Milton Theatre Faces Uncertain Future

I came across this news today while I was looking for some information about Delaware.  The Milton Theatre, an art deco built in 1939, was sold by the DCIC.  The DCIC is the financial institution who owns the building.  The theatre has been operated as an arts center, with concerts, movies, and other events. 

As a former volunteer at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, an art deco theatre also built in 1939 and one who's future is also always in flux, I felt a big of a pang for The Milton, even though I've never been there.  I understand how those who love The Milton must feel not knowing what is going to happen.

The Senator was auctioned off in 2009 and the winning bidder was Baltimore City.  They were also the only bidder.  Some say that the auction was rigged in favor of the city who had always intended to hand it over to the current owners, but others claim that the chips fell where they fell.  At any rate, the current owners have been remodeling The Senator for over a year now and the theatre has been closed since March of 2012.  Some think it will never reopen.  A news report yesterday said that the theatre will reopen in May of this year, but given that Baltimore must have some of the worst reporting of any city, only time will tell if The Senator will reopen or not.  

Back to The Milton, it appears as it will also face ups and downs as it transitions forward.  From pictures that I've seen, it looks like a great old theatre.  It's a shame to see it face an uncertain future.  I wish those who love the theatre the best of luck.  My heart, and the hearts of all Old Theatre Nuts, are certainly with them as they move forward into uncertain times. 

If anyone has any pictures or stories they'd like to share on The Milton, please comment below.

Auditorium:

Photo Credit: http://www.aboutmybeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100_0666-300x225.jpg

Facade:

Photo Credit: http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/media/Common/0/6C/27741/t600-DSCF0209z.jpg

The current news on The Milton Theatre is best expressed on their wepage.  I have copied their page posting and attached it below.  Here is the link, if you'd like to visit their page directly: http://www.miltontheatre.org/

Update on the Status of the Milton Theatre

February 28, 2013

We have some news we want to share with you as one of our valued supporters. The Milton Theatre Board has been advised by DCIC, the financial institution that owns the theatre building, that they have sold the Milton Theatre building. DCIC has a contract with a cash buyer.

Understandably, we are very disappointed as we expect you will be as well. We do not know what the buyer intends to do with the property, and we don't know if we have the opportunity for any further involvement with the theatre.

Right now, we are going to focus on determining what the situation is and what our prospects may be. If it becomes clear that we will not be buying the building, all donors will be contacted and donations specified for the purpose of purchasing the building will be returned at the earliest possible date.

In the meantime, we have some special events planned for you and our public over the next few months, and we are committed to them.

The first is a Milton Theatre Presents ... dinner theatre with the Possum Point Players' Ad Hoc Touring Company's performance of the radio comedy classic "Our Miss Brooks." The performance will include a set of classic, comedy skits. The dinner theatre will be at the Bayleaf Restaurant in Milton on Saturday, March 9th. More information will follow. You can expect this event to include an informal and sincere discussion of whatever the breaking news happens to be on the 9th. Please call (302) 684-3400 for further information and/or reservations.

We'll have an announcement out about all of the other events in the next few days. Highlights are in the left column.

QUESTIONS? CONCERNS? IDEAS?

We are very open to your ideas and hope that you will share them with us. We also want to respond to your questions and concerns.

Please contact us by phone at (302) 684-3400. Leave a message and we'll get back to you asap. Or email us at MDC110@Verizon.net.

CONTACTING US

• Email us at MDC110@Verizon.net
• Give us a call, leave a message, and we'll call you back as soon as we can. (302) 684-3400
• Send a note (or check) to our office:

Milton Theatre
110 Union Street
Milton, DE 19968

 

 

STAR WARS: Episode VII, May the Lens Flare Be With You

Before I even get started with my thoughts on this topic for today, I'm going to warn my readers that this will probably be the first of many posts about Star Wars.  There may be another post tomorrow since we've just found out that certain aging stars will be returning for Episode VII.  There, I've said it, so you've been warned.  Now, on with the post.

When it was first announced that J.J. Abrams would be taking on the role of director for the newest Star Wars film, I wasn't happy.  I'm still not happy.  First, there's the mixing of Star Trek and Star Wars.  Can you really, honestly direct both?  Shouldn't there be a separation between both space worlds?  Isn't that a rule, or something?

I will be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about Star Trek.  I've seen several of the movies and enjoyed them.  I've watched some of the television shows and enjoyed them, as well.  I basically know the main characters.  Other than that, I'm more of a Star Wars, space opera, fan.  I understand why people like Star Trek, I just happen to prefer Star Wars.
 
The Star Trek and Star Wars worlds are very different.  I saw the last Star Trek film in the theatre; the one that J.J. Abrams directed.  Honestly, I can't remember the title of it.  It was entertaining, but what I remember more than anything was the atrocious, drunken abuse of anamorphic lens flare and a random lightsaber battle.  Holy crow, the lens flare...there was so much lens flare that it should have been listed in the credits with the actors as a leading role.

