toronto) </ref> | * "a single screen theatre that sat some 1300 people"<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Theatre_(Toronto) </ref> | ||
* "Despite a petition of over 25,000 people, it was closed when the property value became too great to continue operating as a theatre. The University Theatre was demolished in 1986 and, today, only its rebuilt facade remains"<ref>http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3090</ref> | * "Despite a petition of over 25,000 people, it was closed when the property value became too great to continue operating as a theatre. The University Theatre was demolished in 1986 and, today, only its rebuilt facade remains"<ref>http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3090</ref> | ||
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== 1998 - [DEBUT] Famous Players gets IMAX screens == | == 1998 - [DEBUT] Famous Players gets IMAX screens == | ||
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== 2023 - [UPDATE] Still no Dolby Vision screens in Toronto (2015-2023) == | == 2023 - [UPDATE] Still no Dolby Vision screens in Toronto (2015-2023) == | ||
− | * Dolby Vision has been available in televisions since 2016 but not in any Cineplex theatres as of 2023. Usually a technical innovation debuts in movie theaters first and then trickles down to the television/home theatre consumer arena later. (See [[Timeline of Cinematic Innovations and Their Adoption in Television/Home Video]]) Cineplex has reversed that trend by letting television have an eight year lead and counting (so far) with Dolby Vision | + | * Dolby Vision has been available in televisions since 2016 but not in any Cineplex theatres as of 2023. Usually a technical innovation debuts in movie theaters first and then trickles down to the television/home theatre consumer arena later. (See [[Timeline of Cinematic Innovations and Their Adoption in Television/Home Video]]) Cineplex has reversed that trend by letting television have an eight year lead and counting (so far) with Dolby Vision. |
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== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> |