Lens flare can be an interesting technique when used sparingly and done well.  I think the most famous lens flare I can think of is Alfred Hitchcock's use of lens flare in the movie "Psycho."  At the end, there is a scene where actress Vira Miles bumps a light bulb hanging from the ceiling and there is a single, careful lens flare captured in the scene.  It's memorable.

J.J. Abrams, on the other hand, just doesn't know when to stop.  Every scene has lens flare, whether there's a noticable light source or not.  That might work for Star Trek movies, although I found it horribly distracting.  I also found it distracting in "Super 8."  I'm hoping that he doesn't go crazy with lens flare in Star Wars, but I seriously have my doubts.

I have a feeling we're going to be seeing something like this:



Photo Credit: http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/credits-flare.jpg

and this:

Photo Credit: http://i.imgur.com/qwCWZmO.png

Of course, time will tell.  I really, really hope J.J. proves me wrong and shows me that he knows how to do something other than capture anamorphic lens flare.  Until then,  I'm going to remain very skeptical.

Church Lane Cinema

The beginning for me...

The town I grew up in was a small town sandwiched between larger towns and the country.  In the 1970s, when I was very young, there were still larger old styled movie houses around; those with auditoriums seating 800 patrons, or more.  Those theaters had large marquees, bright signs, large lobbies, and high ceilings.  There were also many plain box styled General Cinema movie houses around with mod interiors and large auditoriums.  However, my town had a hidden gem. 

A few miles from where I lived, tucked into a quiet strip mall, was a small, well run, single screen, art house theatre called Church Lane Cinema.  People generally refered to it as just Church Lane.  From the front, it was nothing special.  It had a small, flat, unmemorable marquee above the door.  I don't remember any sort of exterior box office window.  If memory serves me right, tickets were purchased inside.  What I remember clearly was the single poster case which advertised a single movie poster showcasing the current feature.

Unlike the larger theaters, this little theater had a small, simple lobby divided in half by red velvet ropes to control patron traffic; one side was for people coming in and the other side was for people leaving.  There was a simple concession stand that always had a wide array of candy for all tastes, as well as popcorn and drinks.  For me, though, this little cinema was better than any other local movie house because it was the only movie house near my home that showed all of the Disney movies.

Church Lane's connection with Disney movies lead to an event that changed me forever.  One night of movie going started what has become my long love affair with movies, the art of movie making, movie houses, the whole event of going to movies, and so on.  It was the night my parents took me to see the re-release of "The Aristocats" when I was in second grade.

That night, when we were in the lobby, I noticed that the projection booth door was open.  When I looked into the booth, I saw movie projectors and the projectionist for the first time.  I had never seen anything like it.  My father explained to me, in basic terms, what I was seeing; the pictures on the screen came from the projectors and the man up in the booth kept the picture on the screen.  I stared, in awe, at the projectors in motion.  Never one to discourage my nerdly tendancies, my father let me stand there and watch until it was our turn to go into the auditorium.

Photo Credit: http://bay-journal.com/bay/1pi/theater/colonial-projection-room.jpg

From that point on, movie going was never the same for me.  The technical side of the movie and the art of the movie, more than the movie itself, started to take over my interests.  Even the print of the movie, and the condition of the print, became interesting to me when on the summer re-re-release of "The Aristocats" I noticed that the print was a little scratchier than the original one I had seen.

I went on to see many more films at Church Lane.  There was an art to the projection at that cinema.  When Disney films were shown, there was always a short animated Disney film shown prior to the main attraction.  One short, Disney's "The Old Mill" from 1937, was particularly scary to me as a child, but I realize now how lucky I was to see it on the big screen. 

Since I grew up watching the animated shorts before main features, I assumed that other theaters ran their films the same way.  Only when I was older did I realize that others didn't get to see the short films.  Church Lane was special.  Church Lane cared about their programming and the movie going experience, as a whole.

There's very little written material on Church Lane Cinema, which closed in 1986.  Church Lane simply faded into the night and into my memories.  There is a small passage about it in the book Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore, by Robert K. Headley.  It's a shame there isn't more information available.  It's a cinema I still miss to this day, more than any other movie house.

For those wondering, there is now a discount party store in the location of the former Church Lane Cinema.  I rarely go into it, not because I blame it for taking over the location of my favorite childhood cinema, but because I have a hard time standing in the graveyard of so many childhood memories.  I can still feel the cinema calling to me while I stare at the party favors and disposable party tat.

For those interested in Church Lane Cinema or other Baltimore Cinemas, I highly recommend the following book:

Available for purchase through: http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Exhibition-Baltimore-Illustrated/dp/0786422904/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1362674344&sr=8-3&keywords=baltimore+movie+theaters